Search found 12 matches

by VonRyan
Tue Jun 12, 2018 12:03 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: “Day to kill” in Venice Italy
Replies: 51
Views: 5159

Re: “Day to kill” in Venice Italy

There is a fantastic Italian Navy museum on the east end of the main island near the Arsenale. I spend three-four hours there.

Just get away from the crowds, which often takes only 2-3 minutes of walking. Further north and further east on the main island get you away from big crowds.

The other islands are also cool to walk around; with a Vapareto pass you can cheaply visit San Giorgio, the Guidecca, and the Lido. With more time you can take a boat to the original site of Venice on Torcello.
by VonRyan
Wed Jun 06, 2018 5:36 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Update: Can a Retired 60 yo MD, MBA Start a Law Career?
Replies: 285
Views: 23173

Re: Can a Retired 60 yo MD, MBA Start a Law Career?

Many law school classes have one or two MDs. I am a PhD and would like to go to law school after I retire, and I might go at night before I retire.

Robert Levy, who is an attorney and also chairman of the Cato Institute, went to law school after he retired. He also clerked for a federal appeals court judge and was a law professor. I know of two other lawyers who went to law school after retiring and one argued a case in front of the USSC and won.

Go to the best school you can get into, practice your writing, get on the law journal, and publish. You can skip big law and go right to a clerkship. Being a good writer and able to read a lot are key skills.
by VonRyan
Wed May 16, 2018 11:39 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How to think about schools/homes (Greatschools/Niche)
Replies: 70
Views: 9014

Re: How to think about schools/homes (Greatschools/Niche)

As a previous poster noted, Greatschools isn't particularly transparent, and you can't use their rankings to compare schools over several years because their underlying methodologies change year to year.

Other things to look for: percent of children receiving free lunch, and whether there are any apartment buildings in the school boundary.

There are three variables that have a huge effect on current and future property values: quality of the local school, local crime rate, and the level of property taxes.
by VonRyan
Mon May 14, 2018 1:54 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Must See in South Dakota
Replies: 59
Views: 7752

Re: Must See in South Dakota

A few off the beaten track things I like in South Dakota:

1) Lewis and Clark museum at the rest area on I-90 right at the Missouri River (east bank).
2) South Dakota Air and Space Museum adjoining Ellsworth AFB. One of the best collections outdoors.
3) Storybook Island Park in Rapid City. Great if you have little kids, and even if you don't.
4) DC Booth Fish Hatchery in Spearfish.
5) Scheels and Cabelas both have large stores in Rapid City or Sioux Falls.

and on the way there:

6) Pipestone National Monument in Pipestone Minnesota. Ancient Native American quarries.
by VonRyan
Mon May 14, 2018 11:41 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Is there a boglehead muscle car?
Replies: 140
Views: 13608

Re: Is there a boglehead muscle car?

1996 Chevrolet Caprice.
by VonRyan
Fri May 04, 2018 12:54 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: How are you widow-proofing?
Replies: 35
Views: 6091

Re: How are you widow-proofing?

A few ideas:

This is an important consideration. I saw a friend's mom lose $1 million of a $2 million estate in 2008 because she decided to sell at the bottom (her husband had done a great job building up his 401k but he died unexpectedly, and not long after retirement). Her kids tried to advise her, but "she knew best".

Is there a family lawyer or accountant the widow would listen to and trust? Or children she would listen to?

I'd not just leave behind an instruction but also tell her all the time, "If I die, don't make any big changes for a while. Here are two people I trust to advise you....."
by VonRyan
Wed Apr 25, 2018 3:36 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Building/House Plans
Replies: 26
Views: 3257

Re: Building/House Plans

Walk-up attic preferably with a built-in staircase not just a fold-down ladder. This is good for many reasons: you may one day finish the attic into another living space, and you can easily use it for storage, and last it makes it easier to service the house's systems on or near the roof like HVAC if you have a walk-up attic.
by VonRyan
Fri Apr 20, 2018 3:35 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Selling a car: how to get paid?
Replies: 69
Views: 10419

Re: Selling a car: how to get paid?

People who would scam this way, don't the police prosecute them? Can you file a civil suit against the scammer, perhaps in small claims court?
by VonRyan
Fri Apr 20, 2018 3:31 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: 529 Plan - grandmother or son?
Replies: 11
Views: 1645

Re: 529 Plan - grandmother or son?

My parents gifted money to me which I put in a 529 fund. My children were listed as the beneficiaries, and I made myself sole trustee because I was already having doubts about my wife's behavior at the time the gifts were made and the 529 was opened. And then there was a divorce. Fortunately my ex-wife had a lousy attorney who forgot to put the 529 into the divorce settlement, so the 529 money from my parents is intact but I could have easily lost half of the 529 to my ex-wife. The state income tax benefits from a 529 are tiny compared to the potential loss of tens of thousands from the 529 if there is a divorce, so having a grandparent or trusted relative be the trustee could be a good idea. Yes I can see how a divorce could mess things u...
by VonRyan
Fri Apr 20, 2018 3:27 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Do you buy new or used cars?
Replies: 183
Views: 24708

Re: Do you buy new or used cars?

I am in my 50s and still buy cheap used cars, for lots of reasons: I am cheap, I am relatively poor in my Northern Virginia county, there is a steep annual personal property tax on cars where I live, I don't drive very far from home, I don't drive to work (use mass transit), and I rent cars for trips. About being cheap--I just do not personally find any value in a new car. My method: I research a lot, trying to find what is older and still reliable, and watch the market closely. I prefer to find something sold by someone I know or someone in the neighborhood but I have purchased cars on EBay and Craigslist. The last car I bought on-line cost $2,900 and survived with me for 14 years. The one before that cost $6,500 and is still going 15 year...
by VonRyan
Fri Apr 20, 2018 11:13 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: 529 Plan - grandmother or son?
Replies: 11
Views: 1645

Re: 529 Plan - grandmother or son?

My parents gifted money to me which I put in a 529 fund. My children were listed as the beneficiaries, and I made myself sole trustee because I was already having doubts about my wife's behavior at the time the gifts were made and the 529 was opened.

And then there was a divorce. Fortunately my ex-wife had a lousy attorney who forgot to put the 529 into the divorce settlement, so the 529 money from my parents is intact but I could have easily lost half of the 529 to my ex-wife.

The state income tax benefits from a 529 are tiny compared to the potential loss of tens of thousands from the 529 if there is a divorce, so having a grandparent or trusted relative be the trustee could be a good idea.