Search found 1820 matches

by Tdubs
Wed Mar 27, 2024 7:02 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: How would you change my 401k?
Replies: 46
Views: 1682

Re: Starting to regret hiring Facet

Caleb4387 wrote: Wed Mar 27, 2024 6:38 pm
JET1005 wrote: Wed Mar 27, 2024 6:35 pm
Caleb4387 wrote: Wed Mar 27, 2024 6:32 pm You didn't listen the first time, why would we think you'll listen now?
Some of you all are not very nice, not really sure where that is coming from. If you read my replies in this thread you will see that I am very much listening to the advice I got on here, and that will likely be the advice I implement. So yes, I am listening. There is no need for this kind of feedback.
Well its the feedback you got.
This is out of line.
by Tdubs
Tue Mar 26, 2024 9:24 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Those complimentary dinners for retirees by investment advisors
Replies: 143
Views: 10503

Re: Those complimentary dinners for retirees by investment advisors

I wouldn't do it, there is a non-zero risk that you will get talked into something. Yes, but there is a non-zero risk a loved one will get hornswoggled after you are gone, unless you educate them. I think that is far more likely than BHers getting talked into it. So are you saying your strategy to educate a loved one is to take them to a seminar for every type of product that you don't want them to buy after your demise? There might be more efficient and effective ways to do this. Every type? No. But enough to get the general idea. We have gone to a timeshare presentation and got out with our wallets intact. It was interesting, but don't need to do it again. I consider these dinner sales pitches high risk; they are everywhere and relatives...
by Tdubs
Tue Mar 26, 2024 9:03 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Those complimentary dinners for retirees by investment advisors
Replies: 143
Views: 10503

Re: Those complimentary dinners for retirees by investment advisors

z3r0c00l wrote: Tue Mar 26, 2024 8:56 am I wouldn't do it, there is a non-zero risk that you will get talked into something.
Yes, but there is a non-zero risk a loved one will get hornswoggled after you are gone, unless you educate them. I think that is far more likely than BHers getting talked into it.
by Tdubs
Tue Mar 26, 2024 7:34 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Those complimentary dinners for retirees by investment advisors
Replies: 143
Views: 10503

Re: Those complimentary dinners for retirees by investment advisors

SmileyFace wrote: Tue Mar 26, 2024 7:13 am
urban wrote: Tue Mar 26, 2024 12:04 am
SmileyFace wrote: Mon Mar 25, 2024 8:52 pmI am not comfortable going to one of these dinners just for a free meal. Sponsor has limited seating and I will leave the seats for those that want the information or might really be interested.
Would it make you feel better if there are some empty seats?
Nope - they are still needlessly buying me a meal.
Also, read the other reasons I mentioned.
I would really like to get an invite with my DW. I'd like her to sit through one with me--forewarned is forearmed. The result might be very different when she, as a widow, gets that invite.
by Tdubs
Mon Mar 25, 2024 10:19 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Those complimentary dinners for retirees by investment advisors
Replies: 143
Views: 10503

Re: Those complimentary dinners for retirees by investment advisors

Stinky wrote: Mon Mar 25, 2024 10:12 am
MnD wrote: Mon Mar 25, 2024 9:37 am So how bad could they be?
Please go to a dinner and respond back with your experience.

Boglehead Nation eagerly awaits your report.

(And don’t buy anything while you’re there. And make sure that your spouse feels the same way about buying anything.)
As long as you are immune, I think it is worth hearing one of these sales pitches. You learn a lot about human nature from the formula they follow.
by Tdubs
Sun Mar 24, 2024 11:20 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Going Back to Work Numbers
Replies: 18
Views: 2464

Re: Going Back to Work Numbers

HomeStretch wrote: Sun Mar 24, 2024 8:06 am
rich126 wrote: Sun Mar 24, 2024 6:05 am … Are there any financial/tax issues I may be completely ignoring? …
You may be required to file a state tax return in the state you will be working and living in during the week.

As you are in your early 60s, Medicare IRMAA may be impacted by the higher earnings. Your age 63 MAGI will determine age 65 IRMAA, if any.

NIIT (net investment income tax) kicks in at AGI of 250k+.
Though with the IRMAA, he can likely get an exemption when he files for Medicare at 65. So, other than state taxes and the inability to do conversions, this seems like an easy decision.
by Tdubs
Sun Mar 24, 2024 7:31 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Does ERISA *really* provide 401k asset protection?
Replies: 76
Views: 7213

Re: Does ERISA *really* provide 401k asset protection?

I was reading over this thread from last year, and I found an article that indicates that the protection of your accounts follows the branch location where you opened the account (https://www.alperlaw.com/florida-asset-protection/florida-exemptions-from-creditors/#exemptions). None of my accounts--TIAA, Vanguard, or Ally Bank were opened at a branch or even have a branch. How does this work for branch-less financial institutions? Asset location is an issue primarily when debtors plan to protect financial accounts. Most financial institutions provide that their customers’ financial accounts are situated at the branch office where the account is maintained or in the state where the customer resided when the account was opened. For example, if...
by Tdubs
Fri Mar 22, 2024 9:43 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: At what age to tell child about family's finances
Replies: 74
Views: 6106

Re: At what age to tell child about family's finances

Kids are in their 20s. Recently gave them a copy of our wills and a list of our accounts with contact information. Didn't tell them how much was in them.
by Tdubs
Fri Mar 22, 2024 9:07 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: When brand names matter and when they don't
Replies: 194
Views: 11871

Re: When brand names matter and when they don't

I bet all the Heinz lovers wouldn't be able to tell the difference between it and Aldi's Burman's brand in a blind taste test.
by Tdubs
Thu Mar 21, 2024 9:35 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Equiy Indexed Annuity using retirement money
Replies: 28
Views: 1905

Re: Equiy Indexed Annuity using retirement money

Hello, I recently signed up with a fixed annual fee financial advisor. My current 403b account has about 500k of which 400k is a rollover from the prior job 403b. The advisor suggested moving the 400k portion to an IRA and then about 100k of that 400k into SILAC Denali 10 EIA. Specifically, he suggests moving it to a 11.5% cap S&P Point-to-point annuity. He states there are no other fees (other than capping gains). The annuity will return 0% in the years in which S&P is negative. This would be a 10 year commitment but its pre-tax money that I anyways should not be touching for another 15 years. The other 300k in the IRA would be invested in funds with a lower expense ratio than my current allocations (0.4%-->0.1%). Does that make s...
by Tdubs
Thu Mar 21, 2024 9:14 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Simple things like writing a check, balancing a checkbook, depositing, withdrawing, interest. Teach a child... but how?
Replies: 39
Views: 2607

Re: Simple things like writing a check, balancing a checkbook, depositing, withdrawing, interest. Teach a child... but h

Broken Man 1999 wrote: Thu Mar 21, 2024 6:29 pm I haven't balanced a checkbook since my checking account was available online. As the checks cleared, my balance is updated immediately.

Oldest daughter asks us to write the rare check she might need, as she ran out of checks years ago. We write them and give to her and she sends money to pay me via Friends and Family program. Both daughters are linked to one of my accounts, so they deposit and funds they owe me in an account of mine. DW is also linked to me and we can pass money to each other easily.

Broken Man 1999
I haven't balanced a checkbook.
by Tdubs
Wed Mar 20, 2024 4:39 pm
Forum: Forum Issues and Administration
Topic: Rule Against Disparaging a Post or Question?
Replies: 68
Views: 6433

Re: Rule Against Disparaging a Post or Question?

I like and appreciate a diversity of views. With the exception of views that the site owners have prohibited (positive views of "greater fools" investments), I think all perspectives should be welcome on the forum. The moderators also will lock discussions which are not personal and actionable. I wondered if the OP was referring to my post on the earlier discussion on "Has the 401k been a net positive or negative?" I posted "is this actionable?" and sure enough after less than 2 hours the thread was locked by a moderator: This thread has run its course and is locked (not personal nor actionable). General comment threads are off topic in the forums with "Personal" in the title. See: A reminder that no...
by Tdubs
Tue Mar 19, 2024 8:06 pm
Forum: Forum Issues and Administration
Topic: Rule Against Disparaging a Post or Question?
Replies: 68
Views: 6433

Re: Rule Against Disparaging a Post or Question?

There is value in telling people to read the old posts. Have you tried reading through a long thread on any particular topic? Or noticed that there are dozens of new topics every day? As a relatively new participant, I tend to scroll through the list of topics and refrain from clicking on anything with more than 2 pages of responses since I prefer active discussions/interactions without spending 10 minutes reading through responses. There are far better suggestions than "telling people to read the old posts". It’s some of the longer threads that provide the most insight as members of varying knowledge and experience chime in. My goto today is to search the topic I’m interested in and dig for nuggets of wisdom or detail. That can ...
by Tdubs
Sun Mar 17, 2024 11:07 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: The best game-changing financial advice you ever received (or "discovered")
Replies: 219
Views: 25616

Re: The best game-changing financial advice you ever received (or "discovered")

runner26 wrote: Thu Mar 14, 2024 9:34 pm "Always live below your.means. Dont think its possible, look around, there are always people living on less.than you. Save the rest, then invest."
Agree, after a couple years of fighting off debt, my son has become a complete convert. Finds careful budgeting liberating.
by Tdubs
Fri Mar 15, 2024 9:56 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Where to keep emergency funds?
Replies: 23
Views: 2479

Re: Where to keep emergency funds?

WeakOldGuy wrote: Fri Mar 15, 2024 9:51 pm
Tdubs wrote: Fri Mar 15, 2024 9:44 pm If you can tolerate the 1-year lockup, how about I bonds? 1.3% real return right now.
It doesn't seem like that would be great for emergency funds. Maybe for funds that you wouldn't need in the normal situation for a year, but an emergency sort of implies that it isn't normal.
After a year, it is as liquid as just about anything else being discussed and will likely earn more interest down the road than the MM funds mentioned.
by Tdubs
Fri Mar 15, 2024 9:44 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Where to keep emergency funds?
Replies: 23
Views: 2479

Re: Where to keep emergency funds?

If you can tolerate the 1-year lockup, how about I bonds? 1.3% real return right now.
by Tdubs
Wed Mar 13, 2024 4:25 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Ooma Phone Service
Replies: 40
Views: 3578

Re: Ooma Phone Service

A440 wrote: Mon Mar 11, 2024 6:50 am We use it for our landline.
~$7 a month with no issues.
Same. We completely solved the telemarketer problem we had with Ooma with one of those AT&T screening phones that require callers to identify themselves. Useful to have a second line.
by Tdubs
Wed Mar 13, 2024 12:36 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Is Raymond James beating the SP500? That's what they are claiming.
Replies: 59
Views: 4788

Re: Is Raymond James beating the SP500? That's what they are claiming.

kardan wrote: Wed Mar 13, 2024 10:40 am A quick analysis of the data at the link (https://www.raymondjames.ca/-/media/rj/ ... 023-us.pdf) provided by spacemanspif says it all.

In the most recent 10 years of data provided, RJ outperformed the S&P 500 in only 5 of the 10 years. Despite beating the S&P 500 49.3% to 33.7% in the first year of the 10 year period, the cumulative return for the 10 years for RJ (without fees) is 218.2% vs 259.4% for the S&P 500. With a 1% per annum fee, the RJ cumulative return drops to 190.7%.
I think this link is incomplete.
by Tdubs
Sat Mar 09, 2024 8:37 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Anyone considering the new GEHA Medicare Advantage Plan?
Replies: 54
Views: 8431

Re: Anyone considering the new GEHA Medicare Advantage Plan?

dfhensley wrote: Sat Mar 09, 2024 6:00 pm I fell for the GEHA Medicare Advantage Plan. So far it has not been as expected. Most local gyms do not honor. Ads listed most of them. My wife had surgery and they now are not paying for it. So other items have not tried but beginning to question.
Why didn't they pay for the surgery?
by Tdubs
Sat Mar 09, 2024 3:54 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: William Bernstein On the Financial Industry
Replies: 81
Views: 10161

Re: William Bernstein On the Financial Industry

Condemnation of the Financial Industry is just another form of prejudice or bias. There are good guys and bad guys in most industries. Just because one restaurant is closed by the board of health does not mean all restaurants are unsanitary. I don't think it is prejudice or bias when the largest financial players in the world -- JP Morgan, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citigroup and Goldman Sachs among others -- have paid literally hundreds of billions in fines and penalties for their crimes including securities fraud, consumer fraud, price fixing, money laundering, sanctions violations, bribery and forgery. Either the institutions themselves are corrupt or the industry tends to attract the most pathological of personalities, or both. Hund...
by Tdubs
Sat Mar 02, 2024 6:39 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Are We in a Stock Market Bubble? (Ray Dalio)
Replies: 132
Views: 15804

Re: Are We in a Stock Market Bubble? (Ray Dalio)

Please apply a heavy dose of critical thinking to anything Ray Dalio says before you incorporate into your knowledge base. He is a shameless self promoter and he is one of the best in the world at it. Bridgewater has a cultish culture. His economic model is made up by him and is not credible. Ray Dalio is a complete fraud. Read “The Fund,” it’s worse than you could possibly imagine. You should think critically about anything anyone says pertaining to markets. However, ad hominem is not critical thinking. He could run a UFO cult for all it matters – your job is still to work out whether his position makes sense. FWIW, how we traverse not-trusting-hedge-fund-managers to implicitly trusting journalists (re: The Fund) would take some mental gy...
by Tdubs
Fri Feb 23, 2024 10:10 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: College cheating, what would you do?
Replies: 64
Views: 4453

Re: College cheating, what would you do?

Faculty are notoriously averse to confronting cheaters and would rather ignore the problem. I hated the lax attitude. Faculty have a duty to police this, not other students. So, I disagree with the advice above to confront the roommate. But i applaud her her ethics, and she has a right to expect the college to live up to its own standards. So, if she feels strongly about this, I do like the idea of getting a fake email and tipping off the professors. But don't expect much because A) some faculty will do nothing and B) even if caught, the punishment will be a slap on the wrist. Despite the recent news, cheating in college almost never results in suspension or expulsion. That would usually require repeat violations. I turned in many plagiaris...
by Tdubs
Wed Feb 21, 2024 7:58 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: TaxAct - No option to buy iBond
Replies: 8
Views: 1098

Re: TaxAct - No option to buy iBond

technoholic wrote: Wed Feb 21, 2024 7:56 pm Holla!

I made an estimated payment in November 2023, to get a 5k+ refund with the plan to use it to buy iBonds.

Done with my taxes, and getting a refund as expected, but TaxAct is not showing me the option to buy iBonds. Anyone else run into this? What am I missing? Their documentation says select the checkbox on the direct deposit options screen, but I am not seeing any checkbox for iBonds there :confused
OLT has the form, and I believe FreeTax USA does too.
by Tdubs
Sat Feb 10, 2024 10:10 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Does Social Security keep up with inflation?
Replies: 38
Views: 4076

Re: Does Social Security keep up with inflation?

OK let's start with your case: starting basket of goods of 97.75 and income of 100 (and we'll use compounded, since that is the proper case) Income Cost of goods Q1 100 97.75 Q2 100 99.22 Q3 100 100.70 Q4 100 102.21 T 400 399.88 they say, hey we're good second year Q1 106 103.74 they say, we got this, we're ahead Q2 106 105.30 Q3 106 106.88 Q4 106 108.48 T 424 424.40 hmmm, they are already behind Now... the cost of the"basket of goods" is the cost... let's say that was the minimum.... can't go below (otherwise you "failed") Over time, as seen, the drag of the correction, in arrears, just keeps growing... it's just that in lower inflation it's not as noticeable and may take years even decades to really show. More noticea...
by Tdubs
Fri Feb 09, 2024 4:14 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Does Social Security keep up with inflation?
Replies: 38
Views: 4076

Re: Does Social Security keep up with inflation?

To me, this is common sense. Social Security COLA adjustments are based upon CPI-W, which is the cost of living for a "urban wage earner and clerical workers". It is based upon the typical basket of goods that people in the group would purchase. However, the CPI-W generally does not align to retirees. There is a separate CPI measure.. CPI-E... which represents the cost of living for people 62 and up. The reason I say that this is common sense is that, of course, the typical expenses of a retiree are going to be different from an urban wage earner. In particular, health care expenses probably represent a larger share of a retiree's budget than the average American. If you look at how different expense categories are weighted, CPI-...
by Tdubs
Fri Feb 09, 2024 3:16 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Does Social Security keep up with inflation?
Replies: 38
Views: 4076

Re: Does Social Security keep up with inflation?

To me, this is common sense. Social Security COLA adjustments are based upon CPI-W, which is the cost of living for a "urban wage earner and clerical workers". It is based upon the typical basket of goods that people in the group would purchase. However, the CPI-W generally does not align to retirees. There is a separate CPI measure.. CPI-E... which represents the cost of living for people 62 and up. The reason I say that this is common sense is that, of course, the typical expenses of a retiree are going to be different from an urban wage earner. In particular, health care expenses probably represent a larger share of a retiree's budget than the average American. If you look at how different expense categories are weighted, CPI-...
by Tdubs
Fri Feb 09, 2024 10:32 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Does Social Security keep up with inflation?
Replies: 38
Views: 4076

Re: Does Social Security keep up with inflation?

It's a bit of a coincidence that I started listening the Jim and Chris's Retirement and IRA Show podcast, specifically their early 2020 series where they talk about their approach to retirement planning. They claim that a majority of their clients is fine meeting their basic needs (minimum income floor) when they claim social security, but eventually SS is not able to sustain the same level of living, and many of their clients end up needing to use additional income from their portfolio. Their claim is the basket that affect retirees inflation grows faster than the basket that affects the general population and the CPI. They point to healthcare and housing being a larger part of the budget/basic living for retirees than the general househo...
by Tdubs
Thu Feb 08, 2024 7:16 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Does Social Security keep up with inflation?
Replies: 38
Views: 4076

Re: Does Social Security keep up with inflation?

I had an annuity sales rep do this to me in her spreadsheet. There were two places where her program reduced or suppressed the inflation adjustment to social security including the CPI-W adjustment well below the assumed inflation rate. Her self interest in this was obvious. "See, you'll never make it without an indexed annuity!"

Anything in it for New Retirement?
by Tdubs
Thu Feb 08, 2024 6:01 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Does Social Security keep up with inflation?
Replies: 38
Views: 4076

Re: Does Social Security keep up with inflation?

I subscribed to NewRetirement a while back but have only recently started diving into some of the details. One thing I noticed is that they consider that social security will lag general inflation. By default general inflation is set to 2-5% and SS COLA to 0.5-2% They're entitled to their defaults, by I have always assumed that SS COLA matched inflation, albeit with a lag. Some say that retirees personal inflation is often lower than the general population, so I had assumed that SS kept up. Is there a reason to take a more pessimistic approach like NewRetirement does? They also have medical inflation numbers, and those are set above general inflation, which feels real, but you can't even use medical expenses to account for their discount o...
by Tdubs
Thu Feb 08, 2024 12:37 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: going gluten-free
Replies: 55
Views: 4586

Re: going gluten-free

DW just posted a few thoughts about GF. I would like to mention some lifestyle implications of celiac disease. Not being able to eat the same food as others drastically limits your social life because so much is food related - entertaining, restaurants with friends, etc. People are uncomfortable if you sit with them during a meal without eating. We are aging in place because there is no suitable CCRC or retirement facility that can provide GF food. If your church gives communion, you can only take consecrated wine, never a wheat host. Travel is pretty much restricted to the GF food you can take with you… When DW was in the hospital overnight, the dietician called and asked me to bring her food from home. The kitchen couldn't provide GF mea...
by Tdubs
Wed Feb 07, 2024 9:39 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: going gluten-free
Replies: 55
Views: 4586

Re: going gluten-free

If you are willing to spend anything, GF isn't hard. Buying decent processed GF foods that don't break the bank is harder.

My best buys are:

Macaroons at Aldis--get the chocolate covered.
Walmart brand GF oreo style cookies--much cheaper than Glutino
Krusteaz GF chocolate chip cookie mix is terrific but add more chips.
Sam's Choice GF bread at Walmart is much moister than any other bread I have purchased.
Costco's frozen GF pizzas are a good buy with three per box.
For pasta, Tinkyada is best, especially their Fettuccine.

Best fast food for GF person. McDonalds--fries are cooked in fryers dedicated only to fries. So, no cross contamination. Burger patties separate easily from buns without bread sticking to them.
by Tdubs
Wed Jan 24, 2024 9:56 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Talking to older sibling about poor financial decisions
Replies: 12
Views: 1035

Re: Talking to older sibling about poor financial decisions

If you convince your sibling to diversify and then crypto skyrockets, you will bear the blame.

Far less risk to you in advocating for health insurance. Perhaps you should focus on that.
by Tdubs
Mon Jan 22, 2024 9:34 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Does EZ Pass work in Florida?
Replies: 10
Views: 4589

Re: Does EZ Pass work in Florida?

PoppyA wrote: Mon Jan 22, 2024 7:31 amNo advantage
Thanks.
by Tdubs
Mon Jan 22, 2024 7:08 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Does EZ Pass work in Florida?
Replies: 10
Views: 4589

Re: Does EZ Pass work in Florida?

Reviving this thread for a question, is there any advantage to a Sunpass on FL roads over an EZ-Pass? I have an EZ-pass already, but some states give locals a break on tolls.

Thanks.
by Tdubs
Thu Jan 18, 2024 5:35 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: My Social Security Timing "Aha" Moment (hint: It's Insurance, not an Investment)
Replies: 67
Views: 7152

Re: My Social Security Timing "Aha" Moment (hint: It's Insurance, not an Investment)

Most of us approaching 60 have looked at charts of social security "break even" age or total lifetime benefits, etc. Then one night it occurred to me; if I die before I break even, I don't care, I'll be dead! If I come down with a terminal disease at age 65, not taking SS for the last 3 years won't be of much concern. OTOH, my wife and I took early retirement (61 & 57) which carries some risk of running out of money. When to take SS benefits should be framed around reducing the risk of outliving our nest egg, not some vague concept of maximizing your net worth at death. Think of it as longevity insurance or old age insurance as it's actually named, OASDI. YMMV, but for us, it makes sense to delay benefits. It is referenced as...
by Tdubs
Mon Jan 15, 2024 7:14 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Why do we work?
Replies: 130
Views: 19032

Re: Why do we work?

Arbet makht dos lebn zis.

Work makes life sweet.
by Tdubs
Mon Jan 15, 2024 7:05 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: what to put in a time capsule that will be valuable in 50 or 100 years?
Replies: 65
Views: 6409

Re: what to put in a time capsule that will be valuable in 50 or 100 years?

It seems like time capsules never fail to fail to live up to the hype. People want something truly revelatory and never get it. One time capsule was reputed to have a photo of Lincoln in his coffin (it didn't) and most others include pedestrian items. People put in coins (big deal), artifacts that we already have in museums, newspapers, letters by prominent people that say nothing new, and books that are, at the very least, in the Library of Congress.

So, if you want to make an impact, it needs to be a surprise or something of which there is no extant copy. I wish I knew what that was.

Good luck.
by Tdubs
Sun Jan 07, 2024 4:09 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Freetaxusa vs Turbotax
Replies: 121
Views: 17194

Re: Freetaxusa vs Turbotax

I used Freetaxusa for several years and liked it. Switched away in order to get I Bonds via tax refund but would use again. Doesn't Freetaxusa still require payment for state e-file? I thought that was more of a state thing then the platforms themselves. Maybe I'm just confused. I never used it for state as I have just done them by hand with PDFs from the state. Because of its inability to handle paper I Bond purchases, I switched to OLT. In case this is a dealbreaker for anyone, I will report that I used Freetaxusa for 2022 and was able request I-bonds for my refund. However, I was using the $7.99 deluxe tier for the unlimited amendments, not sure if that makes a difference. (I had used free file fillable forms previously, but one year of...
by Tdubs
Sun Dec 31, 2023 4:28 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: For those with TSP, do you use bonds at all or just G fund?
Replies: 22
Views: 2814

Re: For those with TSP, do you use bonds at all or just G fund?

Jeepguy wrote: Sat Dec 30, 2023 6:46 pm There are threads on tsp fixed options, I personally have half my fixed allocation in G fund and half in F fund. My fixed allocation is about 18% of my tax deferred assets with the remainder in equities.
+1
by Tdubs
Wed Dec 27, 2023 6:58 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Cathie Wood - What's the story?
Replies: 83
Views: 14021

Re: Cathie Wood - What's the story?

anoop wrote: Wed Dec 27, 2023 1:33 am
DonIce wrote: Tue Dec 26, 2023 4:15 pm She runs ARK investments which were high flyers during the 2019-2021 years, showing big returns driven primarily by a large position in tesla. This period got her a lot of fame. However, since then, her funds have not performed well.
70% YTD on ARKK is pretty good beating QQQ by a wide margin.
How do they compare since ARKK's founding?
by Tdubs
Tue Dec 26, 2023 9:13 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Cathie Wood - What's the story?
Replies: 83
Views: 14021

Re: Cathie Wood - What's the story?

popoki wrote: Tue Dec 26, 2023 6:06 pm When followers refer to their hero by only their first name, you should be concerned.
You mean like . . . Jack? :mrgreen:
by Tdubs
Sun Dec 24, 2023 11:14 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: New "Bogleheads on Investing" podcast #65: Dr. Qian Wang, Vanguard economic and market outlook of 2024
Replies: 43
Views: 7203

Re: New "Bogleheads on Investing" podcast #65: Dr. Qian Wang, Vanguard economic and market outlook of 2024

I gave it an honest listen But after hearing the podcast it doesn't look like vanguard has given an honest listen to the fed Eg. Dr. Wang says that monetary policy will become increasingly restrictive but Powell suggested that fed would be proactively loosening monetary policy ahead of any severe downturn. Also with rationales like "fading of US exceptionalism" in my opinion this forecast is bound for the dustbin at higher rate of velocity than any previous vanguard forecast. Ah! You didn't listen carefully enough. :wink: Qian was talking about REAL yields, not nominal yields. If inflation is 4%, and the nominal Fed funds rate is 5%, the real yield is 1.0%. When inflation falls to 2%, and the Fed cuts to 3.5%, the real yield is 1...
by Tdubs
Sat Dec 23, 2023 10:49 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Retiring - SS question
Replies: 8
Views: 1220

Re: Retiring - SS question

Try also ssa.tools
by Tdubs
Fri Dec 22, 2023 6:35 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Inherited IRA distributions confused
Replies: 19
Views: 1898

Re: Inherited IRA distributions confused

This requirement that I take a distribution has nothing to do with Secure Act 2.0 nor IRS Notice 2023-54, correct? Correct. I have to take this distribution because my father passed away before taking his, correct? Correct. ... is the amount whatever his RMD would have been? Yes. (multiplied by my beneficiary percentage)? No. It's his RMD, not yours. He did not yet take it, so now you have to meet his obligation. No rmd reqd until next year. IRS delayed it again. Incorrect. OP's father's RMD must be taken this year. However, once this IRA is transferred to OP as an inherited IRA, rules for OP's RMDs are in limbo with IRS. But wouldn't the IRA OP inherited have already transferred? If not yet, could certainly do it this year.
by Tdubs
Tue Dec 19, 2023 1:23 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Anyone Bored in Retirement ??
Replies: 131
Views: 30350

Re: Anyone Bored in Retirement ??

This thread is a useful reminder of the self-selection bias inherent in many BH threads. Hardly anyone here is bored in retirement. Amid all this happiness those who are bored must certainly refrain from admitting they aren't find thrills every day. Not retired yet, but I've seen a few of my family and friends plunk down on the couch in retirement and never leave it or their phones. So, I understand OP's concern. I have a close relative who has plunked down on the couch in retirement. While we all encourage her to go out and do things, she is quite happy to be home on the couch. She would never say she is bored. On the other hand, one of my relatives finally realized she was bored sitting on the couch playing video games. She went back to ...
by Tdubs
Tue Dec 19, 2023 7:33 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Anyone Bored in Retirement ??
Replies: 131
Views: 30350

Re: Anyone Bored in Retirement ??

This thread is a useful reminder of the self-selection bias inherent in many BH threads. Hardly anyone here is bored in retirement. Amid all this happiness those who are bored must certainly refrain from admitting they aren't find thrills every day.

Not retired yet, but I've seen a few of my family and friends plunk down on the couch in retirement and never leave it or their phones. So, I understand OP's concern.
by Tdubs
Mon Dec 18, 2023 3:42 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: SIL considering a PhD in Engineering, worth it?
Replies: 97
Views: 14669

Re: SIL considering a PhD in Engineering, worth it?

I previously worked with many engineering PhDs and masters level also. If SIL isn't very, very passionate about additional education, that's a red flag. It's a long haul, to be sure. I agree with others who indicated that if this is mild interest based on the recommendation of one person, that may not be ideal motivation for continuing education. The Ph.D. degree isn't primarily about intelligence, it's about determination and commitment to slogging through it. There are certainly great reasons for getting the degree, but also lots of reasons for not doing so. I think he is very interested in continuing education and has had several discussions with management about what they might support. So, I think he would find it very fulfilling, but...
by Tdubs
Mon Dec 18, 2023 3:33 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: SIL considering a PhD in Engineering, worth it?
Replies: 97
Views: 14669

Re: SIL considering a PhD in Engineering, worth it?

Very interesting thread. To the OP - does your son like what he is doing and does he want to study it more in depth? The joke is BS, MS and PhD are Bull$hit, More$hit and Piled Higher and Deeper. Engineering for the most part is concerned about the practical application of scientific principles for the benefit of mankind. Each different area may have different expectations for the educational and experiential skills of an engineering employee in that field. I like many of those who have posted here would not recommend a PhD in engineering unless it is truly something your son wants to do. Moreover, as many have said here, he should be remunerated for that time out of the workforce or while minimally employed. Where does your son want to be...
by Tdubs
Mon Dec 18, 2023 2:24 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Over Contributed to Roth IRA-Best Option
Replies: 13
Views: 865

Re: Over Contributed to Roth IRA-Best Option

Fresh Air wrote: Mon Dec 18, 2023 1:04 pm Couldn’t you recharacterize to traditional, then convert to Roth? Just make sure you properly trace this when you file your taxes. Should keep you clean for your back door next year.
Yes, why not this?