Search found 869 matches

by conundrum
Mon Jun 26, 2023 12:18 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Buying new iPhone: Verizon vs. Apple store
Replies: 40
Views: 11485

Buying new iPhone: Verizon vs. Apple store

I am buying a new iPhone. Any advantage or big differences in getting it at Verizon vs. going to the local Apple store?
Thanks,
Drum :D
by conundrum
Sat May 20, 2023 2:20 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Tahiti trip
Replies: 7
Views: 982

Re: Tahiti trip

Thanks so much for all the advice!
by conundrum
Fri May 19, 2023 4:38 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Tahiti trip
Replies: 7
Views: 982

Re: Tahiti trip

Thanks for the thoughts and advice :sharebeer
by conundrum
Fri May 19, 2023 1:05 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Tahiti trip
Replies: 7
Views: 982

Tahiti trip

My spouse and I are considering a trip next year to Tahiti. Any thoughts, experiences, recommendations? A as my travel agents you would utilize?
Thanks
Drum
by conundrum
Mon Apr 03, 2023 1:16 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Fee-only non-AUM financial/investment advisor recommendation
Replies: 47
Views: 11218

Re: Fee-only non-AUM financial/investment advisor recommendation

Nosh,
I heard about Timothy Financial on the The Long View podcast with Christine Benz and Jeff Ptak from Morningstar. Do you know anyone who has used their services?
Thanks,
Drum
by conundrum
Tue Feb 28, 2023 8:42 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Missing 1099R from Health Savings Administrators HSA
Replies: 4
Views: 456

Re: Missing 1099R from Health Savings Administrators HSA

Thank you for the clarification. It was a broker to broker so it is a 1099-SA I am missing. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Drum
by conundrum
Tue Feb 28, 2023 5:52 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Missing 1099R from Health Savings Administrators HSA
Replies: 4
Views: 456

Missing 1099R from Health Savings Administrators HSA

In February 2022 as Health Savings Administrators was being acquired by Health Equity I rolled my HSA over to Fidelity. I have not received a 1099R for this rollover despite contacting Health Equity and attempting to contact the now defunct Health Savings Administrators. I remember that others here made the same transition. Any tips or suggestions on how to get the 1099R from Health Savings Administrators for my HSA rollover?
Thanks,
Drum
by conundrum
Wed Nov 09, 2022 5:29 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Yellowstone Winter snow coach tours
Replies: 6
Views: 916

Yellowstone Winter snow coach tours

We are returning to Yellowstone in January for our second winter visit. Last time we spent our time in the Lamar Valley in the northern part of the park. We are interested in taking a snow coach into the interior of the park for photography and sightseeing. Any experience/ recommendations for snow coach tours in Yellowstone?
Thanks
Drum :beer
by conundrum
Fri Nov 04, 2022 3:20 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Rick Ferri interviewed on podcast - excellent information!
Replies: 26
Views: 6069

Re: Rick Ferri interviewed on podcast - excellent information!

Rick, I have a similar equity allocation as you with 50% US total market, 30% International total market and 20% small cap value. In my “buffer” assets (20% of portfolio) I have 5% of total portfolio in cash and 15% of total portfolio split between short and intermediate treasuries. With an eye toward simplification , what are your thoughts on what would be a reasonable single treasury fund? Thanks, appreciate all you do.
Drum :sharebeer
by conundrum
Fri Oct 07, 2022 8:42 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Bogleheads Conference: Your Questions, Please!
Replies: 28
Views: 2998

Re: Bogleheads Conference: Your Questions, Please!

I would like the panels thoughts on decision making regarding choice of fixed income investments. Specifically the choice of duration and quality and their rationale. (Short Treasuries vs. Intermediate Treasuries vs. Total Bond, etc.)
Thanks,
Drum
by conundrum
Thu Oct 06, 2022 12:50 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Monthly Dividends vs 30 day SEC yield
Replies: 15
Views: 2582

Re: Monthly Dividends vs 30 day SEC yield

Thanks.
I have been putting new fixed income investments in Vanguard’s short treasury fund VSBSX. The distribution yield (0.57 ttm) continues to significantly lag the SEC yield (30 day SEC yield 3.94) even though the average duration is only 2 years or so. More suprising to me is that my investments in the intermediate treasury fund VFIUX continue to have a significantly higher distribution yield. As the yield curve changes is their any optimal or best time to switch between the two funds, short term vs. intermediate term?
Thanks for your help,
Drum
by conundrum
Mon Oct 03, 2022 2:06 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Monthly Dividends vs 30 day SEC yield
Replies: 15
Views: 2582

Re: Monthly Dividends vs 30 day SEC yield

So, two questions, is the best approximation of the future distributions the the average coupon of the fund? In a rising interest rate environment does the distribution yield eventually “catch up” to the SEC 30 day yield? I was trying to understand why the current monthly distribution of the Vanguard Intermediate Term treasury is still significantly greater then that of the Short Term Treasury Fund even though the SEC 30 day yield is greater on the Short Term Fund and the average coupon is about the same.
Thanks,
Drum
by conundrum
Tue Jun 07, 2022 7:50 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: HSA in retirement
Replies: 13
Views: 2350

Re: HSA in retirement

Our plan is to let our HSA grow as long as possible as there is no tax drag. We’re hoping to make it to 80 and start using it then. We are saving all our eligible medical expense receipts so we can use that as a big chunk when we start. The challenge for us is that we don’t want to let it go too long without using it as it is a very tax inefficient to pass it to our heirs after we die. Our HSA is also at Fidelity and we have chosen to fill it with our most aggressive investment which in our case is small cap value (AVUV in our case).
Drum
by conundrum
Sat Jun 04, 2022 6:44 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Estimating Discount Rate for retirement planning
Replies: 0
Views: 323

Estimating Discount Rate for retirement planning

I have been experimenting with some retirement calculators that evaluate the funded ratio. What is a reasonable discount rate to use for the net present value calculations. This is for a 40 year time horizon and I was considering using the 30 year TIPS real yield for my fixed income and the earnings yield on the S&P 500, currently 3%ish for the real discount rate for my equities. Does this sound reasonable or should I be thinking about this in a different way?
Thanks,
Drum :sharebeer
by conundrum
Sat May 21, 2022 2:18 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Yubikey only at Vanguard now possible.
Replies: 658
Views: 83817

Update on Vanguard mobile app security

In regards to Vanguard's Mobile app security I spoke with one of their IT team yesterday and he stated that at this time you could not change your 2 FA info on the app but had to use the website. This sounds consistent with what poster TropikThunder stated on the Vanguard IT post but I know that others, specifically poster Silence Dogood have noted the ability to change the 2 FA number on the app. I currently am using a Yubikey for access to my account but have also been using the computer restriction to block the use of the mobile app. The IT representative recommended not using the computer restriction option and stated that due to Vanguard’s security changes in most situations it just locks you out of your account and it is necessary to ...
by conundrum
Sat May 21, 2022 12:32 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Are Vanguard’s IT Systems At The Breaking Point?
Replies: 63
Views: 10086

Re: Are Vanguard’s IT Systems At The Breaking Point?

In regards to Vanguard's IT and their cell phone app security I spoke with one of their IT team yesterday and he stated that at this time you could not change your 2 FA info on the app but had to use the website. This sounds consistent with poster TropikThunder above but I know that others, specifically poster Silence Dogood have noted the ability to change the 2 FA number on the app. Does anyone have an updated appraisal of the mobile app security? Thanks.
Drum
by conundrum
Wed May 18, 2022 1:38 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Fixed Income allocation: Set it and Forget it vs. adjusting by yield curve
Replies: 6
Views: 997

Re: Fixed Income allocation: Set it and Forget it vs. adjusting by yield curve

Appreciate the thoughts. I have read the recommendations here for long term treasuries with a long investment time horizon. (Thanks vineviz for all your writing on this topic). Is there any good reason to stick with Intermediate treasuries if you have a long time horizon? Once you match your bond duration to your time horizon is there any reason to adjust related to changes in the yield curve or are the only changes in your treasury duration based on a changing time horizon?
Thanks,
Drum
by conundrum
Wed May 18, 2022 11:34 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Fixed Income allocation: Set it and Forget it vs. adjusting by yield curve
Replies: 6
Views: 997

Fixed Income allocation: Set it and Forget it vs. adjusting by yield curve

A question for the Bogleheads. We have in the past used a fixed allocation in our fixed income of 15% cash or cash equivalents (FDIC insured accounts and Treasury Money Market Fund) and 85% in an Intermediate Treasury Fund (VFIUX). In the past couple years we have had a couple minor liquidity events and our cash has increased to about 40% of our Fixed income allocation. We were considering deploying our cash in a short treasury fund (VSBSX with a duration of 2 years) as that seems to be near the sweet spot of the treasury yield curve. How many of you adjust your fixed income allocation based on the yield curve? Larry Swedroe used to recommend getting 20 basis points per year to extend duration ( I believe based on some Dimensional Funds res...
by conundrum
Thu May 05, 2022 5:44 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Vanguard Treasury Money Market as proxy for T bills
Replies: 5
Views: 1202

Vanguard Treasury Money Market as proxy for T bills

On Bogleheads live today Bill Bernstein recommended Tbills as a key ingredient in one’s safe assets. As Vanguard’s Treasury Money Market Fund (VUSSX) is primarily T bills could this be considered a proxy for buying actual T bills? I am trying to simplify things for my spouse and this would make it much easier to maintain a T bill equivalent. If this fund is not a good option are there any other possibilities?
Thanks,
Conundrum :sharebeer
by conundrum
Tue Mar 08, 2022 2:10 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Yubikey only at Vanguard now possible.
Replies: 658
Views: 83817

Re: Yubikey only at Vanguard now possible.

With the ability to “add a new number” on the mobile app as noted by Silence Dogood above wouldn’t the computer restriction be safer? It would seem the ability to add a new number would limit the effectiveness of using google voice as your 2 FA number?
by conundrum
Tue Mar 08, 2022 12:50 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Yubikey only at Vanguard now possible.
Replies: 658
Views: 83817

Re: Yubikey only at Vanguard now possible.

It would seem that using the Yubikey and the computer/device restriction would be as secure as the google voice option. I understand the advantage of using google voice rather then SMS for 2FA but am not understanding why that would be better then restricting the devices/computer to only one computer dedicated to financial transactions?
Drum
by conundrum
Tue Mar 08, 2022 12:03 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Yubikey only at Vanguard now possible.
Replies: 658
Views: 83817

Re: Yubikey only at Vanguard now possible.

With the current issues with the security of the mobile app we are using both yubikeys ( and disabling the SMS option) AND the computer restriction. I would rather just use the yubikey but until there is better security on the mobile app or a way to block the app I will do both.
Drum
by conundrum
Sat Feb 19, 2022 1:30 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Step up in basis on death of spouse, community property state
Replies: 13
Views: 1384

Re: Step up in basis on death of spouse, community property state

Thank you all so much for your responses. Very informative and valuable information. Does the presence of a trust change any of the step up guidelines?
Drum
by conundrum
Fri Feb 18, 2022 2:36 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Vanguard mobile app security
Replies: 11
Views: 1747

Re: Vanguard mobile app security

Thanks I appreciate all the thoughts and wisdom. If I am not planning to use the mobile app it sounds like it makes sense to keep the access restriction on so no one else can use the app either.
Drum
by conundrum
Fri Feb 18, 2022 2:32 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Step up in basis on death of spouse, community property state
Replies: 13
Views: 1384

Step up in basis on death of spouse, community property state

I was reading an article on Kitces.com on “Maximizing the step up in basis by gifting assets between spouses”. It stated that community property states allow for 100% step up in basis on jointly held accounts. The example given was that at the death of the first spouse, in a community property state, the surviving spouse gets a 100% step up in the basis of a jointly held taxable account. If this is true then it significantly changes our plan when the first spouse dies as there would the be no embedded capital gains in our taxable account.
Any thoughts, expertise, advice?
Thanks,
Drum
by conundrum
Wed Feb 16, 2022 7:35 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Vanguard mobile app security
Replies: 11
Views: 1747

Re: Vanguard mobile app security

I was able to login today with just my Yubikey and my security codes/ SMS still disabled. In regards to using google voice as a work around I was under the impression that with the mobile app there was an option to put in a new phone number for the SMS. Wouldn’t this negate any advantages of using google voice?
With that as a concern I have kept my computer access restriction.
by conundrum
Wed Feb 16, 2022 12:21 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Vanguard mobile app security
Replies: 11
Views: 1747

Vanguard mobile app security

Any updates on the security of the Vanguard mobile app?
We have set up our Vanguard account 2 factor authentication with a yubikey and have deleted the text option. My understanding is that the mobile app allows SMS text as a 2nd factor regardless of how our account is set up. We have no interest in having a mobile app. To be secure do we need to continue to restrict account access to one computer or is the Yubikey adequate? We would prefer to not have the restricted access as we get locked out regularly even using the same computer. Thoughts and recommendations?
Thanks,
Drum
by conundrum
Fri Feb 04, 2022 1:53 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Vanguard intermediate treasury funds- VGIT vs. VFIUX?
Replies: 3
Views: 847

Vanguard intermediate treasury funds- VGIT vs. VFIUX?

I am currently in the admiral shares of the Vanguard intermediate treasury fund. The ETF VGIT is an intermediate treasury index and has lower expense ratio and slightly longer duration. Any reasons not to switch to the ETF?
by conundrum
Mon Jan 31, 2022 3:56 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Investment options in Fidelity HSA
Replies: 33
Views: 3675

Re: Investment options in Fidelity HSA

Thanks so much. Appreciate the help.
Drum
by conundrum
Mon Jan 31, 2022 3:07 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Investment options in Fidelity HSA
Replies: 33
Views: 3675

Investment options in Fidelity HSA

We are in the process of moving our HSA to Fidelity and I wanted to confirm that we could invest in any ETF in a Fidelity HSA. Specifically we are interested in buying AVUV, the Avantis small cap value ETF.
Thanks,
Drum
by conundrum
Sun Jan 23, 2022 3:58 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Best browser if restricting Vanguard account?
Replies: 13
Views: 2271

Re: Best browser if restricting Vanguard account?

Thanks so much, appreciate all the thoughts and advice.
Drum
by conundrum
Fri Jan 21, 2022 2:36 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Yubikey only at Vanguard now possible.
Replies: 658
Views: 83817

Re: Yubikey only at Vanguard now possible.

Or would it be best to leave the computer restriction access on? Can you use Yubikeys and the computer access restrictions at the same time?
Thanks,
Drum
by conundrum
Fri Jan 21, 2022 1:59 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Best browser if restricting Vanguard account?
Replies: 13
Views: 2271

Best browser if restricting Vanguard account?

What is the best browser to use if I restrict my access to only one computer? I am currently using Safari and once a month or so it doesn’t recognize my computer and I have to call in to get access. Is there any browsers that are less likely to not be recognized?
Thanks so much.
Drum :D
by conundrum
Fri Jan 21, 2022 1:46 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Yubikey only at Vanguard now possible.
Replies: 658
Views: 83817

Re: Yubikey only at Vanguard now possible.

Is there anyway to block the ability to have a mobile account at Vanguard?
by conundrum
Fri Jan 21, 2022 1:39 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Yubikey only at Vanguard now possible.
Replies: 658
Views: 83817

Re: Yubikey only at Vanguard now possible.

I was able to register 2 security keys and disable the text/SMS option. Previously I have my logins restricted to one computer. Is this restriction still necessary? I ask because with the restriction I get locked out once a month or so and have to call in. I have no interest in the mobile app. Is there any risk of the mobile app if I never sign up?
Thanks,
Drum :sharebeer
by conundrum
Wed Jan 19, 2022 7:50 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Planning for cognitive decline
Replies: 41
Views: 4229

Re: Planning for cognitive decline

Thanks for the great thoughts. We have been doing Roth conversions ( thanks willthrill81 for the correction) and will plan to completely convert our tax deferred accounts to Roths over the next few years. Woodspinner thanks for referring me to your thread, lots of great information there.
Drum
by conundrum
Wed Jan 19, 2022 1:55 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Planning for cognitive decline
Replies: 41
Views: 4229

Re: Planning for cognitive decline

Thanks everyone for the thoughts. We certainly hope that we will experience minimal to no cognitive decline but are planning for the worst. We do have a “first to die” binder with all our financial documents including our investment strategy. We have an estate plan including wills, trusts, POAs for financial and healthcare, advanced directives and beneficiaries for the applicable accounts. Interestingly we also had concerns regarding our tax deferred accounts and are slowly doing ROTH conversions to eliminate those accounts. Fortunately our tax analysis showed no real difference between doing ROTH conversions now and taking out as RMDs.
I appreciate everyone’s thoughts and advice,
Drum
by conundrum
Wed Jan 19, 2022 12:37 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Planning for cognitive decline
Replies: 41
Views: 4229

Planning for cognitive decline

As I have just entered my 60’s I have been giving more thought to planning for cognitive decline. Some degree of cognitive decline appears to be inevitable at some point and I am considering strategies to be prepared. Things I am thinking about: 1. Simplification- I am making a significant effort to simplify my financial life. We are consolidating and eliminating as many accounts as possible (various tax deferred accounts, taxable brokerage accounts, bank accounts, etc.) We are also simplifying our investments, eliminating those with small % weights or redundancy. We are also trying to slowly decrease our investments that require some thought (individual TIPS). We are decreasing the reliance on potentially more complex parts of our financia...
by conundrum
Wed Oct 27, 2021 3:51 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Can I switch my cost basis between SpecID and HIFO at Vanguard
Replies: 9
Views: 1343

Re: Can I switch my cost basis between SpecID and HIFO at Vanguard

If I switch from Specific ID to HIFO to make things a bit easier for my wife can I switch back from HIFO to Specific ID at a later date?
by conundrum
Tue Oct 26, 2021 9:12 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Can I switch my cost basis between SpecID and HIFO at Vanguard
Replies: 9
Views: 1343

Re: Can I switch my cost basis between SpecID and HIFO at Vanguard

Thanks for the thoughts and advice. It sounds like I will be able to use HIFO with Specific ID as my cost basis election. I’ll check it out next time I’m in my account.
by conundrum
Tue Oct 26, 2021 12:40 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Can I switch my cost basis between SpecID and HIFO at Vanguard
Replies: 9
Views: 1343

Can I switch my cost basis between SpecID and HIFO at Vanguard

I am in the process of transitioning my portfolio to make it easier for my wife. In my Vanguard account can I switch back and forth between Specific ID and HIFO (Highest in, first out) for my VTSAX shares? Can I switch back to Specific ID once I have switched to HIFO? HIFO would be much easier for her as she would not have to go in and select specific tax lots. I do understand that we would have to be careful that HIFO did not sell shares with short term gains. Thanks
Drum :sharebeer
by conundrum
Fri Jun 25, 2021 6:40 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Roth conversions: documents necessary for taxes
Replies: 7
Views: 1163

Roth conversions: documents necessary for taxes

I will be doing Roth conversions this year. Is my most recent form 8606 adequate for my tax return or do I need all my old 5498s?
Thanks,
Conundrum :beer
by conundrum
Mon Apr 12, 2021 9:12 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Required minimum distributions: All to QCDs vs. ROTH conversions
Replies: 7
Views: 961

Re: Required minimum distributions: All to QCDs vs. ROTH conversions

Thanks for the great thoughts. It definitely makes sense to keep track of the potential size of the RMDs to keep them below the QCD limit of 100,000. Converting a bit to a ROTH also makes sense if it can be done to the top of a reasonable tax bracket.
by conundrum
Sun Apr 11, 2021 7:50 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Required minimum distributions: All to QCDs vs. ROTH conversions
Replies: 7
Views: 961

Required minimum distributions: All to QCDs vs. ROTH conversions

We will be starting RMDs in about 8 years. Our current plan is to do QCDs ( qualified charitable donations) with our entire RMD. If we are planning to do just QCDs is there any reason to do any ROTH conversions?
Thanks for any input and advice.
by conundrum
Mon Sep 24, 2018 1:07 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Where to place ownership interest in real estate LLC
Replies: 0
Views: 332

Where to place ownership interest in real estate LLC

I will be purchasing a partnership interest in a office building that is held in a LLC. Should I place my ownership interest in my Revocable trust or in an additional LLC (owning the LLC with another LLC)?
Thanks for your insight.

Drum :sharebeer
by conundrum
Mon Sep 03, 2018 11:11 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: US Treasuries vs Munis in taxable
Replies: 23
Views: 8219

Re: US Treasuries vs Munis in taxable

Thanks all for the comments, especially grabiner. We are in a similar situation as others, now in the 24% tax bracket and are currently about 50/50 intermediate treasuries and intermediate munis in the bond portion of our taxable account. Considering moving to less munis and more treasuries as at this point we favor safety over yield.

Thanks again,
Drum
by conundrum
Fri Jun 22, 2018 8:33 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Noncovered shares, switch cost basis to specific id
Replies: 6
Views: 958

Re: Noncovered shares, switch cost basis to specific id

Thanks, I appreciate your thoughts and wisdom.

Drum :beer
by conundrum
Wed Jun 20, 2018 12:53 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Noncovered shares, switch cost basis to specific id
Replies: 6
Views: 958

Noncovered shares, switch cost basis to specific id

We have noncovered shares of several Vanguard mutual funds. If we have never sold any shares of the pertinent mutual fund can we switch our cost basis to specific identification?

If at a later date we want to switch the cost basis back to average cost is that allowable?

Thanks,

Conundrum :sharebeer