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rivercrosser

I chose Part G and Part D a few years ago. In five years the Part G has gone from $106 to $165/month. I tried changing companies with the latest increase, and was asked some underwriting questions. I have been super healthy but honestly answered I had a minor elective surgery that I was considering and was rejected. Part D was $31 and now is less than $6 as I switched companies a few years ago. Seemed that I could get my few drugs written as 90 day generics and get them via GoodRx cheaper than using the insurance plan. The $6 prevents me from paying the uninsured tax penalty. All this said, I would get Part G again, but maybe ask more questions of the provider as to understand how its priced. Anecdotal stories about those on MA having care...

rivercrosser

I ran into problems with the FDIC limits on our IRA's about 3 1/2 years ago. Rates were dropping and only one local bank still had a good rate. Brokered CD's were lower. Retired awhile now and more interested in keeping it safe. Wife has over $250,00 in her Roth and I have over $500,000 in mine. The way the FDIC has it set up adding 2 or 3 beneficiaries doesn't make any difference to the limit on an IRA. Your stuck at $250,000 on each IRA. Were going back to brokered CD's now so it won't matter. The FDIC need to make easier people with retirement accounts to keep money safe without having to jockey it all over the place.

rivercrosser

We had an 11 year old Lenox system. 96% modulating propane furnace with regular single speed AC. Worked perfect till it got hit by lightning August 2021. Lennox dealers were having problems getting equipment like I had. Did without AC or furnace till October, then with the colder weather coming I ended up calling the Carrier dealer. He had the modulating furnace in stock but not the variable speed AC I wanted to upgrade to. He ended up giving me a heat pump unit for the same price as AC only unit plus I got a $500.00 rebate from my utility company. So now I have dual fuel system. Its supposed to be able to be run down around 0 degrees. I've got mine set up to run on gas below 36 degrees and heat pump 36 and up. Saves me some on gas and some...

rivercrosser

Yeah, I've used the calculator when I know the actual titling of the account. The rules are clear enough in that case, and I can easily reach comfort that an account is insured to a higher amount. I think the difficulty here is that we don't know how brokered-CD accounts are titled and what implication their titling has. Vanguard could possibly tell us, but I didn't want to waste their time in what has surely been, for them, a busy week. (I happened to have the fixed-income desk on the phone for a more pressing matter.) Maybe the banks could tell us, although there'd be a threshold question about how even to establish that you own one of their CDs since your only relationship with them is through a broker. I'm inclined to think that I'd pr...

rivercrosser

We did a non-callable 2 year @ 5.25% yesterday for March 24 at a local broker office.

rivercrosser

If you hold a CD at a bank or credit union that lets you title the account with POD beneficiaries (i.e., as a revocable trust, sometimes in this context called a Totten trust), that can raise the FDIC or NCUA coverage for that account. I've never been able to determine whether, if you buy a brokered CD in a brokerage account that lists beneficiaries, the same thing is true. As I understand brokered CDs sold by agents (as at Vanguard Brokerage Services), the account is titled "Vanguard Brokerage Services, as custodian for [name]" and that listing entitles each holder of the brokered CD to the normal $250,000 limit in coverage. But if a Vanguard brokerage account has beneficiaries, is the pass-through title "VBS, as custodian ...

rivercrosser

If you hold a CD at a bank or credit union that lets you title the account with POD beneficiaries (i.e., as a revocable trust, sometimes in this context called a Totten trust), that can raise the FDIC or NCUA coverage for that account. I've never been able to determine whether, if you buy a brokered CD in a brokerage account that lists beneficiaries, the same thing is true. As I understand brokered CDs sold by agents (as at Vanguard Brokerage Services), the account is titled "Vanguard Brokerage Services, as custodian for [name]" and that listing entitles each holder of the brokered CD to the normal $250,000 limit in coverage. But if a Vanguard brokerage account has beneficiaries, is the pass-through title "VBS, as custodian ...

rivercrosser

Take a look at the SUPCASE Unicorn Beetle PRO or Ultra Unicorn Beetle EDGE XT Bumper Case. I have the Pro version on a S23+ and had one on my old phone.

rivercrosser

I signed up for Ting two years ago but let the subscription lapse. Well of course last week I had a power surge go through my house which blew out the computer board in my fridge. $700 repair which Ting would have likely covered if it had been installed 🤦🏻‍♂️ Ting pays up to $1,000 to remediate wiring faults. It does not provide insurance for surges. Most homeowners insurance policies cover surges, but $700 is less than the average deductible. The National Electrical Code now requires new houses to have whole-house surge protection installed at the circuit breaker panel. Most refrigerators, ovens, dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, heat pumps, and furnaces are microprocessor-controlled. Appliance repairs are expensive, and parts are in...

rivercrosser

I thought if it was from State Farm and free for 3 years I might as well. Have it on since February 2nd. It analyzes your electrical system for a week to start out. Was curious if it would find anything. It didn't so far. Our house is 46 years old. Had a bad lightning strike 1 1/2 years ago that took out all the HVAC, well control box & refrigerator. It came in on the gas line. I rewired the power to the furnance and AC unit, replaced some breakers etc.

rivercrosser

I upgraded from an over 5 year old Galaxy S8 Active to a Galaxy S23+ yesterday for less than $80.00 with the sales tax and a new case. We have an older AT&T unlimited plan. I have a Netgear hotspot with unlimited data I added to the plan almost 5 years ago. You can't do it anymore. Only added $23.49 to the wireless bill. Total bill is $214.26 for 3 phones and the hotspot. Also get HBO Max which would cost $12.50 a month if I had to buy it separately. I'm grandfathered in. If I change my plan I lose the unlimited data on the hotspot and the HBO which they don't offer anymore. Were supposed to get fiber offered by another company but they haven't run it by us yet so for now I'll stick with my old plan.

rivercrosser

Do you have any cordless equipment that would have a compatible cordless saw? I brough a 16" cordless saw that uses the same batteries as my cordless mower, blower etc. It works great.

rivercrosser

My 14-year-old HP ink jet gave up on me today. I want an all-in-one color printer. Don't want to spend a lot. I scan a lot of documents, print mostly black but still want color for some stuff. I don't print photos. We don't print a ton, but wife likes to print recipes and I print a certain amount. Was thinking about a tank printer. Do they have a lot of trouble with choking up if you don't use them enough?

rivercrosser

mhalley wrote: ↑Sun Feb 05, 2023 11:09 am Still love my roamio for dvr but use either my tv or fire stick for streaming. The tivo streaming apps never worked that great imho.

Same here. I like my TIVO but used a fire stick for apps. Got a newer Samsung TV now with all apps on it.

rivercrosser

What about future tax rates? Will they go up in 2026? If nothing changes, they will.

rivercrosser

TravelGeek wrote: ↑Sun Jan 22, 2023 9:47 am
Leesbro63 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 22, 2023 6:46 am
Yup. Ya live 'n learn.
If you have a Chase credit card, check if you have a Chase Offer for TurboTax. It might give you $10 off for the in-app purchase.

I noticed that on my Chase offers. I'm hoping when I file my sons and our state returns it will give me a discount on the e-file fee. I already have the software bought from Amazon back in December.

rivercrosser

I spell it Roth, but you can spell it anyway you want. The lady at Vanguard was kidding me about being named Roth back when they weren't sure if they had to keep conversions and contributions separate. They must have had a few headaches with them at first. I assured her I wasn't related to William Roth, the guy it's named after.

rivercrosser

Silk McCue wrote: ↑Sat Jan 21, 2023 12:44 pm There is nothing stopping you from combining your Roth accounts. The IRS views them all as one singular account for applying holding and withdrawal rules.

Please note that Roth is not an acronym and should never be capitalized.

Cheers

What if it's your last name? I remember when roth Ira's were still new and they were still figuring out all the rules at Vanguard, the gal joking with me about my last name being Roth.

rivercrosser

I'm in a rural area. They would be useless for me most of the time.

rivercrosser

ChiKid24 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 20, 2023 5:50 pm I ended up taking a similar offer though it was going from S20 to S22 for free. S8 is a no brainer. Beware though that you will likely have to pay the sales tax on the new phone and an upgrade fee. At least I did with Verizon. Very happy with the S22.

I may go ahead and upgrade. I get the upgrade fee waved through my discount program. Yeah, I'll probably owe sales tax and I'll have to buy a different case.

rivercrosser

I currently have a Samsung S8 Active I've had for a little over 5 years. It's in perfect condition. Have it in a case and recently replaced the battery after it swelled up. If I want I can trade it in for an S22 for free. Leaning towards just keeping what I have. Anyone have the S22? I know it's the base model.

rivercrosser

nalor511 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 18, 2023 8:05 pm I've never heard of a fee for removal of excess contribution. But shorting next year's contribution by $3 is easy

Yeah, shouldn't be a problem. I had to remove my excess contribution because I was no longer eligible to contribute.

rivercrosser

When I retired and later on went on medicare my company put the usual yearly amount in my HSA. It was $121.00 more than I was eligible for. Called Optum and they steered me towards the right form. Didn't charge me anything. They also sent a form at tax time to report the $121.00 plus a few cents interest on my taxes.

rivercrosser

JoeRetire wrote: ↑Sun Jan 15, 2023 4:21 pm
rivercrosser wrote: ↑Sun Jan 15, 2023 4:14 pm
JoeRetire wrote: ↑Sun Jan 15, 2023 4:06 pm
rivercrosser wrote: ↑Sun Jan 15, 2023 4:02 pm
JoeRetire wrote: ↑Sun Jan 15, 2023 3:20 pm

Can you explain how it could already be paying off? What is the payoff?
Knowing I won't have any RMD's and staying in a lower tax bracket is my payoff.
So it's not already paying off, but you feel it will pay off down the road, despite having to pay the taxes up front.

RMDs are required for Roth 401ks.
RMDs are required for Roth 401ks. Thats why I rolled it over to my Roth IRA.
That's good, and smart. So the Roth might pay off somewhere down the road, and might become more lucrative than the taxes you have already paid.

It's not yet "already paying off".

Your right. If it all stays intact till we are both gone the real winners will be our two children.

rivercrosser

JoeRetire wrote: ↑Sun Jan 15, 2023 4:06 pm
rivercrosser wrote: ↑Sun Jan 15, 2023 4:02 pm
JoeRetire wrote: ↑Sun Jan 15, 2023 3:20 pm
rivercrosser wrote: ↑Sun Jan 15, 2023 3:14 pmEvery situation is different but for me the Roth is already paying off.
Can you explain how it could already be paying off? What is the payoff?
Knowing I won't have any RMD's and staying in a lower tax bracket is my payoff.
So it's not already paying off, but you feel it will pay off down the road, despite having to pay the taxes up front.

RMDs are required for Roth 401ks.

RMDs are required for Roth 401ks. Thats why I rolled it over to my Roth IRA.

rivercrosser

JoeRetire wrote: ↑Sun Jan 15, 2023 3:20 pm
rivercrosser wrote: ↑Sun Jan 15, 2023 3:14 pmEvery situation is different but for me the Roth is already paying off.
Can you explain how it could already be paying off? What is the payoff?

Knowing I won't have any RMD's and staying in a lower tax bracket is my payoff. I started converting back in 1998 when they first came out and later with the Roth 401k when they switched from a pension to a 401K plan at work. After I retired, I slowly converted the company contributions. Did the last little bit in 2022. Wife still has a small 403B which won't be enough to make a difference.

rivercrosser

One thing you are missing is that at least until you are 60 then you will have a tax saving for any traditional accounts and that money can be invested. But that is offset by the tax payable on the gain in the tIRA. Consider the following example: Assume 10% pa return and 25% tax rate on both. 59 YO contributes $7,000 to tIRA and withdraws balance one year later and pays tax. vs. 59YO who contributes $5,250 ($7,000 x 25% tax rate) to Roth IRA and withdraws balance one year later (no tax). tIRA: The $7,000 grows to $7,700 and the tax on withdrawal is $1,925, for a net of $5,775. Roth: The $5,250 grows to $5,775 with no tax on withdrawal. As long as the returns on the Roth and tIRA are the same and the tax bracket is the same, there is no di...

rivercrosser

One thing you are missing is that at least until you are 60 then you will have a tax saving for any traditional accounts and that money can be invested. But that is offset by the tax payable on the gain in the tIRA. Consider the following example: Assume 10% pa return and 25% tax rate on both. 59 YO contributes $7,000 to tIRA and withdraws balance one year later and pays tax. vs. 59YO who contributes $5,250 ($7,000 x 25% tax rate) to Roth IRA and withdraws balance one year later (no tax). tIRA: The $7,000 grows to $7,700 and the tax on withdrawal is $1,925, for a net of $5,775. Roth: The $5,250 grows to $5,775 with no tax on withdrawal. As long as the returns on the Roth and tIRA are the same and the tax bracket is the same, there is no di...

rivercrosser

I ran into a problem doing my Missouri return last year. I reimbursed myself from my HSA for part B and D premiums, so only our supplement premiums were deductible on my state return. When entering my SSA-1099 I had to leave the boxes for the part b & d premiums blank to keep them from carrying over to my state return. Don't know if I would call it a flaw but maybe they should have had a question in the software about HSA reinbursements.

rivercrosser

rivercrosser wrote: ↑Thu Jan 12, 2023 6:23 pm Filed claim today. They put it on comprehensive. They took my word for it no problem.

rivercrosser

Filed claim today. They put it on comprehensive. They took my word for no problem.

rivercrosser

We have State Farm Insurance. Yesterday we were coming home in the wife's Cherokee and a piece metal came flying at me from the other side of road. Saw it coming but couldn't avoid it. Someone was fairly close behind also. It either came off the truck passing me going the other direction or he hit it and sent it flying towards me. Got the plastic bumper cover, fog light etc. Nothing major but probably not going to be cheap. If it would have hit the windshield, I know it would come under comprehensive. How much chance do I have of getting covered under comprehensive? No one stopped. I went back and picked up the piece that hit me, but it's just scrap so no one going to be claiming it. My comprehensive deductible is only $100.00 vs. $500 coll...

rivercrosser

What if your over 591/2 and move your Roth to a different firm or bank?

rivercrosser

If it has your name [only] in it, it is an indirect rollover, even if it just goes from one account to another. I understand. Check has to be made out to the custodian FOB, For the benefit of "my name ". Thanks Even if the checks are issued in direct transfer format, banks have been occasionally known to issue a 1099R anyway, and that could result in problems with the IRS. If the receiving bank does not issue a 5498 because they correctly treat this as a non reportable transfer, then the IRS would have a mismatch with any 1099R. This could trigger issues with the one rollover limitation if you have done a 60 day rollover in the past year, and if you have not it will block you from doing a 60 day rollover for the next year. Theref...

rivercrosser

David Jay wrote: ↑Mon Jan 09, 2023 10:07 am If it has your name [only] in it, it is an indirect rollover, even if it just goes from one account to another.

I understand. Check has to be made out to the custodian FOB, For the benefit of "my name ". Thanks

rivercrosser

David Jay wrote: ↑Sun Jan 08, 2023 8:51 pm As long as the check is made to “Custodian Name FBO rivercrosser” it is a direct rollover. You may convey the check to the new custodian without using up your once-per-12-months indirect rollover.

Thats what I was thinking. About 3 years ago I almost lost out on a good rate waiting for an IRA to get transferred. This time it will be between 2 places a mile apart, so I'd like to just move it straight over without the delay.

rivercrosser

I've done trustee to trustee Roth IRA transfers in the past where the new trustee requests the transfer. I know if I withdraw the IRA myself, I have 60 days to transfer it and will get a 1099-R. In a few months from now I may be moving our Roth IRA's from a local bank to another local firm. My question is if they make the checks out to the firm I'm moving it to and not me directly would we be able to physically take the checks straight over to the new firm across town and still be considered a direct trustee to trustee transfer? It would save us some time based on the last time I transferred an IRA. We already have Roth IRA's at the firm it would to transferred to.

rivercrosser

No, I have our return and my sons imported from last year and ready to start entering data for 2022 returns. Returns from last year were on my desktop computer.

rivercrosser

You need to provide the receipts for HSA administrator, not just your spreadsheets. Which HSA administrator is that? I have had several and none have required receipts for direct withdrawals. HSA Bank. They coded a debit card transaction that I paid $64 as a non-qualified distribution, since I was stupid enough to lose the receipt. It was for a copay for pharmacy drugs, it was a qualified expense. If your HSA administrator is making determinations on its own about what is eligible or not I would dump them immediately. What impact does this have though? I don't recall a form where they would report this as such to the IRS. If you take a withdrawal to do a rollover do they also somehow code it as non-qualified? I seem to be paying $4 as addi...

rivercrosser

tlveik wrote: ↑Wed Dec 28, 2022 4:25 pm
rivercrosser wrote: ↑Wed Dec 28, 2022 3:18 pm
rivercrosser wrote: ↑Wed Dec 28, 2022 10:39 am Did they raise the fee for state e-filing? When I filed my 2021 return this past February it was $20.00 each. I use the desktop version Deluxe w/state.
Edit: Found on TurboTax web site. Looks like it's still $20.00 for the state e-file fee.
I think they told me $20 too last year but what they actually charged me was $25.

I looked at my credit card register in Quicken this morning. They charged me $20.00 each for 2 returns I filed. Time will tell.

rivercrosser

IowaFarmWife wrote: ↑Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:48 am
gavinsiu wrote: ↑Tue Dec 27, 2022 11:39 pm Thks what about a 1 year cd puchased back in aug of this year. Will there be a 1099 int this year or will it show up next year?
Should be this year for the interest that has accrued thus far.

Depends on how its compounded and pays out interest. If its quarterly, you will owe tax for interest paid out or added to principle in November. A CD that compounds every six months you probably won't get a 1099 for yet.

rivercrosser

rivercrosser wrote: ↑Wed Dec 28, 2022 10:39 am Did they raise the fee for state e-filing? When I filed my 2021 return this past February it was $20.00 each. I use the desktop version Deluxe w/state.

Edit: Found on TurboTax web site. Looks like it's still $20.00 for the state e-file fee.

rivercrosser

Did they raise the fee for state e-filing? When I filed my 2021 return this past February it was $20.00 each. I use the desktop version Deluxe w/state.

rivercrosser

Small town here. You get to know who to trust. The good ones are the guys that never advertise but are always busy.

rivercrosser

sailaway wrote: ↑Sat Dec 17, 2022 11:01 am Even Roth 401ks have RMDs.

Thats why I rolled mine over to my Roth IRA when I retired.

rivercrosser

I just did a Roth conversion myself. You go online like the guys said and make a payment on the IRS site. Just have to figure how much you need to pay in according to how it fits into the rest of your tax liability for the year. I went ahead and sent mine in, but you have until Jan. 17 to make the 4th quarter payment. When you do your taxes in TurboTax it will have a box for each of the four estimated tax payments. You will put the estimated payment in the last box. Depending on your situation you may have to fill out a Form 2210 to avoid a penalty.

rivercrosser

Worse thing is losing some of your money. Not unlike like a penalty on a CD at your local bank except you won't know how much till you try to sell them. I sold some about 3 years ago when rates were dropping and made some on them over face value. It was a freak thing where I caught a better rate at a local bank and locked my money in for 4 years. Probably never run across that opportunity again. We have been buying brokered CD's again lately. I wouldn't buy brokered CD's unless I knew I could leave them till maturity. Going to have a little over a mil next year coming due, most of it in Roth IRA's for wife and I.

rivercrosser

jebmke wrote: ↑Sun Dec 04, 2022 3:23 pm My letter from SSA clearly states 2023.

Yes, if you look at the letter its clear when you're getting the cola. It's the web page that's confusing everyone. Maybe if they get enough complaints, phone calls they will change it.

rivercrosser

retireIn2020 wrote: ↑Sun Dec 04, 2022 2:20 pm
JoeRetire wrote: ↑Sun Dec 04, 2022 5:56 am
retireIn2020 wrote: ↑Sat Dec 03, 2022 11:26 pm My SS account clearly states that I will receive the new 8.7% increased Cola payment in December, which for me is 12/14.
Almost certainly it actually says that your increase is effective with your December payment, which arrives in January.

You'll know in a few weeks.
You sound confident about that!

Here's what it says. It has the new payment with cola followed by "next payment" and Next payment date of December 14, 2022.

Forget what your looking at on the web page. It's not laid out right. Your December check will be the same as your November one. The January check will have the new cola added and new adjustments to Part B and Part D if you have that.

rivercrosser

They should have laid out the info on the web page better. Separated the December payment from next year's amounts. When I first looked at mine, I was confused also. Your check you receive in January will have the new cola and Part B reduction even though technically it's the check for December.

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