Search found 30256 matches

by jebmke
Thu Feb 06, 2025 5:34 am
Forum: Forum Issues and Administration
Topic: is it me, or my computer or just what with this message?
Replies: 22
Views: 2258

Re: is it me, or my computer or just what with this message?

Moderators deleted it or merged it into another thread (likely if not an off-topc discussion)
by jebmke
Thu Feb 06, 2025 5:12 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: VG - Interest from Government Secuities
Replies: 3
Views: 463

Re: VG - Interest from Government Secuities

sport wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 9:32 pm That would have to be dividends. Capital gains are taxable by states regardless of the type of holding.
In MD capital gains on individual treasury notes is exempt, but not gains of funds that hold Treasuries.
by jebmke
Thu Feb 06, 2025 5:08 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Surprised by IRS Tax Return processing speed for 2024 tax returns
Replies: 28
Views: 3354

Re: Surprised by IRS Tax Return processing speed for 2024 tax returns

VanGar+Goyle wrote: Thu Feb 06, 2025 12:38 am
FrankLUSMC wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 10:11 am I e-filed both Fed and State yesterday and both were accepted within a few hours. Funds will be withdrawn on 4/15. Once retired I stopped getting refunds.
How do you specify that funds will be withdrawn on 4/15?
Is this a common feature that I have never seen.
I have scheduled estimated tax payments a few days before they are due.
Normally it can be done with the tax software. I can also use the EFTPS system. It may also be that the Direct Pay system can schedule debits as well
by jebmke
Wed Feb 05, 2025 7:23 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Loyalty Apps/Discount Apps?
Replies: 10
Views: 773

Re: Loyalty Apps/Discount Apps?

Target app (wallet linked to their card) — 5% on everything except pharmacy
by jebmke
Wed Feb 05, 2025 5:25 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What is your favorite way to send sensitive info over the net?
Replies: 40
Views: 2347

Re: What is your favorite way to send sensitive info over the net?

exodusing wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 4:03 pm Isn't WhatsApp supposed to be secure end-to-end encryption?

EDIT: apparently metadata (sender, recipient, etc.) is not secure. There is also concern about using a closed source app owned by Facebook. Security types appear to prefer Signal, which is open source.
Can’t recall, is Meta’s encryption zero knowledge?
by jebmke
Wed Feb 05, 2025 5:07 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: how to check my portfolio less
Replies: 48
Views: 2778

Re: how to check my portfolio less

Find more interesting things to do.
by jebmke
Wed Feb 05, 2025 2:59 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Annoyed by Maryland Comptroller and Online Tax Filing
Replies: 2
Views: 417

Re: Annoyed by Maryland Comptroller and Online Tax Filing

Odd; I struck a pro-forma return in early January and determined that I could reduce my scheduled Q4 payment. On January 7 I logged in, canceled the payment that was already scheduled, added a new (lower) payment.

Don't be surprised if the moderator lock or delete your post since it is essentially a rant.
by jebmke
Wed Feb 05, 2025 2:02 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Surprised by IRS Tax Return processing speed for 2024 tax returns
Replies: 28
Views: 3354

Re: Surprised by IRS Tax Return processing speed for 2024 tax returns

MarkNYC wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 1:34 pm
alfaspider wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 12:29 pm The dirty little secret is they don't actually need you to file to know what you are owed if you are non-itemizer w-2 filer without any secondary income sources or pass-through investments (such as S-corps or partnerships).
Not sure I agree. The IRS does not know that "you are non-itemizer w-2 filer without any secondary income sources" unless and until you actually file.

Also, if you haven't yet filed a return, they cannot know what you are properly owed since they don't know your actual filing status.
Right, refundable credit comes to mind. They don't know the number and status of potential dependents that might generate additional child tax credit, forexample.
by jebmke
Wed Feb 05, 2025 10:41 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Email security
Replies: 22
Views: 3157

Re: Email security

if you aren't getting 2FA prompts for attempts not made by you, it is simply something or someone pounding on their system.

I've never gotten a 2FA prompt from Google, MS or even Yahoo (my sacrificial zinc for spam) for an attempt to log in that was not me.
by jebmke
Wed Feb 05, 2025 10:32 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Surprised by IRS Tax Return processing speed for 2024 tax returns
Replies: 28
Views: 3354

Re: Surprised by IRS Tax Return processing speed for 2024 tax returns

beyou wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 10:30 am Wish my state was as fast as the IRS. I am trying to reduce my state estimated tax payments to avoid having a slow payer owe me $.
MD has historically been faster than Federal although I haven't measured lately. The acks come later (typically night of submission) but the DDs were often in 3-4 days in many cases. I can't tell from my return. When I file it is always zero owed and it has been a long time since my extension payment was off.

On the other hand, the Maryland ES payment system is a mess - they often have jobs hung up and the debits don't hit the account until after the due date. The Comptroller has assured me that it is fine to put in the payment as being on time.
by jebmke
Wed Feb 05, 2025 9:01 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Help me understand my property tax
Replies: 24
Views: 1880

Re: Help me understand my property tax

Last year's rate will be on last year's bill. I suspect the county also has it on their web site.

Perhaps the tax base has expanded and the base rates were dropped across the board, the school levy would simply be on top of the tax base. Some jurisdictions are not allowed to increase the overall tax or are restricted as to how much without these additional levies.
by jebmke
Wed Feb 05, 2025 7:47 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: taxes [Finding cost basis and how to note state tax-exempt income]
Replies: 9
Views: 615

Re: taxes [Finding cost basis and how to note state tax-exempt income]

When faced with this at Taxaide, the first question I ask is "do I care?" -- I often prepare the return with a zero basis, then jam in a fake basis to see if the TP is in the zero bracket or otherwise has no tax liability. If the answer is "I don't care what the basis is because it has not impact," I process the transaction with a basis of zero.
by jebmke
Wed Feb 05, 2025 7:44 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Surprised by IRS Tax Return processing speed for 2024 tax returns
Replies: 28
Views: 3354

Re: Surprised by IRS Tax Return processing speed for 2024 tax returns

seems reasonable for e-filed and DD returns that don't have complications. Their automatic processing generally works pretty well. Once you venture into complications, paper returns, refunds by check or errors on the return it slows. If a person has to get involved it slows dramatically -- and I suspect this year will reverse the progress made recently in that regard.

Thanks for the news. I start at TaxAide tomorrow and one question we always get is "when will I get my refund."
by jebmke
Tue Feb 04, 2025 3:30 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Fraud? Unauthorized Payment Processed from Your PayPal Account
Replies: 8
Views: 1156

Re: Fraud? Unauthorized Payment Processed from Your PayPal Account

I once received a dozen of those within one minute. Since I have no PP account I just deleted them.
by jebmke
Tue Feb 04, 2025 3:12 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: [Solved] Vanguard’s Bond Site, from an iPad
Replies: 17
Views: 1167

Re: Vanguard’s Bond Site, from an iPad

exodusNH wrote: Tue Feb 04, 2025 3:08 pm
jebmke wrote: Tue Feb 04, 2025 2:46 pm
I've noticed that Brave (and probably Chrome) allow deleting selective history (e.g. only the cache) while Safari it is all or none.
But that's not the important part of the browser. It's the rendering engine, which includes JavaScript. Those are identical.
yes; I know. That's why some sites seem to gag on the iPad no matter what. This site seems to work fine. The IRS site seems to work fine. A couple other specialty sites like eBird have moved to apps so they seem to work fine as well. My local library, not so much. My use of the internet drops every year so it becomes less and less an issue.
by jebmke
Tue Feb 04, 2025 2:46 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: [Solved] Vanguard’s Bond Site, from an iPad
Replies: 17
Views: 1167

Re: Vanguard’s Bond Site, from an iPad

exodusNH wrote: Tue Feb 04, 2025 2:04 pm
pascalwager wrote: Tue Feb 04, 2025 1:36 pm

I run Safari, Brave and DuckDuckGo browsers on my iPad. Are you saying that there is no difference?

When you run Safari, Google is the default search engine, but you can also run the Brave and DuckDuckGo search engines while using the Safari browser.
The "rendering engine" is the same. For practical purposes, they are identical. Chrome can have a slightly different UI and support features such as account synchronization, but the important parts are all provided by Safari.
I've noticed that Brave (and probably Chrome) allow deleting selective history (e.g. only the cache) while Safari it is all or none.
by jebmke
Tue Feb 04, 2025 1:58 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Do you keep hard copies of your account statements?
Replies: 108
Views: 7367

Re: Do you keep hard copies of your account statements?


I keep a copy of my year end statements, showing all transactions for the year. Helpful for my heirs. If space is an issue, a scan is fine if they know how to access it.


Based on experience doing tax returns for many widows and widowers doing final returns as well as partners of taxpayers who have developed cognition issue, I suggest making sure you have a document handy that summarizes the cost basis for all taxable assets including personal real estate. I've spent many an hour working with the taxpayer on reporting asset sales where there was not a good record of cost basis. Fortunately, the brokerages have been required to report these on 1099-Bs for more recently acquired assets but many people have records scattered all over the ...
by jebmke
Tue Feb 04, 2025 1:48 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: [Solved] Vanguard’s Bond Site, from an iPad
Replies: 17
Views: 1167

Re: Vanguard’s Bond Site, from an iPad



For those of you who buy individual treasuries at Vanguard using an iPad or iPad mini, with which browser have you had the best success? I’m talking about the section you get to when you click “Trade Bonds and CDs”; this has nothing to to with bond funds.

As noted in this 2023 thread, Problem Buying Treasuries on Vanguard Website , “The bond part of Vanguard's site is a third-party iframe.” (tradewebretail.com).

As a result of this iframe not loading, I used to have to do bond trading on the seldom-used desktop. Not the end of the world, but since I conduct 99% of my interactions with Vanguard on the sofa with an ipad, I’m constantly looking for a way to make it 100%.

A year or two ago, it suddenly became possible to buy ...
by jebmke
Tue Feb 04, 2025 1:31 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: HSA Bank 1099-SA for 2024 distribution - funds transferred
Replies: 3
Views: 322

Re: HSA Bank 1099-SA for 2024 distribution - funds transferred

If one looks at the IRS instructions for 1099-SA that are issued to custodians, on the first page there is this paragraph
Transfers
Do not report a trustee-to-trustee transfer from one Archer
MSA or MA MSA to another Archer MSA or MA MSA,
from an Archer MSA to an HSA, or from one HSA to
another HSA. For reporting purposes, contributions and
rollovers do not include transfers.
by jebmke
Tue Feb 04, 2025 11:50 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Do you keep hard copies of your account statements?
Replies: 108
Views: 7367

Re: Do you keep hard copies of your account statements?

I keep an active file for about 5 years. It depends on how industrious I get. Then I pile old ones and other things in a box and take to Staples and have them mulched. We don't get any paper statements so there usually isn't a lot.
by jebmke
Tue Feb 04, 2025 11:47 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Charity giving - Sched A limit - impact giving
Replies: 20
Views: 1121

Re: Charity giving - Sched A limit - impact giving

Not me; periodically we make a large donation to a Donor Advised Fund and take a deduction. Then we use that for a few years to make regular donations every year..
by jebmke
Tue Feb 04, 2025 10:13 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Swing / Long term trade plans?
Replies: 1
Views: 209

Re: Swing / Long term trade plans?

Are you talking about buy or sell programs -- structured trading arrangements to manage around insider rules?
by jebmke
Tue Feb 04, 2025 10:10 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Vanguard Flagship Tier still active?
Replies: 142
Views: 29657

Re: Vanguard Flagship Tier still active?

yes; I think there is a lot of variability. We have one small seldom used account at a local B&M and they seem to have some odd policies. I mainly use them to write one check per year for property taxes. But they have good coffee and their pens are decent and free. Lollipops for sugar addicts.
by jebmke
Tue Feb 04, 2025 10:02 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Vanguard Flagship Tier still active?
Replies: 142
Views: 29657

Re: Vanguard Flagship Tier still active?




It has been a little while but when I initiate a bank transfer from my VG settlement fund, if I initiate it first thing in the morning it typically hits the bank by the end of the day. It used to be an overnight thing but I think the institutions have started doing ACH runs more frequently. I know that an AMEX push to my checking account at USAA is reliably same day unless I initiate it late in the day.

I have never had a hold. I haven't done anything really large -- the only time I needed a large amount was a house purchase and I used a wire which, as you say is pretty much real-time.


Is it possible you did have a hold but it never came into play because you never attempted to access within that hold period?


perhaps. But my ...
by jebmke
Tue Feb 04, 2025 9:53 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Vanguard Flagship Tier still active?
Replies: 142
Views: 29657

Re: Vanguard Flagship Tier still active?





It's not free (edit: and only to a previously linked account) but from the Portfolio page, I see "Transfer Money" at the right under each account.
In the popup menu, I see "Send Me Money"

Then, I get to the "Sell Vanguard Funds" page.

For "Where is the Money Going?" I choose my linked checking account. Then I have the two options:
( ) Electronic Bank Transfer
( ) Wire (fee)

This is for a taxable, "migrated" brokerage account.


Wire is same day transfer if initiated by a certain time. Your bank may charge you to receive it.

No charge to do an ACH but takes one to two days. No fees on either end. Don't know what holding period banks have on their end for incoming but Vanguard has 7 calendar days for incoming.

It has been a ...
by jebmke
Tue Feb 04, 2025 9:32 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Investing when you don't expect tomorrow to look like yesterday
Replies: 226
Views: 19327

Re: Investing when you don't expect tomorrow to look like yesterday

I have no expectations either way. 80% of life is managing expectations. The easiest way to do that is not have them if you know that they will always be wrong.
by jebmke
Tue Feb 04, 2025 9:25 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Investing when you don't expect tomorrow to look like yesterday
Replies: 226
Views: 19327

Re: Investing when you don't expect tomorrow to look like yesterday

Jaylat wrote: Tue Feb 04, 2025 9:17 am
jebmke wrote: Tue Feb 04, 2025 6:29 am

Qu'ils mangent de la brioche !
Let's just say we disagree profoundly.

Every day I read gloom and doom prognostications that within days or hours turn out to be fever dreams. Yet another reason to not let this affect your investment portfolio. Stay the course and diversify - and filter out the static.
I don't. I've been investing since the 1970s. the cycles come and go on their own. They just happen. When they do, weak business and ones that are not sustainable except in good times get slaughtered -- as they should.
by jebmke
Tue Feb 04, 2025 9:11 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Health Savings Account Funding Questions
Replies: 2
Views: 263

Re: Health Savings Account Funding Questions

If you make contributions with your own funds after retirement you complete form 8889 on your taxes and this will be deducted from your income. If all is done properly there are no after-tax vs. pre-tax dollars.

There really is no reason to have a separate account.
by jebmke
Tue Feb 04, 2025 6:29 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Investing when you don't expect tomorrow to look like yesterday
Replies: 226
Views: 19327

Re: Investing when you don't expect tomorrow to look like yesterday



I'm trying hard to word this to abide by the forum's rules; if I misstep, please let me know and I'll adjust accordingly.

Is there any investing advice for when you are concerned about the future stability of the country you live in? I am not getting into any political specifics, just looking specifically for views about investing in such conditions, i.e., potentially increasing international stocks or bonds, holding more cash, buying gold, etc.

Any links to relevant articles would be appreciated -- again, though, with a focus on investment choices, not on politics.

PARIS, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Luxury giant LVMH (LVMH.PA) is "seriously considering" bulking up its production capacities in the United States, CEO Bernard Arnault said on ...
by jebmke
Mon Feb 03, 2025 7:14 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Urgent care center charges $9.99 booking fee
Replies: 8
Views: 1218

Re: Urgent care center charges $9.99 booking fee

Random Poster wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 7:01 pm Getting urgent care by appointment only is a curiously ironic way to do things.
Next up, ambulances by reservation only.

We are only a couple of turns of the crank before we are all doing surgery with Youtube videos, X-Acto knives and Dremel Tools.
by jebmke
Mon Feb 03, 2025 3:56 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Efile taxes now or wait in case of revised 1099R
Replies: 23
Views: 1205

Re: Efile taxes now or wait in case of revised 1099R

dual wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 3:46 pm
livesoft wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 9:17 am File for an extension (easy and free with IRS Direct Pay), then file the actual tax return in October. Why rush and file in April?
I do not see how this stops someone who has your Social Security number and other information from filing a fraudulent return.

Livesoft or anyone else please explain.
I agree; I don't see this as helping this issue.
by jebmke
Mon Feb 03, 2025 3:19 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Our savings rate is reasonable. Why do I still feel guilty of our high spending?
Replies: 52
Views: 4639

Re: Our savings rate is reasonable. Why do I still feel guilty of our high spending?

I don't know. You tell me.

Your approach is exactly what we did (starting in the 1980s). We had a savings and investment plan and the rest was up for grabs. I never had any problems. Our situation was a little different in a couple of respects. One, we never had "a number." That whole concept just wasn't a thing back then; as well, I had made a decision when I started my career in the late 70s that I simply wasn't going to measure myself with money. Two, visibility of what we actually had was very limited. The majority of our holdings were in my wife's pension and profit sharing scheme and the partnership she was in only issued financial statements for that scheme once a year -- generally in March, as of the prior December 31. So we were ...
by jebmke
Mon Feb 03, 2025 1:30 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Investing when you don't expect tomorrow to look like yesterday
Replies: 226
Views: 19327

Re: Investing when you don't expect tomorrow to look like yesterday



Today is a good example of how it is folly to react to news. Market opens down ~2%. Doom and gloom. Not long after, news comes that tariff on Mexico is postponed. Instantly, market recovers quite a bit of its loss. All that happened possibly before you even had your second cup of coffee. And who knows about this afternoon or tomorrow?

If you were very lucky, you bought some shares sometime after opening but before the new announcement. If you were unlucky, you dumped your shares at the open only to see the market come back. It's a fool's errand.

You just don't know what is going to happen, and even if you did, you're not going to outrace the algos that buy and sell shares. Stay diversified, have a proper asset allocation, and sit ...
by jebmke
Mon Feb 03, 2025 1:05 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Efile taxes now or wait in case of revised 1099R
Replies: 23
Views: 1205

Re: Efile taxes now or wait in case of revised 1099R

rgs92 wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 11:03 am Maybe I should see a therapist but I don't want to be lying in a hospital bed after an accident or something thinking I was ready to hit the efile button but waited for no reason and now I can't get to my computer.

I think this is somehow related to the classic nightmares of showing up in class for exams and you forgot to study...

So I file not too long after I finish up my taxes.
I do too; I just don't get to mine until early April and generally finish in early May.
by jebmke
Mon Feb 03, 2025 10:42 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Efile taxes now or wait in case of revised 1099R
Replies: 23
Views: 1205

Re: Efile taxes now or wait in case of revised 1099R

JayB wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 9:59 am
JazzTime wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 9:18 am I'm curious why you are paranoid about a fraudulent return. That strikes me as low probability.
Not paranoid. But the probability grows as SSN's etc. get so widely disseminated on the dark web, especially in the past year. For me, it comes down to cost vs benefit. Fraudulent return => a significant and possibly prolonged hassle with the IRS to straighten things out. Amended return => fairly easy using TurboTax
low probability but high potential consequences. I had a client at TaxAide last year who was in year 2 or 3 of trying to recover her life after her ID was stolen. Her bank accounts were still frozen, she had no credit history (could not rent an apartment so was essentially "homeless" staying with a friend).
by jebmke
Mon Feb 03, 2025 9:57 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Investing when you don't expect tomorrow to look like yesterday
Replies: 226
Views: 19327

Re: Investing when you don't expect tomorrow to look like yesterday

rockstar wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 9:54 am A buy it and forget it portfolio is really hard to build.

If I were to focus on one thing to tinker with in my portfolio it would be bonds since the returns are known in advance. Everything else is essentially a gamble. You have no clue what return you’ll get from equities, real estate, commodities, or other alternatives.
Which is ironic given the number of times I read on this forum "I don't understand bonds" which sort of implies one does understand stocks and other assets.
by jebmke
Mon Feb 03, 2025 9:40 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Efile taxes now or wait in case of revised 1099R
Replies: 23
Views: 1205

Re: Efile taxes now or wait in case of revised 1099R

livesoft wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 9:17 am File for an extension (easy and free with IRS Direct Pay), then file the actual tax return in October. Why rush and file in April?
if the objective is to get in before a hijacked SSN I don't think extensions will work in that regard. That said, I wait for various reasons.
by jebmke
Mon Feb 03, 2025 9:28 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Vacation in Burlington VT in July
Replies: 21
Views: 1495

Re: Vacation in Burlington VT in July

AlmostThereCT wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 9:21 am Vermont in the summer is spectacular. So much to do and see, most of it at a very relaxing pace.

Seeing that you will be there for a week, a day trip or overnight to Montreal is worth considering. Easy drive of less than 2 hours.
The dollar is strengthening, too. I am examining whether to re-wire a birding trip tentatively planned this spring. Instead of US locations, many of the same migratory birds end up in Quebec -- just a few days later. It wouldn't be that much more effort to go there instead of the US. There are a lot of interesting historical sites that could also be interspersed.
by jebmke
Mon Feb 03, 2025 9:24 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Impact of Tariffs to stock market
Replies: 38
Views: 3888

Re: Tariff Discussion - Why are they banned here?

LLeaff wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 9:22 am
GreenGreenWater wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 9:10 am I think it could get too ugly too quick.
Can't the individual offending messages be removed rather than banning the entire topic? Is it a question of not enough moderator bandwidth?

I'm flabbergasted that this economic issue cannot be discussed on this site
Mods are volunteers. At this point, I am not interested in foisting more work on them. They do a marvelous job already.

General discussion of public policy is generally not allowed so this isn't really new. Nor is public complaint about moderator activity, btw. They have requested that "complaints" be submitted via PM.
by jebmke
Mon Feb 03, 2025 9:22 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: First time TIPS buyer. Who buys on secondary market?
Replies: 18
Views: 1507

Re: First time TIPS buyer. Who buys on secondary market?

I don't buy individual Tips anymore but when I did, it was always on the secondary market.

When you pull up the bond search on a brokerage site, or if you work directly with the bond desk they will give you the going bid and ask prices for any cusip you might be interested in.

Treasury notes are probably the most liquid asset in the world. Secondary rates will not differ from auctions by a material amount.
by jebmke
Mon Feb 03, 2025 8:59 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: [Solved] Vanguard’s Bond Site, from an iPad
Replies: 17
Views: 1167

Re: Vanguard’s Bond Site, from an iPad



For those of you who buy individual treasuries at Vanguard using an iPad or iPad mini, with which browser have you had the best success? I’m talking about the section you get to when you click “Trade Bonds and CDs”; this has nothing to to with bond funds.

As noted in this 2023 thread, Problem Buying Treasuries on Vanguard Website , “The bond part of Vanguard's site is a third-party iframe.” (tradewebretail.com).

As a result of this iframe not loading, I used to have to do bond trading on the seldom-used desktop. Not the end of the world, but since I conduct 99% of my interactions with Vanguard on the sofa with an ipad, I’m constantly looking for a way to make it 100%.

A year or two ago, it suddenly became possible to buy ...
by jebmke
Mon Feb 03, 2025 8:43 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Key Document Preservation and Access
Replies: 18
Views: 1098

Re: Key Document Preservation and Access

lthenderson wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 8:39 am Wills are easily replaceable so I don't worry about fire or water damage. I have a signed original in my filing cabinet and another copy at the lawyers office.
same; my criteria is to keep access simple. The harder you make it for the survivors, the more likely they will ignore it and curse you to eternity.
by jebmke
Mon Feb 03, 2025 7:47 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Investing when you don't expect tomorrow to look like yesterday
Replies: 226
Views: 19327

Re: Investing when you don't expect tomorrow to look like yesterday

nisiprius wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 7:27 am The accuracy of tomorrow's weather report is not measured by the percentage of times it is right, it is measured by how much better it is than simply predicting that tomorrow's weather will be the same as today's.
Perhaps not the same but when I first went out to Europe to manage an accounting crisis to the ground, I met with the country controllers. We needed to shift people to some internal controls work but they were always busy updating forecasts to submit to HQ every month. So I stood up and said "Here's what we are going to do. Make one twelve month forecast. When next month rolls around, drop off the current month and re-send the remaining months from the last forecast. Come see me if anyone at HQ notices and asks."
by jebmke
Mon Feb 03, 2025 7:16 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Investing when you don't expect tomorrow to look like yesterday
Replies: 226
Views: 19327

Re: Investing when you don't expect tomorrow to look like yesterday

Your investments (including your human capital if working) should always be viewed as if a shock could occur to them at any time. We simply can't really predict when or what it is. Now is no different than 2007 (when I retired) or any other year in that respect. I had no idea the markets would crater shortly after I retired (not my fault!); I had no idea that the economy was going to crater shortly after I started my first job in business in 1979. yet, here I am - more assets than I started out with in both cases.