Search found 529 matches

by Bammerman
Sat Feb 24, 2024 5:04 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Whether we need a tax expert, or a financial advisor, or both, and how to find one/them
Replies: 21
Views: 1435

Re: Whether we need a tax expert, or a financial advisor, or both, and how to find one/them

FiveK wrote: Sat Feb 24, 2024 2:16 pm
Bammerman wrote: Sat Feb 24, 2024 1:43 pm The bulk of that will come from my TSP (I've not rolled any of that into a Roth, in part through fear of losing the NC-state-income-tax-immunity I currently hold thanks to the Bailey Settlement).
Based on a quick read of Bailey Retirement Plan Rollover Distribution to a Roth Account, that fear may be unfounded.
Thanks, you may be right: " If the rollover to a Roth account is from a qualifying tax-exempt Bailey retirement account, the rollover distribution is exempt from state income tax and deductible on the state return to the extent the rollover distribution was included as income on the taxpayer's federal income tax return. "
by Bammerman
Sat Feb 24, 2024 4:59 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Whether we need a tax expert, or a financial advisor, or both, and how to find one/them
Replies: 21
Views: 1435

She's not going to DIH

I will review the various links suggested so far (thank you), but -- no surprise, after all this is the Boglehead Forum -- most appear to relate to DIY-centric websites/companies, and for my wife, it can't be very DIY because, if I weren't around, I doubt that she'd DIH. Is the solution something like Schwab? Or, when I go searching for local companies/services in my city, what keywords/services/certifications/memberships should I be looking for? (To clarify, I'm not mainly looking for asset allocation advice at this point.
by Bammerman
Sat Feb 24, 2024 1:43 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Whether we need a tax expert, or a financial advisor, or both, and how to find one/them
Replies: 21
Views: 1435

Whether we need a tax expert, or a financial advisor, or both, and how to find one/them

I've always done the taxes in our family and I've done most of the investment planning (for better or for worse), and although I'm in good health at 72, I'm probably not going to last forever. My wife and I have investments in a potpourri of tax-deferred vehicles, Roth and non-Roth; this year we will need to take our first RMDs -- that'll be in the $35,000 range. The bulk of that will come from my TSP (I've not rolled any of that into a Roth, in part through fear of losing the NC-state-income-tax-immunity I currently hold thanks to the Bailey Settlement). We have never used either a tax advisor or a financial advisor, but now I'm thinking it's time to hire one or the other or both -- to guide us through the RMD decision process (e.g., is it...
by Bammerman
Mon Feb 05, 2024 7:11 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Where to make our (maybe last) Roth investment?
Replies: 5
Views: 851

Re: Where to make our (maybe last) Roth investment?

So since she earned $9500 last year, she can contribute $7500 to a Roth and I can contribute $2000 (we're 72). Good to know, thanks.
by Bammerman
Sun Feb 04, 2024 10:00 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Where to make our (maybe last) Roth investment?
Replies: 5
Views: 851

Re: Where to make our (maybe last) Roth investment?

Yes, and the simplest way to do that would be to put the money into her existing Vanguard Target Ret 2025 (VTTVX), which has an asset allocation not dissimilar to our overall allocation:
7% Cash
39% Bonds
26% U.S. Large Cap stocks
22% International stocks
6% U.S. Small/Mid Cap stocks

Here's the thing, though: since we haven't needed to touch these retirement monies (except for modest amounts a few years ago for home improvements, e.g. solar panels, heat pumps, some renovations), I'm wondering if we should be somewhat more aggressive with the Roth funds so there would be more (in theory) for our children to inherit eventually.
by Bammerman
Sun Feb 04, 2024 9:03 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Where to make our (maybe last) Roth investment?
Replies: 5
Views: 851

Where to make our (maybe last) Roth investment?

My wife and I want to make what may be our last Roth investment (actually, just hers, because I had no earned income in 2023), and would appreciate any suggestions as to where or what kind that should be. We live off my USG pension, our combined social security, and my wife's small part-time work income -- but the latter has stopped due to health reasons. We have good health insurance, and long-term care insurance as well. Our grown children are self-supporting and our parents are deceased. Our house is in good repair, with a very low mortgage rate. The figures below do not reflect a significant money market balance "pillow" at our credit union. A final note: this year we will both turn 73 and will have to start taking RMDs. Below...
by Bammerman
Thu Jan 25, 2024 7:28 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Do you use BOTH gas AND electric (heat pumps) to heat your house?
Replies: 26
Views: 3374

Re: Do you use BOTH gas AND electric (heat pumps) to heat your house?

I want to thank everyone who took the time to write thoughtful replies.

I think I have arrived at a happy solution. I moved the (boiler/radiator's) Nest thermostat's external temperature sensor to a rather high place upstairs in our bedroom and set the Nest thermostat to read this sensor in the "evening" and "nighttime", targeting 68 degrees most of the time, but 65 degrees at night, and changing back up to 68 at 5:30 am. Now the upstairs doesn't get too hot at night, but the bathroom is toasty-warm by 6:30 am when I like to get up to take a shower.

I haven't seen the bills yet!!!
by Bammerman
Tue Jan 23, 2024 12:46 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Is having insulation blown into the walls of an old house worth it?
Replies: 35
Views: 4353

Is having insulation blown into the walls of an old house worth it?

Our 1925 house is two floors (and a finished basement), brick on masonry block (1st floor) and stucco (2nd floor), plaster on the interior walls. It's a well-built house that I think was "quality" when constructed, but I'm pretty much certain that there's nothing in these walls in the way of insulation. They feel cold all the time! I've often thought about having (foam?) insulation blown in the walls. I can get some quotes on this, but I'm wondering if anyone here has any experience with this kind of situation. Would the savings in cooling and heating the house likely ever pay for the cost of getting the job done?
by Bammerman
Fri Jan 19, 2024 11:26 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Another 'should I get solar' question
Replies: 90
Views: 6514

Re: Another 'should I get solar' question

" need a new roof which will be done sometime this year " I haven't seen anyone commenting on this yet, but it's a key point. Put a new solar installation on top of a new (or new-ish) roof so their lifetimes run concurrently. And ideally, have the same company do both jobs, or arrange for them to coordinate their jobs, so your new roof warranty isn't in some way jeopardized by the solar panel installation. I really enjoy seeing how my solar panels cut my summertime electric bill down to about $15! But it's a different story in the winter when my electric consumption goes way up (electric heat pumps working hard) and solar electric production goes way down (sun lower in the sky). And I do feel somewhat "greener", which is...
by Bammerman
Tue Jan 16, 2024 11:02 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Do you use BOTH gas AND electric (heat pumps) to heat your house?
Replies: 26
Views: 3374

Re: Do you use BOTH gas AND electric (heat pumps) to heat your house?

I’ve spent years trying to understand my home heating. We have a boiler supplemented by wood burning fireplace and passive solar and gas fireplace downstairs. In your case I would set the furnace/boiler at 67-68 degrees. Then you use the splits as needed in the room you currently occupy. As you say the splits are for air conditioning. Let the furnace/boiler do the heavy lifting. I’m starting to understand how cold infiltration can be spotty and creep in on cold days even when the thermostat is set as you describe.This is what I couldn’t understand. The thermostat temperature controls the area where the thermostat is but not the fringes where the cold creeps in. Every fall I walk the outside perimeter looking for heat losses. Same thing ins...
by Bammerman
Tue Jan 16, 2024 10:53 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Do you use BOTH gas AND electric (heat pumps) to heat your house?
Replies: 26
Views: 3374

Re: Do you use BOTH gas AND electric (heat pumps) to heat your house?

A lot of us with dual fuel systems have integrated systems where a smart thermostat controls both. I agree with suemarkp that you will just need to experiment with your settings to find what will work best for you...even someone with the exact same ductless mini split and gas furnace setup will have thermostats, cents, minisplits in different positions relative to one another and to heat losses, which will make anyone else's experience meaningless compared to yours. Our new mini-splits are smart individually but stupid collectively, or perhaps I should just say they are unaware of each other or of the gas boiler's thermostat (which is a fairly smart Nest). I looked into buying "smart" (wifi connected) thermostats for the mini-spl...
by Bammerman
Tue Jan 16, 2024 10:48 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Do you use BOTH gas AND electric (heat pumps) to heat your house?
Replies: 26
Views: 3374

Re: Do you use BOTH gas AND electric (heat pumps) to heat your house?

corduroysuit wrote: Mon Jan 15, 2024 7:47 pm Can you adjust the radiators individually?
-- I can adjust them individually, and can try that.
-- I don't think there's any insulation in the walls of this 1925 house but we've put plenty in the attic crawlspace and recently replaced poorly-fitting windows in several rooms with better-quality windows.
-- I try hard to leave the (individual) mini-splits' thermostats alone!
by Bammerman
Mon Jan 15, 2024 4:58 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Do you use BOTH gas AND electric (heat pumps) to heat your house?
Replies: 26
Views: 3374

Do you use BOTH gas AND electric (heat pumps) to heat your house?

I'm looking for input from anyone with experience with this situation: our old house had been heated by a natural gas-fired boiler and radiators until about two years ago when we had ductless (mini-split) Mitsubishi "hyper-"heat pumps (7) put in all the major rooms. (We mostly did this for air cooling in the summer [the house lacks central AC], but also planned to use them for heat in the winter.) And they do heat the rooms -- where they are installed -- but we found that they leave many cold spots, such as in the bathrooms (where the now-cold radiators are useless), hallways, the basement, etc. So today I turned the gas-fired furnace/boiler back on, and now the radiators are pumping out heat "side-by-side" with the elec...
by Bammerman
Sat Jan 13, 2024 10:24 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Is anyone else having problems with Vanguard's "RMD Snapshot" calculator?
Replies: 12
Views: 1975

Is anyone else having problems with Vanguard's "RMD Snapshot" calculator?

Starting several days ago I tried using Vanguard's web page dedicated to calculating my RMD for 2024. However, each time I click on the "2024 RMD snapshot", it just returns " Something's not right -- The page you requested is temporarily unavailable. We apologize for the inconvenience, please check back in a few minutes. If the problem persists, contact us. " It has persisted over several days and I did try to contact Vanguard, but was unsuccessful in dealing with their phone tree, and Vanguard's "Message Us" link just returns a " page not found " error message. Note also that I had the exact same "Something's not right" response to my wife's Vanguard RMD Snapshot attempt. Is anyone else hav...
by Bammerman
Thu Jan 11, 2024 3:28 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: When to take your RMD when you don't need your RMD
Replies: 72
Views: 12219

It's all so much clearer now that I've read through this

It's reading through threads like this that make me wish I were smarter than I am. Anyway, it's interesting because this is more or less my situation too -- I (and my wife) have to start taking RMD's this year and we don't need the money (living off my pension and our social security). And from reading all these posts, it seems pretty complicated! But what I conclude from reading through everything is, I should take the RMD: -- Immediately, right away, if I'm planning on dying this year, to make it easier on my heirs; -- But I should also leave it continuing to bake in the oven of deferred-taxation investment to the very last minute; -- And when I do take it, I should take it "in kind" (wheat? grapes? I thought that was the whole ...
by Bammerman
Tue Jan 09, 2024 1:42 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: 9-10 days in Turkey - where would you spend it?
Replies: 38
Views: 5452

More time in Istanbul!

I was lucky enough to get to spend about a week in Istanbul some 40 years ago and I can't imagine that you could see enough of all the wonderful things there in just three days! Be sure to so some of your sightseeing from a boat on the Bosporus, because most of the palaces and mansions were built to be seen/accessed from the water. Between now and the time you leave you can be listening to a terrific podcast, The History of Byzantium, hosted by Robin Pierson.
Be sure to try burek! Rich and delicious.
Unfortunately, Istanbul is the only place I've been to in Turkey. I'd love to go back and see more.
by Bammerman
Sun Dec 31, 2023 9:47 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: For those with TSP, do you use bonds at all or just G fund?
Replies: 22
Views: 2813

I let the TSP L-Income Fund do my slicing and dicing

I leave it to the TSP L-Income Fund to figure out. Allocations (October 2023) for this fund were:

G Fund 69.14%
F Fund 5.61%
C Fund 13.18%
S Fund 3.23%
I Fund 8.84%.

Per the TSP, my year-to-date rate of return is +8.99%. No doubt I could have done better with a higher allocation to equities, but "you never know." I sleep very well with this allocation, and I value sleeping well very highly.
by Bammerman
Wed Nov 22, 2023 8:37 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Anyone considering the new GEHA Medicare Advantage Plan?
Replies: 54
Views: 8425

What to think of GEHA's new "enhanced" Standard and High Medicare Advantage Plans?

[Thread merged into here --admin LadyGeek] I have been receiving mail from my (secondary, after Medicare) FEHB health insurer, GEHA, urging me to accept an "enhanced benefit opportunity" through a new medicare advantage plan for annuitants. GEHA describes this plan as delivering "all the benefits of Original Medicare (Parts A and B), includes prescription drug coverage (Part D), and offers additional benefits and features at no extra cost to you." One of the benefits listed is a $75 per month Medicare Part B premium subsidy. This all sounds pretty good to me, almost like a "free lunch", which is why I am cautious or maybe just too suspicious. I started a chat with a GEHA rep: ME: "Your literature mentions...
by Bammerman
Mon Aug 21, 2023 4:55 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: TSP L Income - Daily Rebalancing - Good, Bad, or Indifferent?
Replies: 2
Views: 630

Re: TSP L Income - Daily Rebalancing - Good, Bad, or Indifferent?

I don't know the answer but I have the same question. All my TSP balance is in the L Income Fund. I believe all the TSP funds rebalance daily. Given this website, I'm sure you'll find people to back any and all of the possible answers (good, bad and indifferent)!
by Bammerman
Sat Jul 29, 2023 3:02 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Quick question please: Gap Coverage for new car
Replies: 6
Views: 657

Re: Quick question please: Gap Coverage for new car

No, in this case because of the large down payment there is no gap, and the dealership finance guy told me that Ford wouldn't let him sell me such a policy even if he wanted to. But thanks for the comments.
PS: I inquired, and USAA (my insurer) doesn't sell gap insurance anymore.
by Bammerman
Fri Jul 28, 2023 6:15 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Quick question please: Gap Coverage for new car
Replies: 6
Views: 657

Quick question please: Gap Coverage for new car

We're buying a new car (today) that costs about $50,000. We're putting $20,000 down and financing the balance through Ford Credit at 1.9% for 48 months. I'm leaning towards buying a gap coverage policy, but I'm unsure. Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks.
by Bammerman
Sat Apr 15, 2023 4:14 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: A "way-back" machine for asset allocation results
Replies: 10
Views: 960

Re: A "way-back" machine for asset allocation results

jebmke and peteyboy wrote: Sat Apr 15, 2023 1:59 pm Portfolio Visualizer?
Thanks very much (to both of you) for this link. I'm using Visualizers' choice of Short Term Treasury for my TSP G-Fund. Sound right to you?
by Bammerman
Sat Apr 15, 2023 4:08 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: A "way-back" machine for asset allocation results
Replies: 10
Views: 960

Re: A "way-back" machine for asset allocation results

David Jay wrote: Sat Apr 15, 2023 2:31 pm Doesn't look like something Financial Engine would have recommended 10 years ago.
No, it's not. It's the "Retired guy sleeps soundly at night" recommendation.
by Bammerman
Sat Apr 15, 2023 1:52 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: A "way-back" machine for asset allocation results
Replies: 10
Views: 960

A "way-back" machine for asset allocation results

(Sorry for that subject line -- not sure what to call this:)

I have maintained the same asset allocation for 10+ years, and I would like to know, approximately, what my 10-year results have been from the following allocation (per Financial Engines) starting ten years ago:

Cash and Short Term Bonds (almost entirely in the TSP G-Fund): 56%
Bonds: 13%
U.S. Large Cap Stocks: 21%
U.S. Mid/Small Cap Stocks: 3%
International Stocks: 7%
Individual Stocks: 0%
Total: 100%

Any way to guesstimate this? Any calculators that I could plug these numbers into?

Thanks
by Bammerman
Thu Mar 23, 2023 7:47 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Avoid tax now or later? (traditional or Roth IRA?) Or another option...
Replies: 8
Views: 1229

Re: Avoid tax now or later? (traditional or Roth IRA?) Or another option...

We're at the 22% rate now and will be there even after RMDs start next year, as best I can figure it, so going with the traditional IRA investment now probably makes sense. And I do plan to look at Roth conversions. All these years since early retirement I've been pretty conservative about investments, because, at least for the first five or so years, I wasn't at all sure how our finances would work out: that is, how well we could live off of my pension and then with SS as well. But it seems we do well at living within our income even without calling on our "retirement" investments (except for some renovations to our house plus solar panels and heat pumps). So now I'm thinking of putting our 2022 IRA (or Roth) money into a total s...
by Bammerman
Tue Mar 21, 2023 9:10 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Avoid tax now or later? (traditional or Roth IRA?) Or another option...
Replies: 8
Views: 1229

Re: Avoid tax now or later? (401(k) or Roth?) Or another option...

See Traditional versus Roth - Bogleheads for more. After reading at least the first few sections of that, what questions remain and what new ones do you have? Attempting to read through that Wiki was a humbling experience. On the one hand, if I make a traditional IRA investment, it will reduce my 2022 federal tax obligation by one-half and increase my state income tax refund by two-thirds. On the other hand, the way things are looking, 2022 is/was the last year my wife and I are likely to have sufficient earned income to make Roth investments, and it seems a shame to pass up the opportunity. But I have low confidence in my ability to predict the future and I am leaning toward seizing the bird-in-the-hand, i.e., the traditional IRA and the ...
by Bammerman
Wed Feb 22, 2023 3:24 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Seeking a "universal" total-cost loan calculator for educational purposes
Replies: 0
Views: 164

Seeking a "universal" total-cost loan calculator for educational purposes

There are plenty of simple car and mortgage loan estimators, but I'm looking for an online calculator that will show for any potential purchase what the final total cost would be, for any given range of retail price, interest rate, inflation rate, fees, loan period, partial cash payment, payment scheduls, etc. Ideally there would be "sliders" for each variable (such as those mentioned above) so you could see the final, total cost including interest, etc., change in "real time" as you moved the various sliders. If you know of such a calculator, I'd appreciate your sharing info about it. Thanks.
by Bammerman
Sat Feb 04, 2023 9:31 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Several ways of paying for a new car
Replies: 32
Views: 3014

No news is no news

So it's almost four months later and we still have no information from Ford as to when our new car will be arriving. We've had a few emails where they basically say, "Thanks for your order, we haven't forgotten you, and no, we still don't have any idea when your new 2023 Ford Escape PHEV will be manufactured, but we'll let you know when we do...." It does appear that the car will qualify for a $7500 tax credit. One thing that's different now is that, due to the change in the law, we aren't required to take any RMD's until 2024, when we will both turn 73. I guess that doesn't affect anything really. The funds are there if we need to touch them for this purchase. I haven't checked into new car loan rates since my original post. What...
by Bammerman
Thu Feb 02, 2023 7:24 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Avoid tax now or later? (traditional or Roth IRA?) Or another option...
Replies: 8
Views: 1229

Our marginal tax rate is ...

22%. NB: I edited my original post to correct my mistaken use of "401(k) vs. Roth", when I meant traditional IRA vs. Roth IRA. It's been so many years since we had any non-Roth investments (except for my TSP) that I had forgotten the distinctions. 3/4 of our tax bill is the result of income from a part-time job I took last year. I thought I had enough tax deducted on my W-4 but obviously not. Sort of makes me wonder now if the job was worth the effort. (Anyway, we were in the 22% marginal tax bracket even before that additional income.) If wishes were horses ... -- We spent a ton of money last year to install super-efficient hyper-heat pumps throughout the house, not imagining that Congress would, a few months later, make such inv...
by Bammerman
Wed Feb 01, 2023 2:56 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Avoid tax now or later? (traditional or Roth IRA?) Or another option...
Replies: 8
Views: 1229

Avoid tax now or later? (traditional or Roth IRA?) Or another option...

We were expecting to make Roth IRA investments for the 2022 tax year, but I just finished doing our 2022 taxes and my wife and I (unexpectedly) owe some $6600. So now I'm wondering if we should make some tax-sheltered traditional IRA investments instead of Roth IRA investments. (We have the cash -- we were thinking of paying for our new car mostly with cash, but Ford still can't tell us when it will be delivered, or even built!). The thing is, we both turn 72 this calendar year, and we had thought we'd have to start taking RMD's. Now, with the change in the law, it seems that we can wait another year to start RMDs. I think my question is, considering our age(s) and imminent RMD requirements, which plan makes more sense, putting the investme...
by Bammerman
Mon Jan 30, 2023 4:41 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Can this be right? This can't be right. [non-deductible travel expenses]
Replies: 10
Views: 2134

Re: Can this be right? This can't be right. [non-deductible travel expenses]

I was/am sometimes a "reemployed annuitant", paid only "when actually employed". I think the thing is, until I actually had the revalidated ID, I was not employed/employable. Anyway the EX people did not offer any per diem, salary, etc. until I had the ID and had started working. No travel orders were issued, so there's no "hook" to hang a reimbursement request on. As makeitcount said above, "I chalked it up to paying the piper for having the ability to work full time from home." And I guess I'll have to do the same.
by Bammerman
Sun Jan 29, 2023 10:58 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Can this be right? This can't be right. [non-deductible travel expenses]
Replies: 10
Views: 2134

Can this be right? This can't be right. [non-deductible travel expenses]

I'm doing my taxes. Last year I had a part-time, online job with my former USG employer. It was an absolute condition of this job that I have the agency's current, valid ID card (with the chip in it that would allow me to log in to my agency's computer system to actually do the work). There was only one way to get this ID card, and that was to drive to DC to show up in person at the agency's ID office -- which I did. It was a 930 mile round trip drive. I thought I could at least claim $0.58 per mile for that trip (and maybe fast-food lunch on the drive up and back, and the day in DC) on my taxes, but my H&R Block software says NO, because, "due to a change in the law," ... "Expenses qualify if they are for: National guard...
by Bammerman
Tue Jan 10, 2023 3:36 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Did you stay in TSP just for G fund after retirement?
Replies: 45
Views: 6974

Re: Did you stay in TSP just for G fund after retirement?

I've kept mine since retirement 16 years ago and have no plans to get rid of it. The G fund is a major reason, but I also like the TSP's Lifecycle funds.
by Bammerman
Tue Jan 10, 2023 3:32 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Market for Old Film Cameras?
Replies: 27
Views: 2553

Re: Market for Old Film Cameras? NOPE

I volunteer at the donations-receiving area of my local Habitat for Humanity, and people are donating "old" (not very!) SLR film cameras all the time. Very nice ones in excellent condition, generally (no Leica's yet that I've seen, anyway!) with great lenses, etc. The kind of equipment that used to sell for thousands. I don't think anybody buys this stuff. Too bad. Same thing with high-end sound systems and speakers.
by Bammerman
Tue Jan 03, 2023 8:36 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Omnibus changes to RMD rules: a GOOD THING or a BAD THING?
Replies: 22
Views: 2774

Re: Omnibus changes to RMD rules: a GOOD THING or a BAD THING?

"I'm not sure how having the option to withdraw now or withdraw later could be a bad thing? Perhaps I'm missing something here. What concerns you?"

I prefer to "buy low, sell high" and if I have to sell now, I'll be selling low, thanks to poor market performance in recent weeks/months. Maybe, maybe, if I can wait a year, I'll be "selling high" or at least, higher than now, anyway.
by Bammerman
Tue Jan 03, 2023 7:09 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Omnibus changes to RMD rules: a GOOD THING or a BAD THING?
Replies: 22
Views: 2774

Omnibus changes to RMD rules: a GOOD THING or a BAD THING?

I was lying in bed this morning thinking, okay, it's now 2023, the year I turn 72, and my wife and I will need to take money out of our non-Roth retirement accounts because of RMD, and that's too bad because the market has been down so much -- and just then the news came on and I learned that one of the gazillion changes passed in the big omnibus law late last year affects RMD rules -- and that now I can wait until I turn 73 to start taking those required distributions. HOORAY! At least, I think it's hooray, because now I can hope that the market swings back upwards over the coming year toward the now-postponed first RMD sale. (I wasn't very concerned about having to sell in a down market because the bulk of the money would have come out of...
by Bammerman
Sun Nov 06, 2022 1:59 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Add backup camera to older car
Replies: 26
Views: 2844

Re: Add backup camera to older car

I added a backup camera to my 2013 Volt, and "it has made all the difference." It was expensive but well worth the money. It was soon after I bought the car, almost 9 years ago, and I don't remember the brand, unfortunately. I paid my Chevy dealer to install it for me (another wise choice). As I get older, I have increasingly more difficulty in twisting around to look over my shoulder when backing up, and this camera (which displays on the car's built-in infotainment screen) has been wonderful.

But, new or newer cars have this technology and even better accident-prevention technology built-in, and ideally, that's the way to go, if it's affordable.
by Bammerman
Tue Nov 01, 2022 3:37 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: submit ?s to Vanguard on rebalancing
Replies: 15
Views: 2207

Re: submit ?s to Vanguard on rebalancing

There are funds, such as TSP's Lifecycle funds, that rebalance on a daily basis. Does this practice tend to lead to improved, or reduced outcomes? What, in general, can be said about the effect(s) of daily rebalancing?
by Bammerman
Tue Nov 01, 2022 3:27 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Did Treasury Direct frustrate your effort to lock in ibonds at 9.62%? Count your blessings.
Replies: 52
Views: 12540

Savvy or innumerate?

Reading this post makes me feel better about having screwed up my October I-Bond purchase by putting the wrong suffix on the account providing the funds. Makes me feel a lot more like the "savvy purchaser who waited until November 1st." I already knew I was not great with numbers -- now I know I'm practically "innumerate"! On the bright side, now I have more time to think it over -- again.
by Bammerman
Mon Oct 31, 2022 8:20 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: How do I correctly characterize I Bonds in Financial Engines?
Replies: 9
Views: 1405

Two Owners, or Owner and Beneficiary?

I'm trying to change the registration of my new I-Bond, but I'm not sure I understand the difference between Two Owners , and Owner and Beneficiary . According to Treasury Direct's "Registering your savings bonds", with Two Owners, "Two owners co-own the bond. If one owner dies, the other becomes the single or sole owner." Whereas, with Owner and Beneficiary, "...if the owner dies, instead of the bond going into the person's estate, the beneficiary automatically becomes the single or sole owner." These two results seem the same to me, at least as far as it relates to what happens to the bond when I die. It appears that the only real difference between the two registrations is that under Owner and Beneficiary, &...
by Bammerman
Fri Oct 28, 2022 4:30 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: How do I correctly characterize I Bonds in Financial Engines?
Replies: 9
Views: 1405

How do I correctly characterize I Bonds in Financial Engines?

To my amazement, I was finally able to get through to Treasury Direct while driving through rural eastern NC this morning (relax, my wife was driving, I was running the laptop) and get a confirmed "buy" of $10K I Bonds at the very nice 9.62% rate. Now I'm trying to update Financial Engines with this new investment. But, under "taxable", this is not stocks or mutual funds, nor is it cash -- so I guess it's other. Is this the best I can do? I thought it should show up under "bonds" in the pretty pie chart.
by Bammerman
Tue Oct 25, 2022 5:01 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: How many of you are over-rebalancing?
Replies: 62
Views: 5567

How to Get Rich Quick for Fun and Profit

I don't pretend to understand the phrase "over-rebalancing". I just barely understand "rebalancing", which is what happens every day to my investment in the TSP L-Income Fund. In trying to grasp the meaning of "over-rebalancing", I scanned all the previous posts above, and to tell the truth, most of them sound to me like wishful thinking, magical thinking, alchemical recipes and mystical incantations, rather than the kind of simple Boglehead-ism that I used to see more of here. But, I'll be the first to admit that my understanding of the arcana of investing is quite limited. In any case, I hope "over-rebalancing", whatever it is, works out for you (if you are using it) and doesn't end up acting like a...
by Bammerman
Wed Oct 19, 2022 8:54 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Am I paying more, less, or the same amount...?
Replies: 1
Views: 400

Am I paying more, less, or the same amount...?

This is a question about how and when to know whether I am paying more , less , or the same for my utilities, overall, after making a number of significant HVAC and fuel-source changes to the fabric of my home. Here are the factors: 1. A year ago next month, November, my rooftop PV solar panel array was turned on and started generating electricity. (it's a net-metering setup; surplus electricity is exported to the grid. There is no battery so at night or high-usage times, I import electricity from the grid.) 2. In May of this year, 2022, we had a 7-zone Mitsubishi high-efficiency ductless heat pump system installed (actually two independent systems with separate compressors outside). This provides air conditioning in the summertime, replaci...
by Bammerman
Sun Oct 09, 2022 8:04 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Several ways of paying for a new car
Replies: 32
Views: 3014

Re: Several ways of paying for a new car

Regardless of whether you decide to ultimately finance or pay cash, I would still (a) put as much down payment as the dealer will let you on a credit card that gives you 2+% back in rewards, and (b) finance through the dealer as long as the terms are not predatory (e.g. no prepayment penalty or unreasonably high rate). You can always use your cash to pay off the credit card charge in full, and you can always pay cash or refinance for a better rate on the loan. The process at the dealer may also be smoother if the dealer thinks they are at least adding some margin to the sale on the loan. We put $1,000 down using our USAA Visa card, which will give us something back. I didn't think of putting more down, in part because I had thought we'd ha...
by Bammerman
Sun Oct 09, 2022 7:57 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Several ways of paying for a new car
Replies: 32
Views: 3014

Re: Several ways of paying for a new car

.....But you shouldn't take a distribution of cash before you need it. You can leave "cash" in the TSP G fund until you need to spend it. In the G fund, it earns a higher rate, and the interest is not taxed. (This is effectively true even if it is a traditional TSP; if you are in a 22% tax bracket, $10,000 in the traditional TSP G fund is equivalent to $7800 in the Roth TSP G fund.) While TSP withdrawals are taken proportionally from all funds, you can reallocate so that the withdrawal is taken from the fund you want. 100% of my TSP funds are in the TSP L-Income Fund (where the G Fund comprises the bulk of the investment). I have no Roth TSP account -- am not eligible for one, due to when I retired. I have not thought of taking a...
by Bammerman
Sun Oct 09, 2022 7:49 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Several ways of paying for a new car
Replies: 32
Views: 3014

Re: Several ways of paying for a new car

Right now no one knows which cars, if any, will be eligible for the full $7500 EV credit next year. That’s because North American production will be necessary but also will be insufficient. There will be two separate battery requirements, each of which will yield $3750. Those battery rules haven’t been written yet but are supposed to be in place starting next year. Whether any particular car or manufacturer, with production and supply chains in place now for cars arriving next year, has the knowledge, sourcing, and record keeping in place to meet rules that haven’t been written is an open question. Most car dealers don’t understand this and I’ve heard many claim that North American production will be enough (which is true this year but not...
by Bammerman
Sun Oct 09, 2022 7:39 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Several ways of paying for a new car
Replies: 32
Views: 3014

Re: Several ways of paying for a new car

At the age of 71 you should have a large percentage of your asset allocation in bonds We do. Probably too much, but I do sleep well. (Watty, Thanks for the thoughts and comments about European travel. Yes, I know at 71 we can't count on good health lasting forever, don't put travel off too long, I take your point. I've / We've lived in Italy and France and Yugoslavia (when that was a country) so we're not totally inexperienced, but that was a long time ago. I was a stoney-cold-broke student when I lived in Italy and I got to see a lot of wonderful stuff, but I was too poor to eat well -- I'd really like to make up for that!). As to group tours -- I haven't done that yet either but I'm tired of "vacations" where I spend all my tim...
by Bammerman
Sun Oct 09, 2022 7:25 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Several ways of paying for a new car
Replies: 32
Views: 3014

Re: Several ways of paying for a new car

FellsGuy wrote: Sat Oct 08, 2022 9:32 am If OP can transform 40k into 50k in his money market in six months, you are definitely outpacing the cost of financing the vehicle. Keep gathering that big yield and profit on the delta between finance cost and money market yield.
I didn't mean to imply that 40k in our money market account would grow to 50k in six months (as I think you took my meaning). I think we will be able to add (i.e., "save") 10k to the now-40k balance over the coming six months from current income.
by Bammerman
Sun Oct 09, 2022 7:10 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Several ways of paying for a new car
Replies: 32
Views: 3014

Re: Several ways of paying for a new car

grabiner wrote: Sat Oct 08, 2022 9:28 am And if you avoid the loan completely, you come out ahead even if loan and bond rates are the same, because having no loan allows you to use a higher deductible on your insurance.
Could you expand on the last part, please? I don't get that.
by Bammerman
Sat Oct 08, 2022 8:58 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Several ways of paying for a new car
Replies: 32
Views: 3014

Re: Several ways of paying for a new car

snackdog wrote: Sat Oct 08, 2022 8:15 am A 3% interest rate is pretty good. I think I would go for that.
....yes but that's the rate today, what might the rate be in 6 months? I guess we'll have to wait to find out....