Search found 1753 matches

by twh
Sun Mar 17, 2024 11:26 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Anyone purchased a RAV4 hybrid recently?
Replies: 30
Views: 3668

Re: Anyone purchased a RAV4 hybrid recently?

motorider wrote: Sun Mar 17, 2024 10:35 pm A month ago we leased a 2024 Rav4 Prime. Dealer discounted $2400 off MSRP and after Fed and State tax credits we paid less for a Prime than we would have if we had purchased a hybrid (hybrids don't qualify for tax credits).

All in all we got about $14K off MSRP and paid off the lease before the first month's payment was due. DW is quite happy with the car and we've used about 2gal of fuel in the past month.
There is no Federal tax credit for the Rav4 Prime. Some states may have a tax credit for the Rav4 Prime. There is a significant lease deal and that may be what you are talking about. It's my wife's car as well and it is pretty awesome.
by twh
Sat Mar 16, 2024 6:42 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Mortgage Interest Deduction of Owner Occupied Rental
Replies: 0
Views: 168

Mortgage Interest Deduction of Owner Occupied Rental

Not sure anyone has thought about this before...

Owner occupied rental and files Schedule E.

But, income over the Schedule E Passive Loss limit.

It would be more advantageous if the mortgage interest was all deducted on Schedule A rather than the split between Schedule A and Schedule E based on the "Rented Percentage".

If this wasn't Owner Occupied, the answer is easy and it is all on Sch E.

So, for example, can one change the percentage of mortgage interest deducted on Sch E from 0% up to the rented percentage?
by twh
Sat Mar 16, 2024 12:03 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Anyone purchased a RAV4 hybrid recently?
Replies: 30
Views: 3668

Re: Anyone purchased a RAV4 hybrid recently?

You might get an idea from the FB Group "NO MARK UP TOYOTA".
by twh
Sat Mar 16, 2024 11:37 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Anyone purchased a RAV4 hybrid recently?
Replies: 30
Views: 3668

Re: Anyone purchased a RAV4 hybrid recently?

Rav4 Hybird and Rav4 Prime are much easier to comes by and many are now dealing below MSRP.
by twh
Thu Mar 14, 2024 1:38 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Dad's 60-day IRA Rollover plan hit a snag
Replies: 14
Views: 852

Re: Dad's 60-day IRA Rollover plan hit a snag

if you decide you want to make one of them a 60 day indirect tIRA->Roth, you might want to look at this recent thread: https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=425147 In the Fidelity Activity History, it always appears as "ROLLOVER CASH" when doing a 60 day indirect tIRA->Roth Rollover. I know the lingo seems counter-intuitive between Rollover and Conversion, but that's what it is. When I look at the 5498, the 60 day rollover for tIRA->Roth shows up on line 2 "Rollover contributions". How was the indirect conversion done? I have a hard time believing if you mail in a check with a deposit slip that has only the "Roth Conversion" box checked that they will call it a rollover. As I said in a previous post...
by twh
Thu Mar 14, 2024 12:35 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Dad's 60-day IRA Rollover plan hit a snag
Replies: 14
Views: 852

Re: Dad's 60-day IRA Rollover plan hit a snag

if you decide you want to make one of them a 60 day indirect tIRA->Roth, you might want to look at this recent thread:
viewtopic.php?t=425147

In the Fidelity Activity History, it always appears as "ROLLOVER CASH" when doing a 60 day indirect tIRA->Roth Rollover. I know the lingo seems counter-intuitive between Rollover and Conversion, but that's what it is.

When I look at the 5498, the 60 day rollover for tIRA->Roth shows up on line 2 "Rollover contributions".
by twh
Thu Mar 14, 2024 11:54 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Dad's 60-day IRA Rollover plan hit a snag
Replies: 14
Views: 852

Re: Dad's 60-day IRA Rollover plan hit a snag

I'll try to keep this to the point, but please ask for any detail I'm leaving out. Mom and Dad decided to step away from their high-fee investment advisor and closed their accounts, all traditional IRAs. They had not yet taken their RMDs. They asked for my help getting set up with Fidelity since that is where I have my investment accounts. Mom's was easy. She had an electronic deposit in checking for the amount of her IRA, and I was able to help get her new IRA set up online with Fidelity, link her bank, and have me added with full trading authority. I called in later that day to have her entire distribution, less RMD amount, rolled over from checking. Dad, unbeknownst to any of us, had two IRA accounts at the former brokerage. So there we...
by twh
Sun Mar 10, 2024 8:56 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Using withholding on Roth conversion instead of estimated tax payment
Replies: 86
Views: 5897

Re: Using withholding on Roth conversion instead of estimated tax payment

ATucker wrote: Sun Mar 10, 2024 7:54 pm If I do a tira - Roth conversion within Fidelity it shows on Roth 5498 as a conversion line (3. Roth IRA conversion amount) If I do a withdrawal withholding tax then make a deposit of the complete amount marked as 60 day rollover would that amount go on line (2.Rollover contributions) instead. and if it does would it matter if not all on line 3. The only example for line 2 entry was a 401k to roth after-tax rollover I did which made sense for that transaction.

Thanks
Yes, the 60 day rollover will show on line 2 "Rollover contributions".
by twh
Sun Mar 10, 2024 7:31 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Using withholding on Roth conversion instead of estimated tax payment
Replies: 86
Views: 5897

Re: Using withholding on Roth conversion instead of estimated tax payment

Am I correct, one should only reimburse Roth from a 60-day rollover check from taxable brokerage, only for the amount of tax withheld directly applicable to the Roth conversion tax? If 99% can be withheld from a separate tIRA distribution (as in Fidelity), can the 1% amount not withheld for tax also be rolled back into the Roth? What if in December, I withheld 22% estimated tax on my total Roth Conversions value but also withheld an extra 4% to cover other taxes incurred during the year and the tax on my withholding withdrawal from the IRA. Within 60 days, what amount of a 60-day rollover check from taxable brokerage could I deposit into the Roth IRA corresponding to my gross tIRA distributions: 22%, 22%+1%. 22%+4%, or 22%+4%+1% ? As far a...
by twh
Sun Mar 10, 2024 9:05 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Using withholding on Roth conversion instead of estimated tax payment
Replies: 86
Views: 5897

Re: Using withholding on Roth conversion instead of estimated tax payment

What is actually being swapped is the tax payment is done by withholding rather than quarterly estimates which automatically makes them timely. This can also be done without a conversion, just a distribution with withholding and a 60 day rollover of the gross distribution. This uses up the one rollover, while a conversion does not. There is no limitation on the number of tIRA->Roth 60 day rollovers. That is, you can get a distribution and 60 day roll it over as many times as you want in a year. Hmmmm... I hadn't thought about this before, Wouldn't this provide the same multiple "s6--day self loans" that previously could be done using TIRAs? I thought that was part of the reason for the "once per 12 month" restriction. T...
by twh
Sat Mar 09, 2024 9:37 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Using withholding on Roth conversion instead of estimated tax payment
Replies: 86
Views: 5897

Re: Using withholding on Roth conversion instead of estimated tax payment

Alan S. wrote: Sat Mar 09, 2024 1:10 pm What is actually being swapped is the tax payment is done by withholding rather than quarterly estimates which automatically makes them timely.

This can also be done without a conversion, just a distribution with withholding and a 60 day rollover of the gross distribution. This uses up the one rollover, while a conversion does not.
There is no limitation on the number of tIRA->Roth 60 day rollovers. That is, you can get a distribution and 60 day roll it over as many times as you want in a year.
by twh
Wed Mar 06, 2024 1:22 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Using withholding on Roth conversion instead of estimated tax payment
Replies: 86
Views: 5897

Re: Using withholding on Roth conversion instead of estimated tax payment

Hmm one question I thought of -- the withholding is just for federal taxes, I assume. When using this method it sounds like I'd need to make estimated state tax payments. Does anyone have experience with that? E.g., if I convert $150k now and $70k later, I am guessing I'd need to calculate state taxes due on these conversions and make estimated payments in a timely manner... I'll have to read up on my state tax rules around this. You can do it the way you are taking about and that's (most likely) what you'd need to do if you don't withhold taxes out of your conversion. But, part of the point of this thread is that if you withhold taxes out of the conversion, it is sent directly to the IRS and counts as withholding and not estimated taxes a...
by twh
Wed Mar 06, 2024 1:13 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Using withholding on Roth conversion instead of estimated tax payment
Replies: 86
Views: 5897

Re: Using withholding on Roth conversion instead of estimated tax payment

Hmm one question I thought of -- the withholding is just for federal taxes, I assume. When using this method it sounds like I'd need to make estimated state tax payments. Does anyone have experience with that? E.g., if I convert $150k now and $70k later, I am guessing I'd need to calculate state taxes due on these conversions and make estimated payments in a timely manner... I'll have to read up on my state tax rules around this. You can do it the way you are taking about and that's (most likely) what you'd need to do if you don't withhold taxes out of your conversion. But, part of the point of this thread is that if you withhold taxes out of the conversion, it is sent directly to the IRS and counts as withholding and not estimated taxes a...
by twh
Wed Mar 06, 2024 2:28 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Using withholding on Roth conversion instead of estimated tax payment
Replies: 86
Views: 5897

Re: Using withholding on Roth conversion instead of estimated tax payment

I've done this exact thing or a close variation Stinky wants to do maybe 50 times over the past years at both Fidelity and Schwab. The 1099's from both brokers were always correct. Only one 1099 was issued from each broker, summing all the transactions from that tax year. Mechanically, it works like this... For the indirect tIRA->Roth conversion...you take a distribution from your tIRA and have the funds deposited into a taxable account. In my case, I've sent it to my taxable brokerage account or working checking account. In that distribution, I have taxes withheld for Fed and State. The next day (you have up to 60 days), I call up the Fidelity or Schwab and tell them I want to do a rollover, for the entire amount of the distribution, usin...
by twh
Sun Mar 03, 2024 12:35 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Recast mortgage to pay off faster or keep taxable investments
Replies: 16
Views: 1057

Re: Recast mortgage to pay off faster or keep taxable investments

Aside from agreeing with the above posts, you are confusing two things: paying off the mortgage early and recasting the mortgage. Paying it off early is just that. Recasting the mortgage is "I paid a bunch of extra principal" and I could lower my payment based on the existing amortization timeline. This is not paying it off early, it is paying less interest, but on the original schedule.
by twh
Tue Feb 27, 2024 12:06 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Fidelity as a one stop shop
Replies: 5973
Views: 1008605

Re: Fidelity one-stop - backup option for writing checks

corduroysuit wrote: Mon Feb 26, 2024 11:41 pm You can order them from your online account. A heads-up, the free checks do not include the carbon copy, a feature that I have grown accustomed to having. So if you want that, then I think you will have to use a third party.
+1
by twh
Fri Feb 23, 2024 5:23 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Handling Inheritance In A Marriage
Replies: 49
Views: 5498

Re: Handling Inheritance In A Marriage

I don't buy the keep separate, one dies, 2nd spouse violates the spirit argument...

Unless you set up a Trust where the surviving spouse isn't the trustee, or Will or TOD that separate property to someone else when your spouse dies, the spouse is they likely person to inherit it anyway. Then they remarry and you have the same situation.

Now, if it is already the 2nd spouse or you have an unstable marriage, then maybe that's sometime you need to consider.
by twh
Fri Feb 23, 2024 5:18 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Using withholding on Roth conversion instead of estimated tax payment
Replies: 86
Views: 5897

Re: Using withholding on Roth conversion instead of estimated tax payment

I've done this exact thing or a close variation Stinky wants to do maybe 50 times over the past years at both Fidelity and Schwab. The 1099's from both brokers were always correct. Only one 1099 was issued from each broker, summing all the transactions from that tax year. Mechanically, it works like this... For the indirect tIRA->Roth conversion...you take a distribution from your tIRA and have the funds deposited into a taxable account. In my case, I've sent it to my taxable brokerage account or working checking account. In that distribution, I have taxes withheld for Fed and State. The next day (you have up to 60 days), I call up the Fidelity or Schwab and tell them I want to do a rollover, for the entire amount of the distribution, using...
by twh
Fri Feb 23, 2024 3:04 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Handling Inheritance In A Marriage
Replies: 49
Views: 5498

Re: Handling Inheritance In A Marriage

26 year stable marriage...always co-mingled in the past...one child 24...just put the inheritances in you joint account.
by twh
Sun Feb 11, 2024 10:32 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Turbotax "support" is the worst!
Replies: 41
Views: 3791

Re: Turbotax "support" is the worst!

Figure out a workaround or wait until they hopefully fix it.

Over the years, I've hit a snag or two. You can usually get around them going to Forms mode and doing what needs to be done manually.
by twh
Fri Feb 09, 2024 12:26 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How many Yubikeys?
Replies: 40
Views: 4224

Re: How many Yubikeys?

Sorry to revive an old thread from 2022, but I just started using Yubikey and frankly don't see why I need more than 1. Since Vanguard (and google) still have backup methods of authentication, phone based mainly, if somehow my device was lost or broken, one can use the backup method to login, remove your old Yubikey device and add a new one that you would purchase when needed. What am I missing here ? The only reason I even considered buying more than one was the interface. My primary devices (MacBooks, laptops) still have USB-A and I have an NFC enabled iPhone, so the USB-A/NFC device meets my needs mostly. The only gap I found for devices was my iPad does not support NFC like the iPhone, but I really don't use the iPad as a substitute fo...
by twh
Thu Feb 08, 2024 2:30 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC)
Replies: 13
Views: 1815

Re: Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC)

The first HELOC I had expired after 10 years (as I recall) and I just did another one with the same place. The balance was zero on the first one when it expired and the opening balance on the replacement one was also zero.
by twh
Tue Feb 06, 2024 11:38 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: When to Start Soc Sec
Replies: 61
Views: 6812

Re: When to Start Soc Sec

If your spouse is going to get more SS based on your record, then they won't unless you wait to FRA.
by twh
Sun Feb 04, 2024 9:46 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Eliminate HELOC by liquidating Taxable?
Replies: 6
Views: 772

Re: Eliminate HELOC by liquidating Taxable?

At least get rid of the variable rate HELOC portion.
I would also prepay some of the fixed high rate HELOC to get that doe with sooner than 30 years.
First mortgage is too good to prepay.
by twh
Sun Feb 04, 2024 9:42 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Bank won’t reissue Inherited IRA check to close acct
Replies: 19
Views: 1829

Re: Bank won’t reissue Inherited IRA check to close acct

Couple thoughts...

Try a different institution to deposit the thing. Try Fidelity and Schwab -- go into the office and try to do it. If they question it, explain your circumstances.

Maybe open the account as the proper type and then try to photo deposit the check. A lot of photo deposit things aren't scrutinized by a human.
by twh
Sun Feb 04, 2024 9:38 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Bought the wrong house - Sell now or later?
Replies: 67
Views: 8286

Re: Bought the wrong house - Sell now or later?

You don't really say what you don't like that makes it the wrong house and you wanting to move. Please detail the reasons. As I said initially, what's important to me may not be important to you. Also, please don't judge me as to what I should have seen or noticed before we bought it. I'm quite embarrassed that for whatever reason I either missed, looked over, or rationalized what I now don't like. Again, what's done is done so no need to tell me why I should have noticed or seen this or that. - It's a cheaply built 2 story Mcmansion built by one of the country's large volume builders. You can extrapolate what this means. Poor fit and finish, drywall is full of pops, bumps, seams, etc. The cheapest of everything, everywhere. - Built in 200...
by twh
Sun Feb 04, 2024 6:02 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Bank won’t reissue Inherited IRA check to close acct
Replies: 19
Views: 1829

Re: Bank won’t reissue Inherited IRA check to close acct

Hello. A bank is no longer handling IRA/BDA accts and is forcing my brother to get a new trustee for the account. There was a partial misunderstanding and the bank issued a check for the balance of the acct to him, payable to him as John Smith ABF Jane Smith. He was going to deposit it into a brokerage acct but the brokerage acct won’t take the check because of the way it is made payable and my brother already endorsed the check. The originating bank is refusing to reissue a new check and they say the account is closed. He still has the check and it’s about 40 days since issue. Is it bad service for the bank not to reissue the check? Should he just deposit it and just pay the additional taxes? Any advice would be appreciated. How much are ...
by twh
Sun Feb 04, 2024 6:00 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Bought the wrong house - Sell now or later?
Replies: 67
Views: 8286

Re: Bought the wrong house - Sell now or later?

You don't really say what you don't like that makes it the wrong house and you wanting to move. Please detail the reasons.
by twh
Tue Jan 30, 2024 7:42 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Ring alarm system questions.
Replies: 27
Views: 2993

Re: Ring alarm system questions.

A lot of the higher end insurance companies are now requiring monitored systems. If you already have a hardwired system, then you have the wires. Wires and better than wireless. Batteries and signal problems are non-existent in wired systems. There are only a few major central station companies. CSM and Alarm.com are two of them. You can get service from some resellers for a lot less than ADT or your local alarm company. BTW, a lot of ADT systems are not even owned by you and you won't be able to ditch them and have someone else monitor that system. Have a look at Alarmgrid.com. They are pretty helpful if you email them. If you are handy, you can buy a system and install it yourself and reuse the existing wired sensors. You can get monitore...
by twh
Tue Jan 30, 2024 5:07 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Thinking of moving to Denver
Replies: 59
Views: 6674

Re: Thinking of moving to Denver

m@ver1ck wrote: Tue Jan 30, 2024 4:30 pm Doesn’t water come from the Colorado river? I figured if the river can feed all of CA and Arizona, Denver should be the last place impacted….
Denver is East of the Continental Divide and the Colorado River is West of the Divide. Some of Denver Water's comes from the West side and some comes from the East side, which would not have flown into the Colorado River. I'm generalizing, but each city has it's own water authority and many of them are just reselling Denver Water. Some cities have their own sources and some are better than others. Some places have not planned well and are stretched thin or have poor quality water and you'll want to avoid those.
by twh
Tue Jan 30, 2024 3:54 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Thinking of moving to Denver
Replies: 59
Views: 6674

Re: Thinking of moving to Denver

A lot of areas around the country have suffered from far away fires here are there. About the same in Denver.

Water is one of those things you need to understand before you buy a house. Where is it coming from and who is the water company. A lot of places are just using Denver Water and that's fine. There are a few with less than stellar water rights and I would avoid those.

I don't see Denver and the burbs being without water before a lot of other places to the West.
by twh
Mon Jan 29, 2024 11:59 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Thinking of moving to Denver
Replies: 59
Views: 6674

Re: Thinking of moving to Denver

a) schools Colorado has this thing where you can literally send your kid to any public school - even if it is not in your district. Now, if it is not your district, you'll have to provide transportation. There may be a waiting list for some places. B) fresh air Air quality is pretty good. Except if there is a forest fire someplace -- not necessarily close. This isn't all that frequent. C) easy access to biking/hiking trails Lots and lots of this. Plus, the weather is great. Even in the winter, the sun is probably out and you won't need much. The humidity is low and that really makes being outdoors pleasant. It may snow now and then, but the snow is gone off the roads in a day or two due to the sun. Very bicycle and walking friendly. Lots an...
by twh
Thu Jan 25, 2024 12:41 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Name Only or Name and Address on Checks
Replies: 20
Views: 2272

Re: Name Only or Name and Address on Checks

Name only...still using checks with an old address :)
by twh
Thu Jan 25, 2024 12:44 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: New house replacing locks
Replies: 36
Views: 4076

Re: New house replacing locks

"Combined, it all cost less than calling the locksmith once... and it isn't going to be just once. " +1 I got a rekey hit (<$20 on amazon) and spent an hour carefully learning how do do one. I thought I was just saving the locksmith price to rekey a couple of locks. But then I realized I could put door locks on sheds, our cabin, jadda, yadda, and shrink the number of keys I have to deal with. You can even get padlocks that will take a Schlage or Kwikset key (though they aren't cheap). If you have just a simple Schlage handle with lock and/or deadbolt, this is pretty easy as a DIY job with a rekey kit. I'd just rekey it now and figure out your long term plan later. If you want a padlock that takes a Schlage C key (the most popular...
by twh
Wed Jan 24, 2024 5:20 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Cost Basis
Replies: 19
Views: 1586

Re: Cost Basis

Can someone answer a question about cost basis? I have been purchasing shares for many years. I have never sold any shares. I now want to sell some shares to use as a tax loss by selling specific lots. In the future, if I want to sell shares again, can I then use Average cost basis ? It is possible if you have not already designated Specific ID for your account, you may be forced to sell at average cost anyway. 26 CFR 1.1012-1(c)(9): (iii) Revocation of election. A taxpayer may revoke an election under paragraph (e)(9)(i) of this section by the earlier of one year after the taxpayer makes the election or the date of the first sale, transfer, or disposition of that stock following the election. A custodian or agent may extend the one-year p...
by twh
Wed Jan 24, 2024 3:55 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Cost Basis
Replies: 19
Views: 1586

Re: Cost Basis

I just can't think of any scenario where Average Cost is better than Specific Share Identification.

My feeling is that Average Cost is really only still around because, a time long ago when the brokerages did not track your cost basis, and this was easier for people to deal with.
by twh
Wed Jan 24, 2024 3:44 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: The Mother of all Breaches
Replies: 21
Views: 2836

Re: The Mother of all Breaches

FWIW, Malwarebytes is a legit company. Just because they also have a paid product does make them not legit.
by twh
Mon Jan 22, 2024 12:04 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Ad blocker for Macbook
Replies: 11
Views: 1444

Re: Ad blocker for Macbook

uBlock Origin with Firefox
by twh
Wed Jan 17, 2024 12:50 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: "Floor" squeaks coming from wall?
Replies: 9
Views: 1270

Re: "Floor" squeaks coming from wall?

In one high traffic area of our house, there is SERIOUS floor squeaking. House built in 1990s, area has good carpet and pad. Squeaking had long been an issue, and in the process of having this carpet replaced, ~10 years ago, I had the installers add a LOT of screws to the floorboards. The squeaking continued and has intensified. I *suspect* that it is not caused by rubbing of the floorboards, but rather, by the adjacent wall. i.e. Where the studs join to the walls, it's probably nailed, not screwed, and movement of the studs against each other and/or the nails causes the noise. But I'm not certain of this (read about this phenomenon once, seems to explain the problem). I think the issue extends 4-6' along this wall (that terminates in a do...
by twh
Mon Jan 15, 2024 11:34 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: is AARP Medicare Supplemental (medi-gap) Plan G good to go?
Replies: 71
Views: 9203

Re: is AARP Medicare Supplemental (medi-gap) Plan G good to go?

ModifiedDuration wrote: Mon Jan 15, 2024 11:18 am
FrankLUSMC wrote: Mon Jan 15, 2024 10:27 am United (UHC) is not the least expensive plan. Look into New Era/Philadelphia for some less expensive. I have New Era for $30/m Plan G HD.
I changed form Physicians Mutual G-HD which was $60/m. PLan G and G-HD is th same no matter the insurance company.
$30 a month for Plan G-HD for a male is an awesome rate.
$30/month? What zip code? It just seems so low.
by twh
Mon Jan 08, 2024 1:13 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Gift tax form: record keeping questions
Replies: 6
Views: 949

Re: Gift tax form: record keeping questions

You need to keep the paper copy forever -- as in, until the last of you and wife estate is settled.

You should mail it USPS Certified Mail with Return Receipt Requested (RRR). I use the postcard version of RRR so I have physical paper in the file rather than a printed off Electronic RRR (yes, this may be overkill, but it works). That is proof of mailing and proof of receipt by the IRS.

I've had one instance in my life of the IRS wanting a large penalty where my RRR postcard proved they got it in time. Ultimately it was determined that the form date of receipt was recorded with the wrong month.
by twh
Mon Jan 01, 2024 1:48 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Regarding TSA pre-check
Replies: 78
Views: 7616

Re: Regarding TSA pre-check

Does Global Entry still make sense over TSA Pre-check if you are traveling domestically with children? It's unclear to me if the standard TSA Pre-check membership benefit of having small children able to accompany a parent is still allowed if a parent only has the Global Entry membership. In other words the TSA Pre-check included with Global Entry doesn't appear to carry all the same benefits of the standard TSA Pre-check membership. If anyone has first hand experience with this, I'd appreciate any feedback. I would doubt that they TSA Precheck benefits are different between the two. Myself and wife have Global Entry. I do know that I booked a flight, maybe a year ago for myself, wife and my mother on the same booking (i.e. the same record...
by twh
Sun Dec 24, 2023 1:16 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Mailbox WiFi Sensors
Replies: 23
Views: 3784

Re: Mailbox WiFi Sensors

22twain wrote: Sun Dec 24, 2023 12:56 am Is your mailbox on the house next to the front door, or is it on the street a hundred feet away, like ours?
Honeywell 5816OD is outdoor rated and the range is 200 feet.

DSC PG9312 is outdoor rated and the range is as much as 6,500 feet.
by twh
Sat Dec 23, 2023 11:55 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Mailbox WiFi Sensors
Replies: 23
Views: 3784

Re: Mailbox WiFi Sensors

If you have an alarm system a wireless sensor will do what you need. You can assign it to a zone that is more notification than alarm.
by twh
Fri Dec 22, 2023 2:13 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Re: Backing up my computer & External Hard Drive Recommendations for Apple MacBook
Replies: 56
Views: 4913

Re: Backing up my computer & External Hard Drive Recommendations for Apple MacBook

I use two TimeMachine backups. One is connected all the time and one is only hooked up once in a while. In this way you can also probably recover form a ransomware event, since the one is not online all the time.
by twh
Thu Dec 21, 2023 12:07 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: PSA: ink jet maintenance box
Replies: 24
Views: 2507

Re: PSA: ink jet maintenance box

Don't know about the Epson, but my mother has a old Canon all-in-one inkjet. The maintenance alert came on and basically you need to replace the machine. Well, being the retired nerd I am, and the one who answers the computer questions, I really didn't want to find a new machine and have them learn it, so I decided to see if I could repair it. I took the Canon printer apart which is no small task. In the bottom shell are half a dozen cutouts of absorbent fabric mat material that just soaks up ink when it is dumped from the inkjet head. All the pieces were loaded with ink. Took them out back of the house and hosed them off for a long time until all the ink stopped bleeding out of them. Put it all back together. Again, no small task. Then you...
by twh
Sun Dec 17, 2023 11:44 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Radiator Flush How Often How Much
Replies: 61
Views: 10852

Re: Radiator Flush How Often How Much

Many modern cars make it nearly impossible to flush, in the true sense, the coolant. They lack a coolant drain for the engine block. You can drain the radiator, but you can't get it all out, because there is still plenty left in the engine block itself. If you can't get it all out, it isn't a real flush. At least one manufacturer has an initial period (10 years) that is twice as long as subsequent periods (5 years). That's because the initial period is all new coolant and the subsequent periods are only what was drained from the radiator -- let's call that about half. So, seeing as many cars don't even have engine block drains, just draining the radiator as indicated by the owner's manual is fine. If it doesn't say anything, then every 3-5 ...
by twh
Sun Dec 17, 2023 12:18 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Which Mesh Router To Buy
Replies: 61
Views: 7017

Re: Which Mesh Router To Buy

If you can do it without a lot of effort, wired backhaul is the much preferred.
by twh
Sun Dec 17, 2023 12:15 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Radiator Flush How Often How Much
Replies: 61
Views: 10852

Re: Radiator Flush How Often How Much

Just Google you make and model and year and you'll find the owners manual.
by twh
Sat Dec 16, 2023 1:26 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Can't realize capital losses from pre 2008 Lehman Brothers Investment
Replies: 17
Views: 3700

Re: Can't realize capital losses from pre 2008 Lehman Brothers Investment

twh wrote: Wed Oct 04, 2023 11:49 am I also tried in vain many times to get Fidelity to take or sell or anything the Lehman bonds so I could get the 1099 all tidy and show a loss. The bonds came in through a trust years ago from my wife's side. Fidelity just won't do it. I'd think there is someone out there who buys this stuff for next to nothing hoping for something to happen.
So, I called the Fixed Income team at Schwab 800-626-4600 and they sold my old Lehman bond position.

Now, I'm on to making sure I get the max loss possible. It came to me through an inheritance and while it does have a cost basis attached to the record, I'm not sure it is right. Anyone with any ideas on how to track that down?