Bogleheads.org

dognose

Once Vineviz and Willthrill81 get done trying to outsmart each other, we’re left where we’re always left on these discussions: 1. The 4 percent rule is not a rule, but a guideline. 2. Nevertheless, a 4 percent withdrawal rate has worked almost all of the time over a very long retirement period. If t...

dognose

Another vote for the Acura RDX, which my wife has been driving for four years. She loves it. She thought the MDX and 4Runners were too large. The RDX is now at 40k miles with no reliability problems at all. Honda reliability with Acura luxury touches.

dognose

VWIUX is an excellent choice, and it seems ideal for your situation. I have invested in this fund for many years and it has served our family well. I strongly recommend it.

dognose

I also placed my order today via Amazon. The great thing about Larry’s books is that they are always packed with tons of useful, actionable information - - no fluff or silliness from Larry. He does not pull any punches, and his disciplined, no-nonsense approach has always made me a better investor. ...

dognose

Stay home, light a fire in the fireplace, and snuggle up with a book by Jack Bogle. What could be more romantic?

dognose

The car dealers in my area (Arizona) love to lease cars. Every time I buy a new car, they do everything they can to steer me toward a lease. The level of aggression in favor of leasing us quite amazing. That’s why I never lease cars.

dognose

It’s an annual revenue statement.

dognose

I once took a senior management class on decision-making at my former employer, one of the largest and most important companies in the world. The main conclusion: virtually every decision we make in life, both personal and professional, will most likely be the wrong one. The winning player will reco...

dognose

Another vote for Victoria, truly one of the most beautiful places in the world.

dognose

Buy a bottle of Old English scratch repair. Start with the light stain, which works like a charm on my manufactured hardwood floors. Within seconds, the scratches disappear. I’ve been using it for years and my floors look like new.

dognose

I drove a Miata as my daily driver for five years, and loved every minute of it. My commute was 38 miles each way along twisting back roads, and the Miata was a total hoot to drive. I always arrived at work, and came home from work, with a goofy smile on my face. The Miata is also far more practical...

dognose

Gradually moved from 50/50 to 30/70. Main reason: believe that we’ve more than won the game (portfolio currently is 1,325x annual expenses). No reason to keep running up the scorecard. It’s nice to be able to sleep well at night. Ages 64/64, equity allocation is Vanguard Total Stock and bond allocat...

dognose

Buy a puppy and spoil it rotten. Dog owners live pretty much forever. Their dogs demand it.

dognose

Didn’t the great John Bogle maintain that a pension and Social Security should be considered when making asset allocation decisions?

dognose

Since this is technically an investing site, what’s the safe withdrawal rate for lab grown meat?

dognose

1. Good book to read. 2. Fire in fireplace on cold winter nights. 3. Warm puppy sleeping on lap or by my feet. 4. Good results from latest annual physical exam. 5. 30x annual living expenses socked away in boring Vanguard account. 6. Avoid all threads on Bogleheads Forum that begin this way: - “Do I...

dognose

Our attorney told us that if we're sued as a result of an auto accident, the trust and its trustees are legally exposed regardless of whether the cars are in the name of the trust. Perhaps this is just true in Arizona, although I don't think do. Titling assets in the name of a trust can be helpful f...

dognose

Arizona also makes it easy to title cars in the name of a trust, which my wife and I have done for many years. Our lawyer recommended titling cars under the trust, although she wasn't adamant on this point. Really a matter of personal preference, she said. Arguably, it makes sense to consolidate own...

dognose

OP, To answer your original question about the safety of the Vanguard Calif. IT Tax-exempt fund, just go to the Vanguard website and look at the long-term and cumulative performance results for this fund. The fund lost about two percent in total return in the last major downturn of 2008. The fund al...

dognose

I currently have the majority of my portfolio invested in Vanguard's Intermediate Term Tax-exempt Fund. Even at current yields, this investment provides me with several hundred thousand dollars in (federally) tax-free income each year. Perhaps there are better muni funds or strategies; perhaps not. ...

dognose

I've had 100 percent of my fixed income portfolio in munis for the last 25 years, with no problems. I have no plans to make any changes. Vanguard Intermediate Term Tax Exempt works just fine.

dognose

Assuming you're in reasonably good health, the pension (monthly annuity payments) is your best bet. A lot of people take the lump sum because it looks like a huge amount of money, and they figure they can out-manage professional pension managers with their retirement money. I wouldn't (and didn't) m...

dognose

Good grief ... buy another Keurig machine and get on with your life.

dognose

djtino, I did extensively explore the idea of working with a "wealth manager," although I could not find a manager or firm that I viewed as reasonable in terms of expenses. Most wanted at least 1-1.25 percent annually to manage our account, and most of them also tacked various expenses ont...

dognose

Yes, the CPA was mainly used to disentangle us from earlier investments with Merrill Lynch, MLPs, etc., before I discovered the wisdom of indexing. The CPA also was helpful as we moved from a high-tax area (NY taxes are a nightmare, especially if dealing with things like stock options). I still thin...

dognose

I was in almost exactly the same situation as the OP when I took early retirement about 15 years ago. Here's what I did with my money: 1. Spent $2 million on an immediate lifetime annuity for me and my spouse. Annuity is not indexed to inflation. I think annuities tend to get a bad rap, especially f...

dognose

John Bogle is a national treasure, and Taylor Larimore is a true American hero. We sure travel with some classy people on this forum.

dognose

I spend about $2000 to have my federal and state taxes prepared each year by a CPA. It's the best money I spend each year.

dognose

Go out and buy the Porsche today. You can more than afford it, and you won't regret it.

dognose

Also make sure you're comfortable handling the K-1 tax forms issued by MLPs, which can be an absolute nightmare.

dognose

Agree on Otar. His book, "Unveiling the Retirement Myth," is by far the best personal/retirement finance book I've ever read.

dognose

I forget the original questions asked in this thread. But I do know this: any thread that features multiple contributions by Larry Swedroe and Bill Bernstein is pretty cool. We've been treated to world-class financial advice in a single thread.

dognose

My goal also was 25x annual expenses. I retired shortly after hitting that number 15 years ago. My nest egg now totals more than 150x annual expenses. The Bogleheads philosophy really pays off -- live below one's means, use index funds, etc. We also moved from a high-cost state, Connecticut, to a lo...

dognose

rapporteur,

I'm impressed that you have a crystal ball that allows you to see clearly for the next decade or so. Where can I buy one of those?

dognose

Thanks for the tip, TomP10. I will order the Clements book this morning.

dognose

Larry,

I hope that someday you write a book focused solely on the marginal utility of wealth. It's a fascinating subject, and no one writes about it with as much passion and wisdom as you do.

dognose

100 percent Vanguard after a few years of paying crazy high fees for virtually no service at Merrill Lynch. When I went to close my account at Merrill -- an account which at that time was worth more than $10 million -- my Merrill account rep said, "I'm sorry, but I'm not familiar with your acco...

dognose

My wife and I are extremely generous tippers, especially during the holiday season. Where we live, a large percentage of service workers are students and/or single mothers. They really need the money. Over the course of an entire year, and perhaps over an entire lifetime, such generous tipping is me...

dognose

1. Go to Edmunds.com or kelley Blue Book to research dealer cost of vehicle. If you don't know much about cars, go to Consumer Reports (they don't know much about cars, either, but they mean well and their numbers are more or less in the ballpark). 2. Go to dealership, pick out car, offer this price...

dognose

I have a business associate who has a great expression about people who think they have it made. She says: get over yourself, and move forward. So get over yourself, and move forward.

dognose

If you are capable of fogging a mirror, you can gain the attention of an estate lawyer.

dognose

Dump Edward Jones immediately. Run. Do not look back.

dognose

Livesoft has provided an incredible amount of sound investing advice over the years. He also has challenged investors to do their own research and reach their own conclusions. In addition, he has a great sense of humor. This guy is golden.

dognose

Buy new, pay cash, do not buy extended warranty. Repeat every decade or so.

dognose

Livesoft finally snapped after reading, for a millionth time, a post asking: "Do I need umbrella insurance?"

dognose

If you're into active management, it's hard to beat W&W. You get strong, professional management teams at rock-bottom fees. As active managers, they maintain the asset allocations advertised by the funds. My wife's retirement money has been invested in Wellington for more than 25 years, and her ...

dognose

I've been a long-term renter and then a long-term owner. As an owner, I gained millions of dollars in gains on my properties, over and above maintenance and other costs. From strictly a financial perspective, owning property has worked well for me. I also like the emotional aspects of home ownership...

dognose

Yes, you should pay off your mortgage aggressively.

dognose

Dividends are not useless. In fact, they're quite valuable. But they are not "free money," as many investors seem to think. Dividends are just part of total return, and are relatively inefficient from a tax standpoint. Warren Buffett figured this all out a few decades ago, opting for total...

dognose

American history, which provides a great framework for investors.

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