Search found 124 matches
- Wed Dec 16, 2020 9:45 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Replacement for Quicken
- Replies: 24
- Views: 1256
Re: Replacement for Quicken
Moneydance if you are willing to pay the small cost. It's solid, stable, and non-subscription. GnuCash will also do everything you want for free. I gave up on Quicken years ago.
- Sat Sep 26, 2020 10:40 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Is a Trust really needed today?
- Replies: 18
- Views: 1969
Re: Is a Trust really needed today?
My wife and I have dealt with end of life issues for two relatives. One had a trust the other did not. For the most part everything was easy for both. The only bothersome problem we had was taking over some of the finances for the non-trust relative. Powers of attorney and banks and investment firms...
- Tue Sep 22, 2020 3:45 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Quicken Disaster!
- Replies: 185
- Views: 10100
Re: Quicken Disaster!
Gave up on quicken and went to moneydance years ago. In my view much better than quicken. Transaction reminders are fantastic and I think may be able to generate automatic entries that would help with cash flow. Tech support is superb. I'm also used gnucash for years, but it is not for the faint of ...
- Thu Sep 17, 2020 10:22 am
- Forum: US Chapters
- Topic: Roll Call for the Retirement Class of 2020!
- Replies: 303
- Views: 38984
Re: Roll Call for the Retirement Class of 2020!
Retired from the Civil Service at the end of 2011, but then immediately went to work half time at a local university. When covid-19 came along, shifted to working from home. Now have no interest in setting foot on campus again. College students think they are invincible. Fully pulled the plug on 24 ...
- Fri Sep 11, 2020 7:54 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Is it Possible to Opt-out of Fidelity Premium Services?
- Replies: 37
- Views: 4133
Re: Is it Possible to Opt-out of Fidelity Premium Services?
I've been a Premium Services client for many years. Now on my 4th advisor. The second one saw that I was in indexer and pretty much left me alone, except when I had a question. Then she was very helpful. When she retired, she told me that Fidelity would assign me to a new advisor, but that if I wish...
- Wed Sep 02, 2020 12:06 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: What is your age and asset allocation ?
- Replies: 356
- Views: 29559
Re: What is your age and asset allocation ?
An interesting series of posts. Out of curiosity, I've taken all the posted percentages, binned them by the stated age of the poster into decadal bins and plotted the resulting averages. On average, we Bogleheads seem to be consistently following a 120-Age equity distribution. https://i.postimg.cc/9...
- Tue Sep 01, 2020 8:51 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: What is your age and asset allocation ?
- Replies: 356
- Views: 29559
Re: What is your age and asset allocation ?
Ages: Both of us are 70 and fully retired.
50% stocks, 7% of which is international, 48% bonds, 2% cash. More or less following Otar's advice that at 50/50 you can't go too far wrong. Pensions and Social Security meet all our expenses.
50% stocks, 7% of which is international, 48% bonds, 2% cash. More or less following Otar's advice that at 50/50 you can't go too far wrong. Pensions and Social Security meet all our expenses.
- Sun Aug 23, 2020 2:07 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: move from Microsoft Office to Libre Office - any advantages or disadvantages for those that have done so?
- Replies: 45
- Views: 3501
Re: move from Microsoft Office to Libre Office - any advantages or disadvantages for those that have done so?
I've been using LibreOffice at home for years. All my financial spreadsheets use it with no problems. But, sadly, MS Office rules the business world. All my attempts to use the product for work related activity have always run into minor to major formatting issues. It is simply not an effective use ...
- Sun Aug 23, 2020 1:58 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Data in the cloud?
- Replies: 27
- Views: 1449
Re: Data in the cloud?
Big fan of sync.com here as well. Has worked flawlessly across two laptops and two desktops. I'm under 6 GB, so cost is zero.
- Mon Aug 10, 2020 8:04 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: What did you do when you won the game? Edited
- Replies: 53
- Views: 6772
Re: What did you do when you won the game? Edited
Reached a comfortable state about eight years ago and partially retired. Will be fully retired two weeks from now. No changes in lifestyle. To me that was the whole idea. We will just continue to live the way we always have--some travel, when it is safe again, regular dinning out, when it is safe ag...
- Sat Jul 25, 2020 8:28 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Any Astronomy Buffs Out There?
- Replies: 81
- Views: 5843
Re: Any Astronomy Buffs Out There?
I became hooked on astronomy in junior high school and made it a career while still keeping one foot on the amateur side in that I have two telescopes of my own and a lovely weekend cabin in the woods with dark skies in the Shenandoah Valley. When people ask me for advice, I always point them to Tur...
- Sat Jul 25, 2020 8:13 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Is federal long term care insurance worth it?
- Replies: 25
- Views: 1965
Re: Is federal long term care insurance worth it?
We will be the same at your age. Just curious how do you self insure? Wouldn’t you want higher coverage to LTC to protect your assets? My understanding is that Medicare does not cover LTC and Medicaid will require your assets are liquidated prior to coverage. In our view, the assets are there to sp...
- Sat Jul 25, 2020 7:41 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Is federal long term care insurance worth it?
- Replies: 25
- Views: 1965
Re: Is federal long term care insurance worth it?
My wife and I signed up when the Federal program was first offered and thus have been through multiple premium increases. At 70 we are now comfortably in the two comma club and could probably drop the LTC insurance. Instead, when the last big premium increase came along, we kept the premium close to...
- Tue Dec 17, 2019 8:07 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Changes to 401(k) and IRAs, SECURE Act - It's signed
- Replies: 292
- Views: 23777
RMD date change in spending bill
It looks like the spending bill that is through the House and is pretty certain to pass the Senate and be signed by the president will increase the age for RMDs from 70.5 to 72. This has been floating around for quite some time, but appears about to come true.
- Wed Dec 04, 2019 5:51 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Managing money near death of a spouse
- Replies: 60
- Views: 4022
Re: Managing money near death of a spouse
All the responses to my initial post have been fascinating. Clearly, this is a serious issue that we all need to be more aware of. It can be challenging to discuss this sort of thing with a spouse, and even more so with children and their spouses. Often my wife just says she expect to die first, so ...
- Wed Dec 04, 2019 4:04 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Managing money near death of a spouse
- Replies: 60
- Views: 4022
Re: Managing money near death of a spouse
Our two checking account are “tenants by the entirety” so we are covered there. The scary part of the story for me is that with a joint account, the ill spouse can just walk into the bank and take everything. This seems to me to argue for at least some significant amount of money in separate accoun...
- Wed Dec 04, 2019 1:50 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Managing money near death of a spouse
- Replies: 60
- Views: 4022
Re: Managing money near death of a spouse
Our two checking account are “tenants by the entirety” so we are covered there. The scary part of the story for me is that with a joint account, the ill spouse can just walk into the bank and take everything. This seems to me to argue for at least some significant amount of money in separate accoun...
- Wed Dec 04, 2019 1:05 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Managing money near death of a spouse
- Replies: 60
- Views: 4022
Managing money near death of a spouse
At Thanksgiving along with one of our children and her husband, we hosted his widowed mother. Her husband died recently of Alzheimer's disease and she had quiet a story to tell about some of the financial issues she faced near the end. Her experience gave us a lot to think about in terms of how we s...
- Sat Nov 16, 2019 11:28 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Experience/cost MLB spring training?
- Replies: 29
- Views: 2278
Re: Experience/cost MLB spring training?
My wife and I go to Nationals spring training every year, usually about the second or third week in March. By that time the regular players are getting substantial playing time. Tickets are likely to be expensive this year, but we will be going. One thing my wife discovered a few years ago is that y...
- Sun Aug 11, 2019 3:16 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Trust to avoid Probate
- Replies: 21
- Views: 2139
Re: Trust to avoid Probate
I have always read that a significant advantage of a trust is the possibility of a successor trustee taking over in the event of disability. In my experience that has been easy compared to things like durable powers of attorney. Is that not the case?
- Wed Jun 19, 2019 3:27 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: how do you manage your cash flow in retirement
- Replies: 28
- Views: 3890
Re: how do you manage your cash flow in retirement
BTW, I want to mention that while I pay most bills, but my spouse is responsible for paying some bills. The idea is that she knows how to do financial things if I die. And I know how to do financial things if she dies. I think the ability of either spouse to take care of things when the other spous...
- Sun Mar 31, 2019 8:59 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Boglehead Approach to Home Tech? Looking for Home Security Cameras
- Replies: 19
- Views: 1923
Re: Boglehead Approach to Home Tech? Looking for Home Security Cameras
For our weekend home, I started with a game camera that I could review whenever we were at the home. Inexpensive, but died after a few years. Now we have an Arlo, which is fantastic. It is battery powered, so can be placed anywhere near the house. I get an email notification and a ten second video c...
- Fri Mar 29, 2019 8:13 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: How often do you check your net worth?
- Replies: 257
- Views: 17918
Re: How often do you check your net worth?
I update ours twice a year and will probably cut that back to once a year. But then at 69 and with plenty of assets for the rest of my life, there is not much to worry about. Scanning all the answers, I think it would be great if someone could put together a scatter plot of how often Bogleheads chec...
- Thu Feb 21, 2019 3:49 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Should I keep money in TSP long term?
- Replies: 66
- Views: 3508
Re: Should I keep money in TSP long term?
Finally, I have always been somewhat annoyed/worried by TSPs statements that if someone manages to get access to your account and figure out a way to drain it, you are on your own. My guess is that Fidelity would make me whole. Whoa. Those are pretty big assumptions on which to base a decision. I w...
- Thu Feb 21, 2019 3:14 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Should I keep money in TSP long term?
- Replies: 66
- Views: 3508
Re: Should I keep money in TSP long term?
Finally, I have always been somewhat annoyed/worried by TSPs statements that if someone manages to get access to your account and figure out a way to drain it, you are on your own. My guess is that Fidelity would make me whole. Fidelity does have a Customer Protection Guarantee, but you have to not...
- Thu Feb 21, 2019 3:07 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Should I keep money in TSP long term?
- Replies: 66
- Views: 3508
Re: Should I keep money in TSP long term?
Finally, I have always been somewhat annoyed/worried by TSPs statements that if someone manages to get access to your account and figure out a way to drain it, you are on your own. My guess is that Fidelity would make me whole. Whoa. Those are pretty big assumptions on which to base a decision. I w...
- Thu Feb 21, 2019 2:54 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Should I keep money in TSP long term?
- Replies: 66
- Views: 3508
Re: Should I keep money in TSP long term?
I am just turning 69 and ahead of RMDs have transferred my TSP (all G fund) into my IRA. While I know changes are coming that provide more withdrawal options, I decided that having everything in one place would be easier for DW if I go first. Also, you have to consider the next generation and their ...
- Wed Feb 20, 2019 4:12 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Eliminate my emergency fund?
- Replies: 90
- Views: 8710
Re: Eliminate my emergency fund?
We have never had a separate emergency fund. And now that we are into retirement there is really no need. But a portion of the fixed income side of our investments is in a money market account. My asset allocation spreadsheet lists the value of that account minus $20,000. The message there to DW and...
- Sat Feb 16, 2019 2:58 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: H&R Block tax preparation software and Form 1116
- Replies: 15
- Views: 1445
Re: H&R Block tax preparation software and Form 1116
I have been doing a Form 1116 for several years now using H&R Block Basic. At first I was intimidated by the IRS instructions. Then I followed a suggestion posted by someone here. The instructions have to cover a very wide range of income sources, and that makes them look intimidating. The solut...
- Tue Feb 12, 2019 5:24 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Why I Own a Total Market Index Fund
- Replies: 43
- Views: 6944
Re: Why I Own a Total Market Index Fund
Occasionally, I get a little too involved in overthinking how my money should be invested. And then Taylor comes along and reminds me that this really isn't rocket science. Thanks Taylor.
- Mon Feb 11, 2019 1:46 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Thoreau Simplify
- Replies: 64
- Views: 7487
Re: Thoreau Simplify
Cleaning up and simplifying has been a lifelong struggle between me and my wonderful spouse. She likes "things." While I have read and taken much of Thoreau to heart, my favorite quote is in the other direction.
"Clutter and mess show us that life is being lived."
--Anne Lamott
"Clutter and mess show us that life is being lived."
--Anne Lamott
- Wed Jan 30, 2019 11:29 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: "3 Tips For Streamlining Your Portfolio"
- Replies: 11
- Views: 1903
Re: "3 Tips For Streamlining Your Portfolio"
Good, simple, make sense tips. I'm wondering about reasons to simplify and consolidate. I've just crossed the threshold of being able to claim early social security, so maybe am thinking more about the future. Of course, having a simpler portfolio in less locations would make things easier for my w...
- Sun Jan 27, 2019 8:36 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Desktop Computer (home): Do you leave it "On" or turn "off" after using?
- Replies: 77
- Views: 5448
Re: Desktop Computer (home): Do you leave it "On" or turn "off" after using?
Both my iMac and my wife's PC are shut off at night. I feel that the less time they are on the internet the less time there is for bad actors to get into them.
- Thu Jan 24, 2019 5:37 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: External Hard Drive?
- Replies: 71
- Views: 4684
Re: External Hard Drive?
I recently bought a 4TB Western Digital drive for a ridiculously small price. But that is just my first line of defense. I also have three 16 GB thumb drives that important files get backed up to in a monthly rotation. Finally, the same files are backed up to sync.com regularly. I can't say enough g...
- Thu Jan 24, 2019 5:27 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Quicken Alternatives
- Replies: 125
- Views: 10006
Re: Quicken alternatives?
Gnucash has a pretty steep learning curve, but does a good job once you master it.
Moneydance is the best alternative to Quicken I have found. Works great on Windows, Mac, and Linux. Reasonable cost and upgrade cycle, and so far no talk of an annual subscription approach.
Moneydance is the best alternative to Quicken I have found. Works great on Windows, Mac, and Linux. Reasonable cost and upgrade cycle, and so far no talk of an annual subscription approach.
- Fri Dec 28, 2018 3:43 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: H&R Block Deluxe 2018 doesn't include Schedule D?
- Replies: 34
- Views: 4038
Re: H&R Block Deluxs 2018 doesn't include Schedule D?
Every year I buy and download H&R Block Basic. Every year, including this year, it includes Schedule D (as well as the dreaded Form 1116). I just fired up the copy I bought and it indicates the final version Schedule D will not be available until 1/16/2019. It has always baffled me that the fol...
- Fri Dec 28, 2018 11:59 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: H&R Block Deluxe 2018 doesn't include Schedule D?
- Replies: 34
- Views: 4038
Re: H&R Block Deluxs 2018 doesn't include Schedule D?
Every year I buy and download H&R Block Basic. Every year, including this year, it includes Schedule D (as well as the dreaded Form 1116). I just fired up the copy I bought and it indicates the final version Schedule D will not be available until 1/16/2019. It has always baffled me that the fol...
- Fri Dec 28, 2018 11:07 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: H&R Block Deluxe 2018 doesn't include Schedule D?
- Replies: 34
- Views: 4038
Re: H&R Block Deluxs 2018 doesn't include Schedule D?
Every year I buy and download H&R Block Basic. Every year, including this year, it includes Schedule D (as well as the dreaded Form 1116). I just fired up the copy I bought and it indicates the final version Schedule D will not be available until 1/16/2019. It has always baffled me that the folk...
- Tue Nov 20, 2018 8:31 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Clark Howard - Sign Up For USPS Informed Delivery
- Replies: 17
- Views: 3248
Re: Clark Howard - Sign Up For USPS Informed Delivery
The questions you were asked were generated by whatever credit bureau the USPS uses. If your credit was frozen like mine is, you would not be able to get past that stage. Instead you would have to print some docs and go to the post office. The same applies to setting up a SSA account online. My cre...
- Mon Nov 19, 2018 9:31 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Clark Howard - Sign Up For USPS Informed Delivery
- Replies: 17
- Views: 3248
Re: Clark Howard - Sign Up For USPS Informed Delivery
I just signed up for this last week. No credit check was required. After myUSPS account was created, signing up for informed deliver was a separate process. To verify my ID I had the option of answering questions on-line which were just like the questions asked to verify ID for my on-line SSA accou...
- Mon Nov 19, 2018 9:52 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Clark Howard - Sign Up For USPS Informed Delivery
- Replies: 17
- Views: 3248
Re: Clark Howard - Sign Up For USPS Informed Delivery
Not sure this makes any sense. Part of the signup procedure involves a credit check. Mine Is frozen and I had to appear in person at the post office to prove identity and complete the process. Unless the imposter already has access to your credit info, this seems pretty far fetched.
- Sun Oct 14, 2018 6:46 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Maui - Ka'anapali Beach Hotel
- Replies: 15
- Views: 2214
Re: Maui - Ka'anapali Beach Hotel
A few years ago, we stayed at the Westin Maui just down the beach. Walked by the Ka'anapali Beach Hotel every morning on my daily walk. It looked fine, but perhaps a little more spartan than the Westin and the others.
- Tue Sep 04, 2018 8:03 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Charitable Tax Deductions
- Replies: 46
- Views: 4084
Re: Charitable Tax Deductions
The tax code changes have been something of a wash for me. Federal tax will go down. State tax here in Virginia will go up because we must now also take the VA standard deduction. I am not planning on either reducing or increasing charitable donations. We don't give for tax reasons. One small plus h...
- Sat Sep 01, 2018 7:08 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Capital One 360 no beneficiary option
- Replies: 41
- Views: 9852
Re: Capital One 360 no beneficiary option
Our Capital One savings accounts are in the name of our living trust. I would think that makes this less of problem as the successor trustee can manage/distribute funds as needed. Moving the accounts from joint to trust was easy. "Moving the accounts from joint to trust was easy" - maybe ...
- Fri Aug 31, 2018 6:53 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Capital One 360 no beneficiary option
- Replies: 41
- Views: 9852
Re: Capital One 360 no beneficiary option
Our Capital One savings accounts are in the name of our living trust. I would think that makes this less of problem as the successor trustee can manage/distribute funds as needed. Moving the accounts from joint to trust was easy.
- Fri Aug 17, 2018 6:19 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Tipping lawn service and trash pickup
- Replies: 48
- Views: 4528
Re: Tipping lawn service and trash pickup
The person who mows at my weekend home bills for each mowing. I always put something extra in the check I send him. People doing that sort of work are often working multiple part time gigs and need every dollar they can get. And he responds by occasionally doing a little extra for me, like helping t...
- Sun May 27, 2018 5:47 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Best Available 2018 tax estimator
- Replies: 44
- Views: 14406
Re: Best Available 2018 tax estimator
Very happy with dinkytown.net estimators as well. Have used them for several years for doing estimated taxes.
- Wed May 23, 2018 3:05 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Quicken - Do you use it?
- Replies: 59
- Views: 5873
Re: Quicken - Do you use it?
Sadly, we might see some posts on this site that would make us think otherwise.No one will die and national security won’t be threatened if Quicken disappears.
- Wed May 23, 2018 1:53 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Quicken - Do you use it?
- Replies: 59
- Views: 5873
Re: Quicken - Do you use it?
Used Quicken for many years, but grew tired of the ever increasing chart-junk on each page and moved to Moneydance. Runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux. No subscription model. Reasonable cost. Usually every other update is free or reduced price for current users. Small enough company that support reques...
- Tue May 22, 2018 7:36 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: The Millionaire Next Door and civil servants
- Replies: 99
- Views: 16970
Re: The Millionaire Next Door and civil servants
Tell you what. We will survey the net worth of 10000 1989 mazda owners and the net worth of 10000 2018 911 owners. How much money would you bet on the 1989 Mazda owners having a higher average net worth? :) People that look rich tend to be rich. There are exceptions at both ends. But those are the ...