Search found 100 matches

by RebusCannébus
Sat Sep 02, 2023 2:02 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Vanguard Cash Plus Account Pilot
Replies: 462
Views: 98995

Re: need403bhelp

Maybe folks who have been given access to Cash Plus (direct deposit and bill pay) can speculate as to why they were chosen to get this access. Over $5M in assets (it's definitely not Flagship)? Under age 50 to appeal to a younger demographic? Lots of transactions in a money market fund indicating you were using it for cash management? Do you have active funds or PAS (thereby paying more in fees)? Direct deposit or auto invest into Vanguard funds from a pay check or bank? Vanguard is going very slow with it and guarding access closely. My wife was invited to the pilot. I was not. We are not Flagship or >$5M. Not < age 50. Not lots of MMF transaction. No active funds or PAS. No direct deposit. No rhyme or reason I can discern. No matter, sin...
by RebusCannébus
Fri Jul 07, 2023 2:05 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Money market vs. CDs
Replies: 14
Views: 2574

Re: Money market vs. CDs

TwstdSista wrote: Fri Jul 07, 2023 4:32 am I prefer a money market fund. It turns out that tying up money in CDs or treasuries causes me anxiety, but I'm a crazy person. This is not a problem for most people....
Well then, +1 crazy person here!
by RebusCannébus
Tue Jun 13, 2023 11:19 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Variable Annuity IRA Death Benefit Taxation
Replies: 10
Views: 659

Re: Variable Annuity IRA Death Benefit Taxation

Alan S. wrote: Tue Jun 13, 2023 10:04 pm You will have to ask Jackson if FIL had selected one of their "pre selected death benefit" options for a qualified IRA annuity. If so, they are stating that you cannot transfer the death benefit to another inherited IRA custodian. Hopefully, that's not the case here.

Jackson must adhere to the IRS proposed Secure Act RMD Regs, but they can also overlay their own restrictions, if more restrictive. That could come in the form of any pre selection made by FIL.

https://www.jackson.com/content/dam/jac ... mc4490.pdf

They should easily be able to clarify the status of any pre selection.
The plot thickens. Thank you.
by RebusCannébus
Tue Jun 13, 2023 5:45 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Variable Annuity IRA Death Benefit Taxation
Replies: 10
Views: 659

Re: Variable Annuity IRA Death Benefit Taxation

First off: Thank you for your detailed replies, especially during this challenging time in our family. 1) Did FIL pass after his RBD? Yes, so that's in play. In addition to this account, my wife has inherited a traditional IRA, so I'm familiar with the 10 year rule and can act accordingly. If FIL was subject to RMDs and did not complete the 2023 RMD before passing, wife (and sister jointly) are responsible for completing it. See above. Yes. This can be done from the new custodian's inherited IRA. Any transfer to a taxable account is a fully taxable lump sum distribution and is to be avoided for obvious reasons. Some life insurers are hard to deal with though and may be less than cooperative. Ah, so I can have Vanguard set up an inherited IR...
by RebusCannébus
Tue Jun 13, 2023 1:22 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Variable Annuity IRA Death Benefit Taxation
Replies: 10
Views: 659

Variable Annuity IRA Death Benefit Taxation

Greetings, Bogleheads. My father-in-law died last week, leaving my wife (his daughter) and her sister to split the $500K death benefit from his traditional IRA wrapped in a variable annuity. I’m struggling to understand the tax implications. Since the death benefit claim form offers several distribution options, we want to choose the best for us. Questions: 1. Is the entire distribution, however taken, taxable as ordinary income, or does the annuity have a basis that must be determined and subtracted from the benefit amount to yield a taxable amount? 2. One of the distribution options is a “tax-free external transfer.” To avoid the usually larding of annual management fees accompanying these types of instruments if I decided to spread benef...
by RebusCannébus
Thu Jun 08, 2023 8:57 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Inherited IRA -- Please Check my Understanding
Replies: 15
Views: 1390

Re: Inherited IRA -- Please Check my Understanding

For 2023, did your FiL already take out RMDs? If not they need to be taken using his Life expectancy and should be distributed per the beneficiary splits (along with the tax liability). I thought I'd seen this requirement somewhere, then it disappeared off my radar. So yes, In 2023 she will take an RMD based on her father's life expectancy, then in 2024 the RMD will be according to hers (Table 1). per 590b " Other designated beneficiary: Use the life expectancy listed in the table next to the beneficiary’s age as of his or her birthday in the year following the year of the owner’s death. Reduce the life expectancy by 1 for each year since the year following the owner’s death." Ah, thank you. I missed the word "following."
by RebusCannébus
Thu Jun 08, 2023 7:48 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Inherited IRA -- Please Check my Understanding
Replies: 15
Views: 1390

Inherited IRA -- Please Check my Understanding

Hello, Bogleheads. My wife's father just died, aged 81, leaving a traditional IRA to her and her sister. Wife turns 53 in 2023; sister turns 60. I am reviewing the IRS Retirement Topcs - Beneficiary page and Publication 590-B (2022), Distributions from Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs) for guidance. Are the following statements correct: They are not "eligible" beneficiaries since they meet neither the age nor other criteria Since the IRA will be divided into separate accounts for each sister, my wife will use her life expectancy to calculate RMD's, rather than that of her sister (which would be the case if the account were not divided) My wife will therefore use Table 1 (Single Life Expectancy) with her age of 53, yielding...
by RebusCannébus
Thu Oct 20, 2022 5:59 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Dentist Cleaning Prices
Replies: 77
Views: 9700

Re: Dentist Cleaning Prices

$160
HCOL (northern fringes of SF Bay Area)
by RebusCannébus
Tue Dec 12, 2017 2:54 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: prudent buying a refurbished laptop?
Replies: 25
Views: 4024

Re: prudent buying a refurbished laptop?

I'm typing this on a refurb'd Dell Latitude E6430 I picked up a couple of years ago, and which continues to work flawlessly. And, as it happens, I have a refurb'd E7240 Ultrabook coming in this Friday. The thing cost upwards of 1500-2000 dollars 3 years ago. I got it for $389. These business computers are built like tanks. The Ultrabook's specs--even today--exceed those of new units costing hundreds more (an i7 processor, 512GB SSD, 1920x1080 touchscreen). Yes it's a risk. But the E7240 will still have 6 months under Dell's warranty after I receive it, as did the other unit. Too, if you buy off eBay, you can further mitigate risk by adding a SquareTrade warranty. Often, too, you can figure out from eBay the refurbisher/reseller's website an...
by RebusCannébus
Sat Aug 05, 2017 6:14 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: [SOLVED] VG Account Compromised: Please Advise
Replies: 30
Views: 7739

Re: VG Account Compromised: Please Advise

tibbitts wrote: This might have been dealt with trivially if VG provided a login history with IPs on their website, or was available to respond to security questions. I don't know how that service's IPs are registered so it would depend somewhat on that, although hopefully VG would be familiar with services commonly accessing their accounts.
Agree 100%. A little disconcerting to phone them yesterday and find out that I
  1. missed their close by 1 minute
  2. couldn't leave a voicemail
  3. wouldn't be able to reach a body until Monday
  4. had to be content sending an e-mail
by RebusCannébus
Sat Aug 05, 2017 5:42 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: [SOLVED] VG Account Compromised: Please Advise
Replies: 30
Views: 7739

Re: VG Account Compromised: Please Advise

This might be obvious to you, but if you use sites like mint or personalcapital when you login they will send a 2 factor authentication each time you use their site if you have registered their sites to access your vanguard account. I always get a text with 2 factor authenticaion when I log into these sites. Just a thought. It might have been obvious had I stopped to think. I use FIlethis, a service that logs in and downloads statements. It had been disabled on VG for some time. Until I re-enabled it last week, and lo and behold, an SMS security code is generated. I believe this is my problem. My apologies for the false alarm, and thank you everyone for taking the time to reply. What a terrific community this is! :oops: :oops: :oops: Some ...
by RebusCannébus
Fri Aug 04, 2017 10:55 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: [SOLVED] VG Account Compromised: Please Advise
Replies: 30
Views: 7739

Re: VG Account Compromised: Please Advise

denovo wrote:Do you re-use username/password combo's on multiple sites/
Guilty, your honor, but Vanguard's is certainly unique.
by RebusCannébus
Fri Aug 04, 2017 9:55 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: [SOLVED] VG Account Compromised: Please Advise
Replies: 30
Views: 7739

[SOLVED] VG Account Compromised: Please Advise

[SOLVED: Vanguard has replied to me and confirmed that it was the FileThis service I'm subscribed to that was attempting to access my account and generating a security code. I am unenrolling my VG account from the service to prevent further issues.] This is the second time in a couple of months this has happened and I'm at my wits' end trying to get to the bottom of it. I have two-factor authentication turned on on my VG online account. About half an hour ago, I received a text message from VG with a 6-digit security code to be used to complete login. Problem is that neither I nor my spouse have logged in for several days. If someone has gotten far enough in the login process to generate a security code, I would assume they have both my use...
by RebusCannébus
Fri Jun 24, 2016 10:42 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: [RESOLVED] 401k Rollover to Vanguard Gone Awry - Can You Advise?
Replies: 10
Views: 2333

Re: 401k Rollover to Vanguard Gone Awry - Can You Advise?

I don't want to be bearer of bad news but I rolled a traditional and Roth into Vanguard a couple months ago. My "track my transfer" link still says it's waiting for a rollover check. I believe these are just placeholders because they list the approximate values I gave Vanguard while opening the accounts. When my rollover checks arrived at Vanguard, the actual value of the checks were shown and a day or two later, put into the settlement funds. I'm no expert but if Fidelity can re-issue the checks with the same information, then you can type out a note to send along with them to Vanguard stating which accounts they should be put into. Thanks, kappy. So my TYT status is probably meaningless. But your last sentence describes a very ...
by RebusCannébus
Fri Jun 24, 2016 8:18 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: [RESOLVED] 401k Rollover to Vanguard Gone Awry - Can You Advise?
Replies: 10
Views: 2333

Re: 401k Rollover to Vanguard Gone Awry - Can You Advise?

Hi, A few questions that may help with your problem. Did the checks both have the rollover account number on there? Did they have any account numbers on there? Did you include any additional instructions for Vanguard? Is there anything showing under the Track Your Transfer link that shows how much money was going to be put in each account? If you had previously specified how much was going into each account and that's shown on the Track Your Transfer link, then this is totally Vanguard's error. Especially if you included any additional instructions! If the checks both had the rollover IRA account number on them, then you would have to ask Vanguard to listen to the call to make sure that it wasn't a mistake by the Vanguard rep when they gav...
by RebusCannébus
Fri Jun 24, 2016 5:13 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: [RESOLVED] 401k Rollover to Vanguard Gone Awry - Can You Advise?
Replies: 10
Views: 2333

[RESOLVED] 401k Rollover to Vanguard Gone Awry - Can You Advise?

[Edit: Kudos to Vanguard. Someone from their Resolution Services team waved a wand over the weekend and today all rollover funds are in their proper accounts. Just spoke to him on the phone to confirm. As an amusing aside, as the funds sat idle in the VG Federal Money Market Fund awaiting resolution of this issue, BREXIT happened and the stock markets tanked. That little bit of involuntary market timing saved me a few bucks. :beer ] About 10 days ago I initiated a direct rollover to move 100% of my Fidelity 401k to Vanguard. Some of the funds were “conventional”; others were Roth contributions. I called Vanguard and they walked me through the process. We got a 3-way phone call going with Fido. The Vanguard rep told Fido to make out two chec...
by RebusCannébus
Sun Jan 18, 2015 10:29 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Securing my Laptop Prior to Repair
Replies: 15
Views: 1661

Re: Securing my Laptop Prior to Repair

Again, thanks all.
Most laptops I work on have battery health/charge indicators in the BIOS itself. No need to boot past BIOS.
I'll poke around the BIOS menus to confirm this is the case. Just in case, I've created a bootable Linux DVD and will test it by yanking the HDD and seeing if I can get an OS up and running via the DVD.
by RebusCannébus
Sun Jan 18, 2015 1:55 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Securing my Laptop Prior to Repair
Replies: 15
Views: 1661

Re: Securing my Laptop Prior to Repair

Thanks! Of course! Remove the hard drive. FWIW now, Running Win 7 Home Premium.
As to the second question - if the laptop has a charge indicator LED somewhere, that is sufficient. If it doesn't, it may be necessary to log into an OS to see if it's functional.
That was my thinking. There is a charge indicator LED.
They could boot a live Linux CD to test this though - they would need the BIOS password.
Another fine idea. I'm happy to give them the BIOS password if I've removed the HDD. :sharebeer
by RebusCannébus
Sun Jan 18, 2015 12:33 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Securing my Laptop Prior to Repair
Replies: 15
Views: 1661

Securing my Laptop Prior to Repair

I need to replace a loose power plug in my laptop. SInce this involves hardware guts and may involve soldering, I'm going to take the unit to my local computer shop. When I was there a week ago to see if they would do the job, another guy had brought his unit in for an unrelated problem. Computer Repair Guy asked him for his Windows password which, given the symptoms, seemed reasonable. For me, though, the data on my unit is not encrypted, so I'm really reluctant to hand over my password if asked (I don't know that I will be.) Questions: 1. I think the repair I need shouldn't require a full Windows login and therefore disclosure of my password. In addition to a Windows login, I have a boot/BIOS password enabled. Shouldn't seeing that boot p...
by RebusCannébus
Sat Jan 17, 2015 9:25 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Deleted
Replies: 56
Views: 17545

Re: Learning a NEW language - Foreign Service Inst

FSI Spanish was the foundation of my foreign language learning. With it, I was able to: 1. Build a strong core working vocabulary 2. Develop superb pronunciation. This has backfired on me however, because when I open my mouth, people assume I'm far more fluent than I actually am. 3. Master most important grammatical topics: pronouns, preterite vs. imperfect tenses, all the subjunctive, etc. But it hasn't been enough. To develop listening comprehension, I watch telenovelas. First I watch with Spanish subtitles. All unknown words/phrases/idioms go into Anki flashcards. Then I wean myself from the subtitles. When I can watch an entire episode and understand everything, I move on to the next episode. Sometimes, I have to watch an episode 10 tim...
by RebusCannébus
Mon Sep 22, 2014 11:47 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Novaform Mattresses at Costco
Replies: 16
Views: 5669

Re: Novaform Mattresses at Costco

After about a year on my Novaform, I'd give it a mixed review. It's very firm, and I'm fine with that. My criticism is I believe common to all foam mattresses. You don't bounce on them as you do on an innerspring mattress. So it's quite a bit more work to toss and turn. Since I've recently developed arthritis in my shoulder, this has become an issue. If I had it to do over, I'd probably get an innerspring unit. If you sleep very soundly and don't move around much, then the lack of bounce may not be an issue.
by RebusCannébus
Sun Jun 01, 2014 10:59 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Heading to Sonoma next week, recommendations please
Replies: 15
Views: 1299

Re: Heading to Sonoma next week, recommendations please

If you want to enjoy the scenery: Take Westside Road out of Healdsburg down to River Rd. Take River Rd. west, stopping at Korbel for a free tasting and tour, and to maybe pick up sandwiches for the road. Head west on River Rd. to Guerneville. If Muir Woods wasn't enough redwoods for you, stop by Armstrong Redwoods Preserve . It's Muir Woods without the hoards. Poke around Guerneville or continue out to the coast. Whether you turn north or south when you reach Hwy 1, you'll be rewarded. If you head north, there's a dramatic and occasionally even hair-raising stretch of road leading up toward Fort Ross State Park . If you head south, the coast is also lovely, with more opportunities to turn out or even get out of the car for photo ops. Bring ...
by RebusCannébus
Fri Dec 20, 2013 2:14 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How to fight work place bullying
Replies: 76
Views: 7764

Re: How to fight work place bullying

It may be helpful for your wife to keep a private diary of all the offenses, indignities, and abuses she suffers. Some possible benefits:

1. Seeing in writing how shabbily (or not) she's being treated will make for a wiser decision re leaving, and for greater serenity retrospectively (i.e., in case down the road she has trouble recalling how bad it was and why she left).
2. Writing can be therapeutic, although not sure there's any cure for this ailment besides leaving.
3. Can't hurt to have a written record. While it may not be prudent to recite the abuses in a job interview, writing them down will help cement the issues in her mind, so she can have voluminous facts at her fingertips--should whatever need arise.
by RebusCannébus
Tue Dec 17, 2013 6:59 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: "FREE" H&R Block Tax Software. Catch?
Replies: 23
Views: 6266

Re: "FREE" H&R Block Tax Software. Catch?

mlipps wrote:I think the other gotcha is the fee for state filing, which I'm sure many people pay to save retyping the numbers.
Mine (see OP) has free state e-filing. That's what made me sit up and take notice, since state e-filing is where TurboTax has historically jacked customers.
by RebusCannébus
Sun Dec 15, 2013 3:35 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: "FREE" H&R Block Tax Software. Catch?
Replies: 23
Views: 6266

Re: "FREE" H&R Block Tax Software. Catch?

Installing...
I believe free if you are under 52, earn under 57K and live in certain states. Not sure though.
No age/income restrictions that I can detect thus far.
Only gotcha, of sorts, is an attempted up-sell to premium (for 20 bucks, after you've blown off their first attempt to snag you at 25)
Are you sure it's from H&R Block? Around here we'd wonder if it was a targeted "spear phishing" attack. But I'm probably just cautious when it comes to sticking DVD's into my computer.
:oops: Beads of sweat have suddenly appeared on my forehead.
by RebusCannébus
Sun Dec 15, 2013 3:18 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: "FREE" H&R Block Tax Software. Catch?
Replies: 23
Views: 6266

"FREE" H&R Block Tax Software. Catch?

Scratching my head over a DVD I just got in the mail. The jacket blares the following, pretty much verbatim: GET EVERYTHING PAY NOTHING FREE Deluxe and State (44.95 value) FREE State E-File (19.95 value) FREE Audit Support (35.00 value) FULL 2013 Tax Software A 99.99 Value FREE Same Software as sold in stores Imports directly from Turbo Tax Five free federal e-files Relating to the federal e-files, the fine print states "You may e-file up to a maximum of five federal returns (each included at no additional cost)." Now I suppose one parsing of this could be that "no additional cost" somehow means that the first federal e-file ain't free. But even at that, I'd only be out maybe 20 bucks for the whole deal. Thoughts? Catch?...
by RebusCannébus
Sun Nov 24, 2013 1:22 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Please recommend a tablet to replace laptop
Replies: 26
Views: 4150

Re: Please recommend a tablet to replace laptop

If you have need for a tablet, I would buy one in addition to a laptop....decent tablets can be found for not much more than $100 these days (I recently got a Nook HD+ at fire sale prices). No tablet that I know has anywhere near the functionality of a laptop. +1 on this. I wanted to be really Bogleheaded about a tablet purchase, b/c I wasn't sure the technology was for me. So I: Bought a refurb'd (as in NIB, for all intents and purposes) 16GB Nook HD+ for $118 delivered (You can get a new one on Amazon for ~$150) Bought a case/Bluetooth keyboard combo for $38 from Amazon Bought a USB gender changer for $1.36 Amazon to enable me to plug USB peripherals into the Nook (flash drives, etc.) Found a 32GB micro SD card on eBay for $10 Splurged $...
by RebusCannébus
Mon Sep 30, 2013 10:56 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Recommend a cheap, small tablet?
Replies: 40
Views: 6123

Re: Recommend a cheap, small tablet?

yukon50 wrote:I will be using it mostly for browsing internet and watching sports.

Will try to buy something used.

Haven't considered buying a phone and using it for internet/sports. Maybe I will look into that, too.
Nook HD+, currently selling new for $149; refurb'd on eBay (with the manufacturer's one-year warranty) for south of $120. This is a lightweight (by design, to appeal to the e-reader crowd) 9-inch tablet. I just returned a 7-inch tablet so I could order one of the Nook HD+ refurbs. Best $118 I ever spent (assuming it's not DOA :P ). Pro's: great display, price, SD card slot. Cons: no camera(s), proprietary charger. Bottom line: Incredible bang for the buck.
by RebusCannébus
Sun May 12, 2013 6:50 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Facebook Phishing Attempt
Replies: 9
Views: 974

Re: Facebook Phishing Attempt

That and Facebook privacy.
by RebusCannébus
Sun May 12, 2013 4:00 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: tax friendly states for retirees
Replies: 97
Views: 12210

Re: tax friendly states for retirees

California has big real estate tax, big sales taxes, big income taxes, taxes cap gains at the same rate as earned income, except no tax at all on social security income. One saving grace. Boglehead lesson for Californians, delay your SS to until 70 and live on/deplete anything else you can until then. :beer JW Boglehead lesson for Californians, move to a lower taxing state. I'm trapped by the weather and Prop 13. JW Yeah, me too. The property tax bill on my modest 3BR home was $600/yr until I added on. Then it went all the way up to $1000. I'm an hour from SF; 45 minutes from an old growth redwood forest; 5 hours from Yosemite; 1 hour from one of the most beautiful stretches of the Pacific Coast anywhere; and 2 blocks from several wine tas...
by RebusCannébus
Fri May 10, 2013 1:07 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Food Costs
Replies: 153
Views: 16109

Re: Food Costs

Have you checked out the Cash and Carry in Portland ? Some items at mine in Santa Rosa, CA: 50 lbs russets $12 (they also have 10's and 20's for not-too-much more/lb.) 40 lbs yams $28 10 lbs frozen blackberries $28 (also have frozen raspberries, peaches, blueberries, and mango) 4 lbs fresh strawberres $5 head of cauliflower $1 head of green/red cabbage $1 huge produce fridge contains the above and quite a bit more huge meat fridge (which I know nothing about, since I eat plants (and no, no self-righteousness intended)) huge dairy fridge with cow and soy milk; yogurt, half-and-half 20-50 sacks of legumes/grains/Bob's Red Mill cereals for dirt cheap 5 lb bag of shredded cabbage/cole slaw $3 6 heads of romaine lettuce $2.86 Double tub of Earth...
by RebusCannébus
Sun Apr 28, 2013 10:57 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Your best financial move
Replies: 98
Views: 11736

Re: Your best financial move

LadyGeek wrote:Finding this forum and acting on the advice.
+1
by RebusCannébus
Sun Apr 28, 2013 10:53 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Unsecured wifi
Replies: 66
Views: 9990

Re: Unsecured wifi

Invest in personal VPN software for a secure connection over an unsecured network.
by RebusCannébus
Sun Apr 28, 2013 10:50 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Your Dumbest Financial Move
Replies: 166
Views: 20236

Re: Your Dumbest Financial Move

steelerfan wrote:For me, the dumbest financial move was waiting so long to start.
+1. That and buying a house at the tip-top of the California housing bubble in 1989. You must buy NOW or forever be priced out of the market, I was told. And I listened. Mistake.
by RebusCannébus
Sun Apr 28, 2013 10:11 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Septic system woes
Replies: 104
Views: 21969

Re: Septic system woes

Swampy, Unfortunately, water backing in to the tank while it is being pumped is a classic sign of drainfield failure. Drainfields consist of 12 inches of stone, 6 inches of which are unter the 4 inch pipe and 2 inches over. In order for sewage to come back into the tank, the six inches below and most or all of the 4 inch pipe have to be under water. This can't happen unless the field is draining so slow that it doesn't recover between water uses or you have a major leak. It may also mean that the water table is so high that the drain field is underwater for that reason. That happens in my neck of the woods in winter. My solution? Clap my hands over my ears and shout LALALALALALALA. Either that or fork out 30 grand for a new mound system.
by RebusCannébus
Sun Apr 28, 2013 1:47 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Frontline--The Retirement Gamble
Replies: 325
Views: 58989

Re: Jack says pay 1% to own the US stock market?

arcticpineapplecorp. wrote: has a cost of 1% a year to own
I heard that, too, and have to believe he meant 1 tenth of 1 percent. Or maybe even 1 basis point.
by RebusCannébus
Sun Mar 31, 2013 5:31 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Anyone Choosing to Retire in Maryland?
Replies: 76
Views: 8798

Re: Anyone Choosing to Retire in Maryland?

A factor that I have not yet mentioned - we are progressively minded, and living in a red state is not desirable.
Hey, you want blue? Join the rest of us socialists here in beautiful Sonoma County, north of SF. In Santa Rosa, average summer high is 83, with dirt low humidity. Winters are mid-50's/mid-30's highs/lows. Vineyards, redwoods, breathtaking coast, access to SF. Cheap? Nope. Quality of life? Wonderful.
by RebusCannébus
Fri Mar 15, 2013 10:17 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Best way to mulch yard?
Replies: 26
Views: 5776

Re: Best way to mulch yard?

I buy shredded redwood bark (aka "gorilla hair") at the local landscape supply. I can get a full yard in my small pickup. If I need 5 or more, I have them deliver. The prices at landscape supply joints are maybe, what, 1/8 of what you'd pay by the bag at HomeLoweWal.
by RebusCannébus
Wed Feb 06, 2013 4:48 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How Will Retirement Affect Our FICO score?
Replies: 34
Views: 3383

Re: How Will Retirement Affect Our FICO score?

Bustoff wrote:
Grt2bOutdoors wrote: BTW, a pension is not so reliable if the payments stop when the retiree dies.
Wrong again. Your employer won't release your pension without a survivor benefit.
Actually, not wrong again. I just retired from a large corporation. I'm married and could have taken a single annuity (with no survivor benefit). I chose otherwise, but the option was available, the only condition being that I had to have my spouse sign off on my taking a single annuity. I chose not to do so precisely in order to mitigate the risk cited by Grt2bOutdoors.
by RebusCannébus
Sat Feb 02, 2013 10:31 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What's your usual retirement day like ?
Replies: 205
Views: 55021

Re: What's your usual retirement day like ?

Funny you should ask. I don't have a "usual"retirement day, since today is my very first, after 28 years with a large telecomm company. Got up. Slowly. Made coffee and breakfast Richarded around on Facebook, exchanging good-natured insults with Ravens fans. And changing my current employer information. Installed Turbo Tax and started 2012 return Cleaned kitchen with help of grenades Drove dogs to local park. Walked for an hour amid redwoods, oak, and pine. Paused to hear and appreciate red tail hawk and mourning dove. Lunch and a nap. Decided that I needed a six-month soak period before a more productive regimen takes shape. During the soak period I will focus on extreme idleness, carrying the doing of nothing to extremes of repug...
by RebusCannébus
Wed Jan 30, 2013 11:17 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Why would anybody use Turbotax?
Replies: 111
Views: 17763

Re: Why would anybody use Turbotax?

Used TT for many years; decided to try Tax Cut. Did so for the past two years. Interface was simply not as smooth as TT's. I don't remember my exact complaints, but I do recall being seriously ticked at more than one point in the process with Tax Cut. So this year, back to TT. I gave Tax Cut a shot. Fail.
by RebusCannébus
Fri Jan 25, 2013 7:16 pm
Forum: US Chapters
Topic: Happy Birthday Taylor
Replies: 81
Views: 10253

Re: Happy Birthday Taylor

Dear Taylor,

Although you'd likely deny it, I say you are a great man. A week from today I retire, much sooner than otherwise would have been possible had it not been for your advice over the years. Happy Birthday.

Peter
by RebusCannébus
Wed Jan 23, 2013 11:30 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: How Bogleheads made me a worse Investor
Replies: 76
Views: 9705

Re: How Bogleheads made me a worse Investor

Hey Chan: Enjoyed the [I'm thinking light-hearted] post. :sharebeer :thumbsup
As for the priggish moralizing about personal responsibility: Bah. :thumbsdown
by RebusCannébus
Fri Oct 19, 2012 11:49 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Celebrate the FSA
Replies: 69
Views: 15667

Re: Celebrate the FSA

Solution to the over-withholding issue: Become mentally unstable and needful of expensive and unreimbursed-by-insurance psychotherapy. Ate up my $10K every year no problem. WIth the new $2500 limit, I may be forced to seek alternatives. Ah, well.

As for
You have my sympathies, I've tilted against the same windmills. At this point, I only submit EOBs from my insurance company. Every other type of receipt I've submitted has been rejected out of hand at times, even those that have all the required information included.
for some reason, never had that --or any other-- problem. Except perhaps when, in my medication-addled state, I forgot to sign a reimbursement claim form.
by RebusCannébus
Wed Oct 17, 2012 3:26 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: IRA RMD from a Variable Annuity
Replies: 7
Views: 2470

Re: IRA RMD from a Variable Annuity

An account owner must take the first RMD for the year in which he or she turns 70 ½. However, the first RMD payment can be delayed until April 1st of the year following the year in which he or she turns 70 ½. He is 71. Either he turned 70 1/2 in 2011 and had to take his first RMD by April 1, 2012 (big penalty is awaiting him) or he turned 70 1/2 in 2012. Whether this is his second RMD or his first, he still needs to know the account value as of 12/31/2011. Even if he waits until early 2013 to take this year's RMD, the RMD depends on the account values as of 12/31/2011. He needs that information that he should have received last January. That's the way I read things. He is 71 and he turned 70.5 in 2012, so has time yet. As for the additiona...
by RebusCannébus
Wed Oct 17, 2012 9:10 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: IRA RMD from a Variable Annuity
Replies: 7
Views: 2470

Re: IRA RMD from a Variable Annuity

Thank you, sscritic. This is a huge releief! :sharebeer

Yes, he has his IRA Vanguard (plus a couple of small ones, AFAIK), which contains the funds he transferred out of the annuity, so I can suggest that he take all RMD' s from that one.
by RebusCannébus
Tue Oct 16, 2012 9:46 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: IRA RMD from a Variable Annuity
Replies: 7
Views: 2470

IRA RMD from a Variable Annuity

Hello, all. Some years back, a relative was conned by an "investment advisor" into buying an IRA wrapped around a variable annuity. The relative invested something like 500k (most of it in small-cap growth funds. You know, tech start-ups and the like). This was in 2000. A couple of years later, his IRA had lost half its value. I suggested that he gradually (to avoid surrender charges) transfer 95 percent of his remaining assets to Vanguard and establish an appropriately conservative asset allocation. Why keep even 5% in the annuity? Because of the provision that the life insurance component (death benefit) could never be less than the initial deposit minus withdrawals. So by transferring out (250k less 5%), that left a 250k death ...
by RebusCannébus
Fri Jul 20, 2012 1:53 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Bicycle Recommendation
Replies: 37
Views: 4129

Re: Bicycle Recommendation

And then there's the whole other world of recumbent bicycles. In terms of cost, not a very Bogleheaded recommendation. But if you're like me--averse to having a small wedge of hard leather assaulting your nether regions--might be worth a look. Also a big plus: When you're sitting/riding in a recumbent position, a rounded belly is more aerodynamic than 6-pack abs, so if you have an "aero-belly", you actually have less wind-resistance. :D

I have a couple, plus a recumbent trike. With the latter, if I'm going up a steep hill and get tired, I just stop, enjoy the view, have a sip of beverage, then get going again.
by RebusCannébus
Wed Jun 13, 2012 11:05 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V
Replies: 3372
Views: 1561163

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

A biography of Che Guevara. Why? Have spent some time in Mexico, where he is revered. But that's there. I'm here, and less than 10 percent into the book, the term sociopath comes to mind. I'll forge on, since I'm learning some about the history of U.S. governmental and corporate shenanigans in Latin America, and because the author lacks a discernible political agenda and is therefore credible. But as for Comandante Guevara, I'm squarely in the camp that believes that nothing in his life became him like the leaving of it.
by RebusCannébus
Fri Jan 27, 2012 3:31 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Social Security 101
Replies: 13
Views: 1586

Re: Social Security 101

THANK YOU :sharebeer