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bberris

My rental car got stuck in a flooded road and was totaled. I rent on American Express card and pay for amex premium coverage as primary and assumed it will all be taken care of. After a couple of months I heard from the car rental company that amex is paying for approx 90% of the net ACV ( actual c...

bberris

With a heavily subsidized plan, you are paying the small difference between two large numbers, the premium on the plan you choose, and your subsidy. That difference is going to be volatile, even when there are smallish changes in the two large numbers.

bberris

What does it mean "overpromised" ? Why it is so difficult to account for deferred compensation ? Pensions don't necessarily have to be funded by contributions. If an employer offers a 150k/yr. salary, nobody bats an eye, but if they offer 100k/yr. plus 5k/yr. per year of service starting at age 65,...

bberris

.. the logic. Why would I want to realize a $30,000 loss instead of just paying an extra $6,000-$8,000 to the IRS? Sure, nobody wants to pay more taxes but to take a loss that is more than 3 times bigger than what I would have to send to Uncle Sam doesn't make sense to me. Is there something I'm no...

bberris

I am a retiree using an HSA that I built up by deferring reimbursements while working. I can tell you that this concern about keeping receipts forever is a non-issue. First, I used a substantial portion of the HSA to fund COBRA premiums. Then high deductibles, dental, glasses, easily eat up the rest...

bberris

Another possible plan is to change the CDs to lower yielding stock index funds in the taxable account, while changing to bonds in tax deferred account (so as to keep the same allocation). In 2019, a couple over 55 can put 9,000 per year into HSAs with a compliant plan. Of course, you can withdraw ta...

bberris

Even an article critical of FIAs can make a word slip that is misleading. The author says that the insurance company "adds money to your account" according to a formula. They don't add any money. They change a number on a computer. (OK, that's also what a bank does when they give you a loan). But th...

bberris

That's an amazingly great deal for an annuity. That monthly amount is normal for an SPIA that is fixed for life. The 3% bump each year is basically *free*. That's awesome. I don't now how they can afford to give you that. (Well, they basically don't want to give you a lump sum for some reason, beca...

bberris

I think you want the yield-to-maturity.
Use the YIELD function on google sheets or Excel.

bberris

samsdad wrote: ↑
Tue Nov 27, 2018 12:18 am
Where was that battery made? Surely it wasn’t born here, i.e., it was shipped before.

Also, looks like you can buy them on eBay.

It was shipped on a ship.

bberris

ASUS file manager app.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... r&hl=en_US
Despite the name, it will go on any android phone.
Use the PC file transfer button

bberris

Why did you sign up for YRT? This was my financial advisors idea and I didn't understand it fully at the time. My understanding however is that at my age I can get the full $3MM benefit cheapest by mixing GLT and YRT for the next, say, 10 years then switching the YRT to GLT at a later date. I don't...

bberris

You can take another 2,000 hsa deduction if you are both over 55.
I think you are better off taking PTO in 2018. Are the taxes on that sum more than the difference between cobra and ACA after subsidy?

bberris

A water taxi is a custom ride at a high price. Just like it sounds. A vaporetto is a bus on water, still kind of expensive, but it is mass transit. And a traghetto is a quick cheap ride across the canal. Eating in Venice does not have to be expensive, and in some places is downright cheap. Just don'...

bberris

It's hard to imagine how small Venice is. If you want to save some money, and you are traveling light, you can walk from Piazzale Roma (where the airport bus drops you off) to St Marks in 30 min, faster than the boat. There are steps and little bridges (and the Rialto Bridge) so luggage could be a p...

bberris

... Strats that leave you poorer: Go to the doctor and spend enough money to generate deductible medical expenses (if you are itemizing, which is getting more rare nowadays). Donate to charity. Charitable deductions do not reduce your ACA income. Only medical expenses in excess of 10 % of your inco...

bberris

If less than 60 days have elapsed since your IRA withdrawal you can redeposit it (rollover, even to the same account). Make sure you specify rollover deposit to the broker. If you have earned income (from working) you can deposit to an IRA. If your health plan is HSA compliant, you can make a deposi...

bberris

F150HD wrote: ↑
Tue Oct 30, 2018 2:01 pm
Thats one heck of an investment.....for 1 cent.

...

8.5 % annual return

bberris

I assume a promotion means more money, and since we have a 7-9% state income tax, we're happy to have you! Not sure if I should send congrats or condolences. We also have higher sales tax. Can you move to Hudson, or stay on the WI side, since you're already a resident? White Bear Lake is 5-10 miles...

bberris

There is a tender offer for the stock, at about $45, the current market price. Me, I would sell it all and diversify, unless this would be a big tax liability.

bberris

When arguing against whole life policies, the alternative is usually level-premium term. I realized that level premium term has a little savings account aspect to it, albeit one you cannot access as easily as whole life. To see this, realize that your risk of dying increases each year, but your prem...

bberris

... 4) Arguments that money is "being thrown away" in term life are specious. Insurance is insurance. Nobody argues that you are "throwing money away" in your homeowner's or auto insurance even if you never make a claim. The argument doesn't come up with other kinds of insurance protection because ...

bberris

After running the number for term vs whole the monthly cost difference was not much but I'm in excellent health. This is hard to believe - monthly cost difference between term and whole life is not much? Many times, whole life is about 10 times as expensive as term for the same amount of coverage. ...

bberris

For those that advocate immediate COBRA enrollment, you should know that it is usually not even possible. After termination, the forms are sent to your house with some delay, so that at least one month without coverage will pass in any event. Yes, you can wait two months to see if your benefits woul...

bberris

For cheapskates, before you buy premium economy, check seat selection to see how many empty seats there are in the back. You can stretch out and sleep in those center seats, 3 or 4 wide, on a typical off-season flight.

bberris

If you don’t want heirs fighting over your will, can you add a condition that any one who challenges it, forfeits their bequest? Some states allow it. If the will is determined invalid, all of the provisions, included terrorem, are invalid. So, you have to bequeath something of significant value to...

bberris

The stability is only offered, and only offerable, if the investment is continually available to participants. The scheme works because participants are more or less trapped into the option while they are employed. So withdrawals can be met with new deposits, or a small amount of borrowing by the f...

bberris

But in all these dividend threads, isn't it agreed that the share price of the stock goes down by the amount of the dividend leaving a net zero gain? I guess I'm still confused. Right. So if no dividend was paid, what would have been the dividend would appear as a price/value increase. The point is...

bberris

An index fund does not have to rebalance because one component is revalued against another by the market. The components are cap-weighted, so changes in value are changes in total capitalization. The fund would only need to trade if the index itself is changed.

bberris

The part that is disturbing to me: I had heard of stable value funds loosing money when the employer or an insurance company providing the insurance wrapper had gone out of business. I hadn't heard about a case of stable value funds loosing money (and having the loss passed on to the investors in t...

bberris

The $400 is probably the Broker Admin fee. This a fee that goes to the Brokerage to cover admin support plus just general office expenses . (Ours is $499). I will waive the fee for the client, and pay it myself, for larger sales. Like staples, paper clips and coffee creamer? Sounds like the doc fee...

bberris

How safe are they? If China starts to sell as well as Saudi Arabia what will US do to insure treasuries are stable and safe? Treasury securities are safe in the sense that you will always get paid at maturity. Ignore anyone who says things like "normal underwriting ...". This just does not apply to...

bberris

Try washing and putting it through the drier on high. Directions should be on the coat.

bberris

No matter how you refine mortality statistics, they are of little use in predicting when you will die. The average, or median is just that. The range of mortalities is broad and disperse around the median or mean. To me, it is more important to have a plan that will allow you to live the life you wa...

bberris

Some states (MN and LA) only tax part year residents on the investment income earned while resident, and earned income while working in the state. But the overall tax rate is determined by total taxable income in all states. You can look at the part-year/non-resident tax forms to see how this works.

bberris

No one volunteering "Prenup?"

bberris

I have enjoyed going on Sierra Club outings. They have backpack, basecamp, hotel .. But I could find no trip to Banff right now.

bberris

Update corrupted my video drivers, and no way to reinstall them or roll back. Restore point would not work. I had to restore from a system backup.

bberris

quantAndHold wrote: ↑
Fri Oct 05, 2018 7:50 am
It’s gambling. If any of us actually knew that we could reliably gain/lose $5k between now and the end of the year, don’t you think we would all do it?

The gamble has a 4:1 payoff. He wants to generate a loss in taxable to gain the ACA subsidy.

bberris

Thanks to all for taking the trouble to reply to my question. I’m 48 and intend to settle in the USA permanently. Converting in excess of £1 million into USD at a 30 year low exchange rate just feels like bad business to me,when I do have the option to hold it sterling denominated UK equities and t...

bberris

All you have to do to join the suit is ... nothing. In a few years after a settlement is reached, you will file a claim, probably online, stating your loss. This should only take a few minutes. You are in the class automatically if you qualify (sounds like you will). In a few years, you might get a ...

bberris

No. Nope. No.
You are giving the buyer a free option to buy with no expiration. They could take forever to sell their house (how do you know it is priced right?).
Counter without the contingency.

bberris

OECD data from 2017 https://data.oecd.org/conversion/purchasing-power-parities-ppp.htm shows PPP of 0.750 for the Euro using-countries. That means an exchange rate of 1.333 dollars per euro gives you equal purchasing power in the US and Euro zone. The current exchange rate is 1.17. In order to buy t...

bberris

euro loans have also much lower rates. euro bank accounts offer lower rates as well What I cannot understand is why USD value respect euro doesn't decrease at the difference of the rate. It would seem you can arbitrage the whole thing (get a loan in euros, invest in USD, pay back in Euros) As I thi...

bberris

It seems like an unnecessarily complicated way to increase your risk. ... Risk is not increased. The 401k loan does not generate leverage, because it is not really a loan; it's a withdrawal. On the other hand, you are not really increasing your 401k balance. When you take out the loan and make cont...

bberris

... I've had some experience with wash sales. I will probably buy some of the losses back after allowing enough time to pass ... ? If you close out the position with the wash sale (sell what you bought that created the wash) during the year, you will keep that tax loss. That erases the wash. Buying...

bberris

It looks like you are comparing nominal (after inflation) stock returns with absolute (before inflation) returns from bonds. Assuming an efficient market, bonds would not offer expected returns higher than stocks.

bberris

I had an inquiry from Credco when I applied for a mortgage from one company. Then my mortgage company wanted an explanation of who this Credco was and why did they check my credit.

bberris

michaeljc70 wrote: ↑
Mon Sep 03, 2018 10:47 am
I don't want to hijack the thread, but does TDA reimburse international ATM fees? I know they do domestically.

I think so, but there should not be any in Europe. If they don't do it automatically, call them and they will probably credit you.

bberris

ATM at the airport in Europe to get your initial money and then other ATMs in europe Yes and no. Some airport ATMs (Travelex) dispense a variety of currencies and have awful fees/exchange rates. On the other hand, a bank ATM located in the airport should be fine. In my experience, European ATMs own...

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