Search found 1352 matches

by FNK
Thu Jan 17, 2019 4:51 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: John Bogle has died at age 89
Replies: 856
Views: 81288

Re: John Bogle has died at age 89

Rest in peace, Jack!
by FNK
Tue Jun 16, 2015 6:35 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: GTU and PHYS takover offer
Replies: 21
Views: 3984

GTU and PHYS takover offer

Hey folks, I have a few Central GoldTrust shares (GTU) in my Vanguard Roth IRA account, and it looks like Sprott (PHYS) is trying to take over the whole operation (here's a fighting piece from GTU: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/central-gold-trust-responds-misleading-214012909.html). I got an offer to exchange the GTU shares for PHYS on a nebulous "NAV-for-NAV" basis. GTU has been trading at a serious discount for a long time, and PHYS tracks NAV pretty closely. Vanguard sent me another letter that felt like telegraphing "dude, wake up". I'd like to get out of gold ETFs altogether, so it seems that doing the exchange and immediately selling is a valid idea. I wonder why nobody's piling on to arbitrage away the discount. W...
by FNK
Mon Nov 10, 2014 11:54 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Gold And Silver As A Currency Hedge?
Replies: 125
Views: 24426

Re: Gold As A Currency Hedge

5% is commonly advised. Less is pointless. Permanent Portfolio is 25%; most people are scared of that.

If you have a secure storage location (safe deposit box in a bank), consider physical coins instead of ETFs. These will survive if the whole system falls apart, and won't charge an expense ratio. I've been getting mine from golddealer.com, others have other advice, search the archives.
by FNK
Wed Oct 08, 2014 8:28 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Is a fall in portfolio value "only on paper"?
Replies: 86
Views: 7398

Re: Is a fall in portfolio value "only on paper"?

The loss is real, but it's a loss in something that's not going to be used for a long time... right?
by FNK
Wed Oct 08, 2014 8:14 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Best Place To Buy Actual Gold Coins
Replies: 28
Views: 5723

Re: Best Place To Buy Actual Gold Coins

When I started filling my SHTF portfolio allocation with gold coins, I researched online dealers, and California Numismatic (http://www.golddealer.com/) offered the smallest markup and free insured shipping for two coins. I still buy from them.
by FNK
Thu Oct 02, 2014 4:47 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: The power of compounding - at a rate of 3% per day
Replies: 12
Views: 2736

Re: The power of compounding - at a rate of 3% per day

In reality, every curve that looks exponential is either logistic or catastrophic.
by FNK
Tue Sep 16, 2014 7:40 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: advice on my credit card strategy ?
Replies: 6
Views: 13608

Re: advice on my credit card strategy ?

Avoid cards that charge an annual fee unless the value they give over no-fee cards is overwhelming.

You're paying $135/year for the privilege of charging an unlimited amount of money that you must repay in a month. Do you really really need that privilege? Is a card with a $25K credit limit not enough? Is it not scary that you can charge a million by mistake?

Credit utilization is only relevant when you are shopping for a new loan, and you can prepare for that by paying everything off.

Beyond that, calculate a monetary value to the benefits (I gather a mile is a cent?) and see which card pays best. Maybe Cap One Venture is all you need.
by FNK
Mon Aug 25, 2014 10:46 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: What if there were only index funds?
Replies: 23
Views: 3686

Re: What if there were only index funds?

Active investing is for professionals competing with each other in the excercise of discovering innate value.

Indexing is for everyone else.
by FNK
Sun Aug 24, 2014 7:42 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Kick toe heater efficiency
Replies: 10
Views: 7264

Re: Kick toe heater efficiency

I consider heating with electricity to be a crime, unless you have a very good excuse. Why? jimb I agree with jimb, why? Depending on the use case, it may be very appropriate. For instance, one of the cabins we sometimes stay at has one in the bathroom. It has a wall switch by the light. Simply its nature of being against an outside wall in the mountains, it can be rather chilly to use the facilities. The area provides some forced heat for the few minutes you are in the room, and you are done. This is much more effective and warming up the entire cabin more simply because you wanted a few minutes of extra warm in there. If you get a temporary local boost with a 1X energy delivered by a small heater instead of 10X by the house system, it is...
by FNK
Sat Aug 23, 2014 12:28 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: value or small cap tilting vs time to retirement
Replies: 7
Views: 1441

Re: value or small cap tilting vs time to retirement

This is a classic "more than one way to Dublin" decision.

Some advocate barbelling: make your equities riskier (more small, value, emerging markets etc.), but make your overall allocation safer (more bonds).

Some observe that small/value bonuses may take a while to materialize (if ever) and advocate dialing the tilt down.

My strategy (just to make my life more complicated ;-) ) is closer to your observation. My overall AA is about age - 10 in bonds, 50% in total stock markets and the rest in small caps (I don't believe in value ;-) ). So the tilt is supposed to dissipate by the time I retire.
by FNK
Fri Aug 22, 2014 1:26 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Kick toe heater efficiency
Replies: 10
Views: 7264

Re: Kick toe heater efficiency

Good write-up by Jum (except the "watt per hour" phrase ;-) ).

There are also hydronic toekick heaters you hook up to your boiler. I consider heating with electricity to be a crime, unless you have a very good excuse.

My only complaint with the heaters is that the fan makes a little noise.
by FNK
Wed May 28, 2014 3:19 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Why Avoid Long-Term Bonds?
Replies: 67
Views: 10765

Re: Why Avoid Long-Term Bonds?

I have been thinking (and discussing here a bit) of rolling a ladder of 30 year treasuries. The idea is that it's extremely long-term while I'm early in my career with small bond allocation, and will automatically reduce the term as I'm approaching retirement. There are two downsides to the plan: 1. If interest rates rise abruptly, I may never recover the difference. For example, imagine that a 30-year yields 1% more than a 10-year. Ignore coupons and compound interest. Say, 10 years from now, all yields rise by 3 percentage points and stay there. The 10-year is behind by 10% as I roll it over. The new 10-year is now yielding 2% more than the 30-year. In 20 years, the 10-year is ahead by 8%. In 30 years, the third 10-year is ahead by 30%. 2...
by FNK
Wed May 28, 2014 10:36 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Ever too early to start investing?
Replies: 16
Views: 1980

Re: Ever too early to start investing?

Savings bonds are a questionable start. You have to use the weird TreasuryDirect site, and you'll be hit with taxes 30 years from now, probably when your tax rate is highest.

Do you do summer jobs? If you do, you can open a Roth IRA account and invest there, tax free. Otherwise, you can open a regular investment account.

Having said all of that, you're probably better off keeping your cash in a savings account until you have a more serious sum (Vanguard's minimums are at least $1000).
by FNK
Wed May 28, 2014 10:26 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Cash in Safe Deposit Box..??
Replies: 60
Views: 7132

Re: Cash in Safe Deposit Box..??

cheese_breath wrote:but some workman bulldozing the property to make room for a shopping mall forty years from now will be in for a nice surprise.
...and will totally be able to afford a round of beer with his crew!
by FNK
Fri May 16, 2014 1:33 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Income Limit Question(s)
Replies: 12
Views: 1928

Re: Income Limit Question(s)

You're certainly out of deductibility limits for Trad IRA too.

401(k) plans are all weird, but I think this is the first time I hear of one that has Roth but no Trad. Can you go yell at HR about that?
by FNK
Thu May 15, 2014 10:25 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Income Limit Question(s)
Replies: 12
Views: 1928

Re: Income Limit Question(s)

The standard advice is to contribute to traditional 401(k), which will bring down your gross income and may open up some Roth space.

Don't forget that you'll be paying the penalty every year until you pull the contributions out. Don't shoot yourself in the foot.
by FNK
Thu May 15, 2014 9:47 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Cashing child's I bonds
Replies: 3
Views: 1056

Re: Cashing child's I bonds

Apologies - Child OR Adult.

Pub 550 says "If a U.S. savings bond is issued in
the names of co-owners, interest on the
bond is generally taxable to the co-owner who
bought the bond.
by FNK
Wed May 14, 2014 10:13 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Cashing child's I bonds
Replies: 3
Views: 1056

Cashing child's I bonds

Seeking confirmation that I'm correctly reading the sweet and clear docs from the govt.

If there are electronic I bonds registered as Child WITH Adult, with cumulative interest not more than $1000, either child or adult may cash the bonds; an interest statement in child's name will arrive, and can be ignored (no return filed, assuming no other income to child) because $1000 of unearned income is not taxable.

If there are paper I bonds registered as Child AND Adult, bought by the adult, the adult will owe the tax.

Do I have that right?
by FNK
Tue May 06, 2014 8:47 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: 401(k) Loan make sense?
Replies: 31
Views: 5036

Re: 401(k) Loan make sense?

placeholder wrote:I'd probably do that - 30% interest why not?!
Because it's strictly worse than tax-efficient taxable investing?

The 30% comes out of your paycheck after-tax, and is taxed again on withdrawal.
by FNK
Fri May 02, 2014 7:59 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Tax implications of renting out my house
Replies: 13
Views: 2404

Re: Tax implications of renting out my house

Ans to why I would want to do this - We are thinking of moving to another school district. I am a little scared to buy new property without selling the first. Best choice before me (from a risk point of view) is to rent a new property in the new neighbourhood and let out my present one. As you can see, I am trying to understand what this means financially. You're very right to focus on risk, but your conclusion is very questionable. Being a landlord is very risky. You can line up a purchase and a sale with conditions that one doesn't happen without the other. Or, you can rent a new place for a year, sell the old place, and use the time and the proceeds to buy the perfect new place. You'll sit out the market dynamics for a year, but that's ...
by FNK
Fri May 02, 2014 7:46 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: 401(k) Loan make sense?
Replies: 31
Views: 5036

Re: 401(k) Loan make sense?

harikaried wrote:But the tax deductibility is to lower the expense/interest paid, so Interest * (1 - Current Tax Rate) is the effective expense. The 401k expenses are Interest * Future Tax Rate (for the double-taxed interest).
You might want to invest the money in the 401(k) into something that earns money, like stocks and bonds. That will give you a nice tax-sheltered return, likely higher than 2%. On the down side, borrowing from the account will mean foregoing the return.
by FNK
Wed Apr 30, 2014 11:30 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: 401(k) Loan make sense?
Replies: 31
Views: 5036

Re: 401(k) Loan make sense?

hand wrote:While I understand the math of a 2.49% Home Equity Loan having expected positive return after taxes / inflation, total debt level of > 2x income is higher than is personally comfortable
That's what I don't get - you're replacing one loan with another and thinking it decreases your debt level? Sure, it's "loaning from yourself", but the mechanics are the same: repay or face penalties. I'd rather keep the 401(k) loan/hardship withdrawal option for emergencies if I were you. Note that 401(k) loans are explicitly not lines of credit - they have a 1 year look-back on the $50K limit.

Your plan is not crazy, but doesn't seem to offer serious advantages over plain old borrowing and paying off.
by FNK
Wed Apr 30, 2014 8:28 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: eMail mailing list solutions for a group of ~200?
Replies: 12
Views: 1644

Re: eMail mailing list solutions for a group of ~200?

I've been using Google Groups for this - very reliable.
by FNK
Wed Apr 30, 2014 8:27 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Tax implications of renting out my house
Replies: 13
Views: 2404

Re: Tax implications of renting out my house

About right; you also get to write off expenses (insurance!) and delay taxes on depreciation.

However, it's a massive headache, and you didn't make a case for why you would want to do this to yourself.
by FNK
Wed Apr 30, 2014 8:20 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Anyone have over 200 individual positions in their accounts?
Replies: 31
Views: 8159

Re: Anyone have over 200 individual positions in their accou

Runalong wrote:both the stocks I've sold recently and the stocks on my wish-list (meet my criteria but I lack cash to buy them) have been slightly outperforming those I hold
Sounds like the market is telling you something.
by FNK
Wed Apr 30, 2014 8:08 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Social security at 62 vs 70
Replies: 76
Views: 9672

Re: Social security at 62 vs 70

ginmqi wrote:Sorry but my time during my golden/retired years are worth way way more than that.
Sounds like you think not collecting SS = not retiring. That's not what we're talking about.

In your case, taxation of SS is an even bigger reason to delay and spend down/Rothify your portfolio between 60 and 70.
by FNK
Tue Apr 29, 2014 11:30 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Social security at 62 vs 70
Replies: 76
Views: 9672

Re: Social security at 62 vs 70

My approach is Game Theory: You choose "you claim early" or "you claim late" (62 and 70). God chooses "you die early" or "you die late" (before and after the 84 life expectancy). Both choices are continuous, but in-between values give in-between results, so extremes are most enlightening. Outcomes: Claim early/die early and claim late/die late: you've correctly predicted your longevity and maximized your benefits. Win! Claim late/die early: you've spent down your savings. Your heirs get less. SS Trust Fund keeps more. You don't care, you're dead. Claim early/die late: you're spending down your savings. Eventually, your heirs will have to support you. You're miserable. Since only "claim early"...
by FNK
Tue Apr 29, 2014 9:42 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: 401(k) Loan make sense?
Replies: 31
Views: 5036

Re: 401(k) Loan make sense?

I use 401(k) loans with less fear than most bogleheads... but frankly, your plan is "meh".

The interest rate on the loan is indeed mostly a red herring because you pay it to yourself. The lost earning opportunity is the real cost. Also, the avoided risk is a real benefit.

The HEL is tax deductible; the 401(k) loan is not, so it's not a profitable trade.

The big thing that you seem to be ignoring is that you'll have some serious monthly payments deducted from your paychecks for the next 5 years.

So, yes, it will work, but doesn't seem worth it. Meh.
by FNK
Tue Apr 29, 2014 9:25 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: using etf to avoid citibank checking fees?
Replies: 7
Views: 2945

Re: using etf to avoid citibank checking fees?

I have Citigold because I get it for free with my mortgage. Now that the mortgage is below $250K, I'm keeping a part of my EF in Citi to keep the account for a while... but I'm not locking up $50K. I considered moving some of my investments there, but got scared by thw Morgan Stanley fees.

The perks are nice, and the staff around here are really trying to be sharp and pleasant... but it's not worth $30/month. I've opened an Ally account and will be getting out of Citi within a year or so.
by FNK
Thu Apr 24, 2014 7:38 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: What do you think about this scenario?
Replies: 3
Views: 790

Re: What do you think about this scenario?

You're giving up potential gains on the 401(k) investments. Coupled with fees and the value of your time, it's unlikely to be a very valuable move.
by FNK
Wed Apr 23, 2014 11:41 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: High Umbrella Limits - A waste
Replies: 82
Views: 19202

Re: High Umbrella Limits - A waste

boggler wrote:I'm actually surprised that there are no policies that insure up to an unlimited limit. Presumably the likelihood of a 100 M judgment is small enough that such insurance would still be relatively affordable.
That would take the actuaries' job from relatively straightforward statistical arithmetic to transfinite calculus. I'm not sure it would even be legal. Infinity divided by infinity is undefined.

What would the company do with a trillion dollar judgement? Unlikely, sure, but if you write the contract you have to be prepared to service it.
by FNK
Fri Feb 28, 2014 6:43 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Why bonds??
Replies: 29
Views: 6476

Re: Why bonds??

deikel wrote:Now look at the S+P500 and see that we just (in the last couple of months) passed the old all time high from 2000. So, in the last 14 years stocks have not given you ANY return on investment (buy and hold, ignore dividends for a second) - thats a far cry form the hoped 6 % per year. Bonds at the same time gave you at least a little bit - even if it was not breathtaking (I ignored dividends and inflation both for simplicity reasons).
That's a blemish on an otherwise excellent post. "Here's a thing that makes money. Let's ignore the money it makes. See - it doesn't make money!"
by FNK
Fri Feb 28, 2014 12:19 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: How likely the feds ever tax Roth IRAs?
Replies: 12
Views: 2056

Re: How likely the feds ever tax Roth IRAs?

There already are benefit programs that look at retirement plan balances, including Roth. It's not exactly taxation, because it's rare to worry about taxes and social nets at the same time, but it does mean that Roth is not free of everything forever.
by FNK
Fri Feb 28, 2014 12:06 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Rental Property Analysis
Replies: 17
Views: 2597

Re: Rental Property Analysis

Frankly speaking, annual turnover and 3-month vacancies is an extremely conservative expectation. At least, a standard lease is 1 year, and anything less comes with a premium.

Unless... shudder... you're thinking of renting to students. In which case, I withdraw my endorsement. You're not a dormitory. "No cosigners" is the key expression.
by FNK
Fri Feb 28, 2014 12:03 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Small-cap (over)valuations: should we stop tilting?
Replies: 11
Views: 1781

Re: Small-cap (over)valuations: should we stop tilting?

I totally am timing the market. At my last rebalancing round, I adjusted my AA by transferring 2% of the portfolio from small caps to total market. I am not willing to make larger moves.
by FNK
Fri Feb 28, 2014 11:47 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Why bonds??
Replies: 29
Views: 6476

Re: Why bonds??

While your portfolio is smallish (say, less than 3-5 years of expenses), and you have a lot of earning years ahead of you, you can skip bonds. But you don't want to be caught with your pants down as you approach retirement. So decide on a glide path and implement it.
by FNK
Fri Feb 28, 2014 9:11 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Rental Property Analysis
Replies: 17
Views: 2597

Re: Rental Property Analysis

I think good tenants (people who have more money than time) don't trawl craigslist but go to agents.

Also, the agent does not rent the place, you do. For small operations, you can deny anybody you don't like.
by FNK
Fri Feb 28, 2014 9:06 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Bitcoin price plunges
Replies: 246
Views: 30203

Re: Bitcoin price plunges

Valuethinker wrote:Virtual currencies? Assumes that all away. Not even the protection Paypal offers us.
So far bitcoin has been working on a better dollar bill. It was stupid for people to keep their bills in a cardboard box in a back alley, but that's not the bill's fault.

Ripple is working on a better virtual exchange. Let's see how that fares...
by FNK
Fri Feb 28, 2014 8:50 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Bitcoin price plunges
Replies: 246
Views: 30203

Re: Bitcoin price plunges

http://i.imgur.com/RJpSpvt.gif

[Embedded image to distracting animated GIF image removed by admin LadyGeek. I left the link.]
by FNK
Fri Feb 28, 2014 8:40 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Bitcoin price plunges
Replies: 246
Views: 30203

Re: Bitcoin price plunges

Regarding mt gox, I thought there were two parts to a bitcoin. The code behind the coin plus a password. Is that true? If so, how can they be stolen if you don't have a password? Any good sites to explain this? As I understand it so far, it's primarily Mt. Gox itself being stupid and secondarily a stupid aspect of the protocol. Apparently the signature on the transaction does not protect some fields (like anybody can write on the memo line on a check before depositing it, and it will go through). After issuing a transaction, Mt. Gox was looking for an exact match in the blockchain. The attacker would intercept the transaction, slightly modify it and try to get the modified version confirmed. Mt. Gox would not see an exact match and go &quo...
by FNK
Fri Feb 28, 2014 8:34 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Bitcoin price plunges
Replies: 246
Views: 30203

Re: Bitcoin price plunges

Yes it can, but it has to be significantly better. They just need to be more appealing than Bitcoin for a host of reasons (promise of greater riches?, better security?, easier for laymen to use?, no mining?, faster transaction time?). Uh, yes, that counts as significantly better. One of the big issues that the next tier of cryptocurrencies may perfect is near instant transactions... right now its on the order of ten minutes to confirm transactions in the Bitcoin blockchain. That would be a major advantage for a cryptocurrency to solve that problem. More like an hour for six verifications. Yes, that's one of the real issues with bitcoin. Another is a single chain for all transactions in the world. A block weave would be scalable. There is a...
by FNK
Fri Feb 28, 2014 8:27 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Rental Property Analysis
Replies: 17
Views: 2597

Re: Rental Property Analysis

The quality of tenants I got from craigslist was depressingly worse than via a realtor. Totally worth the fee.
by FNK
Thu Feb 27, 2014 10:39 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Rental Property Analysis
Replies: 17
Views: 2597

Re: Rental Property Analysis

DFWinvestor wrote:$9,000-($2,300x3)=$2,100.
Hey, you're subtracting cash flow from net income. The $2300 pays $500 back to you in equity, so your net income in that case is $3600.

The numbers look good. If you're up for the job, why not. Try to refinance into a better rate while you're there. Also, look into various programs such as energy efficiency that you could use while you live there but not after you move out. I totally blew that opportunity on my starter home.
by FNK
Thu Feb 27, 2014 10:12 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Bitcoin price plunges
Replies: 246
Views: 30203

Re: Bitcoin price plunges

Random Musings wrote:So, if there are many different virtual currencies out there, can a better mousetrap render certain ones to the dump heap?
Yes it can, but it has to be significantly better.
by FNK
Thu Feb 27, 2014 8:20 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Bitcoin price plunges
Replies: 246
Views: 30203

Re: Bitcoin price plunges

georgewall42 wrote:
Since the algorithms underpin a lot of mainstream economy, that will be scary.
Not really sure how the mainstream economy is reliant on the same algorithms.
SHA? ECDSA? They are popular on that internet thingy.
georgewall42 wrote:In any event, while the chances of someone being able to successfully "counterfeit" a bitcoin or any similar cryptocurrency are certainly remote, it is certainly feasible that an agency such as the NSA could determine the identities of the folks in the transaction history in the blockchain.
Absolutely; it's pseudonymous not anonymous.
by FNK
Thu Feb 27, 2014 12:21 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Bitcoin price plunges
Replies: 246
Views: 30203

Re: Bitcoin price plunges

georgewall42 wrote:There's nothing to prevent a future crypto-currency from either convincing a crowd of miners or from being "10x better", whatever that means.
...except, you know, being convincing.
georgewall42 wrote:That doesn't by itself mean that bitcoin is or will be a failure; it does mean that the hard limit on the number of bitcoins is not really a hard limit.
It's not a hard limit on the amount of cryptocurrency units, it is a hard limit on bitcoins. There's a soft limit on all currencies, something about size of economy.
georgewall42 wrote:My guess is that the NSA will figure out how to hack the algorithms in 5 years anyway :D
Since the algorithms underpin a lot of mainstream economy, that will be scary.
by FNK
Thu Feb 27, 2014 12:17 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Bitcoin price plunges
Replies: 246
Views: 30203

Re: Bitcoin price plunges

Alex Frakt wrote:
FNK wrote:Sigh.

May I suggest that we ban bitcoin discussions at this forum?
If you'll admit that they are not investment products :-)
Admitted. Done?
by FNK
Thu Feb 27, 2014 12:06 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Should I Get Cheap Personal Loan & Invest It?
Replies: 72
Views: 6257

Re: Should I Get Cheap Personal Loan & Invest It?

Here's an obvious way to capture the tax sheltered space without going into debt: you say your car and cash are $200K. Just dump the cash into your IRAs and you're good to go.
by FNK
Wed Feb 26, 2014 3:20 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Bitcoin price plunges
Replies: 246
Views: 30203

Re: Bitcoin price plunges

Sigh. May I suggest that we ban bitcoin discussions at this forum? This thread sounds exactly like "Fed cabal evil fractional reserve banking". Bitcoin has huge problems, but not the ones we're discussing. Yes but if bit coin is hacked how does the investor recover the loss? The whole premise of bitcoin is that it's really hard to hack. If someone creates perfectly forged dollar bills and destroys the value of the dollar, FDIC insurance will not save you either. As fas as I understand, your wallet is literally your private key. As long as you keep the key secure, nobody will be able to pull your coins out. What makes (made?) Bitcoin unique such that no one could create something just as "secure" and "cool"? Con...
by FNK
Wed Feb 26, 2014 10:55 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Bitcoin price plunges
Replies: 246
Views: 30203

Re: Bitcoin price plunges

Professor Emeritus wrote:and EXACTLY how do you know the coins in your wallet were not "stolen" ?
As in how I know they still "are" in my wallet? Somebody will need to crack my public key to do that.

Or as in how I know they were not stolen when I acquired them? Well, they are fungible in the wallets, so pinning down which ones are "stolen" and which ones are "clear" is going to be equally hard for whoever tries to recover them.

(Note: I don't own and don't plan to own any. But the experiment is nifty.)