Search found 1352 matches
- Thu Jan 17, 2019 4:51 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: John Bogle has died at age 89
- Replies: 856
- Views: 81306
Re: John Bogle has died at age 89
Rest in peace, Jack!
- 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...
- Mon Nov 10, 2014 11:54 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Gold And Silver As A Currency Hedge?
- Replies: 125
- Views: 24428
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.
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.
- 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?
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
- 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.
Indexing is for everyone else.
- 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...
- 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.
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.
- 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.
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.
- 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...
- 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).
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).
- 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..??
...and will totally be able to afford a round of beer with his crew!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.
- 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?
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?
- 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.
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.
- 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.
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.
- 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?
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?
- 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?
Because it's strictly worse than tax-efficient taxable investing?placeholder wrote:I'd probably do that - 30% interest why not?!
The 30% comes out of your paycheck after-tax, and is taxed again on withdrawal.
- 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 ...
- 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?
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.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).
- 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?
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.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
Your plan is not crazy, but doesn't seem to offer serious advantages over plain old borrowing and paying off.
- 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.
- 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.
However, it's a massive headache, and you didn't make a case for why you would want to do this to yourself.
- 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
Sounds like the market is telling you something.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
- 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
Sounds like you think not collecting SS = not retiring. That's not what we're talking about.ginmqi wrote:Sorry but my time during my golden/retired years are worth way way more than that.
In your case, taxation of SS is an even bigger reason to delay and spend down/Rothify your portfolio between 60 and 70.
- 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"...
- 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.
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.
- 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.
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.
- 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.
- 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
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.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.
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.
- Fri Feb 28, 2014 6:43 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Why bonds??
- Replies: 29
- Views: 6476
Re: Why bonds??
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!"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).
- 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.
- 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.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Also, the agent does not rent the place, you do. For small operations, you can deny anybody you don't like.
- Fri Feb 28, 2014 9:06 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Bitcoin price plunges
- Replies: 246
- Views: 30203
Re: Bitcoin price plunges
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.Valuethinker wrote:Virtual currencies? Assumes that all away. Not even the protection Paypal offers us.
Ripple is working on a better virtual exchange. Let's see how that fares...
- 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.]
[Embedded image to distracting animated GIF image removed by admin LadyGeek. I left the link.]
- 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...
- 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...
- 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.
- Thu Feb 27, 2014 10:39 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Rental Property Analysis
- Replies: 17
- Views: 2597
Re: Rental Property Analysis
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.DFWinvestor wrote:$9,000-($2,300x3)=$2,100.
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.
- Thu Feb 27, 2014 10:12 pm
- 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.Random Musings wrote:So, if there are many different virtual currencies out there, can a better mousetrap render certain ones to the dump heap?
- Thu Feb 27, 2014 8:20 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Bitcoin price plunges
- Replies: 246
- Views: 30203
Re: Bitcoin price plunges
SHA? ECDSA? They are popular on that internet thingy.georgewall42 wrote:Not really sure how the mainstream economy is reliant on the same algorithms.Since the algorithms underpin a lot of mainstream economy, that will be scary.
Absolutely; it's pseudonymous not anonymous.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.
- Thu Feb 27, 2014 12:21 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Bitcoin price plunges
- Replies: 246
- Views: 30203
Re: Bitcoin price plunges
...except, you know, being convincing.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.
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: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.
Since the algorithms underpin a lot of mainstream economy, that will be scary.georgewall42 wrote:My guess is that the NSA will figure out how to hack the algorithms in 5 years anyway
- Thu Feb 27, 2014 12:17 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Bitcoin price plunges
- Replies: 246
- Views: 30203
Re: Bitcoin price plunges
Admitted. Done?Alex Frakt wrote:If you'll admit that they are not investment productsFNK wrote:Sigh.
May I suggest that we ban bitcoin discussions at this forum?
- 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.
- 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...
- Wed Feb 26, 2014 10:55 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Bitcoin price plunges
- Replies: 246
- Views: 30203
Re: Bitcoin price plunges
As in how I know they still "are" in my wallet? Somebody will need to crack my public key to do that.Professor Emeritus wrote:and EXACTLY how do you know the coins in your wallet were not "stolen" ?
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.)