Search found 3227 matches

by woof755
Tue Jan 30, 2024 10:00 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Garage EV Charger Options - which way to go?
Replies: 58
Views: 5014

Re: Garage EV Charger Options - which way to go?

I'd like to add that my Kia EV6 came with a ChargePoint in the trunk, so if you are buying a new EV, maybe hold off on buying a garage charger (or a second one, as was our case) until after your purchase, if at all possible.
by woof755
Fri Oct 06, 2023 11:38 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Can't log on [to Vanguard website]
Replies: 242
Views: 21778

Re: can't log on [to Vanguard website]

rkhusky wrote: Fri Oct 06, 2023 8:08 pm I would never wait on hold that long unless my firstborn’s life was in danger. I bailed on a call today when they told me the wait was 40 minutes (I waited 5 minutes to see if their estimate was wrong. )
I was getting so much work done. : )
by woof755
Fri Oct 06, 2023 7:21 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Can't log on [to Vanguard website]
Replies: 242
Views: 21778

Re: can't log on [to Vanguard website]

And now it's my turn in the barrel. (If you don't know the origination of the term visit in the barrel - Wiktionary, the free dictionary if you truly want to know.) [Link formatted by admin LadyGeek] Quicken can't log in to Vanguard this morning. Nothing too new. So I try to log in directly and it seems I don't have an account despite an encrypted password manager using 16 randomized characters and symbols.Yet my password seems to have failed overnight. Would I like to reset my password? Yes! Then I get a dire screen that says call immediately! And it's the Vanguard main number. I got a human being (the high point of the day) and a "let me review this" for 10 minutes and then I was transferred to the “security team” with a cheery...
by woof755
Fri Oct 06, 2023 7:18 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Can't log on [to Vanguard website]
Replies: 242
Views: 21778

Re: Vanguard account issue today

RetiredAL wrote: Fri Oct 06, 2023 4:19 pm
woof755 wrote: Fri Oct 06, 2023 3:31 pm Anyone actually have suspicious activity? Or is this all just a red herring?

Also, no email, no text, nothing. Just locked out when trying to log in.

VG, man. woof.
Would you be able to 100% identify a valid e-mail from a fake phishing one?
Any email from VG explaining what happened would not have to include a link to click on. I know how to get to www dot vanguard dot com.
More importantly, for VG to "notice something irregular", lock thousands of accounts, and not send any sort of explanation is really bizarre and decreases my confidence in their ability to keep accounts safe.
by woof755
Fri Oct 06, 2023 3:35 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Vanguard Customer Service Mega-thread
Replies: 1512
Views: 167394

Re: Vanguard Customer Service Mega-thread

HomeStretch wrote: Fri Oct 06, 2023 2:52 pm
woof755 wrote: Fri Oct 06, 2023 2:43 pm Thanks, but it's not a browser issue.
My wife can log on on my computer on chrome and Edge or whatever it's called now.

The rep at VG said something about suspicious activity.
I am still on hold. 40 more minutes. Of course, I have a procedure to do now and will likely miss when they come to the phone.
There’s another current thread reporting this issue:
viewtopic.php?p=7492834#p7492834
Mahalo!!!!!
by woof755
Fri Oct 06, 2023 3:31 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Can't log on [to Vanguard website]
Replies: 242
Views: 21778

Re: Vanguard account issue today

Anyone actually have suspicious activity? Or is this all just a red herring?

Also, no email, no text, nothing. Just locked out when trying to log in.

VG, man. woof.
by woof755
Fri Oct 06, 2023 2:43 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Vanguard Customer Service Mega-thread
Replies: 1512
Views: 167394

Re: Vanguard Customer Service Mega-thread

Thanks, but it's not a browser issue.
My wife can log on on my computer on chrome and Edge or whatever it's called now.

The rep at VG said something about suspicious activity.
I am still on hold. 40 more minutes. Of course, I have a procedure to do now and will likely miss when they come to the phone.
by woof755
Fri Oct 06, 2023 1:52 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Vanguard Customer Service Mega-thread
Replies: 1512
Views: 167394

Re: Vanguard Customer Service Mega-thread

25 minutes later my wait time is still "greater than one hour."

I'm still with this firm solely out of inertia.
by woof755
Fri Oct 06, 2023 1:25 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Vanguard Customer Service Mega-thread
Replies: 1512
Views: 167394

Re: Vanguard Customer Service Mega-thread

Unable to log on to my account this am. Fingers crossed nothing catastrophic. VG gives me a number to call. 15 minutes later I get an agent who tells me I have to change my password and username. He has no details but mentions suspicious activity as an aside. Also tells me, actually it's a different department that I need to talk to. He transfers me. "Your estimated wait time is greater than one hour." No option for a callback. But they "apologize for the delay and appreciate" my patience. Someone will be with me shortly...err...eventually? I do not have another hour before starting my work day. No idea what this new number is to call back at a better time. Why did VG not have the correct phone number for me to call in t...
by woof755
Tue Sep 12, 2023 7:24 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Suggestions on helping clean up brother's Fidelity portfolio?
Replies: 18
Views: 2241

Re: Suggestions on helping clean up brother's Fidelity portfolio?

Well, he definitely seems to have too many funds for the portfolio value. And it's too bad that he's paying over 1% AUM for this "service".

in taxable, would be careful making any changes lest he trade simplicity for a large tax bill. Knowing his cost basis would help.
in the IRA, changes can be made without penalty. Sad to hear of his declining health--depending upon his current life expectancy and possible future health care costs, it's possible that he might not want to hold any stocks at all.

Otherwise, not sure we have enough information to go on here.
by woof755
Tue Sep 12, 2023 2:05 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Everything to Fidelity
Replies: 112
Views: 14757

Re: Everything to Fidelity

I've got two thirds of my investments at Vanguard and the other third at Fidelity, and I'm planning to transfer everything to Fidelity. I use Fidelity Cash Management, have had good customer service experiences, and feel better about Fidelity security systems (such as Money Transfer Lockdown and their two-factor ID through the mobile app). I'm also retired now and think it will be easier for my wife to have everything in one place when they pull the sheet over my face. Has anyone had a negative (or positive) experience doing this or does anyone recommend against it? I did the same and never looked back. NO REGRETS! Vanguard lacks 24/7 customer service and their website and app are stuck in the early 2000’s. Also as stated Fidelity has more...
by woof755
Tue Sep 12, 2023 1:45 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Not quite ready to move from 90 / 10 to 60 / 40
Replies: 53
Views: 6547

Re: Not quite ready to move from 90 / 10 to 60 / 40

I felt pretty invincible in my 40s, too.
Now, at 49, my midlife crisis alternative is to pre-contemplate sequence of return risks.
Not an issue for the OP, or me right now. But, at some point, a poorly timed stock downturn can really create havoc on one's retirement plans.

Just wanted to plant a seed.
by woof755
Mon Sep 04, 2023 6:04 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Vanguard-can’t add outside investments
Replies: 18
Views: 2951

Re: Vanguard-can’t add outside investments

Here we go again. I have complained on this forum and to Vanguard about outside investment issue. I cannot even manually update investment values. The standard Vanguard answer is this is run by a third party vendor and they can’t do anything about it. Finally one rep told me he can see the values of each outside investment on the old Vanguard website but not the new web version. My obvious question was can I go back to the old version. He said NO. Very frustrating. Exactly. Yodlee rarely works. I have completely given up hope. From the rooftops: Vanguard, I know the entire corporate philosophy is "Costs Matter". But you have to be an expert just to navigate the site and make a trade. Please stop decreasing my expense ratio from 0...
by woof755
Sun Aug 20, 2023 7:38 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Getting in-state tuition: establishing financial independence
Replies: 28
Views: 2218

Re: Getting in-state tuition: establishing financial independence

I dunno, man. If it's not possible, it seems weird that UConn's Graduate School would list an "Application for In-State Tuition (change of residency)" form as literally the first form in this section of this "Forms" page : Forms for All Enrolled Graduate Students Submit to the The Graduate School Application for In-State Tuition (change of residency).pdf Maybe "in the absence of a clear demonstration that he has established domicile in the state" gives them some flexibility when a student can provide clear demonstration that he has established domicile in the sate. Fair enough. I was able to do this at a University of California school about 15 years ago. Now for the matter of the 529 plan... :happy That seems...
by woof755
Tue Aug 08, 2023 2:35 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Vanguard Customer Service Mega-thread
Replies: 1512
Views: 167394

Re: Vanguard Customer Service Mega-thread

I'm trying to de-link by child's account from mine, as she is no longer a minor. 3 weeks ago she established her account. On her account a message says: Your request to link this bank account to your Vanguard account is pending authorization from the other joint owner s . Remind them to check their secure message center on Vanguard.com for authorization instructions. Once they've provided authorization, you will be able to use this bank account to move money to and from your Vanguard account. No additional action is needed on your part. Crickets from VG since then. So, last week Aug 2nd I sent a private msg to VG (Flagship) asking them to send me that authorization request. Crickets again. I'm a VG Diehard from the early 2000s Morningstar d...
by woof755
Tue Jul 04, 2023 1:11 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Is “balancing” my portfolio every paycheck bad?
Replies: 57
Views: 4787

Re: Is “balancing” my portfolio every paycheck bad?

Pros of doing what you are doing:
Never having to sell and take a cap gain to achieve the goal of rebalancing
Scratch the itch of being hands on that many of us have.

Con to doing what you are doing:
You might lose some benefits of momentum (letting the winners run and buying too soon on the losers, as was mentioned earlier).

Impossible to know for sure whether the cost of taking cap gains to rebalance would offset the gains you would give up by avoiding momentum.

By far the most important thing is that you're sticking to a plan.
by woof755
Sat Jul 01, 2023 9:05 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Vanguard not working with Chrome
Replies: 13
Views: 2216

Vanguard not working with Chrome

I know this has been posted before.
I have deleted my cookies, which, to be fair, worked the last time I came here and searched the various threads about VG and Chrome.
I can log on to the website and see my account holdings, history, etc.
When I try to make a transaction, the next screen is literally blank. No error message, no exit button, nothing.

I can't be the only person who is experiencing this with VG.
I go to Microsoft Edge, not my preferred browser, and everything works fine.

Any insight from you sharp folks would be appreciated.
by woof755
Tue Jan 31, 2023 1:31 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: [Are you buying a car in 2023?]
Replies: 165
Views: 21741

Re: Car buying in 2023?

I put $3k down to reserve a red Kia EV6 in late December. It was in my driveway about 3 weeks later. I didn't haggle, the price was a little above KBB and EVs are selling like shave ice here in Hawaii.
Battery lasts me over 1 week and we have solar panels so I can charge during the day on the weekends or at work.
Kia has a nice smaller EV called the Niro that is about $10k less, and some hybrids.

This is the nicest car I've ever driven. It's absolutely beautiful and the safety features are excellent.
by woof755
Wed Jan 11, 2023 1:40 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Need help please in investment options for the utterly clueless
Replies: 12
Views: 1446

Re: Need help please in investment options for the utterly clueless

After October, remember to roll your Rollover IRA into your current employer 401(k).

This will allow you to make backdoor Roth conversions in the future when your income eventually exceeds the limit for Roth contributions. Also, simplicity.

But only if your new employer 401(k) has low cost funds worthy of your investment. Fingers crossed.
by woof755
Wed Oct 05, 2022 1:30 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Free Morningstar Portfolio Ending
Replies: 138
Views: 21044

Re: Free Morningstar Portfolio Ending

My legacy account is working fine.
I messed around with Fidelity and didn't like the results. I am not a spreadsheet guy, so I only superficially looked into the Google Sheets option.

I googled "Morningstar Investor pricing" and a Nerdwallet article came up. In that article was a $50 off promo from Nerdwallet. I clicked in the link and voila the product is no longer $249 but $199. At least for this year.

I signed up.

I have been using the M* portfolio tracker and watch lists for at least 15 years for the cost of ignoring ads in my peripheral vision. I think I'm comfortable paying the $17 / month for their service going forward.

Maybe I'll cancel Disney + ...
by woof755
Wed Oct 05, 2022 1:22 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Forced into this awful car market
Replies: 34
Views: 6817

Re: Forced into this awful car market

Do you have Turo in your area? Maybe someone on there would be willing to do a long lease? Otherwise, check Craig's List?

For example, there is a very trustworthy nurse in our hospital who has extra cars (for whatever reason) and she rents them as a side gig. Here in Honolulu where prices are probably higher than on the mainland, I remember paying about $800 for a one month rental of an economy car when my brother visited for an extended time.

Might get you by for a few months until the 2023s push the price down on the 2022s.
by woof755
Thu Jun 16, 2022 8:15 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Free Morningstar Portfolio Ending
Replies: 138
Views: 21044

Re: Free Morningstar Portfolio Ending

asset_chaos wrote: Thu Jun 16, 2022 7:43 pm Ah well. 20+ years of pretty good, free tracking of multiple real, test, or benchmark portfolios. $250 a year is too rich for my blood, for how often I use it and what I use it for. Without portfolio tracking I'm not sure what the basic free subscription is supposed to get me---outside of giving M* better ad targeting-). When portfolios go away, I'll probably log out of M* and never log in again.
100% the way I feel.
With all I use the site for, the distracting ads were enough price to pay.
by woof755
Thu Jun 16, 2022 6:00 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Free Morningstar Portfolio Ending
Replies: 138
Views: 21044

Re: Free Morningstar Portfolio Ending

maschmi wrote: Thu Jun 16, 2022 3:59 pm Anyone have good alternative portfolio management tools since M8 is no longer in my future?
I googled.

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investin ... ging-apps/

Not too interested in opening a new bank account and linking all my accounts.
I guess I'll put effort into improving my "Excelsmanship".
by woof755
Thu Jun 16, 2022 1:42 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Free Morningstar Portfolio Ending
Replies: 138
Views: 21044

Re: Morningstar portfolio manager - no longer free

So shady, too. Impossible to get any information on pricing of their subscriptions without clicking on "start a free trial." Is there just one subscription level? the $34.99 a month? That's egregiously expensive. Is there a difference between "Investor" level and "premium" or did they merge into one subscription level? No info whatsoever. The information I get from that site is easily paid for by the amount of time my eyes are distracted by their ads. Bogleheads don't need stock tips and active fund updates, but that portfolio manager is really nice to have. And so easy for them to provide. I'm all ears if anyone has a site that would allow us to import the data from my portfolio manager and provide a similar s...
by woof755
Tue May 10, 2022 1:27 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: New I Bond Variable Rate for May 2022 - 9.62% annualized
Replies: 260
Views: 39450

Re: New I Bond Variable Rate for May 2022 - 9.62% annualized

The cruel irony of inflation-adjusted I-Bonds is that the annual limit is itself not adjusted for inflation. No more ironic than people who eschewed buying I Bonds for years desperately trying to find ways to increase their I Bond holdings. Ha, I got a kick out of this comment (and your Tardis). I remember a lot of years when people's eyes glazed over when I talked about I Bonds. And long time periods when my I Bonds got zero return. But I've added to them steadily for years, when I could, and they have served me very well. It's unfortunate that I didn't have the funds to load up on more earlier. I surely wanted to. After a small purchase in October 2001 (after reading an article by Mel), I had to wait quite a while to have the $$$ to add ...
by woof755
Tue May 10, 2022 1:18 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: New I Bond Variable Rate for May 2022 - 9.62% annualized
Replies: 260
Views: 39450

Re: New I Bond Variable Rate for May 2022 - 9.62% annualized

However, it should be noted that since I Bonds provide tax-deferral, they don't take up space in one's tax-deferred accounts. Rather, they expand an investor's tax-deferred space. This is one of the more compelling aspects about I-Bonds (although the current return is more than a little compelling as well). I rearranged investments to set up a $100K "emergency" fund using I-bonds - although it will be another three years before it is complete. I only discovered I-bonds last year (thanks to this forum). Over the last few years I think I have learned more from reading this forum than from anywhere else. Each time I think I have reached the point where there is nothing more to learn - something else comes up. :sharebeer Hammers home...
by woof755
Wed Apr 27, 2022 1:49 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: New I Bond Variable Rate for May 2022 - 9.62% annualized
Replies: 260
Views: 39450

Re: New I Bond Variable Rate for May 2022 - 9.62% annualized

Sorry, amateur question. The December 2021 IBonds we purchased at 7.12%.
Will they begin earning 9.62% (or whatever the exact May 1st number is) as of May 1st? Or are those bonds locked in at 7.12%?

Thanks, all.
by woof755
Wed Jan 05, 2022 10:11 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Buy I bonds now or wait until may?
Replies: 109
Views: 13604

Re: Buy I bonds now or wait until may?

Grt2bOutdoors wrote: Wed Jan 05, 2022 9:42 pm
woof755 wrote: Wed Jan 05, 2022 9:23 pm
Mel Lindauer wrote: Mon Jan 03, 2022 12:06 pm
feh wrote: Mon Jan 03, 2022 9:23 am
anon_investor wrote: Sun Jan 02, 2022 8:39 pm
No brainer buy at the end of January.
+1
Yep, and you'll be that much closer to the end of the one-year lockup.
Bought my 2022 Ibonds the first of the year. Can someone explain the "one-year lockup"? If I bought on January 3rd, what does this mean for me in 2023?
It means you can not sell your I bonds until the first business day of January 2023 for bonds purchased in January 2022. That's the one year lockup.
OK, I get it. Buy at the end of January and you really only have to wait 49 weeks.
(I was wondering if this somehow meant I had to buy next year's bonds that early in January or something)
Thank you!
by woof755
Wed Jan 05, 2022 9:23 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Buy I bonds now or wait until may?
Replies: 109
Views: 13604

Re: Buy I bonds now or wait until may?

Mel Lindauer wrote: Mon Jan 03, 2022 12:06 pm
feh wrote: Mon Jan 03, 2022 9:23 am
anon_investor wrote: Sun Jan 02, 2022 8:39 pm
No brainer buy at the end of January.
+1
Yep, and you'll be that much closer to the end of the one-year lockup.
Bought my 2022 Ibonds the first of the year. Can someone explain the "one-year lockup"? If I bought on January 3rd, what does this mean for me in 2023?
by woof755
Wed Jan 05, 2022 9:18 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Treasury Direct banking change workaround?
Replies: 12
Views: 1661

Re: Treasury Direct banking change workaround?

Swimmer wrote: Wed Jan 05, 2022 1:11 pm We had to change our bank because our original bank was sold. I downloaded and printed the form, went to our local bank, and the Lead CSR took care of it. It didn’t take more than 10 minutes. I mailed it in and within 10 days received an email from TD informing me that the bank had been changed. It really was no hassle at all and gave us the opportunity to add a second bank just in case.

IMO TD doesn’t deserve the negative press it sometimes gets on this board. I’ve spoken with them on the phone over the past several years and they’re always professional and helpful.
Same experience. I was amazed at how quickly they got this changed, and we mailed ours from Hawaii. I think it was no more than 8-10 days.
by woof755
Wed Oct 20, 2021 5:06 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Where to invest $1M...
Replies: 23
Views: 4866

Re: Where to invest $1M...

1. Slay the student loan debt
2. Determine when you want to have your mortgage paid off, use a mortgage amortization calculator and find out how much extra principal you need to add to eliminate the mortgage by that date.

3. Lump sum the ~$1mm into taxable according to your current portfolio allocation
by woof755
Wed Oct 13, 2021 6:51 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Hawaii - Big Island: Tips & recommendations
Replies: 66
Views: 6154

Re: Hawaii - Big Island: Tips & recommendations

Sandtrap wrote: Wed Oct 13, 2021 6:44 pm
woof755 wrote: Wed Oct 13, 2021 3:46 pm Oh, and on the drive up to Akaka Falls, do turn right where it says "Scenic Road". It's only a few extra minutes detour. Gorgeous ocean views and other parts under a tropical canopy.
There's also a nice family run place to buy a coconut to drink (and if you're lucky, eat the fruit out of) out of and / or have a snack as you get closer to the Akaka Falls end of the road.
Akaka Falls = mosquito repellent.

Do not eat green coconuts or way too much coconut juice etc anything. It’s called “Kamehameha s Revenge” for good reason.

j🌺
Thanks for adding that color commentary! :happy
Mosquitos must not like me, as I never have problems here. Happy for that!
by woof755
Wed Oct 13, 2021 3:46 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Hawaii - Big Island: Tips & recommendations
Replies: 66
Views: 6154

Re: Hawaii - Big Island: Tips & recommendations

Oh, and on the drive up to Akaka Falls, do turn right where it says "Scenic Road". It's only a few extra minutes detour. Gorgeous ocean views and other parts under a tropical canopy.
There's also a nice family run place to buy a coconut to drink (and if you're lucky, eat the fruit out of) out of and / or have a snack as you get closer to the Akaka Falls end of the road.
by woof755
Wed Oct 13, 2021 3:31 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Hawaii - Big Island: Tips & recommendations
Replies: 66
Views: 6154

Re: Hawaii - Big Island: Tips & recommendations

Even though it's on the other side of the Island, you've gotta hit Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Been there two times - it's an absolute magical place. I give this my whole hearted endorsement. Check out Friends of Hawaii Volcanos National Park for a private tour. I know these folks, they do wonderful work with the Park. https://www.fhvnp.org/institute/private-tours/ The drive from Kona to Hilo, via Saddle Road, is amazing. You'll feel like you're on the surface of the moon. With grass. While in the park, do drive all the way to the southernmost point. You can park, walk a bit, and end up at a literal cliff which feels like the end of the world. Gorgeous. On the way down, you'll pass fields and fields of black lava that you can get out ...
by woof755
Wed Oct 13, 2021 2:07 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Father in law is telling me to pull money out of the market
Replies: 171
Views: 15681

Re: Father in law is telling me to pull money out of the market

nigel_ht wrote: Wed Oct 13, 2021 1:34 pm
woof755 wrote: Wed Oct 13, 2021 1:14 pm Just dipped in to see if his father in law in Jerome Powell.
ok, dipping out now.
I heard through reliable sources that Powell is declining reappointment and seeking New Zealand residency…

Lol, no but that would make you think right?
I think about moving to New Zealand about once a week.
by woof755
Wed Oct 13, 2021 1:14 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Father in law is telling me to pull money out of the market
Replies: 171
Views: 15681

Re: Father in law is telling me to pull money out of the market

Just dipped in to see if his father in law in Jerome Powell.
ok, dipping out now.
by woof755
Sat Oct 02, 2021 12:57 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Vanguard Website Issues using Chrome?
Replies: 23
Views: 6266

Re: Vanguard Website Issues using Chrome?

s64s wrote: Sat Oct 02, 2021 6:23 am Has anyone had luck resolving this issue? I had to switch to Firefox to log in. Same problem as above, i get the two factor code but nothing but a beige screen and no way to enter the code. The problem appeared suddenly about a month ago.
YMMV, but my issue resolved when I removed the Acorns extension from Chrome. Odd. For no reason whatsoever, it started to be a problem.
by woof755
Fri Oct 01, 2021 2:59 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Investment strategies for high net worth individuals
Replies: 116
Views: 21296

Re: Investment strategies for high net worth individuals

From Warren Buffett's 1996 letter to investors: "The wealthy are accustomed to feeling that it is their lot in life to get the best food, schooling, entertainment, housing, plastic surgery, sports ticket, you name it. Their money, they feel, should buy them something superior compared to what the masses receive. In many aspects of life, indeed, wealth does command top-grade products or services. For that reason, the financial 'elites' -- wealthy individuals, pension funds, college endowments and the like -- have great trouble meekly signing up for a financial product or service that is available as well to people investing only a few thousand dollars. This reluctance of the rich normally prevails even though the product at issue is --...
by woof755
Wed Sep 29, 2021 12:28 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What frugal thing did you do today?
Replies: 4524
Views: 617320

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

Yesterday and today I ate a bar for breakfast and a banana with peanut butter for lunch.
by woof755
Mon Sep 27, 2021 4:26 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Time to overweight BND?
Replies: 45
Views: 7617

Re: Time to overweight BND?

ebeb wrote: Sun Sep 26, 2021 6:04 pm Market-timing being the antithesis of most Bogleheads here, but still wanted to check what people thought about moving some equity funds to BND in the current bubble in s&p500. So basically making the AA more conservative anywhere in the range from 75:25 down to 67:33 like a 10% (or maybe lower say 5%) adjustment in case something like 2000 or 2008 appears a possibility in the next several quarters. Just checking if anyone has any insightful thoughts :beer
Remember the other part of the reason market timing is so difficult: you have to be correct twice.
Guess when to get out
Guess when to get back in.

Keep your AA and rebalance periodically.
by woof755
Sat Sep 25, 2021 2:14 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Avantis or DFA ETFs
Replies: 5
Views: 3473

Re: Avantis or DFA ETFs

Does anyone know the reason DFA opened DFAU?
DFAU and DFAC are both US large blend ETFs. From a few minutes of investigating on M*, it looks like the older DFAC is a little more value-y and DFAU is larger.
In their largest holdings, one doesn't hold Tesla, so there is a little difference in the decision making.

What about this small difference made it worth creating an entirely new ETF?
by woof755
Thu Sep 23, 2021 10:38 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: The Vanguard Total Stock Market has a Realized capital loss of -$1.07
Replies: 16
Views: 4745

Re: The Vanguard Total Stock Market has a Realized capital loss of -$1.07

Nate7out wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 10:19 am This is all discussed in depth on a recent Bogleheads podcast with the fund managers for VTSAX.
So good, that pod
by woof755
Wed Sep 22, 2021 9:14 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: The Vanguard Total Stock Market has a Realized capital loss of -$1.07
Replies: 16
Views: 4745

Re: The Vanguard Total Stock Market has a Realized capital loss of -$1.07

Silly Wabbit wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 8:57 pm
nps wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 8:52 pm
iamblessed wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 8:46 pm
alex_686 wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 8:27 pm No.

The fund has a ETF class. It probably will never need to distribute a capital gains. As such it will never need to use realized losses to offset gains.
True but how about those in the mutual fund?
The ETF class allows the mutual fund to avoid distributing capital gains.
How does the mechanic work?
https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2019 ... tax-dodge/


Vanguard attaches a more tax-efficient ETF to an existing mutual fund. Then the ETF siphons appreciated stocks out of the mutual fund without incurring taxes
by woof755
Tue Sep 21, 2021 8:59 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Electric Auto Question[s - considering a purchase]
Replies: 96
Views: 9897

Re: Electric Auto Question[s - considering a purchase]

For those of you who have purchased Electric Autos a couple of questions Would you return to gas powered vehicles? How have you managed "range anxiety" when traveling, with passage of time owning vehicle? Did you install charging adaptor at home? Considering a purchase Thanks :happy 1. I'm happy with my used 2015 Leaf, purchased this summer. I would not give up our other gas vehicle, but I would definitely drive electric for the rest of my life. Great pickup, very fun to drive. Easy on the conscience, too. 2. I'm in the unique position of living on an island with not too far to go. My commute is 9 miles each way. On the way to work, it's mostly downhill, and I get to work with more miles on the battery than when I left due to cha...
by woof755
Mon Aug 30, 2021 5:15 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 529 distribution question
Replies: 4
Views: 803

Re: 529 distribution question

Bumping this once bc it seems overly punitive / restricting on how funds can be spent.
Was my interpretation of that statute correct? Thanks, all.
by woof755
Sun Aug 29, 2021 5:55 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 529 distribution question
Replies: 4
Views: 803

Re: 529 distribution question

Opened a new account for my wife, transferred funds from my daughter's 529.
by woof755
Sun Aug 29, 2021 5:48 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 529 distribution question
Replies: 4
Views: 803

529 distribution question

My wife just started grad school.

Our plan is to transfer funds from another beneficiary (member of the family) into a 529 account for my wife. Is my understanding correct that any funds transferred to a new beneficiary can not be used for 12 months? The legalese is thick on this Cornell site.

(iii)Limitation on certain rollovers
Clause (i)(I) shall not apply to any transfer if such transfer occurs within 12 months from the date of a previous transfer to any qualified tuition program for the benefit of the designated beneficiary.
Source, from the wiki on 529s https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/529
by woof755
Mon Aug 23, 2021 11:15 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Do solar panels really increase house value?
Replies: 143
Views: 13303

Re: Do solar panels really increase house value?

Since some responders have commented on Texas specifically, let me add that I'm in Austin. Few things that means: 1. Austin Energy offers a rebate to install solar and does pay customers for what the panels generate 2. Austin buyers might look more favorably on solar than the average Texan 3. The Austin housing market is nuts, perhaps the value of solar would be lost in the noise if it was still a hot market at time of sale. Someone else commented about hail... Most solar panels should withstand large hail. The panels should be more resistant than the roof and I believe covered under home insurance should there be an issue with either. The reason I'm asking about increased house value is I want to understand how to factor it into the finan...