Search found 4806 matches

by Tom_T
Thu Mar 28, 2024 9:10 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Anecdotally, most people that can retire early don't
Replies: 8
Views: 561

Re: Anecdotally, most people that can retire early don't

Nobody here ever said it's awful to work past 60. Quite the contrary. If you need the money, or if you simply enjoy your work, then work as long as you like. You don't need permission. ;)

Finally, you're in your 40s. You may feel differently about working once you approach 60. You have plenty of time.
by Tom_T
Tue Mar 26, 2024 4:06 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: A note for anyone using FreeTaxUSA and paying taxes due with a credit card
Replies: 4
Views: 730

Re: A note for anyone using FreeTaxUSA and paying taxes due with a credit card

Of course, you don't have to use a credit card on FreeTaxUSA to pay taxes due. You can provide your bank account, and there's no fee. Only the credit card method charges a fee as you noted.
by Tom_T
Sun Mar 24, 2024 11:21 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: just a general comment about "too conservative" investors here
Replies: 246
Views: 40586

Re: just a general comment about "too conservative" investors here

I am 40/60 with 15% of fixed income in cash. Retired one year. No pension, no social security for at least a few years. I wonder how conservative that is? My withdrawal rate until Social Security is about 7 percent, after which it should be about 3.5% with 30 years of expenses remaining. And of course lately that number has been looking better every day. Bumping this after searching "conservative." I'm somewhat similar. Four years away from SS, after which my withdrawal rate will be very low, maybe 2%. Currently 25/75. I might bump this up at some point, but I can't see going beyond 40/60. TIPS gives me some peace of mind, and I have enough cash to pay off the mortgage if I chose to. So, I feel pretty good and I don't have any pa...
by Tom_T
Sun Mar 24, 2024 11:14 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Some reasons to help me avoid the US/exUS debate
Replies: 43
Views: 3176

Re: Some reasons to help me avoid the US/exUS debate

Just keep doing what you're doing. Avoid the long debate. There are people there who have posted literally hundreds of times on this topic, on each side of the debate, and each side is absolutely convinced that they are right and the other side is wrong. That's why the thread is over a hundred pages long. :)

What you're doing is perfectly fine. Stay the course!
by Tom_T
Sun Mar 24, 2024 10:07 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Grad school tax tips
Replies: 6
Views: 583

Re: Grad school tax tips

Helpful tips. Thank you!
by Tom_T
Sat Mar 23, 2024 2:48 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Grad school tax tips
Replies: 6
Views: 583

Grad school tax tips

My daughter will be pursuing a second graduate degree starting this fall. She's no longer a dependent. She lives in NYC. I am wondering what strategies she could employ that would be financially beneficial. Her income is around 50K.

I already used the American Opportunity Credit four times for her undergrad, so that's out. The Lifetime Learning Credit is available - but, that's not refundable, and I can't imagine her owing much tax on next year's Federal return, so I don't think the LLC will be worth much. Could she purposely underwithhold so that she would owe more money, and therefore get some of that covered by the LLC?

Put some money in a 529? Buy an I Bond and use it after a year and save on interest tax?
by Tom_T
Fri Mar 22, 2024 3:52 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Medigappers: which plan do you have and why
Replies: 89
Views: 5044

Re: Medigappers: which plan do you have and why

billaster wrote: Fri Mar 22, 2024 1:55 pm
Tom_T wrote: Fri Mar 22, 2024 12:52 pm That is why the NY plans are more expensive. I just priced out United Healthcare plans, for fun, for a 65-year-old male. The only detail I changed in the two example was the zip code.

New Jersey: Plan G is $165, Plan N is $112
New York: Plan G is $306, Plan N is $165
One big difference is that all New York plans are community rated -- everyone pays the same rate regardless of age or health condition. In New Jersey medigap plans may be attained age rated.

Try comparing an 85 year old using the same plans listed above with the same rating systems.
Yes, it's a different story.

New Jersey: G = $334, N = $257
New York: G = $306, N = $240
by Tom_T
Fri Mar 22, 2024 12:52 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Medigappers: which plan do you have and why
Replies: 89
Views: 5044

Re: Medigappers: which plan do you have and why

From reading the discussion, the rational choice for us (1-2 years away) would be G-HD. The main drawback I see is the hassle of needing to pay (a small fraction) of every single charge (until the deductible). Whereas with G, you don’t really see the bill at all. How much weight to put on this convenience factor is not clear? But, it might push me towards plan G. I'd add: In doing the math, one should also consider the state they live in and whether or not they can change Plans in the future without going through medical underwriting. One might choose G-HD during open enrollment and then find they're stuck with it when they'd like to change to G. Most states in which you can change plans without underwriting requirements, you will not be a...
by Tom_T
Thu Mar 21, 2024 3:43 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Medigap Plan G: Any Reason To Not Shop Soley By Price?
Replies: 23
Views: 1739

Re: Medigap Plan G: Any Reason To Not Shop Soley By Price?

I chose from the major players in my state: Blue Cross and United Healthcare. They were reliable, safe choices, and weren't newcomers.
by Tom_T
Thu Mar 21, 2024 6:49 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Dangers of excessive optimism?
Replies: 86
Views: 6687

Re: Dangers of excessive optimism?

corn18 wrote: Thu Mar 21, 2024 6:47 am There is a lot more green than than blue in this chart. So I can see where optimism could hurt folks these days. We are due for a grey period.

Image
When? I can't tell from that chart when it's going to happen. If you're saying "some day", well, that has always been the case.
by Tom_T
Thu Mar 21, 2024 4:39 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Dangers of excessive optimism?
Replies: 86
Views: 6687

Re: Dangers of excessive optimism?

stocknoob4111 wrote: Thu Mar 21, 2024 4:16 am Markets have gone nowhere on a real basis for the last 2+ years, I mean ZERO. We've just now broke even. I really don't care about nominal numbers, they are meaningless. On a real basis we have just now recovered from the bear market after 27 months. That does not seem anything remotely resembling irrational exuberance to me.
Total Stock Market has a cumulative return of 32% for three years, 91% for five, 209% for ten. Those are positive even on a real basis.
by Tom_T
Wed Mar 20, 2024 5:16 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How does a landline phone decrease my bundle cost
Replies: 52
Views: 3322

Re: How does a landline phone decrease my bundle cost

I went through this exercise with Verizon several months ago. The solution, for me, was to drop FiOS cable, and migrate my landline phone number to Google Voice. Verizon is now just my internet service. I save a little on the landline, but the real benefit is not being under Verizon's yoke when it comes to renewing.

I set up Google Voice so that all calls to the old landline ring on both my iPhone and my wife's. If we miss a call, Voice has the recording, and also alerts us. Best part: Voice is free.
by Tom_T
Tue Mar 19, 2024 9:57 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: International (Non-US) versus US Equities (The "Arguments")
Replies: 5351
Views: 906832

Re: International (Non-US) versus US Equities (The "Arguments")

HanSolo wrote: Tue Mar 19, 2024 12:58 am
Nathan Drake wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2024 11:50 pm Those that are 100% US are literally banking everything on US outcomes outperforming.
Some of them don't have the objective of outperforming someone else. Maybe they're not interested in the horse race aspect of it. I'm not.

You can assume so, but you know what they say about "assume"....
U.S. doesn't even have to outperform. It could just be similar, which is why some people conclude "why bother?" for international.
by Tom_T
Sat Mar 16, 2024 10:25 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Cash balance plan asset allocation
Replies: 3
Views: 717

Re: Cash balance plan asset allocation

It sounds inordinately complicated and unnecessary to me. What is magical about a 5% yield?
by Tom_T
Sat Mar 16, 2024 5:03 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: It seems that intermediate bond funds generate the lowest yield now
Replies: 11
Views: 2488

Re: It seems that intermediate bond funds generate the lowest yield now

Looking at the yield curve: https://fixedincome.fidelity.com/ftgw/fi/FILanding?bar=p#tbcurrent-yields|median-yield It seems that intermediate bond funds generate the lowest yield now compared with short-term and long-term bond funds. And the phenomenon has last for a while. Not sure when this will change. Anyone thinks that we should swap current intermediate bond funds with short-term and long-term bond funds while keeping the duration of the bond portfolio the same? It is impossible to always earn a maximum yield unless you are clairvoyant. Nobody can answer your question with anything other than a guess about the future. That is not a basis for changing one's allocation. Just accept that your bond yields can't be optimized. All they hav...
by Tom_T
Thu Mar 14, 2024 11:43 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Election spam texts
Replies: 41
Views: 2594

Re: Election spam texts

You should also be careful that the text isn't phishing. It may say "help us defeat X in November", but who knows where the link is pointing to.
by Tom_T
Tue Mar 12, 2024 11:29 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Taxes & Social Security calculation
Replies: 11
Views: 1310

Re: Taxes & Social Security calculation

What you take out of your solo business is your decision, but that's not what the OP is evaluating. How is he going to report more income?
by Tom_T
Tue Mar 12, 2024 6:59 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Taxes & Social Security calculation
Replies: 11
Views: 1310

Re: Taxes & Social Security calculation

For the record, discussions of dishonest behavior or bypassing the law is totally unacceptable . Taxes are based on US law. Intentionally filing a tax return that does not match your actual income (misreporting your income) is therefore illegal and is known as tax evasion . pearlmoon - What did you mean by "report" higher income? Do you mean working more to earn higher income which shows up on the SSA report? Is paying oneself illegal? People do this all the time, for example those that need to catch up on their social security points. They file a 1099-se and pay the proper tax. What’s wrong with increasing one’s salary? He's a sole proprietor. All of his income is reported as income, and he pays the payroll tax on net income. Th...
by Tom_T
Tue Mar 12, 2024 6:14 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: How many are holding cash right now?
Replies: 203
Views: 31416

Re: How many are holding cash right now?

nassau34 wrote: Tue Mar 12, 2024 12:22 am Right, but then what do you do when money market account yields decline, and bond purchases are unattractive due to declining interest rates, and the stock market is at all-time highs?
If you bought bonds now, they will go up in price if rates drop. There is no law that says we can expect to earn 5% at all times. :(
by Tom_T
Mon Mar 11, 2024 4:42 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Your Original Medicare OR Advantage Experience: Nightmare or Sublime?
Replies: 156
Views: 10630

Re: Your Original Medicare OR Advantage Experience: Nightmare or Sublime?

I didn't know this, but Patients can change insurance only during end-of-year enrollment periods or at the time of “qualifying life events,” such as a divorce or job change. But insurers’ contracts with doctors, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies (or their middlemen, so-called pharmacy benefit managers) can change abruptly at any time. Source: How your in-network health coverage can vanish before you know it. I think that would apply to some Medicare Advantage plans. It would, but if you receive care from a provider who leaves the network, I believe that is a qualifying event for guaranteed issue of Medigap or to change to a different Advantage plan. Interesting. I had not heard that and would like to know more about that if it is true...
by Tom_T
Mon Mar 11, 2024 4:11 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Now that long TIPS yields are 60 bp off their highs I will…
Replies: 2952
Views: 623466

Re: Now that long TIPS yields are 60 bp off their highs I will…

anoop wrote: Mon Mar 11, 2024 3:49 pm
Tom_T wrote: Mon Mar 11, 2024 3:05 pm
anoop wrote: Mon Mar 11, 2024 9:57 am Today I sold out of all my TIPS. I had been thinking about this for a while. I don't think they are a good product *for me* since the way inflation is measured doesn't seem to have any correlation to my spending.
What is your alternative? Nominal bonds have no gurantee against inflation. Stocks are volatile.
Unfortunately, there is none. :(
Then TIPS still make sense, unless you want to take on more equity risk in the hope of beating your personal inflation.
by Tom_T
Mon Mar 11, 2024 3:05 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Now that long TIPS yields are 60 bp off their highs I will…
Replies: 2952
Views: 623466

Re: Now that long TIPS yields are 60 bp off their highs I will…

anoop wrote: Mon Mar 11, 2024 9:57 am Today I sold out of all my TIPS. I had been thinking about this for a while. I don't think they are a good product *for me* since the way inflation is measured doesn't seem to have any correlation to my spending.
What is your alternative? Nominal bonds have no gurantee against inflation. Stocks are volatile.
by Tom_T
Sun Mar 10, 2024 4:11 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Not filing state return because of zero tax
Replies: 15
Views: 1192

Re: Not filing state return because of zero tax

No issues. Plenty of people only file Federal because they're under their state's income threshold. But, some states require it no matter what. Don't assume anything just because your tax is zero. What is your state's rule about who must file?
by Tom_T
Fri Mar 08, 2024 9:19 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: AARP/UHC Medigap policies
Replies: 40
Views: 3336

Re: AARP/UHC Medigap policies

We are in the process of signing up for Medicare. Living in NJ once we pick a plan we may be pretty much "stuck" on it for the rest of our lives. With the research I have done it seems that sticking to a larger Medigap insurance carrier is usually the way to go since they have more people in the plan to spread out expenses. I'm also aware that corporations need to make a profit to stay in business. The major insurance companies in NJ for Medigap are AARP/UHC, BC/BS, Cigna, Aetna, Humana and off in a distance is Mutual of Omaha (MOO). UHC is the largest by far, Cigna is selling (or sold) it's Advantage business, Aetna and Humana are very small in NJ and MOO seems to close plans every so often and reopen a new plan under one of it'...
by Tom_T
Fri Mar 08, 2024 8:59 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Switching from Medicare Advantage back to original Medicare
Replies: 18
Views: 2912

Re: Switching from Medicare Advantage back to original Medicare

According to georgia.gov:

"If you’re already in a Medicare Advantage Plan, you can switch back to Original Medicare during Open Enrollment. "

https://georgia.gov/news/2020-10-16/med ... enrollment

However, if you also want a Medigap plan, you may be subject to medical underwriting. I would check with your state's SHIP office.

https://aging.georgia.gov/georgia-ship
by Tom_T
Thu Mar 07, 2024 5:17 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Your Original Medicare OR Advantage Experience: Nightmare or Sublime?
Replies: 156
Views: 10630

Re: Your Original Medicare Experience: Nightmare or Sublime?

I don't see how waiting for specialists and getting an appointment as a new patient is a problem specific to Medicare. That's an issue for everybody.

I have Medicare and Medigap. I have never had to lift a finger for any billing issue. And, I've had surgery. It is all seamless from my perspective. Having Medigap definitely helps, as tibbetts said.

Prescription drugs are based on your Part D plan, and that can be an issue. That said, I've paid next to nothing for a number of basic medications. My last antibiotic was free at Costco. I do have to take a specialty med soon, and that will cost me, but it would cost me even with private insurance.
by Tom_T
Thu Mar 07, 2024 4:56 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Wordle [Anyone playing Wordle?]
Replies: 393
Views: 43952

Re: Wordle [Anyone playing Wordle?]

AnnetteLouisan wrote: Thu Mar 07, 2024 4:53 pm Love Wordle, spelling bee, etc. connections is my current favorite - it’s often the first thing I do when I wake up.
Literally my morning routine:

Feed cat (who starts meowing at 4:30 or so)
Make coffee
Do Connections, Wordle, Spelling Bee, Mini crossword, regular crossword
by Tom_T
Thu Mar 07, 2024 4:21 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: HELP! Need Credit Card Advice for Young Adult
Replies: 14
Views: 1003

Re: HELP! Need Credit Card Advice for Young Adult

Hi -- I am a 21 year old looking for a new credit card. A few years ago, I opened one through my bank with little to no benefits to earn a high credit score and eventually transition to a better card. I am now looking for that card but am not sure where to start. There are a lot of options! I mostly use my current card for gas, rent, utilities, and groceries. All advice is welcome! I am new to BogleHeads and would love to learn from your wisdom. I would not play the credit card game at your age. You probably don’t have the expenses to spend enough to get significant bonuses or the income to ensure you always pay it to zero. You will increase your financial wellbeing more by budgeting and saving and improving your career, rather than spendi...
by Tom_T
Thu Mar 07, 2024 4:13 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Another Medicare Advantage Discussion - Let's have some facts
Replies: 22
Views: 1379

Re: Another Medicare Advantage Discussion - Let's have some facts

No question it is a maze. But again I would challenge one example. I would like to see more actual statistics. Might have to dig to find them and I know that some plans are better than others. The problem is that there is no way to tell what plan will be best/cheapest until you know your medical needs. If you never get sick, MA will be cheapest. After that, it's a question of what medical services you will be using. There is no one-size-fits-all answer. You really have to think of the "insurance" part of it, as protection against unforeseen events. It will be hard to figure out what you're getting for your money if you don't know your future health. I don't think it is true that MA is the cheapest "only" if you never ge...
by Tom_T
Thu Mar 07, 2024 1:55 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Another Medicare Advantage Discussion - Let's have some facts
Replies: 22
Views: 1379

Re: Another Medicare Advantage Discussion - Let's have some facts

trueson1 wrote: Thu Mar 07, 2024 1:12 pm
No question it is a maze. But again I would challenge one example. I would like to see more actual statistics. Might have to dig to find them and I know that some plans are better than others.
The problem is that there is no way to tell what plan will be best/cheapest until you know your medical needs. If you never get sick, MA will be cheapest. After that, it's a question of what medical services you will be using. There is no one-size-fits-all answer. You really have to think of the "insurance" part of it, as protection against unforeseen events. It will be hard to figure out what you're getting for your money if you don't know your future health.
by Tom_T
Thu Mar 07, 2024 12:33 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Another Medicare Advantage Discussion - Let's have some facts
Replies: 22
Views: 1379

Re: Another Medicare Advantage Discussion - Let's have some facts

Many people simply can't afford Medicare, so I can see the allure of a dirt-cheap MA policy. There is another Forbes article, about why MA is so cheap: it's pay later vs. pay now. They gave the following as an example of how you can pay more with MA. It's a story from 2022, so the numbers would likely be higher now. A beneficiary in Chicago broke her hip. Her medical care included an emergency room visit, x-rays, an MRI, hospital admission, a skilled nursing facility stay, and outpatient physical therapy. With Original Medicare and Plan G, her total costs were capped at $1,637 (monthly premium of $117 plus $233). Copayments with a Medicare Advantage PPO (preferred provider organization) plan totaled $3,140. Another beneficiary living in New...
by Tom_T
Thu Mar 07, 2024 8:49 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Blackout shades for bedroom
Replies: 30
Views: 2239

Re: Blackout shades for bedroom

In my daughter's apartment, I installed a double curtain rod. The inner rod holds a light-filtering curtain (for when she wants light), and the outer rod holds a blackout curtain (for when she's asleep.) She opens up the blackout curtain during the day if she wants light.
by Tom_T
Thu Mar 07, 2024 4:47 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Laid off and want to downshift
Replies: 30
Views: 4877

Re: Laid off and want to downshift

Your assumptions might be overly optimistic.

People tend to underestimate their expenses. If you say you need $22.5 a year, that sounds almost too exact unless you know exactly what you spend. Also, there will be unexpected expenses. What if you need a new car? Or a new roof? What about college?

One other thing: if anything happens to your wife's income, you're in serious financial trouble.

It's fair to say that if you're 35 years old with a family, and you need to withdraw over $1000/month from your savings to pay the bills, you might be spending too much money.
by Tom_T
Wed Mar 06, 2024 3:38 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Plateaued with my 45 minute workout - Age 47
Replies: 90
Views: 7898

Re: Plateaued with my 45 minute workout - Age 47

If you want to run faster, you have to run longer and slower. Check out 80/20 workouts. I would be grateful if you had a link (or links!) to answer a specific question: Does zone 2 training help if you keep your workout TIME the same? To illustrate: If I can run (or elliptical or whatever) at, say, 6 miles per hour and my choices are: Run for one hour at 6 miles per hour (so 6 miles), or Run for one hour at 5 miles per hour (so 5 miles) Does running at 5 miles per hour "help"? or would I need to keep the *distance* the same and so increase my workout to 1 hour and 12 minutes? It APPEARS that one of the primary benefits of zone-2 training is that you can do a lot more of it. But if one isn't going to increase the time spent on exe...
by Tom_T
Wed Mar 06, 2024 9:33 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Plateaued with my 45 minute workout - Age 47
Replies: 90
Views: 7898

Re: Plateaued with my 45 minute workout - Age 47

rockstar wrote: Wed Mar 06, 2024 9:30 am If you want to run faster, you have to run longer and slower. Check out 80/20 workouts.
+1. Many novice runners (and some others) don't understand the physiology of running and what makes you faster.

But as I said earlier, the OP needs to decide what purpose his running serves. Training for a 5K is very different than general fitness.
by Tom_T
Wed Mar 06, 2024 7:45 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Plateaued with my 45 minute workout - Age 47
Replies: 90
Views: 7898

Re: Plateaued with my 45 minute workout - Age 47

In a nutshell I alternate half mile of treadmill running at 8.5/9.0 mph with a set of bench press and pull ups. I feel exhausted at the end of the workout and I do the last half mile at a slower 8.0 mph. I am unable to do this every day as my legs feel tired and sore. If I do it everyday then I find I need to lower my speed. So I do this around three times a week. But the problem is I can't seem to increase the speed on the treadmill . I seem to have plateaued at this 8.5 mph speed. Is it due to age or wrong workout regiment? And if I take a week off then I come back quite slower, usually at 8.0/8.5 mph pace. Here's the exact workout: Run 0.5 miles on treadmill at 8.5 mph speed Do 1 set of bench press 10 repetitions Run 0.5 miles on treadm...
by Tom_T
Wed Mar 06, 2024 6:56 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: When do you tax-loss harvest?
Replies: 15
Views: 1556

When do you tax-loss harvest?

I'm curious about when people decide to tax-loss harvest. I'm contemplating my own plans should we have a market downturns this year. Do you wait until you have a $3000 loss? Less? Or even more, if you are carrying it over?
by Tom_T
Tue Mar 05, 2024 6:39 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Can I retire?
Replies: 41
Views: 4830

Re: Can I retire?

Apologies to the thread for my snarky comment. We get a few "can I retire" posts from people who have millions of dollars and clearly can retire... but I get that there are a lot of moving parts, and a transition is a transition no matter what. OP asked a sincere question. Mea culpa.
by Tom_T
Tue Mar 05, 2024 8:36 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Can I retire?
Replies: 41
Views: 4830

Re: Can I retire?

deleted
by Tom_T
Tue Mar 05, 2024 7:38 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Giving (unequal) money to adult children
Replies: 90
Views: 8413

Re: Giving (unequal) money to adult children

"a misadventure on my adult child's part" ?

I wouldn't give any more money. How can you even trust what you're being told?
by Tom_T
Tue Mar 05, 2024 7:07 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Can I retire?
Replies: 41
Views: 4830

Re: Can I retire?

deleted
by Tom_T
Mon Mar 04, 2024 11:36 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: How big (if at all) of a mistake would it be for me to go VT instead of VTI/VXUS in taxable?
Replies: 67
Views: 5711

Re: Strongly regretting my decision to separate into VTI/VXUS in taxable account instead of VT, unsure how to best proce

Here is the main problem with this level of tweaking: the tweaker never goes back to look at what the results would have been without any tweaking at all. They think that by doing something, they are improving the results.
by Tom_T
Mon Mar 04, 2024 10:14 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: How big (if at all) of a mistake would it be for me to go VT instead of VTI/VXUS in taxable?
Replies: 67
Views: 5711

Re: Strongly regretting my decision to separate into VTI/VXUS in taxable account instead of VT, unsure how to best proce

To quote yourself, you're making a big deal out of nothing and that the exact percentages don't really matter as long as it's close enough. :)

Seriously. You're concerned that one side might be $14K unbalanced? Out of millions? Not only are you overthinking this, you are WAY overthinking this. You are not going to improve your results by micromanaging your allocations on a daily basis, or a weekly basis, or even a monthly basis.
by Tom_T
Mon Mar 04, 2024 6:23 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Good or bad time to invest in S&P 500 for Roth IRA?
Replies: 30
Views: 4024

Re: Good or bad time to invest in S&P 500 for Roth IRA?

newinvestor345 wrote: Mon Mar 04, 2024 3:41 am So, if I invest in these funds now that the markets are hot, would I not set myself up for losses as soon as the market cools down again?
Are you thinking that it's possible to invest in stocks and never show a loss? If you know how to do that, you will be very wealthy. :)

Also, losses on paper aren't realized unless you sell. Think of the market as a roller coaster. The idea is to ride out the ups and downs along the way. If you are investing for 25 years, it doesn't matter where the market is today. Most likely, you won't even remember. Quick - what was the Dow in 1999?

(Answer: 10,481. Today it is around 38,000.)
by Tom_T
Sun Mar 03, 2024 6:32 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Medicare: 64 Year Old Eyeing 2025 Medicare
Replies: 164
Views: 11827

Re: Medicare: 64 Year Old Eyeing 2025 Medicare

So for the OP, what is critical is that you read the rules in YOUR state (and any other state where you might want to live in the future.) The OP is in Pennsylvania. The dead pool thread that I linked to is about Pennsylvania. It is possible to move to another state that allows you to switch Medigap plans without medical underwriting. However, that is a big change. It's better to select the right plan at age 65. It's no secret that I'm in Pennsylvania. Exactly. That’s why I’m trying to understand all of this way ahead of time. When I was doing my Medigap homework, I found this guy to offer the best and most realistic no-nonsense advice about choosing a company. He's also on YouTube. There's another guy on YouTube who is popular but actuall...
by Tom_T
Sun Mar 03, 2024 7:31 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: The Psychology of Retirement (Your thought and experience, please!)
Replies: 38
Views: 5181

Re: The Psychology of Retirement (Your thought and experience, please!)

Outer Marker wrote: Sun Mar 03, 2024 6:48 am 100% WFH with 7-8 weeks paid leave and good comp sounds like a pretty sweet deal. Retiring at 56 with only $1M in investable assets does not sound like it would support a comfortable long retirement in a HCOL area, though your husband is working. Personally, I'd keep going and make the most of your generous time off with family. Bailing now will permantly reduce your standard of living for the rest of your life.
+1
by Tom_T
Sat Mar 02, 2024 2:53 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: [What TV Show Have You Recently Watched?]
Replies: 5993
Views: 699809

Re: [What TV Show Have You Recently Watched?]

Rewatching the original Frasier . I had forgotten just how clever the writing was. Just finished a six-episode season of Funny Woman on PBS. British show about a free-spirited girl trying to make her way in comedy in 1960s London. It's cute, and the soundtrack brings back memories. We really enjoyed Funny Woman. We streamed it through our PBS Passport membership which didn't bleep any of the dialog. (It's not that I wanted to hear all the four letter words, but when watching it live/recorded on our local PBS channel, so many words were muted that it broke up the dialog too much.) I liked the soundtrack, the 60s clothing and that beautiful red Austin Healey. It will be back for a second season, in the form of four one-hour episodes.
by Tom_T
Sat Mar 02, 2024 2:52 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: [What TV Show Have You Recently Watched?]
Replies: 5993
Views: 699809

Re: [What TV Show Have You Recently Watched?]

Just started watching the remake of Shogun, on FX. I remember the original 1980 miniseries very well. Remake is very good; dialogue and cast seem more realistic.
by Tom_T
Sat Mar 02, 2024 8:04 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: I want to pay off car using money from Roth IRA
Replies: 40
Views: 4638

Re: I want to pay off car using money from Roth IRA

You're talking about spending 2.4% of your assets for a car. Just do it. You don't need to take an Uber or eat cat food.
by Tom_T
Sat Mar 02, 2024 7:36 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Invest cash when interest goes down
Replies: 52
Views: 5394

Re: Invest cash when interest goes down

The narrative that the Fed is definitely cutting rates this year has already been thrown out the window. It's far from certain, and in fact, one Fed manager even suggested that another hike might be necessary. My point is that you should not follow prevailing narratives (which may be old but continue to circulate as if they were facts.) For example, a number of people have set up CD ladders. That's certainly a valid approach. But, guess what happens if the Fed sticks with its "higher for longer" strategy? The people in CD ladders will be earning 4% while the MM fund continues to earn 5%. Or maybe the Fed cuts rates enough so that the MM fund earns 4% instead of 5%. That's no better or worse than the CD (where your money is tied up...