Search found 547 matches
- Thu Jul 02, 2020 7:37 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Allan Roth: Muni bond default risk
- Replies: 34
- Views: 2582
Re: Allan Roth: Muni bond default risk
I can agree with Roth that the muni segment may go through some trying times. But so will all categories as we deal with this climb out of Covid. Are muni's really at risk of total default or just loss of asset value for a period of time? As a long time holder of muni's they've gone up and down but ...
- Thu Jul 02, 2020 7:20 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: What are you paying for umbrella insurance?
- Replies: 56
- Views: 4103
Re: What are you paying for umbrella insurance?
Was $475 for $1M 2 adults, 2 young drivers
Changed to $625 for $1M 2 adults, 2 young drivers, 1 at-fault driving accident.
Changed to $625 for $1M 2 adults, 2 young drivers, 1 at-fault driving accident.
- Wed Jun 17, 2020 12:18 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Should I keep my $1 million life insurance policy after age 65?
- Replies: 65
- Views: 5198
Re: Should I keep my $1 million life insurance policy after age 65?
This question ties in well with my situation as well. I'm 20 years into a 25 year term policy for $700,000. I determined the policy has outlived its need due to the state of our financial situation and was going to let the policy lapse when it came up for renewal. However, I have heard it is possib...
- Wed Jun 17, 2020 12:11 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Should I keep my $1 million life insurance policy after age 65?
- Replies: 65
- Views: 5198
Re: Should I keep my $1 million life insurance policy after age 65?
However, I have heard it is possible to sell insurance policies, including term policies, to independent 3rd parties. A term policy must be convertible (to whole life) for this to be possible. Low cost term policies are typically not convertible. In checking, the policy was convertible at one time ...
- Tue Jun 16, 2020 6:21 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Should I keep my $1 million life insurance policy after age 65?
- Replies: 65
- Views: 5198
Re: Should I keep my $1 million life insurance policy after age 65?
This question ties in well with my situation as well. I'm 20 years into a 25 year term policy for $700,000. I determined the policy has outlived its need due to the state of our financial situation and was going to let the policy lapse when it came up for renewal. However, I have heard it is possibl...
- Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:53 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Spectrum - Wanting to buy my own Cable Modem & WiFi Router
- Replies: 13
- Views: 1889
Re: Spectrum - Wanting to buy my own Cable Modem & WiFi Router
I have the same combo as the OP. TG1672. 2500 sq ft house. Combo located upstairs in center bedroom. It works fine throughout the house with download speeds of 117 mbs. The 5Ghz signal gets dropped periodically and it has been a problem but the 2.4Ghz has always worked. I do believe that you have to...
- Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:37 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: What Amazon Prime (free) movies y'd recommend ?
- Replies: 78
- Views: 7010
Re: What Amazon Prime (free) movies y'd recommend ?
It doesn't get better than BCS. I'm current on this one in Season 5.lthenderson wrote: ↑Sat Apr 04, 2020 2:54 pm I'm in season 2 of Better Call Saul on Netflix and have enjoyed it.
- Sun Apr 05, 2020 3:56 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Are your personal expenses down during stay home and shelter?
- Replies: 180
- Views: 13086
Re: Are your personal expenses down during stay home and shelter?
My daily discretionary living expenditures have decreased during the stay home and shelter status. Typically about $500/week dining out. Now about $150 week with food delivery and home groceries. Not drinking at dinner and going to bars have mainly contributed. Travel expenses down nearly %75 for t...
- Sun Apr 05, 2020 3:25 pm
- Forum: US Chapters
- Topic: How Is Your Job Being Impacted By The Current Crisis?
- Replies: 505
- Views: 56756
Re: How Is Your Job Being Impacted By The Current Crisis?
I already work from home and expected to travel nationally about 25% of the time. Obviously, home 100% now. I'm "safe" for the next month or two, and have a healthy emergency fund, but I'm concerned for the 150 people we have in our factory. We've already scaled back production and have li...
- Mon Mar 23, 2020 4:49 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: College partial refunds and 529s
- Replies: 25
- Views: 2374
Re: College partial refunds and 529s
My daughters college has stated that "Your account will be prorated and credited based on your move-out date..." So basically the assumption is the credit will apply in the Fall. I assume if a student did not continue a check would be sent to the individual.
- Tue Mar 17, 2020 4:37 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Treasury extends [tax payment date 90 days, filing deadline still April 15]
- Replies: 80
- Views: 3144
- Tue Mar 17, 2020 4:33 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: College Housing Expenses and Coronavirus
- Replies: 4
- Views: 469
Re: College Housing Expenses and Coronavirus
That's a good question and brighter tax minds than mine can comment but honestly, I would make sure I exclude those expenses for the balance of the school year from 529 distributions and pay out of other sources in case the IRS wants to play hardball on this.
- Tue Mar 17, 2020 4:24 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: CNBC Nightly Business Report cease production in Dec 2019
- Replies: 123
- Views: 8034
Re: CNBC Nightly Business Report cease production in Dec 2019
I was very disappointed when they cancelled it. In my area it was replaced with France24. 

- Tue Mar 17, 2020 4:19 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Get a 2nd Refrigerator for Home, and put in garage - Good idea?
- Replies: 88
- Views: 5319
Re: Get a 2nd Refrigerator for Home, and put in garage - Good idea?
This may have been mentioned but expect your electric to jump. My did about $35 a month and then I realized all I was cooling was extra cases of soda and some incidentals.
- Tue Mar 17, 2020 4:16 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Anybody here go all-Linux for personal computing?
- Replies: 117
- Views: 9626
Re: Anybody here go all-Linux for personal computing?
I've used Ubuntu for about 3 years and love it.
Funny how this thread had a 7 year gap from 2013 before being resurrected and continued in 2020.
Funny how this thread had a 7 year gap from 2013 before being resurrected and continued in 2020.
- Fri Mar 13, 2020 2:07 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Purchase airline stock?
- Replies: 32
- Views: 2251
Re: Purchase airline stock?
Sorry OP, this is the wrong board to ask about individual stocks. This group will chew you up and spit you out.
- Fri Mar 06, 2020 12:25 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Filing tax returns for others who can't review
- Replies: 16
- Views: 1130
Re: Filing tax returns for others who can't review
It might be a problem. I did my kids taxes and had to input their DL's.
- Fri Mar 06, 2020 11:48 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: 30 year mortgage under 3%
- Replies: 301
- Views: 48116
Re: 30 year mortgage under 3%
As of 3/6/20 PenFed CU shows 2.75% / 2.876% APR on a 30 year conventional fixed rate mortgage.
- Fri Feb 28, 2020 2:32 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Amazon / Costco seems have best Turbotax prices possible?
- Replies: 8
- Views: 949
Re: Amazon / Costco seems have best Turbotax prices possible?
$55 for Premier using a Fidelity or PenFed member discount.
- Fri Feb 21, 2020 6:52 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Financing a home Renovation
- Replies: 17
- Views: 1591
Re: Financing a home Renovation
90% LTV HELOC or Home Equity Loan. 50% of the shortfall I'm unsure of the rates of the HELOC or FHA loans, but my best guess would be in the 6-7% range. I don't even know if we would find a bank that would give us a HELOC or Home Equity Loan given how little equity we do have in the house... The ba...
- Fri Feb 21, 2020 6:43 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Any way to change Vanguard's account page format?
- Replies: 8
- Views: 957
Re: Any way to change Vanguard's account page format?
I've not found a way to return to the old-style Overview page either. I find the landing page after sign in to be mostly 100% a waste of my time. Sometimes, I do click on the Activity tab after signing in since it does provide a decent way to determine if there's been a recent transaction. But I th...
- Sun Feb 16, 2020 6:06 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: What's Your Credit Card Rewards Strategy?
- Replies: 5101
- Views: 962314
Re: What's Your Credit Card Rewards Strategy?
My strategy was to open a Barclays World Elite MC to take advantage of an airline companion deal. I closed a similar account with Barclays (diff airline) about 16 months ago. That account was approved rather quickly (FICO 800+), no other debt. This time I received a letter asking me to forward a 45...
- Sun Feb 16, 2020 5:47 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Out of State Colleges - Good Computer Science Bargains?
- Replies: 65
- Views: 4688
Re: Out of State Colleges - Good Computer Science Bargains?
Re: UC Cost. I have one daughter that graduated from UCLA last June and I tracked expenses pretty carefully. All in cost was $28K per year for 4 years. She was covered by my employer's insurance, was careful about book purchasing, and led a low cost lifestyle. The cost was somewhat reduced by her m...
- Sun Feb 16, 2020 1:51 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Horrible Experience with Vanguard [Login account security]
- Replies: 163
- Views: 11703
Re: Horrible Experience with Vanguard
When you get control of the account back switch the security verification number to a Google Voice number rather than a land line. It will stay with you if you move. Agree with the others that Vanguard should make it difficult to reset security features their customers have chosen to enable. I don'...
- Fri Feb 14, 2020 6:34 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: How to claim HSA investments on my taxes (Cali)
- Replies: 21
- Views: 1718
Re: How to claim HSA investments on my taxes (Cali)
Welcome! I'm going to presume you are a fairly high earner, so sure, always nice to avoid state tax at 9.3%. (I presume this noting your use of the term "Cali" which suggests you are not a native. I'd guess you probably relocated here for a job, which would have to pay pretty well to get ...
- Wed Feb 12, 2020 1:12 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Out of State Colleges - Good Computer Science Bargains?
- Replies: 65
- Views: 4688
Re: Out of State Colleges - Good Computer Science Bargains?
With University of California commanding $37,000/year all in UC doesn't cost $37k all in. I just had one child go thru the Computer Sci program at UC-Riverside. Only scholarship was a $2,000 merit based plan. Total annual cost with room/board was about $22k. I would expect room/board to be quite a ...
- Tue Feb 11, 2020 7:16 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Out of State Colleges - Good Computer Science Bargains?
- Replies: 65
- Views: 4688
Re: Out of State Colleges - Good Computer Science Bargains?
With University of California commanding $37,000/year all in UC doesn't cost $37k all in. I just had one child go thru the Computer Sci program at UC-Riverside. Only scholarship was a $2,000 merit based plan. Total annual cost with room/board was about $22k. I would expect room/board to be quite a ...
- Sun Feb 09, 2020 4:06 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: 60/40 Doesn't Cut it Anymore?
- Replies: 84
- Views: 12945
Re: 60/40 Doesn't Cut it Anymore?
How much downside risk are you willing to experience? How long will it take to recover? https://i.postimg.cc/x1WbdpHj/98-CB5-D7-A-FC21-42-FD-8-DC1-FD0-A1-ECBB1-A0.png I'm missing something. This implies being 100% bonds is better on the upside then a 50/50 AA, with the best limited downside.
- Sun Feb 09, 2020 3:56 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Employer finally adding a HSA Option - Help me choose funds
- Replies: 21
- Views: 1211
Re: Employer finally adding a HSA Option - Help me choose funds
The other question I have is should I keep the $ with Health Equity given the 0.033% admin fee on top of the ER's? Or should I move it to the Fidelity FSA once a year (or whatever period makes sense/legal). Will your employer allow you to move to Fidelity? In my case I'm limited to using Optum, but...
- Fri Jan 24, 2020 7:32 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Checking Account Compromised
- Replies: 18
- Views: 2260
Re: Checking Account Compromised
For those of you that just keep a low balance in checking accounts am I defeating the purpose of doing this by having said checking account linked to a savings account? In other words, if they can get into one can they get into both?
- Fri Jan 24, 2020 7:25 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: College Reunion Destination
- Replies: 49
- Views: 3546
Re: College Reunion Destination
Maybe I missed it but surely Las Vegas. Golf, beer, football (this year), you can rent race cars for use on a track, gambling of course, and the most important thing.....What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!. 

- Fri Jan 24, 2020 7:19 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Thicker/Flatter Dental Floss or Tape?
- Replies: 34
- Views: 2681
Re: Thicker/Flatter Dental Floss or Tape?
Standard Reach Waxed Floss that I dip into Listerine for every tooth. It allows the Listerine to penetrate below the gum line and kill bacteria. The gums tend to self seal against the teeth and this is one way to get the Listerine into those areas. It has made a world of difference in regards to the...
- Fri Jan 24, 2020 7:14 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Amount of cash wedding gift?
- Replies: 57
- Views: 4990
Re: Amount of cash wedding gift?
DW and I were ponding a similar issue with an international twist. Normally, the $100 / $200 amounts sound find for us. In our case we're headed to Australia for a 2nd cousin wedding. Not incredibly close but part of a few family members we have overseas. We're thinking for this one $200 but since t...
- Fri Jan 24, 2020 6:49 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Umbrella insurance cost
- Replies: 98
- Views: 7611
Re: Umbrella insurance cost
$1M 4 adults. Two classified as "inexperienced drivers" although one of the drivers may now be considered experienced as rate went down from $647 to $461 thru Geico.
- Fri Jan 24, 2020 6:38 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Tax Question - RMD on Inherited IRA
- Replies: 29
- Views: 2324
Re: Tax Question - RMD on Inherited IRA
Worrying over and carrying on. Thanks,

- Fri Jan 24, 2020 1:29 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Tax Question - RMD on Inherited IRA
- Replies: 29
- Views: 2324
Re: Tax Question - RMD on Inherited IRA
The estate files an income tax return, Form 1041, with a K-1 for each heir. The estate accounts for the RMD that it took, showing on the K-1s that it distributed all of it. The heirs receive a K-1 from the estate. The IRS can match those. As Alan S. points out, the estate should not receive and pro...
- Wed Jan 22, 2020 11:58 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Tax Question - RMD on Inherited IRA
- Replies: 29
- Views: 2324
Re: Tax Question - RMD on Inherited IRA
No, first of all the estate cannot take a distribution unless it is the actual beneficiary and that is almost always a costly mistake and will impair the beneficiary stretch. If the estate did happen to be the beneficiary, the 5 year rule will apply if decedent passed prior to the RBD, and the dece...
- Mon Jan 20, 2020 2:55 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Is There a Tax Basis on These Stocks?
- Replies: 16
- Views: 1159
Re: Is There a Tax Basis on These Stocks?
I concur with hachiko's statement that this is, at least initially, a matter of will interpretation or inheritance law. If you conclude that the shares, which apparently were FIL's sole property prior to his death (notwithstanding the deposit of dividends thereon in a joint account with MIL), legal...
- Mon Jan 20, 2020 1:58 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: What's Your Credit Card Rewards Strategy?
- Replies: 5101
- Views: 962314
Re: What's Your Credit Card Rewards Strategy?
My strategy was to open a Barclays World Elite MC to take advantage of an airline companion deal. I closed a similar account with Barclays (diff airline) about 16 months ago. That account was approved rather quickly (FICO 800+), no other debt. This time I received a letter asking me to forward a 45...
- Sun Jan 19, 2020 6:44 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Vehicles as a percentage of net worth
- Replies: 130
- Views: 16635
Re: Vehicles as a percentage of net worth
I've never looked at this number, so it was an interesting exercise.
Value of four vehicles < 1% of net assets.
Value of four vehicles < 1% of net assets.
- Sun Jan 19, 2020 6:32 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: What's Your Credit Card Rewards Strategy?
- Replies: 5101
- Views: 962314
Re: What's Your Credit Card Rewards Strategy?
My strategy was to open a Barclays World Elite MC to take advantage of an airline companion deal. I closed a similar account with Barclays (diff airline) about 16 months ago. That account was approved rather quickly (FICO 800+), no other debt. This time I received a letter asking me to forward a 45...
- Sun Jan 19, 2020 6:12 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Is There a Tax Basis on These Stocks?
- Replies: 16
- Views: 1159
- Sun Jan 19, 2020 6:05 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: What's Your Credit Card Rewards Strategy?
- Replies: 5101
- Views: 962314
Re: What's Your Credit Card Rewards Strategy?
My strategy was to open a Barclays World Elite MC to take advantage of an airline companion deal. I closed a similar account with Barclays (diff airline) about 16 months ago. That account was approved rather quickly (FICO 800+), no other debt. This time I received a letter asking me to forward a 450...
- Sun Jan 19, 2020 5:54 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Opportunity to Contribute Pre-Tax Money Above 401k Limits
- Replies: 8
- Views: 950
Re: Opportunity to Contribute Pre-Tax Money Above 401k Limits
I will do a little more research into this and report back. There must be a component to this DW and I are missing. Thanks all for input.
- Sun Jan 19, 2020 12:31 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Is There a Tax Basis on These Stocks?
- Replies: 16
- Views: 1159
Re: Is There a Tax Basis on These Stocks?
On rereading the facts, I think I now understand that the shares were put into the trust after the MIL's death ("recently"). If so, then the FIL's will determine whether they passed to the MIL (and then to the trust on her death) or to the trust on the FIL's death. What was the legal basi...
- Sun Jan 19, 2020 12:19 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Is There a Tax Basis on These Stocks?
- Replies: 16
- Views: 1159
Re: Is There a Tax Basis on These Stocks?
What confuses me are two statements in the facts: (1) that the FIL AND MIL established a family trust during their lifetime, into which presumably assets intended for the children at the MIL's death were placed, but (2) all assets were transferred to the MIL at the FIL's death. It is suggested that...
- Sat Jan 18, 2020 5:43 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Is There a Tax Basis on These Stocks?
- Replies: 16
- Views: 1159
Is There a Tax Basis on These Stocks?
Here's a tax liability question that I would appreciate some direction on; In-Laws established a family trust many years ago. Father in-law passed six years ago and all assets transferred to mother in-law who than passed last year. While the remaining seven siblings were in the process of distributi...
- Sat Jan 18, 2020 4:57 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Should I use Turbo Tax?
- Replies: 22
- Views: 2406
Re: Should I use Turbo Tax?
I paid someone a couple hundred $$$ many years ago to do my taxes and stopped doing so after the first time. I have used Turbo Tax ever since it became available. There are other lower cost or free options, but your question was "Should I use Turbo Tax?". I would say yes. It has working fi...
- Sat Jan 18, 2020 4:52 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Opportunity to Contribute Pre-Tax Money Above 401k Limits
- Replies: 8
- Views: 950
Opportunity to Contribute Pre-Tax Money Above 401k Limits
DW works for a large medical organization. Many of the doctors, providers, and other key personnel are highly paid and have limited options to shield their income from taxes. The independent financial planning company that manages their current 401k and other plans has proposed a plan that they clai...
- Sat Jan 11, 2020 8:31 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: How do I add other accounts to Vanguard?
- Replies: 5
- Views: 584
Re: How do I add other accounts to Vanguard?
You are correct. I have many accounts under the "other" umbrella. None of them auto update the share quantities. I do that manually on a quarterly basis. Schwab is similar, as is Fidelity. Some allow you to supply "read-only" authorization for true auto updating but I've never fe...