If the tech hooks up the pressure gages to the coolant line, there is a loss of freon in the process. If there is no problem, just a routine checkup, they should not hook up the gages, unless they want to sell freon.
Search found 12049 matches
- Sat Mar 16, 2024 9:05 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Yearly AC tune up?
- Replies: 14
- Views: 1947
Re: Yearly AC tune up?
- Sat Mar 16, 2024 1:53 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Moving in retirement.
- Replies: 25
- Views: 2778
Re: Moving in retirement.
In our early 60's we moved from a 2-story house with laundry in the basement and a detached garage to a one-floor house with an attached garage and no basement. The HO association cuts the grass, pulls the weeds, trims the bushes and cleans the snow off the drive and walk. We love the new house and don't miss the old one at all. Not having any stairs to climb is wonderful.
- Thu Mar 14, 2024 6:06 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Need Help Finding a Hobby
- Replies: 76
- Views: 5984
Re: Need Help Finding a Hobby
Duplicate Bridge, in person or on-line. www.acbl.org
- Thu Mar 14, 2024 5:30 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Finding a ticket symbol for 85744W226 in my 401k portfolio
- Replies: 5
- Views: 553
Re: Finding a ticket symbol for 85744W226 in my 401k portfolio
Use the value for SSFEX and multiply it by 10/85.salilsurendran wrote: ↑Thu Mar 14, 2024 4:59 pm I have a mutual fund that is labelled as '85744W226 - SS US BOND INDX XIV '. I maintain my investments in a google spreadsheet and I can use =GOOGLEFINANCE('ticker',"price") to get the current price of the investment for eg. =GOOGLEFINANCE("AAPL","price") gives the current price of the stock Apple. How, do I find the current ticker price for '85744W226 - SS US BOND INDX XIV '. Searching for '85744W226 - SS US BOND INDX XIV ' gives 'State Street Aggregate Bond Index Fund - Class K' with symbol ' SSFEX' but that is not the same as it's prices is $85 while the price of 85744W226 is $10
- Wed Mar 13, 2024 9:57 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Election spam texts
- Replies: 41
- Views: 2465
Re: Election spam texts
I have been getting those texts as well. When I get one, I report it as spam and block the number. The ones I have been getting are related to the presidential race. I do not click on anything in the text. The phone identifies them as spam, but I block the number anyway.
- Wed Mar 13, 2024 8:44 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Buying a new house
- Replies: 12
- Views: 1548
Re: Buying a new house
We had this situation. The old house was paid off. I asked the loan officer at the bank about a bridge loan. He advised that we would do better to get either a mortgage on the old house or on the new one, and then pay it off when the old house sold. We got the mortgage on the new house. We elected a no-fee mortgage with a higher rate because we did not play to keep it very long. We also were able to get a small discount on the mortgage rate by having a checking account at that bank with automatic mortgage payments from that account. When the house sold, we paid off the mortgage. Getting a mortgage on the new house requires that you have a combination of the available assets and the income to support a mortgage to make up the difference bet...
- Wed Mar 13, 2024 6:03 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Be careful - could happen to anyone [fraudulent bank transactions]
- Replies: 77
- Views: 12242
Re: Be careful - could happen to anyone
anagram wrote: ↑Thu Feb 22, 2024 4:32 pmYou cannot write bank checks to make QCDs. So, I keep very little in my IRA settlement fund. I only put in additional money to cover the QCD checks when I write them. For other checks, I use my bank's bill pay almost exclusively. The only personal checks I write are for gifts within my family.
- Wed Mar 13, 2024 11:10 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Buying a new house
- Replies: 12
- Views: 1548
Re: Buying a new house
We had this situation. The old house was paid off. I asked the loan officer at the bank about a bridge loan. He advised that we would do better to get either a mortgage on the old house or on the new one, and then pay it off when the old house sold. We got the mortgage on the new house. We elected a no-fee mortgage with a higher rate because we did not play to keep it very long. We also were able to get a small discount on the mortgage rate by having a checking account at that bank with automatic mortgage payments from that account. When the house sold, we paid off the mortgage.
- Tue Mar 12, 2024 4:14 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Vanguard or Fidelity
- Replies: 73
- Views: 6487
Re: Vanguard or Fidelity
When I first started investing and did not know what I was doing, I invested in a Fidelity fund. It had a front end load of 8.75%
There are Fidelity funds without loads if you know which funds to avoid. Vanguard does not have funds with loads.
There are Fidelity funds without loads if you know which funds to avoid. Vanguard does not have funds with loads.
- Mon Mar 11, 2024 4:40 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: choosing CDs
- Replies: 9
- Views: 962
Re: choosing CDs
If you are building a CD ladder, avoid callable CDs. If interest rates drop, the bank will call the CD and return your cash. You would not have the CD after that. A non-callable CD will lock in the rate for the specified term.
- Mon Mar 11, 2024 4:16 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Vanguard or Fidelity
- Replies: 73
- Views: 6487
- Sun Mar 10, 2024 8:27 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: MMF FDIC vs CD
- Replies: 11
- Views: 993
Re: MMF FDIC vs CD
Check later in the day. CD listings often do not update in the morning, especially on Mondays.Geologist wrote: ↑Sun Mar 10, 2024 7:36 pm Non-callable CD's often have lower interest rates. (Banks effectively protect themselves against paying higher interest rates if overall rates fall by issuing callable CD's so they can call them.)
Another thing, though, is that the selection of CD's is likely to be not as good outside market hours. You probably need to check tomorrow when the market is open.
- Sun Mar 10, 2024 6:20 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Looking for upright piano in northern / central NJ
- Replies: 17
- Views: 1240
Re: Looking for upright piano in northern / central NJ
If there is a music school in your area, you could inquire about them selling any pianos. Such schools sometimes like to replace older pianos.
- Sat Mar 09, 2024 5:15 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Electrical Outlet Covers
- Replies: 48
- Views: 3697
Re: Electrical Outlet Covers
Here's a selection: https://www.homedepot.com/b/Electrical- ... order=none
- Fri Mar 08, 2024 5:22 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: is QCD like a DAF (but better) ?
- Replies: 61
- Views: 4174
Re: is QCD like a DAF (but better) ?
QCDs are reported on your 1099R as an ordinary distribution along with any other distributions you make. The custodian does not know and does not care whether or not your distribution meets the requirements for a QCD. You enter the total amount on the tax form (IIRC it is line 4a) and then on 4b you enter the taxable amount and write QCD next to that number. That is where the tax benefit occurs.
- Fri Mar 08, 2024 7:42 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Online savings account options
- Replies: 11
- Views: 923
Re: Online savings account options
The rate for VUSXX is presently 5.28%. Its holdings are all treasury obligations.
- Thu Mar 07, 2024 5:47 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Know your customer (KYC)
- Replies: 22
- Views: 2560
Re: Know your customer (KYC)
When the credit card banks ask about net worth or income I just answer "more than $xxxxx. That seems to satisfy them.
- Thu Mar 07, 2024 5:12 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Help with Mutual Fund/Tax Question
- Replies: 3
- Views: 449
Re: Help with Mutual Fund/Tax Question
There should be no taxes involved with changing to a different brokerage. However, if these are expensive funds and you want to get into less expensive investments, then any gains you realize would be taxed. The gains would be only the difference between what you paid for the investments and what you received when you sold them. For example, if you paid $10,000 for a holding and sold it for $11,000, only $1000 would be taxable. If you held the investment for at least one year, such gains would receive favorable tax treatment.
- Thu Mar 07, 2024 12:38 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Transfer Car ownership to daughter or not?
- Replies: 41
- Views: 4954
Re: Transfer Car ownership to daughter or not?
If the car is intended to be a gift to your adult child, then I would complete the transfer. I understand young folks these days may need economic assistance from their parents after graduation but owning a 6-7 year old car and paying the tax and insurance is a great way to start to adult. Under very, very few circumstances would I carry an adult college graduate on my own auto insurance. Old thread, I know, but I did transfer ownership of the cars to my college senior daughter, but our insurance policy has me as primary and she and rest of family as other insured. My understanding is that liability follows car ownership, not the insurance policy.... I suggest asking your insurance agent if that arrangement is acceptable. I did this, trans...
- Thu Mar 07, 2024 11:25 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Transfer Car ownership to daughter or not?
- Replies: 41
- Views: 4954
Re: Transfer Car ownership to daughter or not?
I suggest asking your insurance agent if that arrangement is acceptable.boglewannabe wrote: ↑Thu Mar 07, 2024 10:42 amOld thread, I know, but I did transfer ownership of the cars to my college senior daughter, but our insurance policy has me as primary and she and rest of family as other insured. My understanding is that liability follows car ownership, not the insurance policy....8foot7 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 06, 2022 2:51 pm If the car is intended to be a gift to your adult child, then I would complete the transfer. I understand young folks these days may need economic assistance from their parents after graduation but owning a 6-7 year old car and paying the tax and insurance is a great way to start to adult. Under very, very few circumstances would I carry an adult college graduate on my own auto insurance.
- Tue Mar 05, 2024 4:22 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: QCDs
- Replies: 6
- Views: 715
- Tue Mar 05, 2024 4:19 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Kitchen counter top stools
- Replies: 10
- Views: 901
Re: Kitchen counter top stools
Here is a nice selection: https://www.costco.com/CatalogSearch?de ... ght+stools
- Sun Mar 03, 2024 11:26 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: How much will you get as Costco Citi reward this year?
- Replies: 112
- Views: 16437
Re: How much will you get as Costco Citi reward this year?
Costco purchases get 2% on the Costco card. With the exec member bonus, the total is 4%.Wannaretireearly wrote: ↑Sun Mar 03, 2024 7:25 pm Ok, thanks. My math is something like:
1% on Costco purchases (non gas/restaurant/travel) plus 2% exec member bonus = no brainer to use Costco card at Costco.
- Sat Mar 02, 2024 8:32 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: CD statements and 1099's at banks
- Replies: 5
- Views: 584
Re: CD statements and 1099's at banks
If you open CDs at your broker, the 1099s come from the broker, not the bank(s). You can have brokered CDs with multiple banks and they all are included in one consolidated 1099 from the broker. Another advantage is that brokered CDs will not automatically renew at a rate which might be lower than you would want.
- Wed Feb 28, 2024 6:18 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Best time of year to pull IRA RMD's?
- Replies: 9
- Views: 1251
Re: Best time of year to pull IRA RMD's?
If she wants to donate money to charity/charities, she should make QCD distributions before she completes her RMD. When done this way, the QCD is part of the RMD, but is tax free. This can also reduce state income taxes, taxes on social security, and IRMAA rates.
- Tue Feb 27, 2024 11:11 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: RMD Tax Withholding
- Replies: 50
- Views: 4974
Re: RMD Tax Withholding
- Tue Feb 27, 2024 10:08 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Online Savings Account Recommendation Needed
- Replies: 7
- Views: 1250
Re: Online Savings Account Recommendation Needed
I use a Vanguard money market fund. Its current yield is 5.28%. I can transfer to/from my bank. Transfers take only a day or two.
- Mon Feb 26, 2024 8:40 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: A place which has all mutual funds' tax information?
- Replies: 3
- Views: 628
Re: A place which has all mutual funds' tax information?
I believe those are all values that are unknown until the end of the year. So, no one would be able to compile the info you want. The best they could do would be last year's numbers which could be very different than this year's.
- Mon Feb 26, 2024 8:37 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Questions for Mel or any one else..i bond questions
- Replies: 23
- Views: 3787
- Mon Feb 26, 2024 8:08 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Questions for Mel or any one else..i bond questions
- Replies: 23
- Views: 3787
Re: Questions for Mel or any one else..i bond questions
Would this be true even if one would have big "tax bombs" in 2030 and 2031?Mel Lindauer wrote: ↑Sat Feb 24, 2024 11:28 pm As for holding on to the 3% I Bonds for as long as possible, I think that's a no-brainer.
- Sat Feb 24, 2024 10:44 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Buying CDs - Really this easy?
- Replies: 23
- Views: 3481
Re: Buying CDs - Really this easy?
I've been looking at 2 Year terms for an IRA. Right now brokered non-callable CDs and treasuries are about the same, 4.7% - but as mentioned the treasury has the advantage on the secondary market. But a local Credit Union is offering 5.13%. It's extra work to open a local account but probably worth the trouble. Last year 2 Year T-bills peaked at around 5.1%, then fell. But they've been going up lately. Buying bank cds in an ira can be tricky because you have to create a new account and when the cd matures you often have a short window to do something with the money and you might end up doing an indirect rollover of the money if the bank sends you a check which is limited to once per 13 month period. In addition, if you miss the window, it ...
- Sat Feb 24, 2024 7:47 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Buying CDs - Really this easy?
- Replies: 23
- Views: 3481
Re: Buying CDs - Really this easy?
Conclusion #2: Buy brokered CDs only if you expect to hold them to maturity.NNJBIH1957 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 24, 2024 6:46 pm Conclusion: CDs are generally not as liquid and the ultimate executed buy price is only what someone is willing to pay.
- Sat Feb 24, 2024 5:05 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Dental crowns
- Replies: 58
- Views: 6672
Re: Dental crowns
In my experience, dental fees can vary greatly depending on the dentist. Some dentists charge much more than others, even in the same city.
- Fri Feb 23, 2024 9:14 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Company division is being "Carved-Out"
- Replies: 17
- Views: 2522
Re: Company division is being "Carved-Out"
An obvious and important question is "what happens to the money in the 401k plan?". I worked for a company that split off the division I was in. In this case, we had to get a new 401k plan because we were no longer employed by the parent company. However, we were not given the ability to take the money out of the plan. It had to be rolled into the new plan. There was also a profit sharing component to the match in the old 401k plan and we split off before the last year's match was made. The company made good on what was owed to each employee in the form of a check for that amount. That amount was part of our salary for the year. We lost out on getting it into the 401k, but they did not cheat us out of it.
- Fri Feb 23, 2024 9:05 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: resources for getting kids interested in investing / personal finance
- Replies: 11
- Views: 1065
Re: resources for getting kids interested in investing / personal finance
When our kids were young, we told them they could spend their allowance on anything they wanted, other than candy. About age 9, each of them wanted something that would cost about 10 weeks allowance, which seemed like a great deal of money to them. We told them to save up allowance money until they had enough to purchase the desired item. They did save the money and eventually were able to buy the item they wanted. They took VERY good care of that item as they knew the value of it and how hard it would be to replace it. This taught them how to balance immediate wants and longer term goals. It was also a lesson in delayed gratification.
- Fri Feb 23, 2024 8:41 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: What inferior good do you love?
- Replies: 232
- Views: 25532
Re: What inferior good do you love?
Many years ago, Arby's had actual large chunks of roast beef that they sliced for sandwiches. Now it is a processed beef product.Xrayman69 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 23, 2024 7:14 amCurious as to what you mean prefer it to the “real thing”…. Arby’s roast beef isn’t real meat?almostretired1965 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 22, 2024 10:34 pmAh, hope they have a 5 for 5 deal soon. My family immigrated to the US when I was 10 and my first roast beef sandwich of any kind was at Arby's. To this day I prefer it to the real thing .......Dottie57 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 11:44 pmThey dropped the potato triangles!DiploInvestor wrote: ↑Sat Feb 17, 2024 2:24 pm Arby’s roast beef sandwiches. I love those sandwiches. And I can’t get them when I’m living overseas.
- Fri Feb 23, 2024 8:39 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Are IRA tax withholdings considered distributions?
- Replies: 13
- Views: 1117
Re: Are IRA tax withholdings considered distributions?
If the money withheld is part of the RMD, it will not increase one's taxes.
- Thu Feb 22, 2024 8:37 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Seat Cushion
- Replies: 3
- Views: 669
Re: Seat Cushion
I found that I need a seat cushion when I am driving. I went to an upholstery store and bought a scrap piece of thick upholstery foam. It is very comfortable and has held up very well. I bought a piece large enough to cut in half so I have one in each car. I think I spent less than $5.
- Wed Feb 21, 2024 11:30 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: CD Compounding
- Replies: 5
- Views: 1037
Re: CD Compounding
Thank you exodusNH and jeffyscott
- Wed Feb 21, 2024 5:59 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Full solar ECLIPSE April 2024!
- Replies: 80
- Views: 9389
Re: Full solar ECLIPSE April 2024!
Perhaps we should rent out our guest bedroom.ResearchMed wrote: ↑Wed Feb 21, 2024 11:25 am
And my favorite of the "availables"? There was a motel that looked like a "run down Motel 6" (!), and they were asking $1,500. No, not for 3 nights: PER NIGHT. They'll probably sell all the rooms, at least at the last minute when some clueless show up not realizing they can't travel just then like "any other time".
But still... $1,500 per night for *that*?!?
RM
- Wed Feb 21, 2024 5:50 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: CD Compounding
- Replies: 5
- Views: 1037
Re: CD Compounding
- Wed Feb 21, 2024 5:35 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: CD Compounding
- Replies: 5
- Views: 1037
CD Compounding
I am trying to compare two brokered CDs.
1. 4.20% compounded monthly.
2. 4.25% compounded semiannually.
Interest payments will go to the settlement fund.
Which one has the better net return.
1. 4.20% compounded monthly.
2. 4.25% compounded semiannually.
Interest payments will go to the settlement fund.
Which one has the better net return.
- Wed Feb 21, 2024 1:01 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: High yield savings/checking account
- Replies: 29
- Views: 3365
Re: High yield savings/checking account
At Vanguard, the check writing is only on the settlement fund for brokerage accounts. The settlement fund is the Federal MM fund. It's yield is almost the same as the Treasury MM fund, but less of it is exempt from state and local taxes. The minimum check size is $250.
- Tue Feb 20, 2024 7:57 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Hearing aids: Costco or audiologist?
- Replies: 44
- Views: 5183
Re: Hearing aids: Costco or audiologist?
It should also be noted that the Costco people are not on commission for selling hearing aids. When DW went there for hearing aids, the first question they asked her was "Why do you think you need hearing aids?" So, no one there is going to try to sell you something you don't need. DW is very satisfied with her Costco aids and the service she has received.
- Tue Feb 20, 2024 7:46 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: High yield savings/checking account
- Replies: 29
- Views: 3365
Re: High yield savings/checking account
For savings, I use a money market fund at Vanguard. The Treasury MM fund is currently yielding 5.29% much of which is exempt from state and local income taxes. The minimum purchase amount is $3000. If you opt for electronic statements, there are no fees.
- Sun Feb 18, 2024 12:52 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: ACH pull vs paper check from online bill pay?
- Replies: 40
- Views: 2275
Re: ACH pull vs paper check from online bill pay?
My online banking system sending paper checks seems to have become less reliable in the last few years. Several times the payment appears at the recipient a day or 2 after the "guaranteed paid by". But I can usually mitigate that by picking a pay-by date a few days before actual Due Date. I like to see the list of pending payments in my online banking system. My bank pays .01% interest on my checking account. So, in a small effort to "get even" with them, I use bill pay to pay bills as soon as I receive the bill. This takes the money out of my account at the earliest date thus reducing the time the bank has the money. As long as the money is in the account anyway, it makes no difference to me. I also do not keep large s...
- Sun Feb 18, 2024 11:59 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: ACH pull vs paper check from online bill pay?
- Replies: 40
- Views: 2275
Re: ACH pull vs paper check from online bill pay?
My online banking system sending paper checks seems to have become less reliable in the last few years. Several times the payment appears at the recipient a day or 2 after the "guaranteed paid by". But I can usually mitigate that by picking a pay-by date a few days before actual Due Date. I like to see the list of pending payments in my online banking system. My bank pays .01% interest on my checking account. So, in a small effort to "get even" with them, I use bill pay to pay bills as soon as I receive the bill. This takes the money out of my account at the earliest date thus reducing the time the bank has the money. As long as the money is in the account anyway, it makes no difference to me. I also do not keep large s...
- Sun Feb 18, 2024 8:31 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Safest way to pay bills electronically
- Replies: 72
- Views: 6099
Re: Safest way to pay bills electronically
It should be noted that there are two types of bank bill pay systems:
1. The money is withdrawn from your account when the bank makes the payment, or sends a paper check. These paper checks do not have your account number on them, in my experience.
2. The money is withdrawn from your account when a paper check is cashed. These checks have your account number.
So, there are advantages and disadvantages to each time. For the first one, you lose interest on the money immediately, but your account number is secure. For the second one, it is the reverse. I have had both types of accounts.
1. The money is withdrawn from your account when the bank makes the payment, or sends a paper check. These paper checks do not have your account number on them, in my experience.
2. The money is withdrawn from your account when a paper check is cashed. These checks have your account number.
So, there are advantages and disadvantages to each time. For the first one, you lose interest on the money immediately, but your account number is secure. For the second one, it is the reverse. I have had both types of accounts.
- Sat Feb 17, 2024 2:43 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: What inferior good do you love?
- Replies: 232
- Views: 25532
Re: What inferior good do you love?
- Sat Feb 17, 2024 2:08 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Texting Problem
- Replies: 8
- Views: 807