Search found 1076 matches

by KlingKlang
Sat Mar 09, 2024 3:41 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Is HCOLA better than LCOL??
Replies: 62
Views: 3333

Re: Is HCOLA better than LCOL??

BHNewbie wrote: Sat Mar 09, 2024 1:56 pm
KlingKlang wrote: Sat Mar 09, 2024 12:03 pm In general state and local tax rates are higher in HCOLAs than LCOLAs, so you end up losing a greater percentage of your higher salary to taxes.
Yes but if you are making 25% more, will a 3% diff in state taxes really matter?
It can be a lot more than that. Also you may get boosted into a higher federal tax bracket.

https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-st ... payer/2416
by KlingKlang
Sat Mar 09, 2024 12:23 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Tax Managed accounts
Replies: 21
Views: 1522

Re: Tax Managed accounts

Wiggums wrote: Sat Mar 09, 2024 11:14 am VTMFX - Vanguard Tax-Managed Balanced Fund Admiral Shares ER=.09%
This is an excellent balanced fund that my parents used for many years.

For my own taxable account I use:
VTCLX - Vanguard Tax-Managed Capital Appreciation Fund Admiral Shares ER=.09%
and
VTMSX - Vanguard Tax-Managed Small-Cap Fund Admiral Shares ER=.09%
by KlingKlang
Sat Mar 09, 2024 12:03 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Is HCOLA better than LCOL??
Replies: 62
Views: 3333

Re: Is HCOLA better than LCOL??

In general state and local tax rates are higher in HCOLAs than LCOLAs, so you end up losing a greater percentage of your higher salary to taxes.
by KlingKlang
Sat Feb 24, 2024 6:59 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Confused - Reporting I Bond Proceeds (TurboTax)
Replies: 5
Views: 687

Re: Confused - Reporting I Bond Proceeds (TurboTax)

rholt wrote: Sat Feb 24, 2024 6:49 pm I found the 1099 on Treasury Direct - thanks. Is it normal that I didn't receive on in the mail?
Treasury Direct refuses to mail 1099s or pretty much any other information.

Interestingly I still hold some treasury bonds at the old Legacy Treasury Direct. They do everything by mail - 1099s and statements - because they have no website.
by KlingKlang
Fri Feb 23, 2024 5:02 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: TIPS in taxable - phantom income taxes depend on Inflation, not so much on how much you own?
Replies: 7
Views: 971

Re: TIPS in taxable - phantom income taxes depend on Inflation, not so much on how much you own?

I think that the biggest objection that people have to TIPS phantom OID income is that you still have to pay the taxes on it with real money obtained from a separate source. On the other hand when the bond matures you get the increase in its value without any additional taxes.

Higher OID in 2022 compared to 2023 is completely due to the fact that inflation was higher in 2022 than 2023.

Obviously if you own 100x as many bonds you will be responsible for 100x the OID in any particular year. Remember that while OID is usually positive since inflation is usually positive it may be zero or negative if there is no inflation or deflation.
by KlingKlang
Fri Feb 16, 2024 3:20 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Ohio income tax Senior Citizen Credit applied in error in eServices 2023
Replies: 1
Views: 226

Re: Ohio income tax Senior Citizen Credit applied in error in eServices 2023

Ohio Tax eServices has a large number of errors. Like you I first compute my taxes using TurboTax and then re-enter everything in the Ohio online program. It's a pain because you can't just type in the amounts on your Ohio return, you have to go back and re-enter all of the tax document information from scratch. Last year eServices wanted to charge me hundreds of dollars more than was shown on my Ohio TurboTax return. Rather than try and reconcile the two I just paid the $25 (plus tax) to submit my return through TurboTax. Haven't heard anything back. In your case I would verify that all of your entries are correct and then submit the eServices return. The chances of them asking for a correction seem remote, if they do there would probably ...
by KlingKlang
Tue Jan 30, 2024 12:28 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Sharing Index Investing with Loved ones
Replies: 11
Views: 2014

Re: Sharing Index Investing with Loved ones

stripekit wrote: Tue Jan 30, 2024 11:06 am But their response is something along the lines of, "I just don't want to get good returns without thinking about it".
I wonder if this translates to "I want to be able to boast about my sophisticated investments at cocktail parties"?
by KlingKlang
Sun Jan 28, 2024 1:54 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: [On-going Scams - Post them here]
Replies: 1372
Views: 165414

Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

This isn't anything that new, but they had to Wake Me Up at 2:30 AM!

KlingKlang: "Hello?"

Robin: Pause, then noise, then "Can you hear me?" (This is a bad sign because it means that they are using an auto dialer)

KlingKlang: "Yes?"

Robin: "This Robin calling from Chase about activity on your account..."

KlingKlang: Hangs up

The reason that I answer these calls is because I have a 96 year old mother in hospice and the nurses and aides use their personal phones to make calls.

I checked the number that displayed and it is registered to a 69 year old lady named Robin P. who lives 3 counties away.

I don't have any accounts with Chase.
by KlingKlang
Thu Jan 25, 2024 11:29 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: How much is owned real estate (primary/secondary homes) as a percent of your net worth?
Replies: 113
Views: 8869

Re: How much is owned real estate (primary/secondary homes) as a percent of your net worth?

RE Assets: 5% One single family home
Other Assets: 95%
Total Assets: 100%

Mortgage Liabilities: 0% Never had a mortgage
Other Liabilities: 0%
Total Liabilities: 0%

Net Worth: 100%
by KlingKlang
Tue Jan 23, 2024 4:20 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Struggling with appropriate level of financial help for an aging parent
Replies: 41
Views: 5257

Re: Struggling with appropriate level of financial help for an aging parent

I hate to be too negative but I would be very cautious about depending on that $250-280K valuation for her current house. At her income level it is very likely that she has not invested much in maintenance and modernization. I have a 96 year old mother in Memory Care Assisted Living whose Ohio house I sold last year using the realtor suggested by our Estate Lawyer. The problems were with the "not in good condition" issues. The home was listed at $225k but was sold for cash at $203K. The flipper stripped it down to the studs, redid the entire interior, all new appliances, furnace, air conditioning, and hot water tank. It was then resold for $335k. Unless a miracle happens and a senior housing unit that she can afford opens up, I do...
by KlingKlang
Tue Jan 16, 2024 7:22 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Simple Investment Plan for Aunt's Inheritance
Replies: 10
Views: 1302

Re: Simple Investment Plan for Aunt's Inheritance

workingonit wrote: Tue Jan 16, 2024 6:37 pm My wife's mother passed away last fall and left $400K to her sister in her will.

The Aunt is in her 70s and is not good with money. We asked her about her current debt and sent an initial inheritance amount she said would cover it (about 6% of the total). We don't know if she will actually pay off the debt.
I'm a little confused by this. Normally when someone is willed a specific sum of money then it is the executor's duty to send them a check for that amount. You can of course offer to set up an investment plan for the aunt, but I think that she would be within her rights to decline and demand the full sum.
by KlingKlang
Fri Dec 29, 2023 11:25 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Reinvest dividends and sell shares or take as cash for tax purposes
Replies: 10
Views: 1375

Re: REINVEST DIVIDENDS AND SELL SHARES OR TAKE AS CASH FOR TAX PURPOSES

All dividends have to be reported to the IRS whether they are received as cash or reinvested. If over $1500 they have to be itemized on Schedule B. Whether they are taxable depends on if they are qualified and your total income. There is a Form 1040 Line 16 worksheet that you fill out to calculate this.

Selling shares is a taxable event that has to be reported on Schedule D. Every sale has to be individually reported. If you sell shares held over one year you may be able to have them taxed at the lower long term capital gains rate, otherwise they are taxed as short term capital gains. The numbers are fed into the same worksheet referenced above.
by KlingKlang
Tue Dec 26, 2023 11:03 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: joint accounts and "gifts" (complicated scenario question)
Replies: 4
Views: 663

Re: joint accounts and "gifts" (complicated scenario question)

If "A" is the primary owner of both accounts, meaning that they are registered under his tax id number, then there is no gifting involved.

If the receiving account owner, "C", is "A"'s spouse then this is covered under the unlimited gifting between spouses rule.

Otherwise this would be considered a gift in my opinion.
by KlingKlang
Mon Dec 11, 2023 1:57 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Right Capital financial planning software suggests I have to buy a home to hit my financial goals?!
Replies: 15
Views: 1768

Re: Right Capital financial planning software suggests I have to buy a home to hit my financial goals?!

I would double check the assumptions used in this analysis. You will definitely have a higher chance of a sucessful retirement if you start with a paid off $1.25M house with $2k/month expenses and $2M in financial assets than if you start with $5k/month rent and the same $2M in financial assets. GIGO
by KlingKlang
Sun Dec 03, 2023 1:06 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Would love input on our finances
Replies: 42
Views: 4851

Re: Would love input on our finances

You have $1717k in financial assets not counting your house and the 529 account. At a 3% withdrawal rate this would yield about $51k/year. One problem is that only about $147k plus the Roth contributions are in nonqualified accounts. If DH waits until he is 55 then he should be able to start tapping his 401k without penalty which will help a lot. The rest of your living expenses need to come from your job, his pension, and eventually Social Security.

Don't even think about going without medical insurance (pay out of pocket). If you don't have coverage from his job or yours then go to Healthcare.gov and check out your ACA options. I used this for our coverage between age 57 and Medicare eligibility at 65.
by KlingKlang
Wed Nov 29, 2023 12:32 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: How do I change investments?
Replies: 12
Views: 1205

Re: How do I change investments?

run26run wrote: Wed Nov 29, 2023 11:37 am Hello,

I recently transferred brokers for my Roth IRA, and now I would like to totally change what my money is invested in. Practically, I am wondering how do actually do this. Do I just sell all of my current holdings and then buy stock according to the total percentage of my portfolio I'd like to hold of that stock?

If it makes any difference, my Roth IRA is now with Charles Schwab. Do I need to be aware of any taxes or fees by selling all of my current holdings?
I prefer to use the term "Exchange" rather than "Buy" and "Sell" when discussing changing IRA assets (both Traditional and Roth). It emphasizes that you must keep all assets inside of the IRA.
by KlingKlang
Fri Nov 24, 2023 12:49 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Does anyone use the Drive Safe & Save app from State Farm or similar?
Replies: 81
Views: 17762

Re: Does anyone use the Drive Safe & Save app from State Farm or similar?

I looked into the State Farm program a couple of years ago. It seemed that I had a choice of using On Star, which would have required me to pay their high fees, or my smart phone and the windshield dongle. What really turned me off is that if I used a smart phone they required me to let them track all of my movements, not just when driving. Also share the car with my wife who has a smart phone but wouldn't use the app. Is this still correct?
by KlingKlang
Mon Nov 20, 2023 9:46 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Selling Mom’s house without a realtor? (Ohio)
Replies: 31
Views: 3286

Re: Selling Mom’s house without a realtor? (Ohio)

If there is a 5 year Medicaid look back when /if her memory care costs skyrocket could it cause an issue if home sold in private sale? I don't know the answer but that is a question I would want to ask Here in Ohio all home title transfer information is public knowledge, so there is really no such thing as a private sale. The real issue with Medicaid is to make sure that all of the proceeds from the house sale are placed in an account under your mother's name so it doesn't turn into a gift to someone else. Addendum: I have a 96 year old mother in Memory Care Assisted Living whose Ohio house I sold last year using the realtor suggested by our Estate Lawyer. The problems were with the "not in good condition" issues. The home was li...
by KlingKlang
Fri Nov 17, 2023 8:21 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Extra $10K not for HY savings or Tbills?
Replies: 3
Views: 427

Re: Extra $10K not for HY savings or Tbills?

Easy answer, add it to your VTSAX.
by KlingKlang
Wed Nov 15, 2023 11:33 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: My mom has basically no cash - need a plan
Replies: 68
Views: 11317

Re: My mom has basically no cash - need a plan

The highest priority of things to examine are those financed major costs. Any reason why they haven't been paid for in cash rather than incurring interest charges? As epoche suggests, make sure that any spare cash is earning market rate interest instead of sitting in a 0% checking account. See if the annuities are paying anything close to market rate interest and make sure that they won't terminate anytime soon. Do you have any information on her sister's financial situation? For example, if she had more financial resources than your mom she might be willing to foot 75% of the house mortgage and expenses in exchange for modifying the agreement to give her 75% of the house ownership. Lastly, since she's in such good health, would she be able...
by KlingKlang
Tue Nov 14, 2023 7:11 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Can't log on [to Vanguard website]
Replies: 242
Views: 21785

Re: A Weird Vanguard Website Problem

I can log in, but Vanguard hasn't updated their site with any data from November 14.
by KlingKlang
Mon Nov 13, 2023 11:17 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: First Year Of Full Retirement : Time To Start Quarterly Estimated Tax Payments ?
Replies: 8
Views: 1117

Re: First Year Of Full Retirement : Time To Start Quarterly Estimated Tax Payments ?

Alkali Ike wrote: Mon Nov 13, 2023 11:07 am Should I be contacting my CPA for a first time example on how to do this right or is the IRS form so easy that it will be simple for me to do my own estimating and payments ? I've looked for online tutorials, but the pickings are slim.
You can wait until your 2023 tax returns are filed in 2024 to start with your estimated payments. Your CPA or a computerized package such as Turbo Tax will provide the filled out forms.
Alkali Ike wrote: Mon Nov 13, 2023 11:07 am Also, if I'm understanding the rules as written, if I am paying 100% of my 2023 taxes, is 2024 given a pass even if I fail to make quarterly payments for that first year ?.
Correct.
by KlingKlang
Tue Nov 07, 2023 4:18 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Can I Use Taxable Brokerage Funds to Transfer to our Roth IRA?
Replies: 11
Views: 3049

Re: Can I Use Taxable Brokerage Funds to Transfer to our Roth IRA?

Just wanted to point out that since these are after tax funds the amount of this transaction would count against your 2023 Roth contribution limit.
by KlingKlang
Sun Oct 29, 2023 2:47 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Friend's Portfolio - Can he make it?
Replies: 52
Views: 6958

Re: Friend's Portfolio - Can he make it?

The percentages add up to 110%.

They are spending 5.0 to 5.8% of portfolio assets annually. Any additional income from pensions and social security?
by KlingKlang
Thu Oct 26, 2023 7:40 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Help My Mom (and me)
Replies: 9
Views: 1654

Re: Help My Mom (and me)

3)Is there a way it should be set up to protect it from possible future medical collectors that may come with old age i.e. nursing homes, etc.? This happened with her own father's savings and worries her. Ethically, I'm not entirely in favor of this... if you have the means, you should pay. However, if she moves her assets to a recvocable trust, that will likely protect the assets from outside claimants. You'll need to speak with an attorney specializing in estate planning (you could also consider some research on your own, so you know what questions to ask and know if you're dealing with an honorable attorney). Vanguard Advisor Services may also be able to help with estate planning, but it sounds like your mom would prefer a face-to-face ...
by KlingKlang
Thu Oct 26, 2023 7:16 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Extra cash-want to lower AGI
Replies: 7
Views: 1036

Re: Extra cash-want to lower AGI

Hi, long time lurker here, but this may be my first question. I am retired at 63 with an 84k pension, essentially no SS coming. My wife is 59 and working part time as an RN. We have about 500k in 401k/ROTH accounts. Home is paid off. We currently have about 40K in IBonds, and 170K in short CDs/HYSA. I would like to reduce AGI (really MAGI) to lower health insurance costs when she stops working. What should I do with the extra cash which is now paying about 5%, but it is taxable interest? I am thinking about opening a taxable brokerage account to lower interest income for at least a few years. If I open the taxable account, what would be my best choices to keep interest/dividends low? I don't think I can do anything to the pension at this p...
by KlingKlang
Wed Oct 18, 2023 11:32 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Pros/cons of buying 5-year TIPS right now?
Replies: 89
Views: 13617

Re: Pros/cons of buying 5-year TIPS right now?

mxa01 wrote: Wed Oct 18, 2023 11:20 am Another solution is to buy through TreasuryDirect. I'm told market values are not shown when a TIPS is held in a TreasuryDirect account.
Not market value, but you can see the inflation-adjusted value of your bond as of the last interest payment date on the Treasury Direct Current Holdings - Detail page.
by KlingKlang
Wed Oct 18, 2023 11:21 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Is This How The Workplace is Run Now?
Replies: 15
Views: 1779

Re: Is This How The Workplace is Run Now?

In cases where I have complained to management about the performance of another professional they have tended to give me a noncommittal response, that doesn't mean that that person doesn't hear about it later out of my hearing.

On the other hand, if that person is in a protected class they can often get away with murder.
by KlingKlang
Sun Oct 15, 2023 11:29 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Am I Crazy? Asset allocation at 50
Replies: 41
Views: 5281

Re: Am I Crazy? Asset allocation at 50

mikejuss wrote: Sun Oct 15, 2023 11:14 am It's worth noting that converting your current holdings to VBIAX when you turn 63 will result in a large capital-gains tax bill for you.
The OP has stated that this is an IRA acccount.
by KlingKlang
Sat Oct 14, 2023 6:54 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Am I Crazy? Asset allocation at 50
Replies: 41
Views: 5281

Re: Am I Crazy? Asset allocation at 50

I think that your current asset allocation and your plan is a little aggressive. I would have no more than 80% in stocks. Write out a schedule of how you want to change your stock/bond ratio as you get closer to retirement.

Do you have any other financial assets besides this IRA? Make sure that the allocation of all of your combined assets matches your plan.
by KlingKlang
Sat Oct 14, 2023 11:21 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: T-Bills and I-Bonds
Replies: 17
Views: 2288

Re: T-Bills and I-Bonds

There are limits on T-Bill purchases but they are very large. If you want to buy more than $10 million per auction you have to bid competitively. You cannot buy more than 35% of the total auction amount, so currently about $26.25 billion. You can purchase as much as is available on the secondary market.

As Tom_T mentioned, 5.4% is an annualized yield. At the last 4 week auction you would have paid $9959 for your $10,000 4 week T-Bill.

The only way to be guaranteed of receiving the full amount for your bill is to hold it to maturity. If you sell it before then you receive the market price, less any fees that your brokerage charges.
by KlingKlang
Thu Oct 12, 2023 8:22 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: [Medicare Part B 2024 Premium and Deductible]
Replies: 5
Views: 1027

[Medicare Part B 2024 Premium and Deductible]

[Moved into a new thread from: Social Security 2024 COLA will be 3.2% --admin LadyGeek]

When do we find out the change to the 2024 Medicare Part B premium that most recipients have deducted from their Social Security payment? There have been years when increases to this have wiped out most of the SS COLA.
by KlingKlang
Wed Oct 11, 2023 11:08 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 1st year Roth IRA investing
Replies: 12
Views: 1870

Re: 1st year Roth IRA investing

I am 32 and have had 401k's with jobs, but have recently opened a Roth IRA for further investment. I've heard and read about the 3 fund portfolio and planned on allocating assets based on my age and risk tolerance, but since this is my first year in the Roth and there are investment minimums for VTIAX and VTSAX, I of course could only invest 50/50 with my current funds. I've searched the forum and found only one previous post on this topic. Essentially is it generally recommended I find a target retirement fund I like and once I have the appropriate funds, then adjust and allocate as I see fit each year? Since you can exchange investments inside of your Roth IRA at anytime without tax consequences starting off with a target fund works fine...
by KlingKlang
Tue Sep 26, 2023 1:34 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Does Threatening to Quit Work
Replies: 113
Views: 12945

Re: Does Threatening to Quit Work

Diluted Waters wrote: Mon Sep 25, 2023 10:14 pm
LaramieWind wrote: Mon Sep 25, 2023 5:24 pm I doubt that, my lead is older and has 10,000 unread emails. I am innovative, get things done and am mentoring 3 other engineers. Huge back load of work.
My former boss had 30,000 unread emails when he retired. His voice mailbox had been full for months if not years. Didn't seem to bother him a bit.
It sounds like both of these bosses retired in place. Maybe the OP should consider doing likewise.
by KlingKlang
Sat Sep 02, 2023 11:38 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Converting old paper IBond with maiden name
Replies: 22
Views: 1667

Re: Converting old paper IBond with maiden name

hoops777 wrote: Sat Sep 02, 2023 11:24 amThe problem is these have a base rate of 3% and have more than tripled in value. They are a great investment and we want to keep them.
Do you know if we have to change her name?
Sorry, I have never converted paper savings bonds to electronic at Treasury Direct and never want to have to try it. My goal is to live long enough that all of my Treasury Bonds and Savings Bonds at Treasury Direct come due and I can close the account before my heirs have to deal with it.
by KlingKlang
Sat Sep 02, 2023 11:20 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Converting old paper IBond with maiden name
Replies: 22
Views: 1667

Re: Converting old paper IBond with maiden name

I can understand that you would be reluctant to redeem these savings bonds given the high interest rate that they are earning, but is their current value worth the hassle of dealing with Treasury Direct? I would strongly suggest just redeeming them and putting the problem behind you. Your wife will need her current ID and her wedding license to redeem them at a bank. With their current registration your wife's son would be able to redeem these bonds on his own if he obtained them, and they would become his property if your wife died. In the Do as I say and not as I do catagory, my wife insisted on keeping all of the paper savings bonds that she had purchased before we were married in her maiden name with her brother as co-owner. We've been ...
by KlingKlang
Tue Aug 29, 2023 5:07 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Vanguard Brokerage transactions/statement question
Replies: 7
Views: 613

Re: Vanguard Brokerage transactions/statement question

CAsage wrote: Tue Aug 29, 2023 4:53 pm I have a Vanguard brokerage account (several, actually, Roth vs rollover vs regular....). After you log in, choose the "Activity" option and it will show you the recent transactions.
What makes the brokerage account activity confusing for me are the "Sweep in/Sweep Out" transactions that show up a few days after the rest of the transactions. What I do is choose the "Activity" option like CAsage says, copy and paste everything into a Word document which will result in a table, then delete all of the "Sweep in/Sweep Out" rows. This will give you a transaction report similar to your old mutual fund reports.
by KlingKlang
Tue Aug 29, 2023 4:24 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Best way to gift to grandchildren
Replies: 43
Views: 4957

Re: Best way to gift to grandchildren

Watty wrote: Tue Aug 29, 2023 11:07 am I would love it if I could give my grandkids paper saving bonds now for birthdays or Christmas since the fancy printed savings bond seems a lot better to a young kid than a check for the same amount to be deposited to their 529.
You can still get paper Series I US Savings Bonds for anyone by overwithholding your federal taxes and using Form 8888 Part II to get the bonds issued to them. They will arrive a few weeks after you file your return.

I am thinking of doing this for my new grandson since Savings Bonds are a family tradition. The only problem is that my daughter has hundreds of them from us and both sets of grandparents but she hates the hassle of going to the bank and redeeming them.
by KlingKlang
Mon Aug 28, 2023 3:47 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Social Security Representative Payee
Replies: 33
Views: 2179

Re: Social Security Representative Payee

I became the representative for my mother last year. Filled out the online application, then handled everything else with a phone interview (mother not involved). I think that it went smoothly because the payments are continuing to be made to the same joint checking account that she has been using for 32 years.

Just to comfirm, you wait for SSA to inform you that you have to file Form SSA-623 (Annual audit), you don't go ahead and file on your own, correct?
by KlingKlang
Tue Aug 22, 2023 10:40 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Cash Out 1994 EE Savings Bond For Higher Interest?
Replies: 5
Views: 886

Re: Cash Out 1994 EE Savings Bond For Higher Interest?

This Savings Bond is accruing interest every month, so you don't have to worry about the old six month redemption schedule. Redeeming on the first of the month is still the best time.
by KlingKlang
Mon Aug 21, 2023 11:19 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Advice for aging parents: 100k student loan, unequal will distribution, paying for care
Replies: 25
Views: 3352

Re: Advice for aging parents: 100k student loan, unequal will distribution, paying for care

Sorry that you are in this situation. I agree with everything posted by BarbBrooklyn . I have been through this with my grandparents and parents. Everyone wants to stay in their home, it isn't always possible unless you are fabulously wealthy. Your parents are at the stage where their health can quickly decline to where they need full time skilled care. You might want to start looking for options. Remember that if they stay in their home there are expenses for its upkeep as well as their care. To be brutally honest, the last thing that you need to worry about is distributing financial assets after their deaths. Your parents have a net worth of $340k, most of that in their house. You are not going to receive the full market value of the hous...
by KlingKlang
Mon Aug 07, 2023 11:37 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Help Me Understand Treasury Auction Results
Replies: 5
Views: 880

Re: Help Me Understand Treasury Auction Results

The yield on the $97.33825 that you paid for your treasury and the rate on its $100 base are different.

The high, median, and low rates are the results of the competitive bidding that set the noncompetitive rate that you received.
by KlingKlang
Sat Jul 22, 2023 4:29 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Outperforming in "Play" account
Replies: 29
Views: 2604

Re: Outperforming in "Play" account

One thing that I have seen too many times to ignore is beginner's luck. It only occurs in cases where the results are not critical and ends as soon as they are.
by KlingKlang
Thu Jul 13, 2023 12:03 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Should I tip painters
Replies: 68
Views: 4776

Re: Should I tip painters

If you are pleased with the work and can afford it go ahead.

You might want to tip them right before you point out any areas that need touch ups.
by KlingKlang
Fri Jun 09, 2023 11:35 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Defense against the dark arts - Pickpockets!
Replies: 123
Views: 12925

Re: Defense against the dark arts - Pickpockets!

My only experience with attempted pick pocketing was Holy Thursday 1972 at Santa Maria Maggiore for the Pope's Mass there. Our hotel staff told us to have nothing in our pockets except for a handkerchief and comb and to put our room key in one of our shoes. All of the students made out fine, but our head chaperone lost his wallet and his diplomatic passport.
by KlingKlang
Tue Jun 06, 2023 1:30 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: New fee for Vanguard mutual [and brokerage accounts - July 2023 updates]
Replies: 2094
Views: 215667

Re: New fee for Vanguard mutual accounts [June 2023 update]

I just received my nine separate notices for our family Vanguard brokerage accounts in the mail yesterday. One of these accounts is for a trust registered under an employee identification number. Do I get the printed statement fee waiver for all accounts, just the trust account, or none of them?
by KlingKlang
Mon May 29, 2023 12:33 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Sell to simplify or not?
Replies: 3
Views: 524

Re: Sell to simplify or not?

Since we're discussing tax loss harvesting I'm assuming these are all in after tax accounts.

Three ETFs each containing about 1% of your portfolio are not going to meaningfully affect your returns and just add more record keeping work. I would sell all three of them and add the money to your total stock ETF. Capital losses offset capital gains, they can be carried forward indefinitely. Also $3k per year can be used to offset ordinary income.

Buying the total US stock market ETF will not result in capital losses or gains, these only occur when you sell.

Unsure about what you mean by tax refunds and future losses.
by KlingKlang
Wed May 10, 2023 7:08 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Which Antivirus do you use and why? (Windows)
Replies: 40
Views: 3455

Re: Which Antivirus do you use and why? (Windows)

Help needed. A year ago I purchased my Dell XPS running Windows 11 with McAfee preinstalled. Now I am getting McAfee subscription expired messages (they suggest I renew for $59.99/year). If I go to "Manage Protections" on Control Panel nothing happens. All of my other attempts to access Windows Security or Windows Defender end up in an ad to purchase Office 365. Any suggestions to allow me to disable McAfee and use Windows Defender without paying for Office 365? Have you tried uninstalling McAfee? When there is no other anti-malware product installed, Windows Defender should become active. Thank you. I just tried uninstalling McAfee a few minutes ago. I see some Windows Defender and Windows Security tasks running and I can do a f...
by KlingKlang
Wed May 10, 2023 4:42 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Which Antivirus do you use and why? (Windows)
Replies: 40
Views: 3455

Re: Which Antivirus do you use and why? (Windows)

Help needed. A year ago I purchased my Dell XPS running Windows 11 with McAfee preinstalled. Now I am getting McAfee subscription expired messages (they suggest I renew for $59.99/year). If I go to "Manage Protections" on Control Panel nothing happens. All of my other attempts to access Windows Security or Windows Defender end up in an ad to purchase Office 365. Any suggestions to allow me to disable McAfee and use Windows Defender without paying for Office 365?
by KlingKlang
Wed May 03, 2023 11:24 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Has anyone had a good experience with these high-yield online savings accounts?
Replies: 19
Views: 3290

Re: Has anyone had a good experience with these high-yield online savings accounts?

Vanguard User wrote: Wed May 03, 2023 10:34 am
corpgator wrote: Wed May 03, 2023 4:37 am
Vanguard User wrote: Wed May 03, 2023 12:54 am It doesn’t matter about experience. All that matters is the high interest rate.
I disagree. Sometimes the slightly higher rate just isn't worth the hassle.
What kind of hassle?
Another experience that I have encountered is when a new online bank opens up and offers a top of the line rate, but then never raises it as rates continue to increase. PurePoint, now closed, was an example of this. Their rate never went above 0.40%.

Also watch for online banks that change their deposit and withdrawl limits to unrealistically low amounts. If you deposit $200k and then are locked into withdrawing only $10k/day you effectively have a one month CD and not a savings account. Lending Club did this to me.