Search found 33 matches

by Icarus961
Tue Apr 27, 2021 4:13 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Hoping to avoid a wash sale headache
Replies: 12
Views: 908

Re: Hoping to avoid a wash sale headache

surfstar wrote: Tue Apr 27, 2021 3:25 pm VTCLX - 851 companies Tax-Managed Capital Appreciation Fund Admiral Shares
VLCAX - 560 companies Large-Cap Index Fund Admiral Shares

https://investor.vanguard.com/mutual-fu ... file/VLCAX
https://investor.vanguard.com/mutual-fu ... file/vtclx

Close enough to a Total Stock / S&P500 for our use. Our taxable won't grow enough to overshadow tax-deferred.
I love the idea, those aren't considered too similar to S&P500 as far as the IRS is concerned? This could be perfect.
by Icarus961
Tue Apr 27, 2021 4:12 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Hoping to avoid a wash sale headache
Replies: 12
Views: 908

Re: Hoping to avoid a wash sale headache

HootingSloth wrote: Tue Apr 27, 2021 3:19 pm Icarus,

VT is also not great in taxable because I believe you lose the foreign tax credit for the international stocks. I would probably consider VFIAX/VTCLX/VLCAX for domestic and VFWAX/FSGDX for international. I think you can find similar ETFs (although tax loss harvesting ETFs is a bit more annoying/risky than tax loss harvesting mutual funds).
I would love to simply use the same sorts of funds that I already have, but I have to imagine they're going to trigger wash sales if I ever sell anything because I'm buying into everything from payroll through my 401k and HSA.

Why is tax loss harvesting ETFs more risky?
by Icarus961
Tue Apr 27, 2021 3:04 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Hoping to avoid a wash sale headache
Replies: 12
Views: 908

Re: Hoping to avoid a wash sale headache

I agree it's not ideal, but with the construction of my current investments, what would be a better workaround?
by Icarus961
Tue Apr 27, 2021 2:49 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Hoping to avoid a wash sale headache
Replies: 12
Views: 908

Hoping to avoid a wash sale headache

Hi all.

I'm attempting to start investing with a brokerage account but am trying to be mindful of wash sale rules to not cause problems down the line. In my 401k, Roth IRA and HSA I currently have a mix of Total Market, SP500, Ext Market, Total International, and Total Bond. To be prudent, I plan on avoiding any of those in my taxable. In lieu of those, would I be safe-ish instead investing in Vanguard Total World (VT) and Vanguard Russell 1000 (VONE) and alternating from one into the other and back again for loss harvesting purposes? I imagine they're substantially dissimilar from each other, but are they also from all of my tax-advantaged funds?

Thanks!
by Icarus961
Fri Apr 02, 2021 10:48 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Ready to start a taxable account (I think)
Replies: 3
Views: 662

Ready to start a taxable account (I think)

Hi everyone, I've gotten to the point now where I'm able to comfortably max out my 401(k), Roth IRA and HSA and am now looking toward taxable investing. I'm not in the position to buy a house right now, and I don't have any short-term plans for the money, and I don't believe my work plan allows for a mega backdoor. What I'm imagining then is building a bridge from normal retirement age further and further back until my age lines up with whatever number will allow me to retire early at that time. To that point, I feel like I would be implementing a glide path similar a standard retirement one, to invest more conservatively as I get closer, just moved up 30 years. Does that seem reasonable? If so, how do I go about building that into my portf...
by Icarus961
Mon Sep 16, 2019 12:04 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Having to consider replacing my car
Replies: 40
Views: 3025

Re: Having to consider replacing my car

Looking at the invoice, it was in plainspeak "remove and replace rear brake pads, hardware, rotors and calipers..bleed system". I replaced the front pads years ago, but didn't bat an eye because it cost maybe a fifth of what this did and on a car "worth" 3 times as much at the time. Maybe I did get scammed! Yes, you got scammed. What did you bring the car in to have addressed in the first place? Did you not ask them about the cost and what was being replaced before approving the work? You should have walked out the door as soon as you heard "replace calipers" and "$1100". Well it's not quite like that =P it was ~750 for parts and labor for the brakes specifically. Maybe still bad, hope to get a clear...
by Icarus961
Mon Sep 16, 2019 10:55 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Having to consider replacing my car
Replies: 40
Views: 3025

Re: Having to consider replacing my car

sd323232 wrote: Mon Sep 16, 2019 10:38 am Nothing wrong with your Honda at 100k. You good for next 10 years. But it sounds like you have new car fever. If you can afford Tesla, buy it.
No fever, just felt like a newer car w/ a much longer value runway may be a better bet than trying to ship of Theseus my $3000 Accord. The sorts of people I would hear opinions about it from are car people, so I was curious how finance-minded people like yourselves would consider such an idea. I do believe you guys are closer to my tribe :happy. Better safety features and EV vs gas are likely all improvements over what I have, but I have a hard time believing it'd live up to the hype. Sounds like it's a moot point because nobody even thinks I'm in need of replacing my car to begin with!
by Icarus961
Mon Sep 16, 2019 10:45 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Having to consider replacing my car
Replies: 40
Views: 3025

Re: Having to consider replacing my car

Comparing the cost of repairs to the current value of the car is the wrong metric to determine if it is time to get a different vehicle. I always compare the cost of repairs to the expected life of the car after the repairs are completed. On my old Honda, I have spent 2X the value of the vehicle on a single repair (rebuilt the transmission) just because I knew that it would run for another decade after doing so. The cost per year of repairing the transmission was WAY less than the depreciation of a new vehicle. Honda's are notoriously reliable vehicles so unless you have a huge list of things you know are going to need to be repaired in the next handful of years, my vote is to keep it. See that was exactly what I'm doing. How instead shoul...
by Icarus961
Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:26 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Having to consider replacing my car
Replies: 40
Views: 3025

Re: Having to consider replacing my car

List the replacement parts you've recently needed. This car will go much further than 100K in mileage. It's a mistake to replace this car (ie. spend more money) unless you can point out a significant piece of damage the renders this car as a totaled vehicle. I just replaced the brake pads and calipers and windshield wiper motors. $1100 or so if I'm remembering correctly. That's on a car KBB is listing as $3-4k. Which I imagine means I'm due for some more gruesome repairs on the horizon? "VehicleHistory.com" is expecting something like $15k in repairs + maintenance over the next 5 years. Assuming that isn't total nonsense (perhaps it is), do I not cross the "totaled" threshold by then? Keep the car! I drive a 2006 Accord...
by Icarus961
Sun Sep 15, 2019 11:19 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Having to consider replacing my car
Replies: 40
Views: 3025

Having to consider replacing my car

Hi everybody! So my current car (2008 Honda Accord EX-L, approaching 100k) was purchased at 30k miles some 7 or 8 or so years ago with liberal use of an employee discount. Prior to that I had some hand-me-downs that I used for a few years each. As things have started needing replacement (perhaps even at a normal pace which I'm simply not used to!) I find myself needing to consider whether it's time to start shopping for a replacement. Furthermore, I'm going into this one solo, without any sort of connections or employee discount to dull the edge or to have my back if I buy used and hidden problems crop up. I'm surprised to find that many cars all fall pretty close to each other in price, so the differences between them end up being smaller ...
by Icarus961
Thu Nov 01, 2018 1:05 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: First Major Medical Expenses under HDHP
Replies: 31
Views: 3750

Re: First Major Medical Expenses under HDHP

Just because you have $5000 bill, doesn't mean you have to pay it all at once, or pay any late interest. If one big bill, call the provider, and see if you can pay off in 12 months with no interest. They'll probably take you up on the offer (and be thrilled). If there are a mix of bills, tackle the larger ones as above. Go for 6 to 12 months plans - no interest. Pay the smaller bills either thru the cash HSA account or EF. Just because you have $5000 bill, doesn't mean you have to pay it all at once, or pay any late interest. If one big bill, call the provider, and see if you can pay off in 12 months with no interest. They'll probably take you up on the offer (and be thrilled). If there are a mix of bills, tackle the larger ones as above. ...
by Icarus961
Wed Oct 31, 2018 9:49 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: First Major Medical Expenses under HDHP
Replies: 31
Views: 3750

Re: First Major Medical Expenses under HDHP

Hi everyone. Thanks for all of the responses! I left some stuff out not realizing that it might be important: -I am maxing out each my 401k, Roth IRA and HSA at the moment. Retirement savings is the largest single expense I have right now, and it took no small amount of courage to build up to maxing them out given how much it removes from my paycheck. I could lower my contributions to refill my emergency fund, but I fear that's a slippery slope (and I'd have the same guilt about lowering the potential retirement value of the money I'm not putting in). -The $5000 would cut my cash on hand by about a third, leaving me with about $10k which is enough for the month's expenses and a 4-month emergency fund. It would take some time to build it bac...
by Icarus961
Tue Oct 30, 2018 3:16 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: First Major Medical Expenses under HDHP
Replies: 31
Views: 3750

First Major Medical Expenses under HDHP

Hi everyone, I have been enrolled in an HDHP through work for several years now, and have been contributing the maximum towards my HSA. I have saved up roughly 6 months worth of expenses for an emergency fund, have $2500 in my HSA cash account and a few times that in the investment account. Anytime a contribution would overfill the cash account it gets swept to the investment account, and anytime it drops below $2500 money gets taken from the investment account to refill it. Fortune finally caught up with me and I managed to hit my out-of-pocket maximum of $5000 in one go. If I draw it from my emergency fund I would be set back quite a bit (which I am somewhat uncomfortable doing, given the sense of security it has given me, though I am abl...
by Icarus961
Sun Jan 07, 2018 7:22 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Please Post Tax Bill Questions Here [was Tax Bill Omnibus Thread]
Replies: 889
Views: 86472

Re: Please Post Tax Bill Questions Here [was Tax Bill Omnibus Thread]

So, a more general question on the nature of Roth vs Traditional investments with the new tax brackets.

As it currently stands I have about $45k in Roth investments, and $65k in Traditional. My current elections will see me adding about $9k to Roth and $18k to Traditional this year. Given that my tax bracket is going to be changing from %25 to %22, does that change the math on the breakpoint for which investment is better, and if so, should I move some of my future Traditional investments to Roth for the foreseeable future?

Thanks
by Icarus961
Sun Dec 31, 2017 9:37 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Looking toward 2018
Replies: 1
Views: 706

Looking toward 2018

Hey everyone, long time no see. True to the buy-and-hold spirit my investments have been largely on autopilot for the past few years, save some nudging here and there to make things fit easier. As such I figured it was time to check in and see what's next. (Re: https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=152910&p=2292460#p2292460) Emergency Fund: 6 months worth, in savings Debt: None ( :D ) Tax Filing Status: Single Tax Rate: 25% Federal, 5.5% State State of Residence: CT Age: 29 Annual Income: $84,000 Desired Asset Allocation: Age-20, 90% stocks / 10% bonds Desired International Allocation: 30% of stocks Current Retirement Assets: 60.0% - His 401k: $66,400 24.7% - Vanguard Institutional Index Fund Institutional Shares - VI...
by Icarus961
Sat Dec 03, 2016 5:05 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What's Your Credit Card Rewards Strategy?
Replies: 7203
Views: 1422025

Re: What's Your Credit Card Rewards Strategy?

Hey everybody. Goal: So my goal thus far has basically been to focus on cashback. Cards: 1. American Express Blue Cash Everyday - 3% back on groceries, 2% back on gas, 1% on everything else. My daily card. - No Fee 2. Santander Sphere Card - 1% back on all purchases. Used when my amex isn't accepted, often enough to keep it active. - Upgraded from my Santander Student Card. Boring, but my oldest card. - No Fee Rewards All of my rewards just get redeemed as cash, put towards my statement balance. I applied for my AMEX several years ago, so I'm considering getting another card in the interest of taking advantage of good rewards. I have a credit score hovering around 800. I travel rarely (averaging a little less than once a year, probably), sp...
by Icarus961
Tue Dec 01, 2015 1:00 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Rebalancing question regarding new 401k choices
Replies: 3
Views: 759

Re: Rebalancing question regarding new 401k choices

Thank you both!

My HSA is being treated as a long-term savings vehicle, so ideally it will remain untouched for a long time. With that in mind, would it be reasonable then to move ~23% of my VINIX into the extended market fund, change my HSA to large cap, and then have my future 401(k) contributions go to 55%/25%/20% for VINIX/VIEIX/VBTLX?
by Icarus961
Tue Dec 01, 2015 10:30 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Rebalancing question regarding new 401k choices
Replies: 3
Views: 759

Rebalancing question regarding new 401k choices

Hello all! My company recently added a number of new Vanguard funds to our 401(k) investment options. I now have access to Vanguard Extended Market (VIEIX, 0.08%), Total International (VTIAX, 0.14%), and Total Bond (VBTLX, 0.07%). I'm going to be moving my bond holdings over to VBTLX, however I'm wondering if there is a compelling reason to invest in one of the other funds, considering my portfolio as it is now. My setup: 27 y/o, target asset allocation roughly 90-10 with 30% international. Current retirement assets: 61.5% - His 401k: $26,400 52.2% - Vanguard Institutional Index Fund Institutional Shares - VINIX (0.04%) 9.3% - PIMCO Total Return Fund Institutional Class - PTTRX (0.46%) 29.4% - His Roth IRA at Vanguard: $12600 29.4% - Vangua...
by Icarus961
Sun Jul 26, 2015 12:21 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: How to go "All-In"
Replies: 4
Views: 1153

Re: How to go "All-In"

Car's 2.75%, I'm paying the minimum on that, it will be around a little while longer. The lion's share of the money went towards my student loans, each in the 5-7% range. That said, it doesn't much matter anymore, they're very nearly paid off.
by Icarus961
Sun Jul 26, 2015 12:05 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: How to go "All-In"
Replies: 4
Views: 1153

How to go "All-In"

Hey everyone. I'm hoping that you can help me with the investor's anxiety that I'm having. For the past 5 years, since graduating, I've put about $3,000 a month against my student loans and car. Early on, this constituted virtually my entire after-tax income, save getting my 401(k) match and a trickle towards an emergency fund, and since then what surplus I've gained above that has gone towards maxing out my Roth and HSA (Putting me somewhere in the 20-25% savings rate range depending on how you calculate it). The debt has caused me quite a bit of stress for me over this time, but I'm happy to say I'll be done with it in a few months time. For several months I've been quite relieved to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but as I'm gett...
by Icarus961
Thu Jun 25, 2015 7:14 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Share your net worth progression
Replies: 4288
Views: 1082191

Re: Share your networth progression

Found FI resources Spring of 2013, started getting into it a lot more, wound up at Bogleheads ~Nov '13.

Started out with a ton of student loans. Since then I've basically been living hand-to-the bank's mouth to clear them as quickly as possible. Almost there!

June 2011: -$120k (Salary $52k)
June 2012: -$99k
June 2013: -$58k
June 2014: -$589 (so close!)
June 2015: $45k (Salary $70k)
June 2016: $81.5k
June 2017: $114k
June 2018: $130k
June 2019: $186k (Salary $87k)
June 2020: $247k
by Icarus961
Sat Dec 13, 2014 5:19 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: One Year Checkup Thread
Replies: 4
Views: 1482

Re: One Year Checkup Thread

Bump!

Would love to hear some input on my HSA, given the iffy investment choices I have.

Thanks!
by Icarus961
Fri Dec 12, 2014 11:27 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: One Year Checkup Thread
Replies: 4
Views: 1482

One Year Checkup Thread

Hey everybody. As the year's coming to an end I figured it was about time to clarify some things and make sure I'm on the right track. Previous thread can be found here: https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=126946 The pertinents: Emergency funds: About 6 months worth Debt: Student Loans: $30,500, average 6% (snowballing from 6.99% down), Car Loan: $9,200, 2.75%, no other debt Tax Filing Status: Single Tax Rate: 25% Federal, 5.5% State State of Residence: CT Age: 26 Annual Income: $68,300 Desired Asset allocation: 90% stocks / 10% bonds Desired International allocation: 30% of stocks Current retirement assets: 69.3% - His 401k: $18,500 60.0% - Vanguard Institutional Index Fund Institutional Shares - VINIX (0.04%) 9.3% - P...
by Icarus961
Fri Oct 24, 2014 7:07 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Help me understand my ESPP tax implications
Replies: 1
Views: 693

Help me understand my ESPP tax implications

Hey everybody. Earlier this year I signed up for the ESPP where I work. The plan allows deferral up to 10% of your salary every pay period (bi-monthly) and purchases stocks using that money on the 15th of the following month. I'm currently setting aside the full 10% of my income, roughly $550 a month. I have thereafter been selling the stock the next day netting around $650 ($630 after transaction fees) and, according to my statements, realizing ordinary income of about $100. The statement also reads that the tax basis for these shares is the same $650, consistent with the literature, which means I'm seeing a $20+ capital loss every month. I was hoping you guys and gals could clear some things up for me. 1) Does this qualify as a wash sale?...
by Icarus961
Sat Sep 20, 2014 11:34 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Is it time to start using a taxable account?
Replies: 17
Views: 4707

Re: Is it time to start using a taxable account?

"As good" is hard to say. Anything you pick may outperform it, the best you can do is manage risk, expenses and taxes. I don't have any experience with that particular fund, but it may very well do fine for your purposes. Hopefully someone else can weigh in on whether it's a reasonable choice.

No secret on finding the ticker. Simply searched for funds approximating the objectives. In your case, googling "fidelity intermediate tax exempt bond fund" did the trick.
by Icarus961
Sat Sep 20, 2014 10:26 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Is it time to start using a taxable account?
Replies: 17
Views: 4707

Re: Is it time to start using a taxable account?

Perhaps something like FLTMX?

Certainly a bit more expensive, though.
by Icarus961
Wed Aug 27, 2014 3:35 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Savers vs. Spenders: Default Mode
Replies: 34
Views: 3828

Re: Savers vs. Spenders: Default Mode

VictoriaF wrote:There are two types of people: those who wait in the Stanford marshmallow experiment and those who don't.

Victoria
Exactly what came to mind!

This goes back to the larger nature-vs-nurture argument, but I think it's been well established that there are observable elements of an innate tendency toward deferred gratitude in some children, even very early on.
by Icarus961
Sat May 24, 2014 4:21 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: HSA Investments and Account Priorities
Replies: 1
Views: 714

HSA Investments and Account Priorities

Hi everybody. I was going to put off making another one of these threads until the end of the year for a checkup but I was hoping you could help me with some stuff. You can see my previous thread at http://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=126946 The stats: Emergency funds: 4 Months Debt: Student Loans: $47000, average 6%, Car Loan: $10,900, 2.75%, no other debt Tax Filing Status: Single Tax Rate: 25% Federal, 5.5% State State of Residence: CT Age: 26 Annual Income: $66300 Desired Asset allocation: 90% stocks / 10% bonds Desired International allocation: 30% of stocks Current retirement assets: 67.5% - His 401k: $13,700 58.6% - Vanguard Institutional Index Fund Institutional Shares - VINIX (0.04%) 8.9% - PIMCO Total Return Fu...
by Icarus961
Wed Dec 11, 2013 2:39 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How should i start to save?
Replies: 14
Views: 2389

Re: How should i start to save?

Ultimately you'd be best served by reading through the wiki and it's relevant articles discussing your emergency fund and asset allocation (as you may have already done). Then, create a new thread in the "Investing - Help with Personal Investments" forum using their guidelines for formatting your post. That's really the place for this question since you've moved beyond the "how" of saving and have moved to the "where".
by Icarus961
Fri Nov 29, 2013 10:29 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Fresh Boglehead Looking for Sanity Check
Replies: 8
Views: 1966

Re: Fresh Boglehead Looking for Sanity Check

Looks like I'm in OK shape, I've got a plan for evening things out going forward, at least for the near future. Should be all set for the year ahead.

Thanks again!
by Icarus961
Wed Nov 27, 2013 11:26 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Fresh Boglehead Looking for Sanity Check
Replies: 8
Views: 1966

Re: Fresh Boglehead Looking for Sanity Check

Sorry for the late response!

Thanks for the specific advice, I really appreciate it. I had not known that PTTRX was so competitive. I'll be switching my purchasing allocation toward something like 40% PTTRX / 60% VINIX for the next year, which should give me around 10% bonds overall by the end of 2014 if my math is right (not factoring in growth/decline but i can properly rebalance next year as necessary). Does that seem like a reasonable approach to introducing bonds to my portfolio? Alternatively, am I better off shifting a portion of my existing assets over to PTTRX relatively soon and leaving incoming money to the 401(k) as 100% VINIX before setting the proper ratio once I've hit my target?
by Icarus961
Fri Nov 22, 2013 10:51 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Fresh Boglehead Looking for Sanity Check
Replies: 8
Views: 1966

Fresh Boglehead Looking for Sanity Check

Hello everyone. First-time poster, I found the forum a few months back as I started to get more and more into investing and finance. I think I'm ready at this point to at least be able to ask the right questions and hopefully clear up some concerns I have going forward. Some background: Graduated in 2010 with a lot of student debt, a fair bit of CC debt, no money, terrible money sense :oops: . Lived with the parents for a while I worked a lower-paying job and put every dime I had into my loans and card, just getting the (small) match in my 401(k). Eventually turned it around, got a better job, and have started to invest in earnest to catch up as best as I can. Current situation is as stands: Emergency funds: About 3 months worth Debt: Stude...