Search found 1259 matches

by desiderium
Tue Mar 26, 2024 4:49 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Boeing (BA) stock: at some point it has to be a bargain
Replies: 197
Views: 19516

Re: Boeing (BA) stock: at some point it has to be a bargain

As an aeronautical engineer, I have a sentimental softness for Boeing, as a "stalwart" in the industry, and the developer of many fine technological advances, such as the B29 and other storied aircraft, the 747 and so on. Unfortunately that does not translate into any knowledge, actionable or even merely theoretical, into either its prospects as a business, or its vitality as a stock. As others noted, it is unlikely that Boeing would be "allowed" to outright fail, meaning that in dire situation, there would be a bailout. But again as others have noted, that is no balm for pained investors, and instead is likely a wipeout. I do hope that Boeing turns-around and succeeds, but can't justify devoting even just play-money, t...
by desiderium
Tue Mar 26, 2024 4:42 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: AC or Heat Pump in Seattle
Replies: 24
Views: 1553

Re: AC or Heat Pump in Seattle

Cooling of the second floor is adequate but not great. This may depend on your ducts and airflow. (Our system already had problems getting air to the upper story.) I might eventually add a mini-split for the upstairs bedroom, or look into upgrading the ducts. Exactly why we looked into mini-splits. Was told that the standard heat pumps only work well down to about 30F... so either need to keep the furnace in place, or upgrade to a higher end (mitsubishi?) heat pump, or one that has a backup electric heater / (coils?) Heat pump technology has advanced, but unevenly. You definitely need something that operates in a colder climate. The relevant models gain efficiency by having variable speed compressors higher pressures and ECM motors. Incent...
by desiderium
Sun Mar 24, 2024 10:53 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Timing my retirement date
Replies: 15
Views: 1680

Re: Timing my retirement date

You might explore how you will manage taxation in retirement. Ira withdrawals are straightforward taxable income, but do you have taxable savings to support retirement? You may be able to manage things in a way that will permit taking some capital gains tax free or possibly doing Roth conversions. This can get complicated and is highly individual. See a classic BH thread on this topic: https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=87471 You might also go back and look at ACA coverage and health insurance costs. ACA plans can have varying levels of coverage and you may be able to find one that is similar to your employer's plan. If you can keep your income low, you may find the subsidies compelling, though there are changes scheduled for ...
by desiderium
Sat Mar 23, 2024 11:04 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: MediGap Underwriting, Moving Up to Plan G: What Do the Insur Cos Evaluate?
Replies: 16
Views: 1332

Re: MediGap Underwriting, Moving Up to Plan G: What Do the Insur Cos Evaluate?

Rules vary by state. In Washington you can switch medigap plans at will.

When can I switch plans?
If you're already enrolled in a Medigap plan B through N, you can switch at any time to another Medigap plan B through N. If you have a Medigap plan A, you can switch to any other Medigap plan A. In either of these situations, you do not have to take a written health screening questionnaire.

However, if you're switching from some other type of health insurance plan to a Medigap plan, rules can vary and insurers may require you pass a written health screening questionnaire. If you're not sure you need to take a written health screening, call our Insurance Consumer Hotline at 800-562-6900 and ask to speak with a health compliance analyst.
by desiderium
Thu Mar 21, 2024 5:48 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Impending Retirement, Portfolio Review + Decumulation planning help
Replies: 14
Views: 2415

Re: Impending Retirement, Portfolio Review + Decumulation planning help

Your worries are a structural feature of the transition between living below your means and spending your savings. Welcome to the club. They get better after awhile. 1. Take the severance if offered, it sounds generous and accords with your overall plans for retirement. Retirement is a big life transition that inevitably will acquaint you with various existential considerations. Don't waste time in head games like OMY scenarios. Work longer only if it brings you satisfaction. 2. I obsessed about how to decumulate for awhile and eventually concluded that it was not really possible to "optimize" this all in advance so that makes it makes a large or predictable difference. I found it useful to make a year by year spreadsheet that pro...
by desiderium
Tue Mar 19, 2024 4:03 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Medicare: Getting Part A and D only
Replies: 89
Views: 4986

Re: Medicare: Getting Part A and D only

chalet wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2024 8:47 pm
James.534 wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2024 6:07 pm My understanding is Tricare for life acts similar to a part B supplement policy.

and it includes a good drug plan.
And it has no additional premium for Tricare-eligible retirees, other than medicare part B premium. Next year I am looking at Part B premium, a G medigap plan at ~$200/month and Part D premium. OP, thank you for your service!
by desiderium
Sun Mar 17, 2024 11:35 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Medigappers: which plan do you have and why
Replies: 89
Views: 5034

Re: Medigappers: which plan do you have and why

I'm interpreting your question as one of trying to learn about the various plans to see if one might be a possibility for you in the future. If so, it meets the forum guidelines of must be personal and must be actionable. Most comments I have seen indicate that at this time Medigap plans G, G High-Deductible, and N seem to be often mentioned. Each person has a particular situation for why they choose their plan--financial, medical needs, insurance philosophy--but most would probably agree that there are a variety of plans which can fit one's needs. If I personally was choosing a Medigap plan ( I can't due to being on FEHB), I would probably go with Plan G because it is a great price, great coverage, and would fit our needs best. It might b...
by desiderium
Sun Mar 17, 2024 11:32 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Medicare: Getting Part A and D only
Replies: 89
Views: 4986

Re: Medicare: Getting Part A and D only

Being a vet who'll get Tricare for Life (and services at any base), I still wonder if it's not worth considering. Oh. Others will need to comment, but I thin Tricare still relies on MCare B enrollment too. Yeah - https://tricare.mil/Costs/PayFees/MedPartBFees You're right. So yeah like I was saying, Part A, B, and D sound good. :? You are pretty well set. Tricare for life IS a medigap plan. It functions like other examples of retiree healthcare in the sense that you transition from the company plan (Tricare, for military retirees under 65) to a medicare supplemental plan. You enroll in Mediare part A and B and do not have to purchase a medigap supplement. Even better, you should not have to purchase Part D, because Tricare for life has its...
by desiderium
Sun Mar 17, 2024 11:30 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Medicare: Getting Part A and D only
Replies: 89
Views: 4986

Re: Medicare: Getting Part A and D only

Being a vet who'll get Tricare for Life (and services at any base), I still wonder if it's not worth considering. Oh. Others will need to comment, but I thin Tricare still relies on MCare B enrollment too. Yeah - https://tricare.mil/Costs/PayFees/MedPartBFees You're right. So yeah like I was saying, Part A, B, and D sound good. :? You are pretty well set. Tricare for life IS a medigap plan. It functions like other examples of retiree healthcare in the sense that you transition from the company plan (Tricare, for military retirees under 65) to a medicare supplemental plan. You enroll in Mediare part A and B and do not have to purchase a medigap supplement. Even better, you should not have to purchase Part D, because Tricare for life has pre...
by desiderium
Thu Mar 14, 2024 11:34 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Newbie for Bonds
Replies: 30
Views: 2568

Re: Newbie for Bonds

I recently retired and find the subject of fixed income pretty complicated. I have moved away from funds, other than money market For a younger investor with a long horizon and a desire to dampen volatility, an intermediate bond fund like BND is pretty much a central recommendation. It is important to match your investment time horizon with the duration of your fixed income investments, whether individual bonds or a fund. My problem is that I can no longer grasp my investment horizon very clearly, and I believe it will continue to change. I have settled on the following fixed income strategy for my situation. First, is to consider the income I will need to spend for the next several years, 6 until Social Security at 70. After that it gets ...
by desiderium
Thu Mar 14, 2024 11:18 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Tax Strategy
Replies: 7
Views: 1578

Re: Tax Strategy

Hi all, As I was finishing this year's taxes, I thought it might be time to review my overall strategy to make sure I'm not missing anything that could be helpful in minimizing the total tax bill. My wife and I are 35 and are in a high tax bracket (hoping to be for many more years). Here's what we're doing so far: - Max both pre-tax 401k accounts - Backdoor roth contributions for both of us totaling $14k - Mega backdoor roth contribution for me (not an option for my wife's employer) - All bonds are held in the 401k accounts; taxable brokerage has only VTI/VXUS - I've done some tax loss harvesting in the past but that's harder to do now with routine buying of a small number of funds. I could get fancier here to avoid wash sales but I'm not ...
by desiderium
Wed Mar 13, 2024 10:37 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Newbie for Bonds
Replies: 30
Views: 2568

Re: Newbie for Bonds

So i listened a bit to a podcast with Larry Swedroe. He talked about the Cliffwater corporate lending fund (i believe CCLFX). Anybody on here invested in that? I know you can’t just buy in on E*Trade/Scwhab or whatever, just curious if anyone here has anything there and how they went about investing with them. Larry is a former poster on this forum and works for Buckingham Strategic Wealth. He advocates portfolios that include a portion in "alternatives" uncorrelated with either stocks and bonds. In theory, this makes sense. There are lots of threads on what constitutes alternatives and whether they are good investments, critiquing their high management costs, etc. He is a lucid writer and has written a number of helpful books fo...
by desiderium
Tue Mar 12, 2024 2:45 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Newbie for Bonds
Replies: 30
Views: 2568

Re: Newbie for Bonds

I recently retired and find the subject of fixed income pretty complicated. I have moved away from funds, other than money market For a younger investor with a long horizon and a desire to dampen volatility, an intermediate bond fund like BND is pretty much a central recommendation. It is important to match your investment time horizon with the duration of your fixed income investments, whether individual bonds or a fund. My problem is that I can no longer grasp my investment horizon very clearly, and I believe it will continue to change. I have settled on the following fixed income strategy for my situation. First, is to consider the income I will need to spend for the next several years, 6 until Social Security at 70. After that it gets f...
by desiderium
Sat Mar 09, 2024 11:21 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 5-8 years to early retirement. Portfolio review and how to prepare.
Replies: 14
Views: 3120

Re: 5-8 years to early retirement. Portfolio review and how to prepare.

Sorry, but it seems like you may be overthinking some of this. You have 2m to fund a 60k retirement spend, 5+ years of work with a very high savings rate. You are in great shape financially and should be able to do whatever you want when you decide to hang it up. It is hard to know what you are going to feel like doing 5 years from now and so not easy to plan it all out. As far as preparation, you are doing it, saving, investing with low costs, paying attention to taxes etc. If anything, you might consider your retirement interests and start exploring and developing them now. As far as squeezing more into Roth space, it may not amount to that much money to make a big difference (vs investing in taxable), and I would cringe at dealing with p...
by desiderium
Sat Mar 09, 2024 10:48 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Considering Converting 401K to IRA/Roth IRA
Replies: 2
Views: 476

Re: Considering Converting 401K to IRA/Roth IRA

Another consideration is that 401K may have greater protection against creditors than an IRA. Importance of this scales with the amount in the account. Do you have a 401k with your current employer? You may be able to roll the old account into the new one, but you would need to check if this is allowed. Also, it would be more attractive if you the investment options in the current employer's plan.
by desiderium
Sat Mar 09, 2024 12:29 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Can I splurge on a family vacation to Hawaii?
Replies: 56
Views: 5045

Re: Can I splurge on a family vacation to Hawaii?

Corn18,

Please do this. I took my family (adult kids) to Hawaii a couple of years ago and it was worth every penny. Your 25k vacation budget is limited and you can afford to overspend it now and then when such opportunities arise.
by desiderium
Thu Mar 07, 2024 10:48 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Fidelity advice
Replies: 67
Views: 8455

Re: Fidelity advice

If they are offering 11% with no additional risk, you have to ask why are they meeting with you? This is disappointing. I have a Fidelity adviser that meets with me once a year, and has provided a number of helpful suggestions. At our first meeting I told him I was a DIY index investor and I have received no sales pitches. His "team" responded directly when I have requested asset transfers from other accounts, asset gifts to kids, etc. Maybe the VP will be coming after me before long.
by desiderium
Tue Mar 05, 2024 12:39 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Currently retired 70 years old [What to do with AXA Equitable 403b?]
Replies: 20
Views: 2736

Re: Currently retired 70 years old

Retired 5 years now from a private non-profit which has now closed down. I have an AXA Equitable 403b and I have allocated 90% in their fixed income account (earning 3%) and 10 % in an Equitable common stock Index. I still can't figure out the exact total fees/cost of keeping my money with AXA. Any suggestions about moving the money to a lower fee-based option? Is it worth moving the money now after all these years? Thank you so much for any advice and information. Welcome to the forum. Are there ticker symbols for these investments? That might help us, to help you, figure out the costs. Regards, Equitable wrote: You currently have 86% of your account in the GIA, with 0% expenses. There is also 14% in the Common Stock Index Fund with portf...
by desiderium
Tue Mar 05, 2024 12:15 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Giving (unequal) money to adult children
Replies: 90
Views: 8407

Re: Giving (unequal) money to adult children

I trust the mods will close this if they feel it's strictly a relationship issue. I have three adult children, all married, two with children. Two are thriving. One (married and with a small child) is not. My ex-DH and I both contribute to supplement grandchild's life--think summer camp, afterschool enrichment. Adult child's husband approached me in 2022 to act a guarantor on an interest free loan from a benevolent society to catch up on late rent, mostly due to pandemic related lack of income. (He now has a steady civil service job; spouse (my child) works very part time, due to both physical and mental health issues. Loan was for $7000. That loan is almost paid off; he approached me last week because they need to re-borrow that amount fo...
by desiderium
Mon Mar 04, 2024 10:49 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Plateaued with my 45 minute workout - Age 47
Replies: 90
Views: 7894

Re: Plateaued with my 45 minute workout - Age 47

What is your goal? Be healthy? Lose weight? Run marathon? Run sprints? Build muscle? Increase fitness and build muscle. Would like to keep upping the speed of the treadmill every week or so. But maybe 8.5/9.0 mph is the limit for my age and doing this just 3X week?? I don't think your running will get faster with running 9 miles a week. Your plateau is telling you exactly that. Upping the treadmill will just make you feel worse or you may fall off. If you want to get faster you need to run longer and accumulate more miles. The good news is that what your are missing is lots of easy miles that will build your muscle endurance and efficiency. My tolerance of treadmill is poor due to boredom and too much identification with rats in a cage. Mi...
by desiderium
Mon Mar 04, 2024 8:34 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Currently retired 70 years old [What to do with AXA Equitable 403b?]
Replies: 20
Views: 2736

Re: Currently retired 70 years old

Fixed income, in it's various flavors, is currently yielding 4-5+%. You're losing if you don't move, so definitely worth it. Vanguard (Fidelity, Schwab) generally have no account fees and offer very low-cost funds that should suit your needs. Once you have the logistics figured out, consider posting your portfolio plans for review here. You will get some good feedback. Not necessarily losing, because it's not reasonable to compare "various flavors" of fixed income to a stable value fund, if that's what the OP has. Maybe it even has a guaranteed minimum yield. I have a 4% fixed account, with a $30 annual fee, but the 4% is a guaranteed minimum, so I haven't yet bailed on it for a higher-yielding MM or other short-term fixed-income...
by desiderium
Mon Mar 04, 2024 11:06 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Currently retired 70 years old [What to do with AXA Equitable 403b?]
Replies: 20
Views: 2736

Re: Currently retired 70 years old

Fixed income, in it's various flavors, is currently yielding 4-5+%. You're losing if you don't move, so definitely worth it. Vanguard (Fidelity, Schwab) generally have no account fees and offer very low-cost funds that should suit your needs.

Once you have the logistics figured out, consider posting your portfolio plans for review here. You will get some good feedback.
by desiderium
Sun Mar 03, 2024 6:01 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Tom Bihn briefcase worth the money? Looking for a quality, lightweight laptop briefcase.
Replies: 21
Views: 2481

Re: Tom Bihn briefcase worth the money? Looking for a quality, lightweight laptop briefcase.

I purchased a carry-on from Tom Bihn a few years ago and am very pleased with the quality and design. I was undecided about the size, so I went to their factory South of downtown Seattle, where they have a few racks and shelves near the front door. It's a busy place! Other companies often focus on design and marketing while outsourcing manufacturing. Having direct control over manufacturing likely contributes to Tom Bihn's reputation for quality and longevity.
by desiderium
Sun Feb 25, 2024 4:25 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Laddering securites?
Replies: 4
Views: 428

Re: Laddering securites?

Compare your CD deal with a treasury of similar duration. You may find that treasuries are yielding a bit more. IMO treasuries are more versatile for building a ladder: you can buy essentially any duration, and they are liquid: you can sell anytime if your projections about when you need the money prove inaccurate (though subject to market forces), while with a bank CD you are going to pay a penalty. At various points in time, CD yields are superior enough to justify their inconveniences but this isn't one of those times.
by desiderium
Fri Feb 23, 2024 11:33 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Advice/ideas on how to navigate spending/distributing significant net worth/income
Replies: 11
Views: 1876

Re: Advice/ideas on how to navigate spending/distributing significant net worth/income

Congratulations, you earned a nice set of problems. It may go without saying, but you will always be susceptible to stress and tension about your kids. 1. I don't understand the part about savings goals and further wealth accumulation, since you seem unlikely to spend all your money at this rate. So you can set your spending at whatever level you want. Increase it gradually, and allocate some to goals you share with your wife and set individual budgets you can each control without judgement or comparison. Re-evaluate together every year. Whatever you do, keep up the snowboarding as long as you can. New gear or helicopter transport are secondary considerations. 2. As for luxuries, don't buy ones that complicate your life like yachts or homes...
by desiderium
Wed Feb 21, 2024 7:07 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Medical facility is out of network, but not the doctors who work there??
Replies: 5
Views: 952

Re: Medical facility is out of network, but not the doctors who work there??

Quick update on this… I chatted with the insurance company today about these two issues: - He told me that the facility / medical center for my wife was in network. He also mentioned that he would call the medical center since, “We do not encourage our in network providers to charge you upfront.” - He told me to disregard the letter that I received. It’s a really big chore to be doing this. Hopefully, it’s just a short-term glitch. Even the simplest appointments are taking 3-4 months to schedule, so changing providers causes big delays in treatments. For now, my approach will be: 1) never pay up front and 2) get clarification from the insurance company when there are apparently off-the-wall out of network claims made by the medical provide...
by desiderium
Mon Jan 29, 2024 1:15 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Thinking of moving to Denver
Replies: 59
Views: 6760

Re: Thinking of moving to Denver

You appear to be describing Boulder. Several very nice neighborhoods a few blocks from mountain trails. Expensive but would not shock someone from Seattle.
by desiderium
Thu Jan 25, 2024 9:47 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: New Fidelity Private Client Policy?
Replies: 44
Views: 6649

Re: New Fidelity Private Client Policy?

When I moved to FIDO a few years back, I was assigned and advisor, who met with me to review my portfolio. He encouraged me to fill out Fidelity's retirement planner, which is a helpful tool. I made it pretty clear I was DIY. He has listened carefully to my situation and has given me some helpful advice each year, particularly regarding fixed income investments. His "team" contacts me every year to set up another appointment, and they have provided helpful assistance for several non-straightforward tasks. No sales pitches so far, but they want to keep in touch. All good so far.
by desiderium
Tue Jan 23, 2024 2:50 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: How much is owned real estate (primary/secondary homes) as a percent of your net worth?
Replies: 113
Views: 9017

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

Also in VHCOL area
Residence 55%
Rental property 10%
Other assets 35%
No liabilities

This situation is problematic, in that a) risk to RE value is geographically concentrated, b) retired and spending enough than current portfolio is risky at long lifespans. We have more than sufficient NW to manage. The rental property will go in a few years, and we will almost certainly choose to downsize from our current residence long before we need the money.
by desiderium
Mon Jan 22, 2024 6:46 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: 42 yrs old. Deciding on Medicare or Medicare Advantage in NY
Replies: 25
Views: 3309

Re: 42 yrs old. Deciding on Medicare or Medicare Advantage in NY

I used to work for a healthcare insurer. Just like any business a healthcare insurer wants to maximize profits and limit expenses. Healthcare is expensive. With medicare advantage the government gives the insurer a set amount per month for each individual enrolled. The government is out of the business of being an insurer. To me it looks like medicare advantage has a large incentive to limit healthcare. Maybe I am cynical. Not cynical, this is the business model. It is called "utilization management". This is where pre-authorization and denials of coverage come in. These decisions are nominally evidence based, but are often made by robots or by people who do not take time to review the situation. Denials operate behind substantia...
by desiderium
Mon Jan 22, 2024 6:31 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: 42 yrs old. Deciding on Medicare or Medicare Advantage in NY
Replies: 25
Views: 3309

Re: 42 yrs old. Deciding on Medicare or Medicare Advantage in NY

Aren't Medicare rules for enrolling or disenrolling federal and not state specific? No. Insurance companies are regulated by state governments. So state makes the rules. I am sure there are some minimal Federal guidelines but in the end states have lots of flexibility to regulate the INSURANCE. When you buy gap or MA you are buying a private insurance product, regulated by your state. Feds set standards about minimal services MA must offer, but terms of price, adding/removing coverage is state regulated. But Medicare is a federal program. Aren't there federal rules about when you can go back and forth between MA and traditional Medicare? Yes, the feds have rules on back and forth. The problem is medigap insurance, which is private and stat...
by desiderium
Mon Jan 22, 2024 6:17 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How to sell a vintage watch?
Replies: 20
Views: 1920

Re: How to sell a vintage watch?

Here is a search on chrono24 for Longines and 1949. Perhaps you can find your watch. https://www.chrono24.com/search/index.h ... soryTypes=
by desiderium
Mon Jan 22, 2024 8:10 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Go part time / semi retire in 7 years?
Replies: 4
Views: 1135

Re: Go part time / semi retire in 7 years?

Semiretirement is a very good strategy at age 50, IMO.

Financial predictions over a 40+ year retirement are difficult. It makes sense to maintain your human capital in the event things go bad in the early years of retirement/semiretirement, when you could still return to higher-effort employment. Even if you can't save anymore, the income blunts your withdrawal rate and enhances portfolio survival.
by desiderium
Mon Jan 22, 2024 7:55 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Tax Management
Replies: 11
Views: 947

Re: Tax Management

For 2024, the standard deduction for a married couple is $29,200. If you are itemizing deductions, you need to discount the tax advantage by that amount. Hence, your charitable contributions, mortage interest and local taxes may not be reducing your tax burden very much. As Livesoft mentioned, consider bunching your deductions. For example, look at your etf shares in your taxable account and find those that are at least a year old and have the most appreciation since purchase. Donate 100k of those to a donor advised fund. You have now wiped out future capital gains taxes on those shares and can take 100k in income deduction this year, plus other itemized deductions. You can then direct 20k/year to your chosen charities for the next 5 years....
by desiderium
Sun Jan 07, 2024 9:15 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Pros & Cons of SNSXX vs. SGOV (Yield Confusion...)
Replies: 13
Views: 2557

Re: Pros & Cons of SNSXX vs. SGOV (Yield Confusion...)

When I was with schwab I was fairly compulsive about checking for loose cash every week or so and moving it into a money market fund, so I didn't have to worry about whole shares. To squeeze out some more yield, I would periodically add to a crude short duration treasury ladder, depending on yield curve and my anticipated cash needs. SGOV is a bit easier, but treasuries have no management cost. Treasuries are no less liquid than SGOV. Of course, all of this is pretty small stuff compared to just leaving it in the money market fund.
by desiderium
Thu Jan 04, 2024 8:52 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Thinking of Retirement within a year. Appreciate feedbacks
Replies: 3
Views: 1052

Re: Thinking of Retirement within a year. Appreciate feedbacks

Aside from unpredictability of market returns, two possible issues are the long retirement and maybe optimistic projections for health care. Do projected costs include the deductibles or copays for expected and unexpected health care consumption? Last year on COBRA my costs (for 2) were 38k. I may well need more care than you, but future health costs can be unpredictable. ' One way to hedge would be to consider working part time or in a consulting role for awhile, if it is possible to do so in a satisfying way. Even a modest dent in portfolio withdrawal rate improves odds of success, and maintaining your human capital for a few years helps insure against more serious costs or investment losses. A second scenario to run would be home downsiz...
by desiderium
Thu Dec 28, 2023 5:35 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Leaving Vanguard
Replies: 40
Views: 6212

Re: Leaving Vanguard

You guys are a tough audience! I'm retired now, but when I was working, if you didn't get through your inbox by the end of the day you wouldn't last very long there. So a simple form - there are about six fields - taking three to five business days seems a bit extreme. Also I should say that I was originally told on Tuesday 12/19 that it would be "two to three business days" so notarized and FedExed it on Wednesday 12/20 and it arrived at 11am Friday 12/22. So I called an hour later and that's when I was told "three to five business days". Quite frustrating. Well the transfer doesn't work today but tomorrow is five days so we shall see. Also, it's not the only instance of poor service. Interestingly my DAF is at Vanguar...
by desiderium
Wed Dec 27, 2023 7:29 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Setting the Clock on Managing our Money and Driving our Cars
Replies: 12
Views: 2048

Re: Setting the Clock on Managing our Money and Driving our Cars

Troubling levels of cognitive decline are often not sensed by an individual. For example, there may be a age-related decline in reasoning powers, leading one not to detect and avoid financial scams. Similarly, there are age-related perceptual and motor delays that impact driving ability. While there are many people who have no visible trace of decline in one or the other skill set, rarely does an individual escape some sort of limitation of these activities of daily living if they live long enough. Ms. Cruise and I have no close relatives within a very long flight, so there is no blood relation who will be able to act in a surveillance role. (Hopefully, we will be in a CCRC who can be of assistance.) Because self-awareness of limitations d...
by desiderium
Tue Dec 26, 2023 3:01 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: ACA before medicare
Replies: 43
Views: 5614

Re: ACA before medicare

ACA plans are as byzantine and variable as the range of employer-sponsored commercial insurance products. With a PPO plan, the key points are whether the facilities and doctors you use or might use are within the network, and whether there are caps on expenses generated out of network. My new ACA plan has far broader in-network coverage than my old employer plan. My state has many ACA insurance products and some were pretty concerning when I imagined trying to use them. You need to look carefully at the details. Pick a dominant insurer in your area, but even those can offer several plans, adding to the confusion. I did not use a broker, but I am pretty sure that a good one can make sorting through the choices much easier.
by desiderium
Tue Dec 12, 2023 11:50 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Social Security start date
Replies: 3
Views: 569

Re: Social Security start date

You may be overthinking this choice. If, prior to drawing social security, you are only withdrawing 1-1.5% of your savings, it is hard to see how it will matter all that much financially. Use opensocialsecurity.com to game out the different scenarios. You will may find that the differences are pretty small.
by desiderium
Wed Dec 06, 2023 8:00 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: retire in 50s what do you do
Replies: 64
Views: 12223

Re: retire in 50s what do you do

Not working! Seriously... To each their own but part of retirement to me is slowing down and not having to have a full day. I don't really understand this "retire to something" mantra that is common. ok this makes me feel better -- I have read a lot about "retire to something" and now feel somewhat stressed to move from stressful job to stressful retirement :) (kidding, kinda) I expended a lot of time and energy as I was moving toward retirement thinking about "retiring to". It took time to let go of my professional identity (still not completely there), and retiring-to seemed like a frantic search for a substitute, and there simply wasn't one. My days are pretty full for the most part, including some of the t...
by desiderium
Sun Dec 03, 2023 10:21 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Massive tax bill, is it worth it to keep working?
Replies: 39
Views: 6095

Re: Massive tax bill, is it worth it to keep working?

There is a deeply personal dimension here, and it seems your identity, generosity and caring are are heavily entwined with the business you built. Solving more business problems isn't making you happy, and different employees won't address the real problem. At some point the business will have to succeed or fail without you, but if you wait too long you will squander your remaining life. You need to sell the business to a partner, your employees or on the market. Agree to stay for a year as a board member or adviser, and use that time to really work develop your other interests. Trying to set it up so it runs without giving you headaches won't work; you will always feel like nobody cares as much as you do (probably true).
by desiderium
Mon Nov 13, 2023 2:21 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Surprise refund from IRS
Replies: 7
Views: 1072

Re: Surprise refund from IRS

Check your online account transcript in your IRS account. That may have a notation about it. If you call the IRS they can probably tell you; here is as suggestion: I discussed an issue recently with Turbotax and they sent me this advice for contacting the IRS efficiently: Calling IRS - Best Practices When calling the IRS do NOT choose the first option re: "Refund", or it will send you to an automated phone line. 7 AM - 7 PM local time Monday-Friday Call the IRS: 1-800-829-1040 After first choosing your language Choose option 2 for "personal income tax". Then press 1 for "form, tax history, or payment". Then press 3 for "all other questions". Then press 2 for "all other questions". When it as...
by desiderium
Thu Nov 09, 2023 8:46 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Portfolio Advice For 69 Year Old
Replies: 9
Views: 1041

Re: Portfolio Advice For 69 Year Old

You have either been listening to your Fisher adviser or otherwise missing the news: Bonds are paying pretty well these days. Take risk off until you feel comfortable. Call Vanguard today and get your transfer moving. Come back here for help in designing your new portfolio.
by desiderium
Mon Oct 30, 2023 6:45 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Medicare and Routine Medical Services
Replies: 94
Views: 7598

Re: Medicare and Routine Medical Services

It seems like there should be a web-based tool on Medicare.gov (or an app) that allows entering both the procedure and diagnostic code - exactly as a Dr. intends to send it to Medicare or a lab - and produce a definitive (with the usual legal caveats of course) determination as to coverage. Medicare would have all the data it needs (your identity, Medicare claim history, and the exact procedure and coding.) A logical step would be to ask the Dr. exactly how a visit is going to be coded, but that would only help if it's possible to turn that into an accurate benefit determination. Though not web-based, these tools exist, are accurate and are incorporated into EMR software, and match your age, coverage, and previous orders in the system (tho...
by desiderium
Sun Oct 29, 2023 6:45 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Vanguard Advisor Services [Portfolio help requested]
Replies: 44
Views: 6456

Re: Vanguard Advisor Services

[quote This was my assessment back when VG offered a free CFP review, using it to pitch VPAS. I think it is a great service, offering a responsible assessment of risk needs/tolerance, a low cost portfolio and restraint on behavioral errors (which are the most common enemy of investing, even if not so much for people posting on this forum). However, as others have noted, there is no magic here, and it is easy to reproduce their management without paying the fee. I tried the "Ask a CFP" service several times when it was free. I was using these consultations to get an idea of what one might expect in the way of advice from PAS. Not once did they give me anything useful. The level of knowledge was well below that of the average bogle...
by desiderium
Sun Oct 29, 2023 10:41 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Vanguard Advisor Services [Portfolio help requested]
Replies: 44
Views: 6456

Re: Vanguard Advisor Services

My understanding is that VPAS isn't the place to go if you want a portfolio customized just for you. In fact, many investment Advisors use portfolio models so even a local Advisor will likely get you into a cookie-cutter portfolio. From what I have read, Vanguard will allow for a bit of client input but they mostly follow a model, in fact they are a robo-advisor and human advisor hybrid service . This was my assessment back when VG offered a free CFP review used it to pitch for VPAS. I think it is a great service, offering a responsible assessment of risk needs/tolerance, a low cost portfolio and restraint on behavioral errors (which are the most common enemy of investing, even if not so much for people posting on this forum). However, as ...
by desiderium
Sun Oct 29, 2023 10:14 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Medicare and Routine Medical Services
Replies: 94
Views: 7598

Re: Medicare and Routine Medical Services

So far, we have found the doctors to be pretty good about knowing how to code things that are necessary so they are covered. The routine stuff that you may be used to having done annually are not necessarily covered, though. Yes, this is for a routine annual test. I see that with my insurance, I paid $50 earlier this year, but would pay over $600 now. But now that I think about it, the tests won't count toward the deductible anyway since they're not a covered service, so it doesn't matter when I have it done. I'm finding some much lower priced discount lab services I might try, now that I'll be paying the retail amount. Billing for lab tests require a diagnosis code submitted to insurance (not just medicare). The insurer's computer algorit...
by desiderium
Sun Oct 29, 2023 9:06 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Medicare and Routine Medical Services
Replies: 94
Views: 7598

Re: Medicare and Routine Medical Services

So far, we have found the doctors to be pretty good about knowing how to code things that are necessary so they are covered. The routine stuff that you may be used to having done annually are not necessarily covered, though. Yes, this is for a routine annual test. I see that with my insurance, I paid $50 earlier this year, but would pay over $600 now. But now that I think about it, the tests won't count toward the deductible anyway since they're not a covered service, so it doesn't matter when I have it done. I'm finding some much lower priced discount lab services I might try, now that I'll be paying the retail amount. Billing for lab tests require a diagnosis code submitted to insurance (not just medicare). The insurer's computer algorit...
by desiderium
Sat Oct 28, 2023 6:57 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: 2019 Tax return--IRS has no record
Replies: 18
Views: 1851

Re: 2019 Tax return--IRS has no record

Thanks all,

The ~$1700 payment at the time of extension is on the IRS transcript, which otherwise indicates no record of a return being filed. The final return was mailed with a check for $38. Not cashed, no documentation of mailing (my bad, for sure).

Per suggestions I will simply submit the return to IRS with the $38 check (and proof of mailing), a letter narrating the story and see how they respond. If they add a penalty I will request a pandemic mulligan, as suggested. This bugs me more than it should, so resolving it will be a relief.