Search found 258 matches

by hale2
Sun Nov 12, 2023 5:49 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Where to donate car?
Replies: 22
Views: 2430

Re: Where to donate car?

Swansea wrote: Sat Nov 11, 2023 12:46 pm How about a high school which has classes in auto mechanics?
This

A few years ago we donated a car to the local community college for their auto repair program. Since they were using it we were able to deduct the fair market value of the car. If we had given it to a charity that would just send it to auction, we would have only been able to deduct the amount they received from the auction.
by hale2
Wed Nov 08, 2023 1:03 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Open Social Security - spouse should claim at 62?
Replies: 36
Views: 4357

Re: Open Social Security - spouse should claim at 62?

What about a situation when the PIA of the lower income spouse is around 90% of the higher income one? Is it still advisable for the lower income one to file at 62 (as Open SS recommends?). If the higher income one waits until 70, how will that impact the lower income spouse as a survivor? Does she receive the full amount of the higher income benefit or is it reduced since she started her own at 62?
by hale2
Sun Oct 29, 2023 4:29 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: FERS Retirement...Have done everything right (I think) and still nervous..
Replies: 56
Views: 9643

Re: FERS Retirement...Have done everything right (I think) and still nervous..

MikeWillRetire wrote: Sat Oct 28, 2023 8:08 pm Make sure that you are entitled to a cola before age 62. Most people in FERS do not get a cola until age 62.
Law enforcement (an 1811 is law enforcement) gets Cola starting at retirement.
by hale2
Sun Oct 29, 2023 4:27 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: FERS Retirement...Have done everything right (I think) and still nervous..
Replies: 56
Views: 9643

Re: FERS Retirement...Have done everything right (I think) and still nervous..

A few things: 1. A FERS retirement does not get a Cola until 62. You will lose the supplement at 62. So if you plan to wait until FRA or 70 you will have to make up for supplement loss. 2. Everyone is nervous when they retire. Think of it this way, it is a new adventure where you can try different things. What’s the worse that can happen, you decide to be a contractor. 3. Think about taxes. What tax year will you receive your lump sums. Make sure with HR that your lump sums will be a 2024 tax event. If not bump you retirement into 2024. I made this mistake and cost me extra in taxes. 4. Do you know what you want to do with your time in retirement? I highly recommend taking about 6 months and developing a schedule for your week and thinking...
by hale2
Sun Oct 29, 2023 4:26 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: FERS Retirement...Have done everything right (I think) and still nervous..
Replies: 56
Views: 9643

Re: FERS Retirement...Have done everything right (I think) and still nervous..

I retired as an 1811 7 years ago, with combined military/GS years totaling 32. I heard the same thing from everyone when I left, and also had second thoughts. But those second thoughts didn't last long. I really didn't realize the toll of overnight shifts and call outs until I didn't have to deal with them for awhile. I feel healthier now. Another thing to take into account is once you are eligible, you are in effect working for partial pay, since you would get some of it whether or not you worked. So if you stay you'll be working your 50+ hours a week (I assume from your pay you have to do AVP/AUO) for 49% of your pay and your 5% TSP match (actually even less when you take the supplement into account). Only you can decide if that is worth ...
by hale2
Mon Oct 03, 2022 7:24 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Euro cruise in June 2023
Replies: 37
Views: 2576

Re: Euro cruise in June 2023

I've used Costco for many aspects of travel, but they don't have the best pricing for cruises. I've been using Cruise Compete. They will provide bids from several cruise/travel agents. I've booked 6 cruises through them over the last few years and have been satisfied with the various companies we have used through them.
by hale2
Tue Jun 14, 2022 5:34 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Vanguard website kept timing out. Could not place trade. Very frustrated!
Replies: 43
Views: 3442

Re: Vanguard website kept timing out. Could not place trade. Very frustrated!

This happened to me yesterday. I tried several times to make a trade the last hour of trading. It was the last straw with Vanguard. I'm in the process of moving most of the accounts to my existing Schwab accounts (I was able to conduct a trade there 2 min before closing). From now on I'll just use Vanguard for their TE bond funds.
by hale2
Mon Sep 07, 2020 2:29 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: [What TV Show Have You Recently Watched?]
Replies: 5973
Views: 690035

Re: [What TV Show Have You Recently Watched?]

Money Heist on Netflix. Outstanding, especially the first 2 seasons.
by hale2
Sun Sep 06, 2020 1:08 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Edelman "Telling" Investors to Sell
Replies: 49
Views: 6628

Re: Edelman "Telling" Investors to Sell

On this mornings show, Edelman was telling are people to sell their stock investments if they feel scared. All the while scaring them with evidence of a market drop, cycles show sell off etc. Are you selling? I don't feel scared, so I'm not selling. That said, if folks really are all that scared, they should do whatever they need to do in order to feel calm. It's similar to what I would advise folks about paying off a low-interest mortgage - if having a mortgage keeps you awake at night, pay it off. I haven't listened to the episode, so I can't comment without understanding the context of this particular advice. I'd guess Ric wasn't telling everyone in his audience to sell everything, and that there was a bit more nuance to it. I didn't he...
by hale2
Fri Sep 04, 2020 12:24 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Best Way to Watch British Mystery Shows
Replies: 111
Views: 13688

Re: Best Way to Watch British Mystery Shows

oldfort wrote: Tue Apr 14, 2020 9:32 pm If you like British detective shows, Broadchurch is excellent.
+1
by hale2
Wed Jul 29, 2020 9:39 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Are you adjusting your REIT Allocation?
Replies: 69
Views: 8889

Re: Are you adjusting your REIT Allocation?

Just throwing this out for thought. I have read that, in an interview with Christine Benz of Morningstar during the November 2013 Bogleheads Conference, Rick Ferri stated that commercial real estate represents 13 to 14 percent of our GNP. I believe he said adding about 10 percent of your stock equity in REITs would not be unreasonable if you were so inclined. I believe he favors the REIT index fund. Each to his own to meet their goal. I wanted to fact check the percentage of U.S. GDP contributed by Real Estate, and found this source, which confirms the ~13% number cited... https://www.bloombergquint.com/business/property-widens-lead-on-big-government-as-u-s-gdp-s-top-gear However, I'm not certain if Rick Ferri still recommends a hefty allo...
by hale2
Tue Jul 28, 2020 9:03 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: We are planning a lifestyle move to a new city in five years and would like to get your take.
Replies: 30
Views: 4126

Re: We are planning a lifestyle move to a new city in five years and would like to get your take.

We plan to fund our retirement account as much as we can in the next five years while we are in a relatively cheap Midwest and then move to a bigger city in the West for weather and culture. We plan to offset the high cost of living by reducing our retirement savings. We are in our early (DW) and late (DH) 30s and have saved close to $1m in our retirement. We can save additional $150k per year over the next five years, for a total of about $2m in five years (with some returns.) We will then move to the West, say San Diego, and live off of nearly everything we make except up to company 401k match. The math says, we will retire at 65 with approximately the same spending level as pre-retirement. I know I did not give you enough details to ful...
by hale2
Mon Jul 20, 2020 9:35 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: A portfolio is like a birthday cake:
Replies: 30
Views: 4336

Re: A portfolio is like a birthday cake:

Rick Ferri wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 4:33 pm
hale2 wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 3:42 pm Does this mean that the Core 4 portfolios are no longer appropriate?

Classic has REITs, Total Economy has both REITs and Small Value.
Core-4 portfolios are examples of simple strategies. I make no claim that one strategy is better than the other. Choose the one you like best or modify it at your leisure.

Ric
I understand that, but seeing small value as part of a core portfolio but considered "icing" here seems contradictory.

Full disclosure, my portfolio is mostly based on your asset allocation book.
by hale2
Mon Jul 20, 2020 3:42 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: A portfolio is like a birthday cake:
Replies: 30
Views: 4336

Re: A portfolio is like a birthday cake:

Does this mean that the Core 4 portfolios are no longer appropriate?

Classic has REITs, Total Economy has both REITs and Small Value.
by hale2
Thu Jul 16, 2020 5:16 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: [What TV Show Have You Recently Watched?]
Replies: 5973
Views: 690035

Re: [What TV Show Have You Recently Watched?]

LilyFleur wrote: Thu Jul 16, 2020 3:38 pm I like Luther. I like Idris Elba, so much so that I don't really analyze the quality of the acting.

There, I said it. :mrgreen:
If you like him you definitely want to see him in The Wire. Outstanding.
by hale2
Thu Jul 16, 2020 10:58 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Merrill Edge $900 preferred rewards brokerage bonus
Replies: 88
Views: 12372

Re: Merrill Edge $900 preferred rewards brokerage bonus

How do I orchestrate a "true" retention bonus? Just call them up and ask for free money periodically? Or do I need to do the internet renewal saga game: "I'm moving to competitor X, is there anything you can do to keep me?" How often can I play the retention game? Are the bonuses comparable to new account bonuses (i.e. $900)? I haven't tried this with ME so I don't know, but probably very YMMV. I don't think you have much leverage with $100K, since they know you get a lot of benefit out of the Platinum Honors tier, so moving that away from ME is costly for you. I've tried to get a retention bonus but couldn't get anything. Ended up moving some assets to Schwab for a bonus but left enough to stay at the Platinum level. I...
by hale2
Wed Jul 15, 2020 1:21 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: [What TV Show Have You Recently Watched?]
Replies: 5973
Views: 690035

Re: [What TV Show Have You Recently Watched?]

I have been binging on "City Homicide" on Prime. It's an Australian crime drama TV show. Love those accents. You might also like Murder city, a British detective series in amazon prime. The best of all British detective series is Luther. IMO Alice Morgan is the best female character in TV history. All 5 seasons are on Hulu. We'll agree to disagree. Luther started out entertaining, and began a slow descent downhill until it became unwatchable by the last season. (I'm a fan of Idris Elba, especially for his "Stringer" Bell role.) I'm retired from federal law enforcement and appreciate a little realism with my dose of "reality suspension". Luther was terrible. I started watching because of the great job Idris Elb...
by hale2
Tue Jul 14, 2020 1:29 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Coffee storage
Replies: 42
Views: 4690

Re: Coffee storage

fallingeggs wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 9:08 pm I’m itching for my new Sette 270wi to arrive any day now to go with my old (but still kicking) Ranchilio Silvia. I don’t do milk drinks often, so don’t (yet) feel the burn for a double broiler.
I upgraded to the Sette 270wi about a month ago and love it. It's a huge upgrade from my MDF grinder I purchased with my Gaggia Classic. It takes awhile to dial in but the results are outstanding.
by hale2
Sun Jul 12, 2020 1:58 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Coffee storage
Replies: 42
Views: 4690

Re: Coffee storage

I use this one for my espresso beans.

https://www.wholelattelove.com/collecti ... -container
by hale2
Sun Jul 05, 2020 12:30 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Boglehead Way to buy an Audi
Replies: 91
Views: 7836

Re: Boglehead Way to buy an Audi

We purchased a 2006 A-4 CPO in 2008. It was a great car to drive and we loved it. Unfortunately it started having various engine and electrical problems at around 80k mi. The mechanic said these issues were pretty typical around that mileage/age. Repairs are very expensive. Just a timing belt replacement was going to run around $1500. While we loved the car, we didn't like the constant repair issues, so we sold it. If you only keep a car for a few years it's a great car, but if you like to keep them for a decade+, you might want to reconsider Audi.
by hale2
Wed Jul 01, 2020 8:24 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Total Returns Beats Dividend Focus
Replies: 17
Views: 2070

Re: Total Returns Beats Dividend Focus

I think its complicated. Lets assume you want income of 4% of initial portfolio value and you want it to grow annually with inflation. What if you could assemble a reasonably diversified portfolio of 20 or so stocks that collectively pay dividends of 4% and those dividends are expected to grow annually to outpace inflation (or at least match it). This is do-able (I have done it). Would the total return from that approach exceed the total return of buying an S&P500 index fund taking the 2% (or so) dividend AND selling 2% every year? It would be pretty complex to do that calculation and would surely depend on a lot of timing issues and how good (or lucky) you are in picking your 20 stocks. All I can say is that I have been following this...
by hale2
Wed May 06, 2020 12:47 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Federal Tax Return Processing Delayed? (e-filed)
Replies: 8
Views: 1018

Re: Federal Tax Return Processing Delayed? (e-filed)

I've been waiting 32 days after e-filing. The system says it's still processing. I can't find anything online saying that this year it's taking longer than expected due to stimulus checks or any other reason.
by hale2
Mon Apr 20, 2020 2:42 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Your Investment Adviser’s Dirty Secret
Replies: 77
Views: 11286

Re: Your Investment Adviser’s Dirty Secret

Wanderingwheelz wrote: Mon Apr 20, 2020 7:11 am
retiredjg wrote: Sun Apr 19, 2020 9:13 am
Wanderingwheelz wrote: Sun Apr 19, 2020 8:56 am I feel like it was missing one very big piece of information though, and that’s what Rick charges for his time and knowledge.
You can find that information on his website. Right out there in the open for all to see. :happy
That’s the same with the AUM based fee-advisors too- their fees are right in their website. That didn’t stop Rick from explaining in detail how they’re compensated in his advertisement, though.
And don't forget, Rick's previous business, Portfolio Solutions, charged an AUM fee. Nothing wrong with that, and the fees were much lower than competitors, but he still made his money this way.
by hale2
Thu Apr 16, 2020 12:14 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Worried about the future of REITs
Replies: 71
Views: 9033

Re: Worried about the future of REITs

I have also been concerned about the long term impact on commercial properties. I switched from VNQ to REZ since it focuses more on residential (although it's dropped quite a bit too). I still own some investment properties (purchased between 2010-2012), but have sold off a few over the last couple of years to take advantage of the market. Long term I'll continue to have some residential real estate and REITs.
by hale2
Tue Apr 14, 2020 8:45 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Just read the only guide to a winning bond strategy
Replies: 11
Views: 1580

Re: Just read the only guide to a winning bond strategy

Random Walker wrote: Tue Apr 14, 2020 10:35 am I have a ladder of individual municipal bonds and CDs with average maturity 4-5 years. All of my bonds are municipal. I put the tax exempt muni bonds in the taxable account and reserve my tax advantaged space for my most tax inefficient investments.

Dave
I have individual treasuries and was considering individual munis also. However, it seemed the returns were lower than muni mutual funds despite the funds' fees. I'm guessing it's due to the buy/sell spread. Has owning individual munis been more profitable for you than a muni fund?
by hale2
Fri Mar 27, 2020 7:34 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Career choices for young man
Replies: 22
Views: 2733

Re: Career choices for young man

oldfort wrote: Fri Mar 27, 2020 6:08 pm
hale2 wrote: Fri Mar 27, 2020 4:39 pm Completely agree. While those who do field work still to some extent have to deal with the admin burden, field work is very rewarding and the sense of mission you mentioned keeps you motivated and able to deal with the bureaucracy. The vast majority of time is spent operational, not reading classification manuals.
Most people in the IC don't do any field work.
My response pertained to people in IC who do field work. The background of the individual the OP was discussing would be suitable for field work, which is why I mentioned it. If is only priority is to maximize his pay, then he doesn't belong in the field.
by hale2
Fri Mar 27, 2020 4:39 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Career choices for young man
Replies: 22
Views: 2733

Re: Career choices for young man

Of course, as you seem to be trying to say, anyone whose conduct, background, or attitude towards security disqualifies them is not going to be suitable for or happy in such employment. Similarly, people in support functions, e.g., non-sworn, non-operational staff, may lack the sense of mission which drives front-line Special Agents, Case Officers, Police Officers, Deputies, and their direct management. My comment was directed at federal employment. The number of state and local law enforcement officers with TS/SCI clearances is almost a rounding error. The IC is rewarding for people who want to spend a large percentage of their day reading SCGs to determine how to portion mark their emails. I hope nobody reading this takes you seriously, ...
by hale2
Thu Feb 20, 2020 1:39 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: I'm 40 and when do I retire? first world problem?
Replies: 62
Views: 13335

Re: I'm 40 and when do I retire? first world problem?

The numbers say stay until 2022, but if you're burned out, then you seriously need to consider retiring. Law enforcement takes a toll over time. I found the day I was eligible (we called it KMA for kiss my ...) I felt less burned out, knowing I could leave any day. I stayed a little longer but dropped my retirement papers one day when I realized I really didn't want to be there anymore. My pension was only going to increase about $1400 a year though, so I wasn't leaving as much on the table as you, and I was age 50 so I had fewer years left to enjoy retirement.

I'm glad I left when I did. I'm healthier and feel much better overall. The best part is I'm in control of my daily schedule.
by hale2
Wed Feb 19, 2020 12:56 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: If you used multiple investment strategies, which would you use and why?
Replies: 271
Views: 17556

Re: If you used multiple investment strategies, which would you use and why?

Jack Bogle recommended "age in bonds" as a starting point. One can simply adjust from there based on their desired asset allocation. I think there comes a point where Jack's points on some matters are getting outdated due to changes in the macro economic and investing environments and it's time to move on. Particularly noteworthy are the areas where Vanguard as moved away from Jack's positions on: --How much international to hold --How much bonds to hold Things evolve. Not so sure I understand or follow considering the forum is dedicated to "investing advice inspired by Jack Bogle". I would honestly consider looking (or starting) a forum that may be better aligned with your preferred investing strategy and advice . Mr. ...
by hale2
Wed Feb 05, 2020 11:27 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Retired and ROTH
Replies: 6
Views: 784

Re: Retired and ROTH

I retired Dec 31 from the Federal Gov. Last week I received my unused leave payment which was taxed just like regular income. Since the payment was over 7K can't I contribute to a ROTH IRA for 2020? This will be the only income I will have this year and in the future. It is too late, but isn't retiring on Jan. 1 of the following year recommended instead Dec. 31? No, because the first pension payment is given for the first full month of retirement. If the individual stays until the 1st, he would miss out on a payment. Retiring on the first day or the last day of the month results in the same date of the first pension payment. That's why everyone retires on the last day of the month. This is for FERS. The rules for CSRS were a little differe...
by hale2
Thu Jan 16, 2020 12:26 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Bloomberg Will Revive ‘Wall Street Week’
Replies: 38
Views: 4955

Re: Bloomberg Will Revive ‘Wall Street Week’

Great show. Looking forward to the next episode.
by hale2
Fri Jan 10, 2020 12:01 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: 2020 Bogleheads Conference and Survey
Replies: 81
Views: 11902

Re: 2020 Bogleheads Conference and Survey

I like the lottery idea, especially if potential first-time attendees are given preference My understanding is that even with the current registration system, approximately half of the Conference attendees each year are first-time attendees and the other half have been to a Conference before. In other words, about half each year are new-timers. Seems like pretty good odds with the current system as it is. I haven't heard this. Not to be difficult, but where did you hear half are first time attendees? I like the lottery idea. I've attended a conference before and really enjoyed it. At a minimum the same group of regulars shouldn't be able to attend every year. Maybe allow 2 or 3 years in a row, then take a year off before being eligible to ...
by hale2
Sun Dec 29, 2019 7:44 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Goodbye USAA
Replies: 72
Views: 12613

Re: Goodbye USAA

I have been with USAA since 1978. I am a resident of Kentucky. I viewed www.gabi.com and placed the appropriate information concerning my insurance. They provided me with a lower quote from Safeco. The better rate was $178 for a year. This included coverage on 4 vehicles, homeowners and 1 mil umbrella policy. $178 dollars is not worth me changing. Additionally, I received a $915 check from USAA earlier this month as part of their annual subscribers account rebate. This rebate amount varies each year. I had hoped that shopping for insurance would provide a greater savings that others have noted. However, in my situation, it was not the case. After reading about gabi.com I thought I'd give it a try. They told me my USAA premiums were cheaper...
by hale2
Fri Dec 20, 2019 7:22 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Indexing beats Wellington and Wellesley right?
Replies: 223
Views: 52629

Re: Indexing beats Wellington and Wellesley right?

I fail to see how the long-term return of an active fund has anything to do with your future return. You could pick a portfolio of all active funds that outperform a portfolio of all index funds, but more likely only one or two of those active funds will outperform their index counterpart and the rest will underperform, resulting in your TOTAL portfolio underperforming a portfolio of all index funds. A Case for Index Fund Portfolios: Investors holding only index funds have a better chance for success Rick Ferri I did a rough calculation on the likelihood that Wellesley's outperformance was due to random chance, and the odds were greater than 2,000 to 1. Perhaps Wellesley was just lucky. But that is statistically unlikely. That's great - if...
by hale2
Thu Dec 12, 2019 10:43 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: SAT prep?
Replies: 11
Views: 1161

Re: SAT prep?

My son is also a high school junior and did Khan academy before taking the SAT. He took a practice test and found where his weaknesses were. He watched a few of the lessons and took 1 practice test a week for 3 weeks. He scored 1440 on his first practice. After spending about 5-10 hours on lessons and taking 3 more practice tests (just the verbal since he did well on the math portion) he scored 1560 on the real exam. He said he learned a little from the videos (his weakness was the reading portion) but said most of his improvement came from just taking the practice tests.

Since your daughter already has a good score she might want to just focus on a few items and not take a full review program.
by hale2
Mon Nov 18, 2019 4:17 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Which Life Insurance company to go with? And other questions
Replies: 18
Views: 2072

Re: Which Life Insurance company to go with? And other questions

You should consider getting insurance on your wife now. There are companies that will be okay with her being pregnant. Trust me, it's worth considering.
by hale2
Tue Oct 29, 2019 3:51 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: The Final, Definitive Thread on Brokerage Transfer Bonuses
Replies: 7737
Views: 1337674

Re: The Final, Definitive Thread on Brokerage Transfer Bonuses

SlowMovingInvestor wrote: Tue Oct 29, 2019 3:11 pm So you first ACH the cash to that competitor, then transfer it as part of the account transfer :happy
[ quote fixed by admin LadyGeek]

Actually, this is exactly what I did. I had recently sold a property. To get the extra $300 bonus I transferred the funds from my bank account to a Vanguard short term bond fund. I then submitted the request to TD to transfer that fund from Vanguard. Received the bonus. I then wanted to use those funds for more long term investments, so I asked for, and received a fee waiver on selling the fund.
by hale2
Tue Oct 29, 2019 3:46 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: The Final, Definitive Thread on Brokerage Transfer Bonuses
Replies: 7737
Views: 1337674

Re: The Final, Definitive Thread on Brokerage Transfer Bonuses

If you want to get on, you need to talk to a rep from your local office immediately. If your account title is not complicated (individual or joint), the transfer should complete in 3 or 4 business days. I can do it if I open a new account from that page, right ? My problem is I have a bonus in another regular account and the retention period for that is still running :(. No idea. It says ' New accounts must be titled differently from any existing TD Ameritrade accounts .'. I suppose that means a new individual account wouldn't do, and no IRA accounts allowed. So only a joint account would do, which complicates matters. I transferred funds into an account I just opened in May. Received a bonus for the May deposit as well as this one.
by hale2
Fri Oct 18, 2019 4:22 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Buying after PR Crisis [Public Relations Crisis (Boeing 737 Max)]
Replies: 71
Views: 7656

Re: Buying after PR Crisis [Public Relations Crisis (Boeing 737 Max)]

Although I'm almost always a buy-and-hold investor and almost never buy individual stocks, I've been doing some short-term swing trading on BA and have made a little money since the second crash. This uses a small part of the cash in my overall portfolio. I believe there's a lot of irrational (i.e. emotional) selling of BA on bad news, so I set limit orders to buy small lots on dips and then set limit order to sell on the recovery from the dip. However, I think most of the good dips are in the past, unless there's another unexpected delay. I also believe there will be a lot of irrational buying when the 737 MAX finally starts flying again, so I'd like to have a small position in it at that time. I haven't decided on a sell point yet. To pu...
by hale2
Wed Oct 09, 2019 2:41 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: travel agent for cruise and discounting
Replies: 8
Views: 989

Re: travel agent for cruise and discounting

ncboiler wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 10:26 am You might want to try CruiseCompete.com. Just enter the cruise you are interested in and travel agents will respond with quotes.

Mainly the amount of onboard credit they offer is the difference between agents.
+1

We have used cruise compete.com a couple of times. They give you quotes from 3 companies. One or more of them beat Costco prices.
by hale2
Mon Sep 16, 2019 12:10 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Selling Rental Properties. What to do with proceeds? 3 different scenarios
Replies: 17
Views: 2182

Re: Selling Rental Properties. What to do with proceeds? 3 different scenarios

I've been selling a property a year to take advantage of the hot market. I seriously considered DSTs. There are several well established, reputable companies. However, I decided against them due to the high fees. I understand the management fees, but some of the ones I looked into had purchase fees of around 7%. The ones I looked into are illiquid for 5-7 years. I was fine with this, but then I would have to purchased a new DST property when the current property is sold, meaning more fees. I just decided to pay the taxes and use the proceeds to pay off other investment properties, my personal residence, and increase my taxable account.
by hale2
Sun Sep 08, 2019 12:55 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: [What TV Show Have You Recently Watched?]
Replies: 5973
Views: 690035

Re: [What TV Show Have You Recently Watched?]

Orange is the New Black , Series 7, on Netflix. This is the final season and I just watched the first episode. So far, I'm not impressed. Agreed. We liked the previous seasons but gave up on this season after the 3rd episode. I'm most of the way through Season 7. Although a few plots seem contrived, there is enough variation to keep me interested. The writers assume you know the show will end and adjust the plot accordingly. The dialog and plot twists are decent. What I really don't like is taking an obvious stand on social issues. That's not why I watch a show, as you get past that very quickly. It's the plot, production quality, and dialog that keep me interested. There are several dramatic moments that reminded me why this series was th...
by hale2
Sun Sep 01, 2019 12:46 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: [What TV Show Have You Recently Watched?]
Replies: 5973
Views: 690035

Re: [What TV Show Have You Recently Watched?]

LadyGeek wrote: Sun Sep 01, 2019 9:54 am Orange is the New Black, Series 7, on Netflix. This is the final season and I just watched the first episode. So far, I'm not impressed.
Agreed. We liked the previous seasons but gave up on this season after the 3rd episode.
by hale2
Wed Aug 21, 2019 4:08 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Pay cut to take a federal job?
Replies: 26
Views: 5636

Re: Pay cut to take a federal job?

SailorJack02 wrote: Tue Aug 20, 2019 10:48 am Yes. Most people that know me well have shared similar sentiments. This agency is an intel agency, but the group works on similar problems to one's I've worked on previously in my career.
You are in a different situation from most feds by working in the intel community. You'll still have to deal with a horrible bureaucracy, but your job will have a purpose. My opinion is to take a rewarding job for less pay than you could make in the private sector. The pay is adequate and you can still have a comfortable lifestyle. And it's better working with people who actually want to be there (and deal with the additional security demands and limitations) than people who are just in govt for the benefits.
by hale2
Tue Aug 20, 2019 3:53 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Fidelity REITs
Replies: 21
Views: 6709

Re: Fidelity REITs

Sandtrap wrote: Mon Aug 19, 2019 7:21 pm I'm not aware that Fidelity has an "in house" "REIT Index Fund" similar to Vanguard's VGSLX "Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund Admiral Shares (Expense Ratio 0.12%). . . also as a Vanguard ETF "VNQ".
IMHO: A diversified REIT Index Fund is preferable over single REIT funds.

FYI: more info on REIT's.
NAREIT
https://www.reit.com/
A couple of months ago you were considering purchasing individual REITs in a couple of different sectors. Did you decide against that and just stick with VNQ? I have funds coming from the sale of an investment property and I'm debating between buying more VNQ or a few individual REITs.
by hale2
Mon Jul 22, 2019 11:14 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Dogs and homeowners insurance company
Replies: 86
Views: 7167

Re: Dogs and homeowners insurance company

German Shepherd owner here. I haven't run into this problem with homeowners insurance but was initially denied an umbrella policy because I own two german shepherds. I wrote a scathing review on the USAA website since most MWDs are GSDs, for heavens sake. Someone from USAA called me immediately and within a month the policy was changed to no longer restrict certain breeds (or so I was told). I don't think the policy change was a result of my review but instead was something that was already in process. Don't know if it was built into our rates or not but rates seemed reasonable so all turned out okay. What year did you have this issue with USAA? I ask because about 8 years ago they denied an umbrella policy because of my GSDs. I ended up w...
by hale2
Tue Jul 09, 2019 3:45 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Tax Question about Medicare Part B Premium Amount of $135.50
Replies: 13
Views: 1604

Re: Tax Question about Medicare Part B Premium Amount of $135.50

For Federal employees, for example, the employer pays a share and the employee pays a share of health insurance premiums. The employer's share does not appear in either the pay stub or the W-2 and is not taxed. The employee's share is a payroll deduction that shows up in the pay stub and the W-2, and it is taxed. I have friends in the private sector who have the same deal. Now you've heard of it. He has never heard about it, because you are not correct. The employee share of section 125 payroll deductions are pre-(income and FICA) tax free. They are NEVER taxed. Two corrections: 1. For active Feds, FEHB premium conversion is optional, not mandatory. 2. For retired Feds, the retiree’s share of FEHB is always taxable. #2 is wrong. It is not ...
by hale2
Wed Jul 03, 2019 4:20 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: SF Bay area: high school and college apps
Replies: 18
Views: 2547

Re: SF Bay area: high school and college apps

I'm in an area with very good high schools, but some are better than others. It appears that the kids at the better, more competitive schools have higher acceptance rates to the UCs, so I'm guessing they aren't accepted purely on a set percentage from each school. As somebody mentioned earlier, the top 9% guaranteed acceptance just gets you into Merced, which seems to be a UC in name only. Each of the UCs will show on their website the 25%-75% percentiles for grades and SAT scores for those accepted. Also, if your child really wants to get into a particular UC but doesn't get accepted, the best path is to go to community college then transfer to that school. The acceptance rate for community college transfers is significantly higher than th...
by hale2
Tue Jun 25, 2019 3:45 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: what was your worst major purchase? mine is a 2019 mazda3
Replies: 182
Views: 21382

Re: what was your worst major purchase mine is a 2019 mazda3

What would a prenupt in the first one have done? You spent the money on tuition during the marriage, correct? Nothing because I willingly spent most of my pre-marriage assets on paying off her pre-marriage debt (education and a car) and then cash-flowing her further education, but I made sure that I would not make the same mistake a second time. Stoptothink - you have posted this on numerous occasions now and it always has me intrigued. The reason for that is in many ways (but not all) I had a very similar start on life and had/have a fairly good handle on the situations that occur with money. Perhaps not like yourself but I can relate to a bunch of this ebb and flow of savings while having limited income. So my math just does not allow me...
by hale2
Sun Jun 23, 2019 11:25 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: What percentage of total portfolio in REIT's do you have? Why? . . Why not?
Replies: 240
Views: 27350

Re: What percentage of total portfolio in REIT's do you have? Why?

I purchased several investment properties from 2010-2013 and have been selling them off over the last 2 years to take advantage of the strong market. Prior to selling, equity in my real estate portion was approximately 20%-25% of our total investment portfolio. After some sales it's down to around 8%. I have taken most of the proceeds and put them into hard money lending for flippers. Now that flipping is becoming more difficult, I no longer plan to do that. I am thinking about just putting those funds into REITs. My current REIT holdings are approximately 3%. I still want to keep a good portion of our investments in real estate, which is why I'm not just putting it in total market. Are you planning on just sticking with VNQ or purchasing i...