Search found 5149 matches

by MnD
Sat Mar 16, 2024 10:55 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Am I Only One Who Hates Having Left Over Pennies
Replies: 53
Views: 4137

Re: Am I Only One Who Hates Having Left Over Pennies

If you have say 4 cents in cash and have a traded money market fund holding in the account, sell $1 of it and next day purchase $1.04 of it.
I'm taking distributions on most accounts so for the ones where I don't have a money market holding, I'll for example sell $899.96 of a mutual fund and take a $900 distribution next day to scoop up loose change.
I have one account where I don't auto-reinvest dividends so I sop up few cents balances when it makes a distribution by reinvesting it plus the loose pennies.
by MnD
Tue Mar 12, 2024 11:02 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Age 60+ AND retired? What's your asset allocation? What type of bonds/Fixed Inc instruments do you use?
Replies: 57
Views: 8525

Re: Age 60+ AND retired? What's your asset allocation? What type of bonds/Fixed Inc instruments do you use?

Retired and early 60's

70% stocks (40% US 30% ex-US)
19% TSP G fund
9% Dodge and Cox Global Bond Fund
2% T-bills
by MnD
Tue Feb 27, 2024 7:02 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Life Annuity through TSP (fed employees/retirees)
Replies: 6
Views: 1153

Re: Life Annuity through TSP (fed employees/retirees)

Between my social security, her social security and my FERS pension we need another annuity like a hole in the head.

I do know some fed retirees that are extremely reluctant/afraid to withdraw from their TSP in retirement.
They typically are not savvy investors and have no experience owning financial investments outside of the TSP.
They seem to view their TSP account as something for "security" in the abstract as opposed to a resource to provide additional retirement income.

I guess for that crowd, assuming they have utility for additional income, an annuity conversion of at least some of their TSP balance would be a device that would allow them to enjoy income from their lifetime of savings while they still can.
by MnD
Sat Feb 24, 2024 4:25 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: H&R Block e-file and pay tax with credit card at lowest fee?
Replies: 2
Views: 367

H&R Block e-file and pay tax with credit card at lowest fee?

I'm about ready to federal e-file with H&R Block PC version. H&R Block seems to want to steer filers wanting to pay federal tax to their "preferred" credit card payment vendor at a 2.49% fee versus the lowest cost credit card vendor which is at 1.82% according to the IRS website on this topic. https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-your-taxes-by-debit-or-credit-card Are there any games to play to get the best (1.82%) CC payment fee when e-filing with H&R Block? I'm thinking of filing with H&R Block indicating I'm going to mail my payment in, but instead then go to the Credit card payer site that charges 1.82% and pay that way. From H&R Block tax software help After your return is accepted, go to the credit card payme...
by MnD
Sun Feb 18, 2024 11:15 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Safest way to pay bills electronically
Replies: 72
Views: 6101

Re: Safest way to pay bills electronically

95% of our bills and other expenses paid or auto-paid with rewards credit cards.
Credit cards all set to same payment day and paid with ACH "pulls" by credit cards from checking.
Been doing this forever (~20 years) and have never had a single problem.

You get a nice clean monthly "closeout" on credit card payment day.

The house cleaners and her hair person only take cash or checks.
Our gas/electric company has a hefy surcharge for credit cards so I allow them to do an ACH from checking.
That's it.

There is usually a ton of what IMO is paranoia about using "pulls" to pay for things in these threads.
by MnD
Fri Feb 16, 2024 9:45 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What's the best way to have federal taxes withheld so I don't have to pay the dreaded estimated taxes?
Replies: 70
Views: 9279

Re: What's the best way to have federal taxes withheld so I don't have to pay the dreaded estimated taxes?

I do zero tax withholding from all sources of retirement income. That way I have control over the source of funding for quarterly estimated taxes.
It can matter a lot on your total taxes owed depending on what pots of money you pay your taxes from. It takes about 5 minutes a quarter and you don't have to dig through various 1099 forms to figure out what was withheld for taxes.

In 2021 I switched to non-taxable sources of income to pay quarterly taxes in order to keep under the income threshold to get the last covid stimulus payment. That simple move netted our household several thousands of dollars.
by MnD
Tue Feb 13, 2024 11:14 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Turning off Margin ability on a Schwab account
Replies: 28
Views: 2253

Re: Turning off Margin ability on a Schwab account

OK, a bit more issue. I tried to fix the margin by selling off the Money market, but it failed because it complain that there wasn't enough funds. There should be enough funds. It turns out that once you buy a money market, you can sell it right away and have to wait a days for it to settle. so the timeline goes like this. 2/8 Purchase all free cash in settlement fund to Money Market. 2/9 Advisor Fee withdrawn, resulting in a small margin loan. 2/13 The earliest you can sell the MM purchased in 2/8. I believe the settlement terms on Schwab MM fund sales and purchases are T+0 so I don't think this is correct. Did your purchase of MM funds on 2/8 involve freshly deposited cash from outside Schwab? In that case they can restrict it from going...
by MnD
Tue Feb 13, 2024 11:00 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Turning off Margin ability on a Schwab account
Replies: 28
Views: 2253

Re: Turning off Margin ability on a Schwab account

I have margin enabled at Schwab specifically for situations like this given that Schwab doesn't auto-liquidate MM funds. It also functions as overdraft protection to the linked checking account. A trivial amount of margin interest is a lot less troublesome than settlement violations or bounced checks. In 10 years the margin loan has been initiated 2 or 3 times due to an error I made and I think the total margin interest resulting from those was cumulatively around $1. Schwab is very proactive about alerting you when a margin loan is established. I'm also not worried by doing things like buying a t-bill on Monday (that settles Thursday) with settlement being done by a bill maturity on that Thursday. My account has a large negative cash balan...
by MnD
Sun Feb 11, 2024 9:17 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: The TSP's Mutual Fund Window
Replies: 19
Views: 2303

Re: The TSP's Mutual Fund Window

I had an interest in the MFW due to the lack of EM and mid/small cap international in the I fund - until I saw the fee schedule. Completely out of line compared to MFW fees at other large employer plans. Now that the I fund is converting to a total international index (ex-China and Hong Kong) I would never even give the MFW another look. Trading friction/costs associated with the August 2023 ban on US investments in certain chinese sectors now probably outweighs any benefits of holding that particular slice of EM. And if one just had to have China+Hong Kong, it would be very simple and much cheaper to take a 3% position in a global market cap weighted equity portfolio via a China+Hong Kong ETF like Ishares MCHI in some account outside the T...
by MnD
Sun Feb 11, 2024 8:38 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Fidelity Fully Paid Lending program - anyone?
Replies: 19
Views: 2492

Re: Fidelity Fully Paid Lending program - anyone?

I got around 10% (annualized) at Schwab for a few months on an individual stock (non-dividend paying) under their Securities Lending Fully Paid program. Then the securities were returned and the income stopped.

It's invite only - you get an email if something you hold qualifies.
I still have the security and I hope it gets loaned out again.
by MnD
Fri Feb 09, 2024 5:16 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Help track down contact or additional information for TSP-like government retirement plan
Replies: 40
Views: 1672

Re: Help track down contact or additional information for TSP-like government retirement plan

Some agencies have the TSP and their own 401-K plan.

For example NCUA employees (the credit union version of FDIC) has:

Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with up to 5% agency matching on employee contributions
NCUA Savings Plan (401k) with up to 5% agency contributions
https://ncua.gov/about/careers/pay-benefits

So one thing to check is whether or not her agency has or had two separate defined contribution retirement savings plans.
The TSP and another one.
by MnD
Tue Feb 06, 2024 8:18 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: How to invest cash at Schwab?
Replies: 76
Views: 9293

Re: How to invest cash at Schwab?

I use SWVXX and a 3-month 3-bill t-bill ladder. About 25% in each.

You can have a negative cash balance at Schwab without initiating a margin account.
Once a month I have a negative cash balance for several days from the purchase of a 13 week T-bill on Monday at auction (with a Thursday settlement date) and the maturity of a 13 week T-bill on that Thursday. Never paid even a penny in margin interest.
by MnD
Tue Feb 06, 2024 7:09 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Financial Planner Withdrawal Rate Goes from 3% to 11%
Replies: 24
Views: 2602

Re: Financial Planner Withdrawal Rate Goes from 3% to 11%

Less than 3% until age 75?
Seems like a great plan to defer spending the money that you saved for retirement until you are too old to do much with it.
by MnD
Fri Feb 02, 2024 9:55 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Selling Scrap Silver
Replies: 21
Views: 2901

Re: Selling Scrap Silver

I've appraised a bunch of old coin "collections" for friends and relatives (usually from their deceased parents).
Typically 99.X% of the coins are worth face value (if not containing precious metal) or 90-95% of spot metal value if they contain silver or gold.

The reason genuinely rare gold or silver coins are worth a lot is because they are in fact rare both now as well as being rare back in the day.

You can waste a huge amount of time trying to get more than face value for wheat pennies or $2 bills but good luck with that.
by MnD
Fri Feb 02, 2024 10:14 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Selling Scrap Silver
Replies: 21
Views: 2901

Re: Selling Scrap Silver

I have $200-300 (face value) in 90% silver US coins with no numismatic value to sell. I also have some commemorative silver coins that I want to sell. I’m looking to understand the value and have a few questions. Anyone have experience with what percent of spot price a local dealer will pay for the silver content of the 90% coins? Is that answer any different for the commemorative issues that can be melted down? Anyone used APMEX online for doing this as a better option to a local dealer? Thanks in advance for any help. $300 face value of circulated has has 214.5 troy ounces of silver. .715 troy ounces per $1 face is generally used for circulated US silver coins. Originally they would have had .723 troy ounces per $1 but .715 accounts for ...
by MnD
Wed Jan 31, 2024 10:14 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Coin grading questions - PCGS, NGC or ANACS
Replies: 1
Views: 315

Coin grading questions - PCGS, NGC or ANACS

About 90% of my coin collection is professionally graded and encapsulated by PCGS, NGC or ANACS. I've made it a New Years resolution to get the other 10% graded and encapsulated. For consistency and to help ensure anyone inheriting these coins aren't taken advantage of in a sale. Seven of the coins are uncirculated (likely MS-64) Carson City Morgan Dollars and three are uncirculated gold coins from the mid-late 1800's. One wild card, 6 of the 7 Morgans are Carson City in the US govt. GSA holders from the 1970's US government sale of these. I do not want these to be broken out of their original GSA holders. A few questions.... 1) Any opinions on if it is better to use PCGS, NGC or ANACS? 2) Does it cost extra to take these to an authorized P...
by MnD
Tue Jan 30, 2024 8:57 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How to distribute inheritance cash with siblings
Replies: 21
Views: 3191

Re: How to distribute inheritance cash with siblings

RubyTuesday wrote: Sun Jan 28, 2024 5:06 pm While the sister is listed as joint and survivor on the account, and could probably keep the money, she likely has no basis in the account and could probably treat it as an estate asset. Transfer it to an estate account and distribute it per the will.
That's what I would do in this situation.
by MnD
Fri Jan 26, 2024 7:25 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Anyone wished they had worked a few more years before retiring?
Replies: 89
Views: 14582

Re: Anyone wished they had worked a few more years before retiring?

Oh gosh no.
Assuming you aren't financially stressed in retirement, you can always pick up a job more aligned with your personal interests in retirement to keep yourself busy. Not my cup of tea but I know a few peers that did that.
by MnD
Wed Jan 24, 2024 9:11 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Psychological Aversion to Decumulation Phase
Replies: 73
Views: 7374

Re: Psychological Aversion to Decumulation Phase

I retired at the end of November 2018 in my mid-50's. I got my last paychecks in that December and set up an automated monthly portfolio withdrawal starting that January per my IPS below. It wasn't any different than getting a work paycheck - minus the having to work part. :mrgreen: After adjusting for the reduction in taxes and not having to save for retirement, net spendable income was and is basically the same as when working. So for starters I'm not wringing my hands every month about how much to deacumulate. I probably spend 2 hours a year on this topic when I adjust my automatic withdrawals based on annual portfolio balance. So it just really wasn't a meaningful financial change. The change and excitement was all on the experiences si...
by MnD
Mon Jan 22, 2024 6:48 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Anyone Ever Retire With a 6-Month Notice?
Replies: 50
Views: 4593

Re: Anyone Ever Retire With a 6-Month Notice?

Almost 6 months notice.
Federal government.

I recommended splitting my job in two and suggested two individuals to take over the split roles.
Both the recommendation and the individuals were accepted and i had several months to train them including business trips with them to meet important contractors and collaborators.

No negatives.My last performance evaluation, which was linked to some compensation, occurred only about one month prior to retirement.
I did get an evaluation and did get the money. I was a little worried about that.
by MnD
Mon Jan 22, 2024 10:47 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Best setup for getting yield on checking account? Currently w/ Schwab and Etrade
Replies: 49
Views: 4459

Re: Best setup for getting yield on checking account? Currently w/ Schwab and Etrade

We've arranged things so that something like 95%+ of our bills are due on the same day of the month. If you charge everything possible to cash-back credit cards and synchronize those due dates to any other major other monthly bill (like a house payment) this isn't complicated to get that % that high. We then just move funds into Schwab checking just prior to that. The "cost" of having cash equal to a month's worth of bills in Schwab checking versus their money market fund for a few days is insignificant. In round numbers and %'s lets say you have $10K in Schwab checking for three days a month to pay your bills at .50% versus SWVXX at 5%. Annually that's $10K for 36 days earning .5% ($5) versus at 5% earning $50. Net annual cost $4...
by MnD
Sat Jan 20, 2024 5:28 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: What motivated you to save money?
Replies: 232
Views: 27999

Re: What motivated you to save money?

To not be dependant on employers for month to month survival and to retire early.
Both my father and my father-in-law retired around traditional retirement age after experiencing significant health problems.
They both had around one year of retirement in poor health and died.
by MnD
Thu Jan 18, 2024 9:02 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: [TSP I Fund changes to MSCI ex US ex China & Hong Kong index]
Replies: 48
Views: 6546

Re: MSCI ACWI IMI ex USA ex China ex Hong Kong Index (USD)

They REALLY need to issue a timetable on the 2024 transition. It is not going to be done overnight.
Lots of people (myself included) have emerging market and small cap international funds in other accounts outside the TSP that now need to be unwound in 2024 to avoid overweighting these positions overall when the I fund adds them.

Absent any specifics I'll just convert 25% per quarter to VXUS.

This could end up being a useful index that gets picked up by a number of fund sponsors - depending on various things.
by MnD
Tue Jan 16, 2024 12:18 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Helping retired parents, Why quarterly tax payments?
Replies: 35
Views: 3166

Re: Helping retired parents, Why quarterly tax payments?

With quarterly payments I control where the funds for taxes are coming from which provides some control over my total tax liability and AGI. In 2021 for example the last covid stimulus payment was announced in March 2021 with income limits for qualifying. I was able to direct remaining quarterly tax payments to be from sources that didn't add to AGI and was then able to just be under the AGI limit to qualify for $2800. Ka-ching! There are several cliff type income limits for retirees depending on their income level so having some control over AGI can be a profitable undertaking. I have recurring/perpetual electronic calendar entries to make the payments and it takes me about 3 minutes per quarter to schedule the federal and state electronic...
by MnD
Sun Jan 14, 2024 5:22 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Starter Kit for teenagers/ undergrad students?
Replies: 15
Views: 2153

Re: Starter Kit for teenagers/ undergrad students?

In addition to the resources suggested above I had them open Schwab investor checking accounts with the paired brokerage account and a Roth IRA account.

The Schwab checking with no minimum anything and complete reimbursement of any ATM fees has saved them a ton compared to their peers.
They have accumulated ETF shares in the both the brokerage account and Roth IRA's.
by MnD
Fri Jan 12, 2024 7:43 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Thoughts on [investing in Toyota stock]?
Replies: 48
Views: 8561

Re: Thoughts on Toyota?

My thoughts.....

My 2005 Tacoma with 180K miles has had 2 repairs other than scheduled maintenance (factory minimum) and wear items like tires/brakes.
Starter motor and radiator. Plenty of 4WD use throughout the western US forests and towing.

I'm very disappointed the 2024 Tacoma Limited trim does not come with a 6-foot bed. I want the hybrid engine but not the hard ride of the various "off-road" packages. It appears that the only way to get the hybrid engine AND a 6-foot bed is in the several flavors of off-road trims. :(
by MnD
Tue Jan 09, 2024 1:41 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Rule of 55 Workaround
Replies: 15
Views: 1810

Re: Rule of 55 Workaround

I didn't have any withholding on rule of 55 partial distributions because they were "periodic payments expected to last more than 10 years".
The test was the periodic payment amount multiplied out to 10 years had to be lower than the current plan balance.

I imagine it's not that common for 401-K plans to allow post-separation periodic payments AND be on top of the exemption to mandatory withholding, But it's possible.
by MnD
Mon Jan 08, 2024 10:10 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: 2024 Hedge Fund contest
Replies: 156
Views: 26817

Re: 2024 Hedge Fund contest

Fund name: Boomer's Sunset Fund

Long: SCI

Short: EAT DRI
by MnD
Sun Jan 07, 2024 8:58 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Where do you bank and why? 2024 Edition
Replies: 113
Views: 14720

Re: Where do you bank and why? 2024 Edition

At the bank my brokerage owns for 15+ years (for checking).
"Savings" is a dedicated brokerage account because it has so many more and better options than an actual bank savings account.
Numerous flavors of MM funds, t-bills, brokered CD's, etc.

I would never have a separate bank.
All my kids were set up this way from the start and can't even conceive of separate banking.
by MnD
Sat Jan 06, 2024 10:30 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: 10 year old wants to sit with me when I do taxes . Should I let him?
Replies: 98
Views: 16135

Re: 10 year old wants to sit with me when I do taxes . Should I let him?

I would do my Dad's taxes from scratch around age 11. The game was to see how close I got to his tax guy's actual number.
He was a lawyer so not tiny income numbers but not very complex.

My sisters were 8 and 10 years older than me and I also did their taxes for real after my Dad had checked my numbers.
They were In college with waitress jobs so pretty simple.
by MnD
Fri Jan 05, 2024 8:14 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Class of 2019 Retirees, How Are You Doing?
Replies: 9
Views: 2406

Re: Class of 2019 Retirees, How Are You Doing?

Great! Our investment net worth is up 21% and the inflation-adjusted figure is almost exactly at what we retired with at the end of 2018.
That was the goal (along with maximizing income from portfolio) when I designed our retirement IPS in my signature below.
And so far so good.

In the early go-go years of retirement we've spent about a quarter-million dollars more from portfolio than what a 3% inflation-adjusted SWR would have afforded. Spending is very heavily weighted towards experiences which have been amazing. Tons of travel and a lot of great local events.
Lost a lot of weight, work out every day and at age 61 am running 3 times a week. We camped 56 nights in 2023 plus many weeks of comfier travel.
by MnD
Tue Jan 02, 2024 7:56 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: At what net worth did you start not sweating the "small stuff"
Replies: 137
Views: 27147

Re: At what net worth did you start not sweating the "small stuff"

It's very selective. I don't sweat unexpected expenses - even major ones.Or my spouse buying some stuff I don't see the value in. Or paying more than average - our house cleaners and vet are definitely on the high side but we like the service. I don't chase discounts unless I'm entertained by or interested in doing so. OTOH if i think I've been cheated it drives me nuts. I'm currently working on a health insurance claim denial that obviously should have been paid for a couple of hundred bucks and it makes me mad just thinking about it. I also get aggravated by our financial errors. I recently discovered we didn't cancel a streaming service like I thought we had and that really bothered me, especially since we hadn't watched it in months. Th...
by MnD
Sat Dec 30, 2023 11:52 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: What are you up YTD? [Year To Date]
Replies: 5249
Views: 900256

Re: What are you up YTD? [Year To Date]

2023 XIRR = 16.5%
2023 asset allocation = 40% US stocks, 30% ex-US stocks, 30% fixed income
Six accounts, 15 holdings, Weighted ER 0.11%

Benchmark return= 17.1%, so lagged benchmark by 0.6 percentage points.
2023 Benchmark was 70% Total World Stock Market (VT), 30% Total Bond Market (BND)

Contributors to underperforming benchmark included:
- 66% of fixed income in TSP G fund which had a lower 2023 return than Total Bond
- Slight tilt to ex-US stocks versus global market cap
- Expenses .11% versus Benchmark .06%
by MnD
Sat Dec 30, 2023 8:47 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: What are you up YTD? [Year To Date]
Replies: 5249
Views: 900256

Re: What are you up YTD? [Year To Date]

Here are some 2023 benchmarks.
A decent year!

+26.1% US Stocks - Vanguard Total Stock Market (VTI)
+15.9% International Stocks - Vanguard Total International Stock Market (VXUS)
+ 5.7% Bonds - Vanguard Total Bond Market (BND)
+ 5.1% Cash - Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund (VMFXX)

Inflation still TBD but something like +3.4%.
by MnD
Sun Dec 24, 2023 8:40 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Frustrated with PersonalCapital - any suggestions?
Replies: 49
Views: 8382

Re: Frustrated with PersonalCapital - any suggestions?

I just deleted all accounts and closed it last week. In addition to synching issues at least two accounts had badly inaccurate performance calculations due to gross errors in misclassification of cash flows. Which ruins the overall performance figures. I figure that with increasing sloppiness from PC on things that I can see, there is likely increasing sloppiness on things I can't see like security. And synching issues and inaccurate performance figures makes the service worthless. My brokerage integrates all internal accounts, even ones held by my SO individually if permissions are set up right so I'm using that. I have only one external account which I update manually in the brokerage system. In theory it can update external accounts auto...
by MnD
Fri Dec 22, 2023 4:19 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: how much do you think you need to retire?
Replies: 279
Views: 56512

Re: how much do you think you need to retire?

When we retired 5 years ago in our mid-50's it was $3.2M. On a net present value basis it was about 50% portfolio, 25% the NPV of Social Security benefits and 25% NPV of my pension. Now it's about $3.7M with roughly the same distribution. Still in the early go-go years of retirement so we have utility for whatever income 5% of annual portfolio balance plus pension plus Social Security provides us with. We had portfolio income and pension income from day 1. Next month we start one of our two Social Security income streams. At 5% of annual portfolio balance we've cumulatively spent roughly a quarter million dollars more than a 3% inflation-adjusted SWR would have afforded. Portfolio is up in nominal terms and about the same as when we retired...
by MnD
Thu Dec 21, 2023 9:43 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Financial pros and cons of obtaining dual EU citizenship?
Replies: 3
Views: 632

Financial pros and cons of obtaining dual EU citizenship?

I'm a US citizen pursuing recognition of Luxembourg citizenship under Article 7. Since they are a EU member this would allow me to obtain a EU passport. I clearly qualify under article 7 and this seems like a no-brainer given the costs. There are a number of consultants that assist with this and I'm looking at $195 (my sister is taking the lead and her cost is $400 or so). It can be done completely DIY but given these costs I have no interest in that route. So assuming I obtain Luxembourg citizenship and an EU passport, are there any significant financial pros or cons in doing so? The ability to travel more freely within EU countries and stay as long as I would like are the main appeals to me. Just wondering if there are any significant fin...
by MnD
Mon Dec 18, 2023 10:19 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Schwab checking
Replies: 62
Views: 5602

Re: Schwab checking

It's fine - 20 years or so. My kids have had checking with them for 11 and 13 years and would never switch.
A bunch of their friends with very subpar local banking have switched to Schwab based on their advice.

We all use the linked brokerage accounts for savings accounts and invest savings in money market funds or T-bills.
by MnD
Sun Dec 17, 2023 8:53 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Should I roll over Roth TSP into Roth IRA for Compound Interest?
Replies: 20
Views: 2786

Re: Should I roll over Roth TSP into Roth IRA for Compound Interest?

The TSP funds don't make distributions and reinvestments but rather the income and other gains are applied and compounded within the share price. So they enjoy the very same compounding growth that other funds do but it just looks different. Because the G fund is a unique and potentially very useful investment not available to investors outside of the TSP I would keep your TSP account. Otherwise you can never return to the TSP if you close that account. You don't need a G fund investment right now, but your future older self might. For simplicity I'd invest your TSP balance in the TSP L fund for 2060 and continue your investing and savings in plans outside the TSP now that you have left US service. The expenses for the TSP 2060 fund are .06...
by MnD
Fri Dec 15, 2023 5:32 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: TSP Fun! G Fund and/or F Fund for long term bond portion
Replies: 16
Views: 2279

Re: TSP Fun! G Fund and/or F Fund for long term bond portion

The F Fund should outperform G by a bit due to the 35% or so in riskier corporate bonds. The F fund Treasury bonds and the G fund should perform similarly over long periods of time, with the treasuries going up and down due to interest rate changes, while the G fund remains steady. So if expected to perform similarily over long periods of time, would it not be smarter to then just go 100% G Fund? I feel like I'm missing something. Thanks! 65% of the F fund is government bonds with intermediate term govt bond yield with interest/duration risk. 100% of the G fund is "special" government bonds yielding intermediate term Treasury rates with zero interest/duration risk. So it makes no sense to invest in the F fund if you have access t...
by MnD
Fri Dec 08, 2023 5:41 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: How do you retirees monitor withdrawal rate (SWR) vs portfolio size?
Replies: 49
Views: 7679

Re: How do you retirees monitor withdrawal rate (SWR) vs portfolio size?

Each year I note the November 30 portfolio balance, multiply by .05 and that's what I take out the following calendar year.
I suppose I should do some sort of 4th quarter averaging on the balance.
But I'm starting on year 6 with this approach and so far so good.

I have a pension now, we both have significant claims on Social Security in the future and have low fixed expenses.
So variability in income from portfolio is not a concern.
This simulation summarizes how this fared in the past.
https://www.cfiresim.com/ca4e601d-aa03- ... 514ba8fd5e
by MnD
Tue Dec 05, 2023 6:42 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Anyone else having sync issues with Empower?
Replies: 37
Views: 8892

Re: Anyone else having sync issues with Empower?

The cash flow inputs/outputs on a couple of my accounts are now garbage which kills the accuracy of the performance/return calculations. I have an account (major brokerage) which is all t-bills and a money market fund and Empower thinks the YTD return is -95%. This ruins the overall portfolio return figures. I don't have Fidelity accounts but my 401-K updates were broken for months and now works much clunkier and slower than previously. The sum of accounts aggregation is a correct number and that's about all I use it for. I don't even care for the asset allocation stats because of their break out of "alternatives" supposedly contained in broad based index funds and their use of mid-caps in US portfolio allocation (I prefer a large...
by MnD
Mon Dec 04, 2023 3:54 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Fed Employees/Annuitants using GEHA, quick question
Replies: 41
Views: 3590

Re: Fed Employees/Annuitants using GEHA, quick question

I'm an annuitant too young for Medicare A or B, Self+1 and am looking carefully at these exact 3 options. From a purely economic standpoint you literally cannot lose with GEHA HDHP. And that's regardless if your medical expenses are low, average, high or at/beyond the catastrophic max. This is confirmed with the online Consumer Checkbook comparison tool. https://www.checkbook.org/newhig2/hig.cfm 2nd best is GEHA Standard and the most expensive is BCBS Basic. That said I am sticking with GEHA Standard which we have had for decades. I'm familiar with it, I hate complexity involving additional accounts to maintain and pay certain things from it and my spouse is even worse in that regard. I also appreciate the bit more even distribution of out ...
by MnD
Sat Dec 02, 2023 8:08 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Funding college late
Replies: 58
Views: 5708

Re: Funding college late

In the 5 years until the 1st child start college, keep saving for retirement and save enough for one child just for the two overlap years. With inflation at State U that looks like around 40K so around 7K per year plus some modest earnings. Or roughly $600 a month. Then when they start, cash flow from current earnings the other 6 years of one single child tuition payments.Which assuming $20K per year college costs works out to around $1,700 per month. In the 5 years till that starts, make sure you'll have the house repairs caught up, cars paid off, any other debts besides mortgage extinguished so you are in good shape to cash flow that additional expense. During those 6 years of cash flowing one college cost, take very modest vacations, ski...
by MnD
Fri Dec 01, 2023 6:58 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: What non-index fund investment made you a lot of money?
Replies: 141
Views: 26491

Re: What non-index fund investment made you a lot of money?

Several Dodge and Cox funds.
Buying the dips in Varco stock on three different occasions years apart (now National Oil Well)
Costco stock
by MnD
Wed Nov 29, 2023 2:44 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Changing all Brokerage account numbers
Replies: 10
Views: 1438

Re: Changing all Brokerage account numbers

Is it a nefarious third party? Unless I had some knowledge or evidence that the third party had a history of bad activity or obtained it with the design to do you harm, I wouldn't bother. Bank accounts AND routing numbers are revealed to everyone seeing the check. Credit card numbers and their pins are handed over to servers when you go out to eat. Cardholder is no liable for CC charges. Brokerage account numbers are supplied to non-nefarious third parties quite often. And mail (statements or tax forms) containing brokerage forms get lost, stolen, or get viewed by others as well. I guess I just don't see having brokerage accounts numbers "revealed" to be some crisis requiring something extreme like changing all account numbers (w...
by MnD
Wed Nov 29, 2023 2:39 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Changing all Brokerage account numbers
Replies: 10
Views: 1438

Re: Changing all Brokerage account numbers

student wrote: Wed Nov 29, 2023 1:33 pm
MnD wrote: Wed Nov 29, 2023 1:17 pm Is it a nefarious third party?
Unless I had some knowledge or evidence that the third party had a history of bad activity or obtained it with the design to do you harm,
I wouldn't bother.

Bank accounts AND routing numbers are revealed to everyone seeing the check.
Credit card numbers and their pins are handed over to servers when you go out to eat.
But I think brokerage account may be operating differently where the account number on checks is different from the brokerage account number at Vanguard. viewtopic.php?t=386730.

What do you mean by handing over the pin of credit card to server? If a pin is required, they bring a handheld terminal to you.
Sorry i mean account number and CCV......
by MnD
Wed Nov 29, 2023 1:17 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Changing all Brokerage account numbers
Replies: 10
Views: 1438

Re: Changing all Brokerage account numbers

Is it a nefarious third party?
Unless I had some knowledge or evidence that the third party had a history of bad activity or obtained it with the design to do you harm,
I wouldn't bother.

Bank accounts AND routing numbers are revealed to everyone seeing the check.
Credit card numbers and their pins are handed over to servers when you go out to eat.
by MnD
Tue Nov 28, 2023 5:56 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Wash Sale Substantially Identical
Replies: 19
Views: 2115

Re: Wash Sale Substantially Identical

They don't track the same index and if you really dug into them, you would find hundreds of other differences.
And mutual funds or ETFs are not indices. They use all kinds of varying active and passive techniques to "seek" to match before expenses the performance of a given index. With absolutely no guarantee that they will successfully do so.

In a nutshell that's why no-one on the forum or elsewhere has ever documented the denial of a tax loss by selling a mutual fund or ETF at a loss and immediately replacing it with a different ETF or fund.