Search found 38 matches
- Tue Mar 03, 2020 3:44 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Tax software recommendation
- Replies: 4
- Views: 254
Tax software recommendation
Good afternoon, I am seeking advice on whether there is software to assist with tax preparation for our situation. We have been paying a CPA to do our taxes the past several years as our situation has gotten a bit more complicated than just me being a single, renter with one W2 income. As a result o...
- Wed Aug 28, 2019 3:27 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: QE practical consequence?
- Replies: 10
- Views: 1413
Re: Practical difference: negative interest vs inflation?
There's been a lot of misunderstanding of QE. There is no money printing. Correctly understood, QE is the Federal Reserve implementing a change in the composition of private sector assets, effectively reducing the duration of liabilities (swapping short-term Treasuries with the overnight reserve dep...
- Mon Aug 12, 2019 1:59 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Book or documentary recommendations on American economic dominance
- Replies: 26
- Views: 2170
Re: Book or documentary recommendations on American economic dominance
I would recommend Americana by Bhu Srinivasan and Empire of Wealth by John Steele Gordon as introductory surveys. I would then develop a few specifics questions you would like answered and do whatever it takes to find the answers, including emailing college professors and going down rabbit holes on ...
- Mon Jun 03, 2019 3:05 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Attaining a dream job / career satisfaction
- Replies: 7
- Views: 1139
Attaining a dream job / career satisfaction
I am curious for folks who would say they either currently have their "dream job" in terms on function and role or have a job that approximates maximum satisfaction in that it affords them the ability to spend time with family, pursue hobbies, be engaged with church or religious pursuits, ...
- Sat Mar 16, 2019 8:08 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Offset inherited IRA tax with Trade IRA?
- Replies: 9
- Views: 638
Re: Offset inherited IRA tax with Trade IRA?
Thanks everyone. Yes I am not proposing a backdoor Roth and yes the new IRA would be deductible. I view consolidating accounts as a major plus here, as most of our assets are with Vanguard. Frankly EJ has not been the easiest to work with through all of this and I would rather not be tied up with th...
- Fri Mar 15, 2019 7:01 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Offset inherited IRA tax with Trade IRA?
- Replies: 9
- Views: 638
Offset inherited IRA tax with Trade IRA?
I have inherited a portion of a traditional IRA which has been transferred to me as an Inherited IRA. I understand my choices are to take a full distribution, withdraw the account over five years or take lifetime distributions. The amount of the account is small, less than the $5k (which is less tha...
- Tue Oct 16, 2018 11:22 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Zion Nat'l Park & mosquitos in October?
- Replies: 17
- Views: 1672
Re: Zion Nat'l Park & mosquitos in October?
We visited there last year (along with Bryce) in late October. It's a very nice time to visit - crowds should be pretty thin. I don't believe we had any trouble with mosquitoes - and I usually get bit a lot if they are around - or any other pests. That said, it can't hurt to bring the spray along (t...
- Wed Feb 08, 2017 3:14 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Rand Paul predicts bubble / boom in stock market
- Replies: 16
- Views: 2640
Re: Rand Paul predicts bubble / boom in stock market
It's very difficult to time the market. One has to be right twice: when to get out and when to get back in. It's time in the market, not timing the market, that leads to success. Stay the course.
- Wed Jan 18, 2017 2:52 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Should you be worried about losing money in bonds?
- Replies: 14
- Views: 5041
Re: Should you be worried about losing money in bonds?
Based on that chart, and in comparison to the worst years for stocks? No, I would not be worried. Is there potential for bonds to fall in value in a given year? Yes, the chart shows that has happened. But while the value of a portfolio or its components may fall over a given period of time, I only c...
- Thu Jan 12, 2017 3:01 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Social Security Adminstration to Cut Back on Paper Statements
- Replies: 0
- Views: 489
Social Security Adminstration to Cut Back on Paper Statements
In case you might start wondering where your annual Social Security report that used to come in the mail went, in a recent blog post , the SSA announced paper statements will only be sent to: -people 60 and over -those not receiving benefits -those who do not have a "my Social Security" ac...
- Tue Jan 10, 2017 4:08 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: 529 - With 6 year horizon
- Replies: 13
- Views: 1210
Re: 529 - With 6 year horizon
I would continue to invest in the 529 accounts, especially if there is a state income tax deduction available (which I believe there is in just about every state that has a state income tax). Barring any outstanding debt, your only other options on that $9,000/year would be to give it away, spend it...
- Thu Dec 01, 2016 11:14 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Paul Merriman challenges John Bogle
- Replies: 157
- Views: 19773
Re: Paul Merriman challenges John Bogle
I am always impressed with the thoughtful and intelligent discussions on this forum. I think three things are worth keeping in mind in the ever on-going debate about the small cap premium: First, and more importantly, it was impossible to have captured the identified historical outperformance of sma...
- Mon Nov 07, 2016 11:14 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Newly married tax question
- Replies: 4
- Views: 575
Re: Newly married tax question
Thank you.
- Mon Nov 07, 2016 10:57 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Newly married tax question
- Replies: 4
- Views: 575
Newly married tax question
Good morning,
I will be getting married at the end of next April. When it comes time to file next year's return, will we be considered married the entire year, or will we somehow file an individual return for the first five months and then a joint filing for the last seven?
I will be getting married at the end of next April. When it comes time to file next year's return, will we be considered married the entire year, or will we somehow file an individual return for the first five months and then a joint filing for the last seven?
- Fri Oct 21, 2016 10:25 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: "Jack Bogle wouldn’t risk investing outside the US"
- Replies: 101
- Views: 12227
Re: "Jack Bogle wouldn’t risk investing outside the US"
While I don't believe Jack's point of view on this has changed since then, it is worth pointing out this article is two years old.
- Thu Oct 13, 2016 1:30 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: How much does a 401k management plan make?
- Replies: 1
- Views: 321
Re: How much does a 401k management plan make?
My understanding is the going rate for 401k administrators is .25%. There are additional regulatory burdens that employers must pay, and this cost is often borne by employees in addition to fund expense fees that are higher than an individual investor might find in a Vanguard or Fidelity. Sometimes ...
- Thu Oct 13, 2016 10:12 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: At-fault driver's insurance wants to pay before repairs
- Replies: 14
- Views: 1836
Re: At-fault driver's insurance wants to pay before repairs
Thanks everyone for the feedback. Our state (PA) does allow for after-market parts to be used for repairs. Interesting that you can get a specific rider specifying OEM - I did not know that. I assume PA law allows that if they also allow after-market parts to be used. This has been an instructive ex...
- Wed Oct 12, 2016 10:46 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: At-fault driver's insurance wants to pay before repairs
- Replies: 14
- Views: 1836
At-fault driver's insurance wants to pay before repairs
Hi all, Recently my fiance was in an accident, a rear-end collision by an insured driver who accepted responsibility. Their insurance company has accepted liability. However the company has been difficult to deal with. They are refusing to allow my fiance to drop to vehicle off at the shop on a week...
- Mon Oct 10, 2016 11:49 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: New car: wait for redesigned 2017 to arrive before purchasing 2016?
- Replies: 15
- Views: 1844
Re: New car: wait for redesigned 2017 to arrive before purchasing 2016?
I would just wait for the 2017, because it's redesign has a number of new features appealing to me (design, engine, HP, etc). I would also note that based on what some friends who work in auto sales for different brands have told me, Subaru generally gives dealers less license to be flexible on pric...
- Wed Sep 28, 2016 12:41 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Savannah and Charleston
- Replies: 23
- Views: 3511
Re: Savannah and Charleston
We stayed at the Planters Inn in Savannah - right in the center of the historic area. Most everything is walkable from there. I would definitely suggest eating at the Pink House - their BLT salad is excellent, and reservations recommended. The Bonaventure Cemetery and Wormsloe Estate are a short dri...
- Tue Sep 27, 2016 9:41 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Does it matter what type of college one goes to?
- Replies: 278
- Views: 29111
Re: Does it matter what type of college one goes to?
In my experience, it is more about having a nice network built up through several internships than it is the name on the degree. I would caveat that to say I have worked in government, politics, marketing and public relations. This experience may not be relevant to medical, engineering or technology...
- Fri Sep 23, 2016 9:58 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Tenant responsible for appliances?
- Replies: 20
- Views: 2688
Re: Tenant responsible for appliances?
The word is at least ambiguous enough to one of the parties signing the contract. I would suggest writing to the landlord your concerns, including proposed new language that clarifies it to your level of comfort.
- Thu Sep 01, 2016 3:13 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Start Taxable Acct to Build Down Payment?
- Replies: 4
- Views: 831
Re: Start Taxable Acct to Build Down Payment?
Livesoft mentioned the operative word here - risk. How close are you, timewise, from wanting to put a down payment on a house? From the link to your previous post, you had mentioned you have $30k set aside for a downpayment on a house. Depending on your location, that might be pretty close to a nice...
- Thu Sep 01, 2016 12:51 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Deadspin - A Salute to John Bogle
- Replies: 16
- Views: 3336
Re: Deadspin - A Salute to John Bogle
Matt Levine's take in his regular Bloomberg column is a better perspective on this, IMO. Rather than putting Bogle in the company of Che Guevara, Levine says a better example would be Henry Ford finding a way to make a useful product (the automobile) more affordable to everyone. I am not sure I am t...
- Fri Aug 26, 2016 1:16 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Is my salary inflated by my employer?
- Replies: 32
- Views: 5158
Re: Is my salary inflated by my employer?
To answer your questions: 1. I would use the $69k figure. I would only bring health insurance into the equation if you are bringing in all other benefits into the equation. 2. I would not assume any salary figures on the internet include benefits. 3. "Normal benefits" is highly contextual ...
- Thu Aug 25, 2016 8:50 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Am I DCA-ing too much?
- Replies: 10
- Views: 1506
Re: Am I DCA-ing too much?
The best financial plan is the one you can stick to. If you believe these monthly amounts will get you to where your financial plan was set up to take you, then stick with it. Going lump sum may in the very long run be more economically rational, though that won't matter if you can't stick to a fixe...
- Mon Aug 22, 2016 3:21 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI
- Replies: 4989
- Views: 1316320
Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI
I am halfway through The Destructive War: William Tecumseh Sherman, Stonewall Jackson and the Americans by Charles Royster. It is a great read with the evolution of how Sherman and Jackson approached their roles in the Union and Confederate armies, respectively, as well as how various newspapers and...
- Mon Aug 22, 2016 7:12 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Best way to sell comic books?
- Replies: 8
- Views: 1690
Best way to sell comic books?
Good morning, Just curious if anyone here has had success in unloading comic books. I have ~1,500 I would guess. Some are worth going through the effort of selling individually on eBay. Many however are generic mid-1990's issues that might have a nominal value of $2-$3/each but no one is going to pa...
- Thu May 26, 2016 3:25 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: TLH only useful until maxing out 401k, IRA?
- Replies: 3
- Views: 651
TLH only useful until maxing out 401k, IRA?
A recent article on Vox made this claim: "Tax loss harvesting only becomes useful after you max out tax-advantaged accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs." http://www.vox.com/2016/5/20/11710486/robo-advisers-betterment-wealthfront Why the author believes this is the case is not really explained in...
- Tue May 10, 2016 12:11 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: [advice needed] helping my parents buy a smaller house
- Replies: 13
- Views: 1760
Re: [advice needed] helping my parents buy a smaller house
Are your parents intending to purchase this house with cash? I am not sure why they would need $200k to $300k for closing costs and moving fees, even if the former property is not sold yet.
- Tue May 10, 2016 12:04 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: More House or More Investing?
- Replies: 25
- Views: 3996
Re: More House or More Investing?
I would suggest the least amount of house you are comfortable living in. In addition to what many others have said above (being able to increase how much you are investing), you are also in essence training yourselves to get by on less - which will help move the date of whenever you will be financia...
- Tue May 10, 2016 8:17 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Don't stay the course
- Replies: 118
- Views: 19655
Re: Don't stay the course
I would argue lower returns during the accumulation period is a good thing. You are continuing to purchase shares at a lower price. The impacts of inflation are also understated in most of these projections about lower future returns. If inflation is muted ( say, 2%) and returns are 7%, are you at a...
- Fri Feb 26, 2016 1:01 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: [Vanguard announces 3rd round of Expense Ratio reductions]
- Replies: 43
- Views: 5792
Re: Vanguard cuts expense ratios for VWO and VSS
The press release announcing the ER reductions can be viewed at http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vanguard-announces-third-round-of-expense-ratio-reductions-brings-142-million-in-combined-savings-to-investors-300226905.html . Six Vanguard international ETFs and one domestic equity ETF (the $11...
- Wed Jan 13, 2016 2:27 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Saving more over factor tilting, REITs, etc.
- Replies: 9
- Views: 836
Saving more over factor tilting, REITs, etc.
I succeeded in recent weeks in driving myself crazy trying to determine whether or not adding additional exposure to REITs or small-cap value in my portfolio (which is generally a Three Fund approach, though having a 401k at work that leaves a lot left to be desired in terms of fees complicates that...
- Tue Jan 12, 2016 10:06 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Payoff loans?
- Replies: 24
- Views: 2797
Re: Payoff loans?
we pay off credit cards every month, cars are paid off, put 20% down on our house and pay more than our monthly minimum, and have 6 months cash put away. Forgive me if I am inferring too much from the first two parts of this sentence, but it seems that between you and your wife you are very conscio...
- Mon Jan 11, 2016 3:54 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Capital Gains, Taxes and Fund Performance
- Replies: 3
- Views: 330
- Mon Jan 11, 2016 3:32 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Capital Gains, Taxes and Fund Performance
- Replies: 3
- Views: 330
Capital Gains, Taxes and Fund Performance
Are capital gains and dividends included in fund performance information that is listed in a fund's profile on Vanguard.com, and, if not, why not? As an example, the Wellington Fund Investor Shares distributed $1.32 per share at a reinvested price of $37.05 per share in late December 2015. That equa...
- Thu Aug 07, 2014 3:04 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Traditional, Roth 401(k) rollovers, conversions, limits?
- Replies: 3
- Views: 555
Traditional, Roth 401(k) rollovers, conversions, limits?
As I understand it, barring certain income limits and age-based "catch-up" allowances, individual contributions in a year are limited to $17,500 for 401(k) contributions and $5,500 for IRA contributions. As I also understand it, contributions may be made as either tax-deferred or post-tax,...