thanks that’s one of my concerns too
for me, i would say the risk is not worth it, i would prefer to stay conservative in our 3 fund portfolio (or i guess it would be 4, 25% each of total stock, total intl, intermediate term munis, and real estate)
for my spouse, she isn’t a big spender either but she’s definitely more aggressive than i am, i think she would prefer the riskier approach
Search found 291 matches
- Mon Jun 12, 2023 9:50 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: 2019 Portfolio Review
- Replies: 17
- Views: 2370
- Sun Jun 11, 2023 11:07 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: 2019 Portfolio Review
- Replies: 17
- Views: 2370
Re: 2019 Portfolio Review
Questions: 1. This year represents a large change for us. We were using the 3 fund portfolio (1/3 VTSAX, 1/3 VTIAX, 1/3 VWIUX) but my spouse wanted to get into real estate. We purchased 2 rental properties. I do not think they are frankly great rental investments given the cap rate but we are in an area where property values have been skyrocketing (the value of our primary residence has tripled in the last 3 years) so I think the overall rate of return is more impressive than that of the VTIAX, VWIUX funds. For that reason, we are thinking of changing our asset allocation to 50% VTSAX, 50% real estate rentals (with a large cash cushion in savings and saving cash for future purchases in a Vanguard muni market account). I know this is not com...
- Fri Nov 04, 2022 8:43 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Specific reasons *not* to switch to Android?
- Replies: 105
- Views: 8309
Re: Specific reasons *not* to switch to Android?
i transitioned from being a rabid android fan to an apple fan
it came down to hardware, samsung’s stuff is nice but the google pixel line really soured me on android
it came down to hardware, samsung’s stuff is nice but the google pixel line really soured me on android
- Tue Jun 21, 2022 9:32 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: 2019 Portfolio Review
- Replies: 17
- Views: 2370
Re: 2019 Portfolio Review
I think I know the answer to this question but I still wanted to pose it.
I had been toying around with the idea of converting my retired wife's 401K to a Roth IRA for a while (financial situation as above, I've edited the numbers to update to 2022). I've been waiting for the bear market to do this and lo and behold it is here.
I realize on initial glance, converting at the 37% federal tax rate doesn't seem to make sense
Would there be a scenario where this did make sense?
For instance, my hope is to never touch that money and to leave it to our children. Would it be worth taking the tax hit now so that this money could continue to grow tax free and be withdrawn tax free within a Roth IRA for my children's retirement? Thanks
I had been toying around with the idea of converting my retired wife's 401K to a Roth IRA for a while (financial situation as above, I've edited the numbers to update to 2022). I've been waiting for the bear market to do this and lo and behold it is here.
I realize on initial glance, converting at the 37% federal tax rate doesn't seem to make sense
Would there be a scenario where this did make sense?
For instance, my hope is to never touch that money and to leave it to our children. Would it be worth taking the tax hit now so that this money could continue to grow tax free and be withdrawn tax free within a Roth IRA for my children's retirement? Thanks
- Thu Dec 09, 2021 8:02 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Share your net worth progression
- Replies: 4273
- Views: 1072534
Re: Share your net worth progression
12/21 = $4.2M
12/20 = $3.3M
12/19 = $2.8M
12/18 = $2.2M
12/17 = $500k
12/16 = $330k
12/15 = $45k
12/14 = $37k
12/20 = $3.3M
12/19 = $2.8M
12/18 = $2.2M
12/17 = $500k
12/16 = $330k
12/15 = $45k
12/14 = $37k
- Wed Jun 30, 2021 10:21 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Any younger investors following Benjamin Graham’s - 75/25?
- Replies: 42
- Views: 6593
Re: Any younger investors following Benjamin Graham’s - 75/25?
shoot i just aged out of the bracket you mentioned, thanks for making me feel old
i’ve been aiming for 60/40 since i first started investing at age 30. due to my spouse’s remaining individual stocks we are probably closer to 70/30
at times i do feel like i’m leaving money on the table
on the other hand, i slept like a baby through the market volatility in march of last year
- Tue Jun 29, 2021 9:32 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Insurance
- Replies: 4
- Views: 711
Insurance
What is the best way to go about seeking the best rates for home insurance, auto insurance, and umbrella insurance?
It seems like every time I buy a home, I get linked into a new insurance company that is great for a while and then just falls off the face of the Earth when I try to contact them.
Is there a way I can do this / search online and not have to deal with people?
It seems like every time I buy a home, I get linked into a new insurance company that is great for a while and then just falls off the face of the Earth when I try to contact them.
Is there a way I can do this / search online and not have to deal with people?
- Fri Apr 02, 2021 10:39 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: High spenders what do you spend on?
- Replies: 257
- Views: 32876
Re: High spenders what do you spend on?
Car washing
i have a pressure washer just for washing cars: $1000
i have a pressure washer just for washing cars: $1000
- Fri Oct 02, 2020 9:23 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Simplicity on Bond Funds
- Replies: 181
- Views: 15914
Re: Simplicity on Bond Funds
thank youdbr wrote: ↑Thu Oct 01, 2020 5:32 pmYou would probably want to consider your state tax situation as well. You might or might not just stick to a national fund that would be state taxable. In some states the state tax could be as much as around 10%darrvao777 wrote: ↑Thu Oct 01, 2020 5:04 pm the vast majority of my investing is done in a taxable account and i foresee (and strongly hope) i will remain in the top income bracket for the rest of my career
is solely using vanguards intermediate term muni bond fund considered reasonable?
0% state tax fortunately
- Thu Oct 01, 2020 5:04 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Simplicity on Bond Funds
- Replies: 181
- Views: 15914
Re: Simplicity on Bond Funds
the vast majority of my investing is done in a taxable account and i foresee (and strongly hope) i will remain in the top income bracket for the rest of my career
is solely using vanguards intermediate term muni bond fund considered reasonable?
is solely using vanguards intermediate term muni bond fund considered reasonable?
- Sun Sep 06, 2020 8:39 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Muni Bonds and Risk (VWIUX)
- Replies: 29
- Views: 4054
Re: Muni Bonds and Risk (VWIUX)
1/3 of my portfolio is vwiux, still plowing in money with each paycheck
- Sat Sep 05, 2020 7:44 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Credit Card Charge Dispute Who Generally Prevails?
- Replies: 51
- Views: 5408
Re: Credit Card Charge Dispute Who Generally Prevails?
with amex, i always win
i put most of my big purchases on amex for this reason
i put most of my big purchases on amex for this reason
- Sat Sep 05, 2020 7:43 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Buy land and build a house from A-Z. Anyone do it successfully?
- Replies: 25
- Views: 3259
Re: Buy land and build a house from A-Z. Anyone do it successfully?
I've been toying with the idea of buying land and building a house. I have zero experience or knowledge in doing either. I also am not interested in buying the land outright - only putting down a portion to purchase. Has anyone done this successfully? I'd love to buy 10 acres and build an efficient, not-huge house. Unfortunately I find a lot of the homes out in the country today don't really fit my taste. Most are way too big. I'd like to spend ~50-150k and not be out more than $400k total in build costs. Ideally putting down something like $80-100k of my own money into the process. Not sure if that's viable at all. Anyone have any thoughts? My parents bought land and built a house. Building a house tends to come with a lot of stress. Be p...
- Wed Sep 02, 2020 2:29 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: 2019 Portfolio Review
- Replies: 17
- Views: 2370
Re: 2019 Portfolio Review
My thoughts looking at your latest post. I want to comment/ask on the 50% allocation to international stocks. International stocks all put together account for only 44% of world stock market, by market-cap. Source is MorningStar, Vanguard Total World Stock Index (VTWAX) fund: https://www.morningstar.com/funds/xnas/vtwax/portfolio Are you deliberately overweight in international stocks, expecting them to outperform domestic stocks in the future? The issue with being overweight in any particular sector is that you may fall behind the market, because the sector you did overweight may fall behind. There's a reason why we recommend sticking with the market cap ... Why only 0 contributions to her 401k going forward? Anything that's being kept in...
- Tue Sep 01, 2020 9:06 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: 2019 Portfolio Review
- Replies: 17
- Views: 2370
Re: 2019 Portfolio Review
What a difference 9 months makes. Late Summer / Fall 2020 Update: Emergency funds: $50K in checking, large taxable account Debt: $2M construction loan, 4% interest rate (will refinance once the construction loan converts to a permanent mortgage) Tax Filing Status: Married Filing Jointly Tax Rate: 37% Federal, 0% State State of Residence: FL Age: 35 Desired Asset allocation: 66% stocks / 34% bonds (I think?) Desired International allocation: 50% of stocks (I think?) Please provide a hint as to the size of your current total portfolio: low 7-figures Current retirement assets Taxable 26% Intermediate-Term Tax-Exempt (VWIUX) (ER 0.09%) 26% Total International Stock (VTIAX) (ER 0.11%) 27% Total Stock Market (VTSAX) (ER 0.04%) His 401k 5% Princip...
- Sun Aug 02, 2020 11:24 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Car reviews - Consumer Reports or other sources?
- Replies: 51
- Views: 5746
Re: Car reviews - Consumer Reports or other sources?
bumping an old thread
if car reliability is the most important thing to me, is CR still the recommended reference resource?
thanks
if car reliability is the most important thing to me, is CR still the recommended reference resource?
thanks
- Sun Aug 02, 2020 8:22 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Don't pay full price for SiriusXM radio
- Replies: 649
- Views: 112428
Re: Don't pay full price for SiriusXM radio
I recently came across an email offer for Sirius that was $5/month for 12 months and they would throw in a "free" Echo Dot.
My wife, who is as frugal as she is sweet, said we barely drive anywhere anyway. She told me to keep waiting for a better offer.
Less than a week later, I get another email offering 3 months of Sirius for free so long as I pay the $2 activation fee.
So I guess the key is to let your radio service lapse and then just wait out the better offers
My wife, who is as frugal as she is sweet, said we barely drive anywhere anyway. She told me to keep waiting for a better offer.
Less than a week later, I get another email offering 3 months of Sirius for free so long as I pay the $2 activation fee.
So I guess the key is to let your radio service lapse and then just wait out the better offers
- Sun May 10, 2020 10:24 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: $2 million dollar house pre requisites
- Replies: 109
- Views: 13106
Re: $2 million dollar house pre requisites
i have a modified version of wci’s rules on this
i would have at least 20% down payment ($400k)
if i’m borrowing $1.6M i would want to be making at least $800k/yr
i would ideally like to have at least $1.6M in savings (i recently purchased a very expensive home and it would have made me feel a lot more comfortable to have purchased it in cash. my so was not willing to wait that long though. so the next best option is to make sure i have enough in my taxable account to cover the entirety of the mortgage in case anything crazy were to happen. it’s a silly and probably unnecessary rule but one that makes me feel better about taking out such a large mortgage)
- Sun Apr 26, 2020 3:29 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: DIY Auto Detailing Products
- Replies: 31
- Views: 2648
Re: DIY Auto Detailing Products
I recently bought a new used car and would like to be better at caring for the aesthetic. It's a Toyota so I hope it will last forever, and I intend to drive it forever with regular maintenance and mechanical preventative maintenance. I've been researching brands and have settled on chemical guys for the interior because I really like their Nonsense All Purpose Cleaner and their Total Interior and Protectant. However, I'm looking for suggestions for exterior products. Ideally, I would like a Wash+Wax, a Clay bar kit, and a spray on wax. I'm a novice and just don't think I could do much more complexity than that. Any suggestions? I love Optimum's line of products. You can use their rinseless ONR Wash and Wax (it is also great for cleaning i...
- Fri Apr 10, 2020 9:43 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Your AA once you hit 7 figures
- Replies: 34
- Views: 3145
Re: Your AA once you hit 7 figures
I've been 1/3 VWIUX, 1/3 VTIAX, 1/3 VTSAX when my brokerage account started @ $18K, past the 7 digit mark, to a high of $2.8M, and back down to $2.2M thanks to the 'rona. No plans on changing AA. I'm in my 30s and decades away from retirement.whereskyle wrote: ↑Fri Apr 10, 2020 9:06 am Hello Bogleheads,
I am wondering what your AA was when you first hit 7 figures and if you adjusted your AA once passing that mark. I am also interested if anyone had other triggers such as hitting a different number or experiencing a certain life event that prompted you to adjust your allocation. I ask because I am currently 100% equities and I want to prepare a plan well in advance for adjusting my AA once I hit certain milestones.
Thanks, all!
- Thu Apr 02, 2020 11:06 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Car Wheel Cleaner Spray
- Replies: 9
- Views: 954
Re: Car Wheel Cleaner Spray
optimum power clean diluted 1:3 is great for cleaning wheels, tires, and even as a pre soak prior to washing the car
- Mon Mar 09, 2020 10:26 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: TLH to non-Vanguard mutual funds
- Replies: 5
- Views: 382
Re: TLH to non-Vanguard mutual funds
Now would it be an option to sell VTSAX into cash and then use that cash to purchase FSKAX? Or would the selling of VTSAX result in unavailable funds that would keep my money out of the market for a few days? Best case, your money would be out of the market for one day assuming Vanguard makes the money immediately available in your settlement fund the following day (allowing you to issue a purchase order for a new fund before 4pm). I'm reluctant to go this route given recent market volatility (e.g., stocks could shoot right back up, likely negating any benefit of TLH). I consider any form of TLH that results in money being out of the market by more than a short period to be market-timing (i.e., I'm banking on the market being stable or dro...
- Mon Mar 09, 2020 9:46 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: TLH to non-Vanguard mutual funds
- Replies: 5
- Views: 382
Re: TLH to non-Vanguard mutual funds
This is correct. You can only exchange between funds within the same family. This is what I do (e.g., VFWAX is a partner for VTIAX). Here's a discussion on a good TLH partner for VTSAX (https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=283965). ETFs are often a better choice if you want to TLH with VTSAX. I like the simplicity of mutual funds though (no worries about bid/ask spread or potential market movements in the time between issuing a sell and then a buy). If you want to, you can convert your VTSAX shares to the ETF version by calling Vanguard. Cost basis is preserved, so you do not incur any gains or losses on this action. However, you cannot convert back to mutual fund shares once you've gone that route. I've been thinking about doi...
- Mon Mar 09, 2020 9:24 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: TLH to non-Vanguard mutual funds
- Replies: 5
- Views: 382
TLH to non-Vanguard mutual funds
I currently use Vanguard as my brokerage
I noticed I don't have an option to exchange a current Vanguard mutual fund to a non-Vanguard mutual fund
(e.g attempt to TLH by selling VTSAX and purchasing FSKAX, all within the Vanguard brokerage)
Is that correct? Or am I missing something?
I noticed I don't have an option to exchange a current Vanguard mutual fund to a non-Vanguard mutual fund
(e.g attempt to TLH by selling VTSAX and purchasing FSKAX, all within the Vanguard brokerage)
Is that correct? Or am I missing something?
- Tue Feb 18, 2020 11:45 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: How to most efficiently "clean up" taxable accounts?
- Replies: 5
- Views: 778
Re: How to most efficiently "clean up" taxable accounts?
Thanks for everyone's quick reply I figured as much, I will likely lean towards just holding still. My rationale for selling was kind of silly I just wanted to streamline things as much as possible and minimize the number of 1099s I receive each year. Nothing simpler than just having the 3 fund portfolio in my joint account. To answer some of the secondary questions I got: - I can and plan on paying the mortgage with new money, but if I had extra funds lying around I wouldn't mind throwing it towards the mortgage - If I were to liquidate the 2 funds I mentioned above, it would not be enough to payoff the entire mortgage - I am a little ashamed to say I don't donate much and when I do, it's usually cash. Starting a DAF makes a lot of sense i...
- Tue Feb 18, 2020 10:30 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: How to most efficiently "clean up" taxable accounts?
- Replies: 5
- Views: 778
How to most efficiently "clean up" taxable accounts?
I am looking to clean up my taxable accounts. I realize I likely will not be able to do this without incurring large taxable events. But I figured I would throw it out there to see if anyone thought this would be worthwhile I have ~$370K in VTSAX with $128K of that representing long term capital gains in a personal taxable account I also have ~$90K in VLCAX with about $40K of that representing long term capital gains in a joint taxable account I would like to eliminate those two funds taking the money and applying it to my mortgage or taking the money and redistributing it across the funds I have in my joint taxable account (I have and would like to only have the standard: 1/3 VTSAX, 1/3 VTIAX, 1/3 VWIUX) Worthwhile to make this move? Or ju...
- Mon Dec 30, 2019 9:15 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Talk me out of buying a Tesla Model 3
- Replies: 963
- Views: 103340
- Fri Dec 27, 2019 11:28 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: 2019 Portfolio Review
- Replies: 17
- Views: 2370
Re: 2019 Portfolio Review
Thank you to everyone who commented - I will start simplifying the smaller accounts so that they just contain 1 fund - My wife no longer works which is why her 401k no longer gets new contributions - I've always been slow to make asset allocation changes but I do like the idea of simplifying, simplifying, simplifying so I will research and look into the transition to a 2 fund portfolio. Side questions = Is there a problem with holding too much in terms of tax-exempt muni bond funds? Is it a problem if these are the only bonds I owned? - Yes, I am not very thrilled with what my employer has to offer within the 401k but that's the downside of working for a smaller company I guess. They also love pushing dinners with the Morgan Stanley financi...
- Fri Dec 27, 2019 1:58 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: 2019 Portfolio Review
- Replies: 17
- Views: 2370
2019 Portfolio Review
EDIT, UPDATED FOR 6/11/23 Emergency funds: $200K Debt: $500000 mortgage, 4% interest rate Tax Filing Status: Married Filing Jointly Tax Rate: 37% Federal, 0% State State of Residence: FL Age: 38 Desired Asset allocation: 50% stocks / 50% real estate (I think?) Desired International allocation: 0 (I think?) Please provide a hint as to the size of your current total portfolio: ~$4M Current retirement assets Taxable $500K Intermediate-Term Tax-Exempt (VWIUX) (ER 0.09%) $1.3M Total International Stock (VTIAX) (ER 0.11%) $1.3M Total Stock Market (VTSAX) (ER 0.04%) His 401k $260K Principal LargeCap S&P 500 (ER 0.53%) Company match? YES Her 401k $450K Blackrock Equity Index 1 Company match? NO His Roth IRA at Vanguard $160K Total Stock Market ...
- Fri Dec 20, 2019 3:57 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Strategy to work a deal when buying a car
- Replies: 38
- Views: 3875
Re: Strategy to work a deal when buying a car
have them deliver the car to your home so you don’t have to deal with the people in the finance office LOL - great idea! Would you then request to sign the paperwork at your home? yup i’ve done this multiple times i typically use the community center at my community to maintain privacy others have had drop offs at work or at a coffee shop i’ve had instances where they’ll send the salesperson with the finance office spiels and paperwork anyway, sometimes the finance manager will call the night before to offer those services we all turn down i tell them i have a check for the full amount of the car and don’t want anything else. i’ve signed for a car and driven away in under five minutes now i won’t buy a car any other way email negotiations ...
- Tue Dec 17, 2019 7:56 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Strategy to work a deal when buying a car
- Replies: 38
- Views: 3875
Re: Strategy to work a deal when buying a car
have them deliver the car to your home so you don’t have to deal with the people in the finance office
- Thu Oct 17, 2019 6:22 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Car waxing/sealant for a newb (not for high level detailing)
- Replies: 23
- Views: 4072
Re: Car waxing/sealant for a newb (not for high level detailing)
wash with ONRWW which contains wax
dry with opti seal which is a sealant that will penetrate through the wax (optimum synergy)
i top with p and s beadmaker for greater slickness and gloss
simple products that have worked really well for me
dry with opti seal which is a sealant that will penetrate through the wax (optimum synergy)
i top with p and s beadmaker for greater slickness and gloss
simple products that have worked really well for me
- Sat Oct 12, 2019 7:06 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Best No Annual Fee Visa Credit Card with Cash Back
- Replies: 56
- Views: 7324
Re: Best No Annual Fee Visa Credit Card with Cash Back
DC is a MasterCard. Presumably OP's need for a Visa is tied to Costco usage, which having a Costco Visa addresses. I have played the credit card rewards game for a while, but the 3 card setup that Nate79 lays out is probably one of the best for OP's situation (cashback only, no annual fees). You can get away with only carrying the Costco and DC cards--just tie the Amazon Prime card to your account and leave it at home (unless you shop at Whole Foods). I'm contemplating simplifying my setup as I've accumulated more AMEX and Chase points than I can reasonably use anytime soon and this setup would likely be the approach I take . . . though I like having my CSR and AMEX Platinum for travel benefits and protections (insurance and lounge access)...
- Sat Oct 12, 2019 7:05 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Best No Annual Fee Visa Credit Card with Cash Back
- Replies: 56
- Views: 7324
Re: Best No Annual Fee Visa Credit Card with Cash Back
I like this setup
I eliminated the double cash card since its benefits were nerfed so badly:
- no worldwide car rental insurance
- no worldwide travel accident insurance
- no citi price rewind
- no 90 day return protection
- no damage and theft of purchase protection
- no extended warranty
I just end up using the Costco card for everything physical and the amazon card for everything at amazon
- Fri Oct 11, 2019 10:31 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Best No Annual Fee Visa Credit Card with Cash Back
- Replies: 56
- Views: 7324
Re: Best No Annual Fee Visa Credit Card with Cash Back
i only use the costco card
best extended warranty in the industry (for now)
best extended warranty in the industry (for now)
- Fri Sep 27, 2019 10:52 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Apple iPhone iOS 13 Discussion
- Replies: 79
- Views: 11408
- Sun Sep 01, 2019 7:04 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Gifting 60k to someone
- Replies: 41
- Views: 8424
Re: Gifting 60k to someone
Sorry to dig up an old thread. I wanted to talk about the logistics of the above. Can the gift be transferred in one sitting? e.g. one $60000 check from the joint account of A and B to the joint account of X and Y Or would it be better for A to sign a $15K check to X, then A to sign a $15K check to Y, then B signs a $15K check to X, then B signs a $15K check to Y? Thanks That is what my sister and I did, when she transferred money to us from a sale of a parents house. Two checks from her, one to my wife and one to me. Two checks from her husband, one to my wife and one to me. Each check under the $15K gift limit. No forms needed. There was more but since this was done in the fall we were fine with waiting until after the new year for the r...
- Sat Aug 31, 2019 12:28 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Gifting 60k to someone
- Replies: 41
- Views: 8424
Re: Gifting 60k to someone
It is only a reporting requirement. You don't have to pay a tax or penalty. The amount over the $15k annual exclusion just reduces your lifetime estate exemption. If you are a couple and are gifting to another couple, you can gift $60k without triggering the reporting requirement ($15k from each to each). I would add that this is only true of gifts from joint assets. If a couple gifts from individual assets over the annual exclusion, they must file a Form 709 to split the gift. If after splitting they are <= the annual exclusion it does not reduce their lifetime exclusion. I'm curious about this. A couple gifting $60k to another couple from individual assets would not need to exceed the annual exclusion. From individual assets, A gives $15...
- Thu Aug 29, 2019 3:32 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: downside of going to a competitive high school?
- Replies: 49
- Views: 5945
Re: downside of going to a competitive high school?
My kid will go to high school in a few years. Our local public high school is very competitive. I hear plenty of horror stories about kids stressed out about grades. I am worried about the impact it will have on my kid's mental well being. In additional to that, an acquaintances told me going to a highly competitive high school can actually hurt a kid's chance to get into a good college. Her daughter went to a prestigious boarding high school and she didn't get into a good college. The mom said in hindsight, her daughter would have had a better chance to get into a good college if she went to a less competitive high school. The mom said it seemed the good colleges don't want too many kids from the same high school. Is this true? what is yo...
- Thu Aug 29, 2019 3:23 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Gifting 60k to someone
- Replies: 41
- Views: 8424
Re: Gifting 60k to someone
It is only a reporting requirement. You don't have to pay a tax or penalty. The amount over the $15k annual exclusion just reduces your lifetime estate exemption. If you are a couple and are gifting to another couple, you can gift $60k without triggering the reporting requirement ($15k from each to each). I would add that this is only true of gifts from joint assets. If a couple gifts from individual assets over the annual exclusion, they must file a Form 709 to split the gift. If after splitting they are <= the annual exclusion it does not reduce their lifetime exclusion. I'm curious about this. A couple gifting $60k to another couple from individual assets would not need to exceed the annual exclusion. From individual assets, A gives $15...
- Sat Jul 27, 2019 2:28 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: RESOLVED: Non-lethal alternatives to firearms to defend against home invasions in Florida
- Replies: 113
- Views: 8481
Re: Non-lethal alternatives to firearms to defend against home invasions in Florida
Numerous big, vicious, well-trained dogs
- Fri Jul 26, 2019 9:09 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Experience with Costco Citi Visa?
- Replies: 34
- Views: 6020
Re: Experience with Costco Citi Visa?
I use it, I like it, I pretty much just use it at Costco for warehouse purchases and gas at the warehouseInMyDreams wrote: ↑Fri Jul 26, 2019 6:42 pm Anyone using Costco's Citi Visa?
* Traveled outside the US with it?
** How were the foreign exchange rates for any out of country transactions (especially Canada)?
** No transaction fees for the foreign currency transaction, right?
Anything else I should know? The table of information said no annual fee, no interest on purchases if balance paid in full.
I didn't see anything about an inactivity fee.
Thanks!
I did travel outside the US with it and had no problems on my trip. No foreign transaction fees. No annual fee (aside from the hidden/obvious cost of being a Costco member)
- Fri Jul 26, 2019 5:27 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Long commute: how to manage?
- Replies: 110
- Views: 9537
Re: Long commute: how to manage?
It depends on what your commute looks like too
Mine is also an hour but it is against traffic with rare bumper to bumper
I ended up getting a manual transmission car, keeps me more engaged and there are days I look forward to the commute and rowing my own gears
Mine is also an hour but it is against traffic with rare bumper to bumper
I ended up getting a manual transmission car, keeps me more engaged and there are days I look forward to the commute and rowing my own gears
- Sun Jun 23, 2019 4:01 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Don't pay full price for SiriusXM radio
- Replies: 649
- Views: 112428
Re: Don't pay full price for SiriusXM radio
It's only for 1 year
I used the virtual account number trick so by the time it's ready to renew, they'll have to come to me to get an up to date credit card number. At which point, I would re-negotiate the same rate or revert to using my phone via Bluetooth or Carplay
I use the live chat feature on the website (it's slower but it also works if you don't like negotiating via telephone)
- Sat Jun 22, 2019 9:38 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Don't pay full price for SiriusXM radio
- Replies: 649
- Views: 112428
Re: Don't pay full price for SiriusXM radio
Thanks to everyone's advice
I also signed up for the $70/year plan
With regards to why, I do agree it is nice to be able to jump in the car and have access to a couple of favorable music channels without having to fiddle with my phone.
Using the online interface and the live chat feature is a nice way to avoid banging your head against the wall with a live person if you are non-confrontational (I rather look forward to these phone calls after a bad day of work )
Thanks for the tip on using a virtual account number (Citi DoubleCash offers something similar although you have to use their archaic windows desktop option) as I've always been annoyed by Sirius' auto renew feature
I also signed up for the $70/year plan
With regards to why, I do agree it is nice to be able to jump in the car and have access to a couple of favorable music channels without having to fiddle with my phone.
Using the online interface and the live chat feature is a nice way to avoid banging your head against the wall with a live person if you are non-confrontational (I rather look forward to these phone calls after a bad day of work )
Thanks for the tip on using a virtual account number (Citi DoubleCash offers something similar although you have to use their archaic windows desktop option) as I've always been annoyed by Sirius' auto renew feature
- Sat Jun 01, 2019 9:14 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: How did you all do in the month of May, 2019
- Replies: 126
- Views: 13274
Re: How did you all do in the month of May, 2019
May 2019 was a "devastating" month
-$85K investment returns (which I don't track or notice)
-$672K withdrawal for a house downpayment (which I definitely DID notice, hoping to never make as big a withdrawal ever again)
-$85K investment returns (which I don't track or notice)
-$672K withdrawal for a house downpayment (which I definitely DID notice, hoping to never make as big a withdrawal ever again)
- Thu May 30, 2019 3:28 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: How to do a check deposit with your cellphone app
- Replies: 14
- Views: 1592
Re: How to do a check deposit with your cellphone app
I would find a new bank
I hate banks that offer such ridiculously low limits on mobile deposit
My previous bank capped mobile deposits at $1000
I hate banks that offer such ridiculously low limits on mobile deposit
My previous bank capped mobile deposits at $1000
- Thu May 30, 2019 2:32 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Can I afford this 2.3 million dollar home?
- Replies: 273
- Views: 34582
Re: Can I afford this 2.3 million dollar home?
For everyone who utters the refrain that buying this expensive of a house is akin to signing up for slavery, what say you about this plan? Purchase house with 30% down Put An extra 10k/month (less than half of current taxable acct savings) into mortgage Payoff the note in 10 years. If expenses remain similar (I'm sure they'll go up a bit), this still allows for 20% gross savings toward retirement during this period. Is that debt slavery? You can afford it. It's more extravagant than what most forum members would opt for (obviously) I'm doing something similar myself and I'm pretty sure we are in the same profession given your debt load, your income, and your late start. Here are the differences if you want to compare/contrast: - I purchase...
- Sat May 11, 2019 10:10 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: How to Wire Funds from Vanguard
- Replies: 19
- Views: 14797
Re: How to Wire Funds from Vanguard
My wife and I are buying a new home for cash and we will be required to wire the funds to the title company at the close of escrow. Where in the world does it say how to do this on the Vanguard site? I've tried to search the site and it just says that their search function is not working and to try again later. Very frustrating. If all else fails I suppose I could just ACH transfer the funds to my bank across the street from the title company and just have the bank do the wire transfer but that is just causing extra hassle perhaps? Right now the money is just sitting in the Prime Money Market. I've got about 20 days to figure this out and may actually have to break down and call Vanguard, but was dragging my feet doing that. Advise anyone?...
- Sat May 11, 2019 9:43 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: tax efficient lazy portfolio strategies
- Replies: 12
- Views: 3163
Re: tax efficient lazy portfolio strategies
1/3 total stock
1/3 total intl
1/3 intermediate term muni bond fund
1/3 total intl
1/3 intermediate term muni bond fund