Search found 880 matches

by CedarWaxWing
Wed Feb 28, 2024 2:36 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Retirees apparently tend to maintain assets - lessons for BH investors?
Replies: 129
Views: 17377

Re: Retirees apparently tend to maintain assets - lessons for BH investors?

Bogleheads: I've lived over 100 years and we never worried about running out of money or saving too much. Our answer was two Single Premium Immediate Annuities (SPIA's) purchased in our late 70s. Best wishes. Taylor Jack Bogle's Words of Wisdom: "Depending on the particular circumstances, annuities are a good idea, but only annuities available at very low cost and commensurately high return." Taylor.. I always enjoy your posts (and your books). May I ask something about your SPIA decision making? 1. Did you purchase them each in the same year? and why did you do it in that fashion? 2. How did you decide how much of your investment portfolio to put into SPIAs? 3. How did you decide which categories of fund sources to put into the ...
by CedarWaxWing
Thu Feb 22, 2024 11:42 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Using withholding on Roth conversion instead of estimated tax payment
Replies: 86
Views: 6045

Re: Using withholding on Roth conversion instead of estimated tax payment

Before RMDs were required we did this: Set up ES payments online to be done automatically each quarter based on last years tax returns. All of our taxes are paid from our taxable account MMF. Early in the year we do a judicious conversion to Roth (most of what we expect to convert to avoid putting us above a certain medicare IRMMA bracket). Those taxes are covered by our ES quarterly payments to the IRS. Early December we start harvesting expected distributions data from our taxable accounts to estimate if there is room for a smaller tIRA to Roth conversion without pushing us into the IRMMA bracket we wish to avoid. IF we do make another conversion in December we send in an additional tax payment electronically to cover that taxable estimat...
by CedarWaxWing
Wed Feb 21, 2024 6:54 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: The One-Fund Portfolio as a default suggestion
Replies: 904
Views: 242093

Re: The One-Fund Portfolio as a default suggestion

Thank you.
:oops:
sycamore wrote: Wed Feb 21, 2024 5:48 pm
CedarWaxWing wrote: Wed Feb 21, 2024 10:43 am "You are not authorized to read this forum."

Hmmm... I am subscribed to this discussion, get a notice, click that notice and receive the above result?

Does anyone know why?
Read the Bogleheads FAQ on that point help/faq#f1r0
What does "You are not authorized to read this forum." mean?

It means the post or topic has been moved to (or was created on) one of the site's private administrative forums. Threads or posts are usually moved for review of possible violations of forum policy. Note that not every post on a removed topic is necessarily in violation.
by CedarWaxWing
Wed Feb 21, 2024 12:46 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Portfolio Visualizer back testing and asset allocation comparisons
Replies: 5
Views: 756

Portfolio Visualizer back testing and asset allocation comparisons

Playing around with Portfolio Visualizer (PV) today in regards to PRWCX (TRPrice Capital Appreciation Fund), an actively managed balanced fund by TRPrice. The first link shows PRWCX returns over 2009 to 2024, compared to other modeled portfolios back tested. https://www.portfoliovisualizer.com/backtest-portfolio?s=y&sl=nESWSuiPSOvYN6cOjaHvj Going to the first link and selecting "Exposures" under the Portfolio analysis results section shows the asset allocation breakdowns for the portfolios in the first link... PRWCX being portfolio 3. This second link shows the asset allocation of the PRWCX, being back tested for the same time period but apparently using indexes of the same asset allocation distribution. https://www.portfoliov...
by CedarWaxWing
Wed Feb 21, 2024 10:43 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: The One-Fund Portfolio as a default suggestion
Replies: 904
Views: 242093

Re: The One-Fund Portfolio as a default suggestion

"You are not authorized to read this forum."

Hmmm... I am subscribed to this discussion, get a notice, click that notice and receive the above result?

Does anyone know why?
by CedarWaxWing
Wed Feb 07, 2024 7:01 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: When to invest in select SeekingAlpha Alpha Picks?
Replies: 16
Views: 1359

Re: When to invest in select SeekingAlpha Alpha Picks?

My guess is that they make most of their money by convincing people to pay them for their newsletter.

After their putting stock A on the list influences others to buy A after they already owned it. To some/many subscribers, the stocks' being newly put on the list is as inspiring as a news report stating that a given stock beat its earnings last quarter.

Paid subscribers and even the free subscribers may be nudging those stock up... but not for long.
by CedarWaxWing
Tue Jan 30, 2024 10:03 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Purchasing Quicken Desktop
Replies: 25
Views: 4243

I’ve been using Quicken for decades. We have Quicken Premier, and we have three separate files: one for all our finances; one for the money I manage for a relative; and one for my wife’s business. The cost difference between the versions is insignificant in the context of the year’s budget. It’s a once a year purchase, it doesn’t really matter whether it’s $50 or $150. Unless you’re living under the poverty level, $100 is a rounding error for the year. If I didn’t have Quicken, I’d have to manually manage multiple spreadsheets to track everything and spreadsheets are not related at all to my occupation so I’d rather not spend time doing it myself like that. Quicken saves me a lot of time and I love the budgeting and bill tracking functions...
by CedarWaxWing
Thu Jan 18, 2024 7:57 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Leave family temporarily for new job in Bay Area?
Replies: 89
Views: 8759

Re: Leave family temporarily for new job in Bay Area?

If she is serious about the new job and location, perhaps you should try to workout an at home situation to continue to do your current job. IF they highly value your unique talents and performance that should be possible. The in person days could be done on zoom or some other distant format.

If they hesitate to accommodate your needs... Find a job in the Bay Area... while your wife is being paid to not work... and definitely consider her discussing if her new workplace have on opening that suits yours skills also?



Good luck.
by CedarWaxWing
Mon Dec 18, 2023 5:47 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Odd Meeting Today with IRS Re my 2022 Return
Replies: 92
Views: 12750

Re: Odd Meeting Today with IRS Re my 2022 Return

Or they might simply have a computer error or an input error by a worker... .they are way understaffed and may have new hires or a software/hardware issue.

Of maybe simply a quality control effort.
by CedarWaxWing
Sun Dec 10, 2023 12:07 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 100% Contrafund
Replies: 26
Views: 4001

Re: 100% Contrafund

Wiggums wrote: Thu Dec 07, 2023 11:15 am I’ve held that fund in my 401k. Will Danoff is one of the best stock investors in the world. He has bern the manager Fidelity Contrafund for 33 years. Over the first 30 years, the fund has returned 13.7% a year, on average, beating the S&P 500 index’s 10.4%. Not a bad track record.

I no longer hold this fund.
https://www.morningstar.com/funds/xnas/ ... erformance

https://www.portfoliovisualizer.com/bac ... odfN0mMpVy

It appears that the index Contrafund should be compared to is the large cap growth index, right?


VIGAX appears to be the most appropriate VG index fund to compare that to.... and it has not beat the index over the time period of Jan 2006 to now, nor over the last 15 years.
by CedarWaxWing
Sat Dec 09, 2023 12:03 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Private High School - worth it?
Replies: 164
Views: 28811

Re: Private High School - worth it?

As an anecdotal data point, we thought our private school (around $47k per year per student, a not unusual price in HCOL NJ) was worth every single penny. If you are as rich as Tomato, go for the best. :) But it might not be the best... :( I tend to leans towards this. If your wife makes 7-figures a year, do whatever you and the kid wants, but if it is a financial stretch, I don't think it's likely there is a good ROI (academically or socially) in most cases . We looked into private schools in our area more than once. We could afford to pay private tuition, since we both worked and had were/are somewhat frugal. In our attempts evaluate the benefits of private schools we tried to get the folks who ran those schools to demonstrate ANY eviden...
by CedarWaxWing
Sun Nov 19, 2023 11:34 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Finances for a small fraternal / benevolent organization
Replies: 24
Views: 2368

Re: Finances for a small fraternal / benevolent organization

Under no good deed goes unpunished I'd leave it be, you are correct, but when dealing with people who lack knowledge in this area there will always be a contingent convinced this is a grave error to leave their "expert advisor". People are going to hear even when you don't say it a promise of greater returns and every one day blip in the market will be "see I told you this was a bad idea" and always suspicion that you and "your" fidelity guy have benefited in some way. Never mind every year you will have to prove better results and justify not moving back to EJ. But you do you :) I wish I could say you were absolutely wrong...but I can't. You just might have a point. It would seem that your organization should...
by CedarWaxWing
Mon Jul 17, 2023 1:04 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: EFTPS set up... not seeing IRS took 2nd Q payment
Replies: 6
Views: 551

Re: EFTPS set up... not seeing IRS took 2nd Q payment

Follow up...

I do save the confirmations.... and could not find the confirmation of a successful setup... but did save what the preliminary confirmation of what I had input into the system.

My conclusion is that this time I must have messed up by not doing the final submission.... my error.

thanks.
by CedarWaxWing
Mon Jul 17, 2023 12:19 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Help rationalize loss / exit strategy
Replies: 9
Views: 979

Re: Help rationalize loss / exit strategy

"house itself is good, no issue but do not like the location and bothers both of us" Then "this is mostly mental".... Unless there are safety reasons you should not stay in that house...I would say you may benefit by staying for at least a couple of years and do what you can to get to know your neighbors, get to know what the good nuances of that neighborhood may be, while you slowly peruse (maybe over 2-8 years) the optimal house/neighborhood for your next house. If there is one particular issue... rather than a vague feeling about the neighborhood, consider if there is a way to improve the specific problem that is of concern. Saving aggressively to remove some of the sting of higher loan rates would be wise, but over t...
by CedarWaxWing
Sun Jun 25, 2023 9:57 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Vanguard Lending Securities
Replies: 14
Views: 1443

Re: Vanguard Lending Securities

I saw it and discarded it.

I have no basis for knowing the real risks nor the real upside benefits, but I do know that I have no need to take on any additional risks at this time.

If I don't understand an investment I do not participate in it.
by CedarWaxWing
Fri Jun 16, 2023 12:45 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: EFTPS set up... not seeing IRS took 2nd Q payment
Replies: 6
Views: 551

EFTPS set up... not seeing IRS took 2nd Q payment

Has anyone here not seen their EFTPS payments to the IRS not being done on the date it was set up to be done?

My Q2 was set up to be done on 6/13... and has yet to appear in my debits for my checking account. I don't think I have ever seen the IRS withdrawal being done on any date different that what I set it up to be done before.

I have no reason to think I did not set it up properly, and am using the same bank account I have used for years with no glitches.
by CedarWaxWing
Mon Jun 12, 2023 6:56 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Borrow money from parents to invest?
Replies: 43
Views: 2646

Re: Borrow money from parents to invest?

"when you’re very young it’s optimal to be allocated *over* 100% to equities" According to whom? The reasons not to borrow the funds as you described are numerous. The first reason is that you don't need the money and are financially secure if you don't mess up your life. With your current income (and maybe your futures earnings if you are correct) it would, in my judgement, be foolish for you to borrow to invest more. It will not likely substantially improve your life to borrow the funds as you suggested. I have my own adult sons, and if they asked to borrow for the reasons you state, I would not loan them the money for that purpose. If they needed the money I'd give it to them. (But they likely would still not ask for it.) Slow ...
by CedarWaxWing
Wed Jun 07, 2023 11:25 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Fidelity Freedom Index fund
Replies: 34
Views: 5243

Re: Fidelity Freedom Index fund

My spouse has her 401k at fidelity... in FBAKX, a balanced fund, fairly low cost. She is in retirement, not taking RMDs yet.

We have also had a cold call from Fidelity, suggesting we need help in managing things. I asked what qualifications the caller has... I am told that person has great experience and expertise. Searching her (the caller) online I find that she used to work in sales for Waddell Reed. She is strictly in sales... and has a license to sell securities. Nothing more.


Cold calls from a financial corporation are to my mind not worth the time it takes to answer the phone. No one on the other end is going to do you any favors if you are already in a very low cost indexed fund that is well diversified.
by CedarWaxWing
Thu May 11, 2023 4:46 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Need few sentence rationale for why people should avoid financial advisors
Replies: 187
Views: 15966

Re: Need few sentence rationale for why people should avoid financial advisors

KineticSync wrote: Thu May 11, 2023 10:24 am My sister in law owns her own business. Listening to her talk about her investment "guy" makes me feel that there's a bit of prestige at work here. If having a "guy" is a trapping of success, a rational argument about yields kind of misses the point.
I have no doubt that you are correct, but that seems analogous to buying a Studebaker sedan, putting a BMW hood ornament on it, paying the price of a Porsche for it, and then bragging about how good it feels to have gotten such a great deal on your BMW. ;)
by CedarWaxWing
Thu May 11, 2023 11:38 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Need few sentence rationale for why people should avoid financial advisors
Replies: 187
Views: 15966

Re: Need few sentence rationale for why people should avoid financial advisors

I'm at a leadership conference for senior level women in my industry. It focuses on both career and personal growth. Today, there was a panel on getting your personal financial affairs in order, with an estate attorney and one of those name brand financial advisors that charges an AUM fee who can help you "understand the markets and how to change your investments based on what's coming ahead". During the Q&A, one person expressed skepticism over the financial advisor industry, but most talked about how every financially successful woman must have an advisor. People were raving about their financial people. I shared that we're all smart women, and it's really not so hard to do yourself, especially with great free resources lik...
by CedarWaxWing
Thu May 11, 2023 10:40 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Need few sentence rationale for why people should avoid financial advisors
Replies: 187
Views: 15966

Re: Need few sentence rationale for why people should avoid financial advisors

I agree with the person that said giving financial advice to other people is not a great idea. Having said that, I can give you a negative anecdotal experience with a financial advisor in a few sentences as requested..... When I first came into a significant amount of money to invest thanks to exercising some stock options, I used a financial advisor with Smith Barney to manage it for me because I was clueless about all things financial. Eventually found out what the terms "front-loaded," "back-loaded", and "Expense Ratio" meant in regards to mutual funds and discovered that I had paid to get into the funds she chose and would have to pay to get out in order to avoid the high fees. (the funds were Putnam, BTW)...
by CedarWaxWing
Wed May 03, 2023 2:12 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Minimun income for Roth
Replies: 13
Views: 2064

Re: Minimun income for Roth

If you have a Traditional IRA you could consider doing conversions to a Roth account. If you pay the taxes on those conversions from your taxable accounts (savings, checking, brokerage accounts for example) and put the entire conversion amounts into the Roth you are effectively putting more USABLE money into the Roth account that you had in T IRA, because now the amount of the conversion funds are worth more after tax than they were in the T IRA. The "being worth more" only "works" if you leave those funds in the Roth for enough time to significantly grow tax free. Other more convoluted methods to get other funds into your Roth are mentioned in this article from Morningstar... but would only work in special circumstances...
by CedarWaxWing
Fri Apr 28, 2023 10:43 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: "4% rule" withdrawals from real mutual funds
Replies: 71
Views: 9997

Re: "4% rule" withdrawals from real mutual funds

Displaying my ignorance here... but how do we find the original data you harvested to do this post?

thanks.
by CedarWaxWing
Wed Apr 26, 2023 6:01 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Too nervous about giving up my passwords to use Personal Capital
Replies: 148
Views: 14262

Re: Too nervous about giving up my passwords to use Personal Capital

I never share my passwords and would not with outside brokerage or management services. We use 2FA for any financial log ins, and do not have any apps on our phones or laptops for financial services or brokerages. We only use one computer for financial transactions or log ins, and my CS/EE offspring helps with security and updates on our computers. (He also writes transactional software and is doing a major revision of such software for a transactional company that services financial and brokerage firms, so I think he knows quite a bit about software and security.) I made a spreadsheet that allows me to paste and copy my balances (from 5 different institutions) onto one page, and that page auto populates my balances into different categorie...
by CedarWaxWing
Wed Apr 12, 2023 7:26 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: ? Before I switch to brokerage account from mutual funds
Replies: 6
Views: 739

Re: ? Before I switch to brokerage account from mutual funds

In my experience it is reported on the 1099 as distributions from each specified fund, and on the same 1099 the categories are totaled for you for each category, such as tax free, LT CGs, etc.
by CedarWaxWing
Mon Apr 10, 2023 1:05 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Partnership Structure for Real Estate
Replies: 5
Views: 611

Re: Partnership Structure for Real Estate

I have seen similar arrangements being done by people I have known... 4 times. Each time over a few years things soured for various reasons... largely having to do with the working parting not being able to fulfill that role as easily/gracefully/ willingly as was assumed. Things eventually deteriorated into a mess with the partners each feeling that someone else was not living up properly to the arrangement, or the financial arrangement is not working out well for both partners. You are employed doing something you enjoy a great deal and are making a solid income. That gig is hard to beat, and a regular savings and investing plan should easily provide you with excellent retirement resources with less risk and better diversification and comp...
by CedarWaxWing
Mon Feb 27, 2023 11:05 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: TurboTax on iPad - Use website or app?
Replies: 15
Views: 1025

Re: TurboTax on iPad - Use website or app?

If your ipad loses things due to low memory... how much ram/memory does it have? I would think you now have to either get more computing power with adequate Ram/memory with any system you prefer or simply do your taxes with paper and pencil. Or you can do it online. If you are reluctant to update your computing device or ad a new one... can you simply use a friend's computer to do your taxes? I have an ipad 2 with 64 gigs ... which now is not much good for anything other than Ebook reading. Slow as can be, and many of the apps that I had no longer work after upgrades. A Chromebook with 500 gig SSD and 16 ram should handle most things that your ipad cannot... And there is the occ great deal windows laptop for sale on the used market. One of ...
by CedarWaxWing
Sun Jan 08, 2023 1:11 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Auto accident - worth pursuing very minor medical claim?
Replies: 11
Views: 1056

Re: Auto accident - worth pursuing very minor medical claim?

Speak with your insurance agent and inquire as the the best way to recover the medical expenses. In my limited experience with insurance companies, the only one who MIGHT assist you in getting your damages reimbursed without subjecting you to any intrusive permissions that MIGHT not be required by law and MIGHT be contrary to your best interests to sign is your own insurance company. I suspect your insurance will not be so intrusive, and they will be more fairly and professionally dealt with by the at fault person's insurance company. Insurance companies have a hard time taking advantage of other insurance companies and love to take advantage of individuals (and know how to do that). My own experience with MVAs are limited: 1. I was hit by ...
by CedarWaxWing
Wed Dec 14, 2022 2:35 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Does whole life make a ton of sense for me?
Replies: 171
Views: 15126

Re: Does whole life make a ton of sense for me?

In 1992 I purchases a WL policy from Guardian, 8650 annual premiums, with 4% dividends guaranteed, but more predicted. I did pay more than 4% almost every year. I had it analyzed about 10 years ago and was counseled that it was paying good dividends and is worth keeping. I have had in force illustrations done twice over the last 15 years, and it has never lived up to the projections of day 1, or the dates of the other illustrations. I suggest you consider Stinky's recommendations, which are solid. In 2021 the cash value was: 446,507 The death benefit was: 770,095 Original death benefit year one: 500,000 I also bought a term policy ... which I discontinued at age 60 or so... when we felt we were "self insured". I can still pay the...
by CedarWaxWing
Wed Dec 14, 2022 1:03 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Does whole life make a ton of sense for me?
Replies: 171
Views: 15126

Re: Does whole life make a ton of sense for me?

Stinky, if I may ask a question. If Guardian is raising their dividend to 5.75%... on what number is that 5.75 % based on... Cash value of the policy or something else? thanks for your excellent posts on life insurance. Thank you for your kind words. Let me give a technical answer, caveated by the fact that I’m not inside Guardian. As Chardo said below, dividends are typically based on a three factor formula - expenses, mortality, and interest. For each factor, the company’s actual experience is compared to the regulatory reserve assumptions, and the difference between the company’s experience and the reserve assumptions is reflected in the dividend paid. The largest component of the dividend is typically the excess interest. Many policies...
by CedarWaxWing
Wed Dec 14, 2022 12:19 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Does whole life make a ton of sense for me?
Replies: 171
Views: 15126

Re: Does whole life make a ton of sense for me?

The biggest problem with whole life, the way you're wanting to use it, is you're buying a very illiquid product that must be held for decades to give any decent return. You should be compensated for that illiquidity and term, and you're not. I'd say 50/50 this product outperforms a total bond market fund after 30 years. If you're willing to take on long-term illiquid investments, go with stocks or real estate or something where you get compensation for that. Bonds are meant to provide ballast and liquidity in a portfolio, and whole life does neither. In your OP you mentioned that whole life doesn't have the "volatility" of bonds, but that's not true. The investments the insurance company holds inside the pool of policies change v...
by CedarWaxWing
Wed Dec 14, 2022 11:49 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Does whole life make a ton of sense for me?
Replies: 171
Views: 15126

Re: Does whole life make a ton of sense for me?

Stinky wrote: Wed Dec 14, 2022 8:21 am
petulant wrote: Wed Dec 14, 2022 6:43 am Guardian is increasing its dividend rate for dividends paid over the next year. My policy will perform better than the initial illustration thanks to rising rates.
Congratulations to you on making, by all appearances, a well-informed, thoughtful decision to buy a whole life policy. Based on your posts in this thread and elsewhere, you’ve thought deeply about this purchase in coordination with your overall asset allocation strategy. I hope that it turns out well for you. (I sincerely do!).
Stinky, if I may ask a question. If Guardian is raising their dividend to 5.75%... on what number is that 5.75 % based on... Cash value of the policy or something else?

thanks for your excellent posts on life insurance.
by CedarWaxWing
Wed Dec 14, 2022 12:16 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Does whole life make a ton of sense for me?
Replies: 171
Views: 15126

Re: Does whole life make a ton of sense for me?

In 1992 I purchases a WL policy from Guardian, 8650 annual premiums, with 4% dividends guaranteed, but more predicted. I did pay more than 4% almost every year. I had it analyzed about 10 years ago and was counseled that it was paying good dividends and is worth keeping. I have had in force illustrations done twice over the last 15 years, and it has never lived up to the projections of day 1, or the dates of the other illustrations. I suggest you consider Stinky's recommendations, which are solid. In 2021 the cash value was: 446,507 The death benefit was: 770,095 Original death benefit year one: 500,000 I also bought a term policy ... which I discontinued at age 60 or so... when we felt we were "self insured". I can still pay the ...
by CedarWaxWing
Tue Nov 22, 2022 5:04 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: [Vanguard] Portfolio Watch won’t allow new outside account additions
Replies: 15
Views: 1862

Re: [Vanguard] Portfolio Watch won’t allow new outside account additions

I prefer using my own spreadsheet. I simply copy and past the values of each account, and from those numbers other pages of worksheets can auto populate to break things down into types of accounts, and provide certain useful values and totals such as: Account locations and content Cash equivalents for current expenses Taxable Tax deferred with RMDs Tax deferred without RMDs (such as Ibonds) Tax free (Roths, HSAs) Owner of non jointly owned accounts including by tax status RMD requirements based on the EOY numbers Theoretical values for withdrawals from each account type using a few different withdrawal rates for each (With and without SS incomes.) Life insurance death benefit and cash values ( I bought WL when I did not know better...but th...
by CedarWaxWing
Thu Nov 03, 2022 6:36 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Original Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage
Replies: 481
Views: 44419

Re: Original Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage

Top of my list in regards to your post is: Where do you think your 300 dollar Credit or debit card came from or how you were able to receive that? In regards to your RN exam. I believe the Insurance company does that for very specific reasons that are not designed to benefit you as much as them. Those reasons have been mentioned elsewhere in this thread I think. The Rns are very likely acting as agents of the insurance company, not as a medical provider who has your welfare as their primary responsibility and the are reporting information to the insurance company that may well be designed to find information about you they have no need to know and would not otherwise know. I have multiple solicitation calls from RNs... offering this "f...
by CedarWaxWing
Tue Sep 20, 2022 5:07 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Retirement plan for HNW couple
Replies: 34
Views: 6016

Re: Retirement plan for HNW couple

Have you considered doing Roth conversions over the 20 years you will have before RMDs kick in?

The deferred compensation you mention "over 10 years" needs to be considered in regards to when to do Roth conversions but the RMDs might be the least tax efficient income you would have after age 72 if you don't do Roth conversions before then.

Roths at this time are also not a bad way to leave funds to a son someday.

Take care.
by CedarWaxWing
Wed Sep 14, 2022 10:37 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Agent Authorization Beware [Vanguard]
Replies: 43
Views: 8913

Re: Agent Authorization Beware [Vanguard]

How idiotic is this? I currently have agent authorization for my elderly sister. Some time ago I initiated a monthly withdrawal sum from one of her non-qualified mutual funds on the old platform. Since she now no longer needs the money I attempted to terminate the process on line to no avail. After waiting over an hour and one-half a CSR told me I must apply for a higher level of authorization called "Agent Certification for Incapacitated Person". I requested and they sent me out the necessary forms two weeks later. However I now find that my existing DURABLE POA is not satisfactory because it is out dated per their 90 day limit. Just unbelievable!. Other than going thru that hassle again or each time this situation occurs does a...
by CedarWaxWing
Fri Sep 02, 2022 11:20 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Vanguard Customer Service Mega-thread
Replies: 1514
Views: 169539

Re: Very good experience with Vanguard

Funny you say this. I've now been on hold for 80+ minutes and been transferred 3x just to get my username unlocked. Admittedly, it's my fault for fat-fingering the password too many times, but the user interface for small business login can use some help. Through trial and error, I've found the "Log-in" at the top of the page is not the log-in needed for small business. One has to scroll down past the huge banner and then find the "Employer log-in" button. Silly of me to think a button that says "Log In" at the link they sent in the email might actually be the correct spot to log in :happy One more reason to not use a link seen in any email for your sign in link. Another more important reason is that some link...
by CedarWaxWing
Thu Aug 18, 2022 2:11 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Why would anyone buy an income annuity?
Replies: 121
Views: 12540

Re: Why would anyone buy an income annuity?

Did I get it right? Why wouldn't I just do a bond/CD ladder and get 3% and at the end of it I'll still have my principal? I kept on asking this to the Fidelity rep and they couldn't explain why it was better. I must be missing something as they sound like an awful investment? About 10 years ago I allowed a Prudential agent, on the recommendation of a friend (who actually had purchased an annuity product from that agent) to come into my home and explain (to her that means sell) their annuity product. The agent (saleswoman) was young, very cute, and athletic looking... and knew nothing about her product. The only thing she knew was how to present her sales materials in order, as she was instructed. She could not answer the simplest of questi...
by CedarWaxWing
Wed Aug 17, 2022 6:53 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Why would anyone buy an income annuity?
Replies: 121
Views: 12540

Re: Why would anyone buy an income annuity?

Did I get it right? Why wouldn't I just do a bond/CD ladder and get 3% and at the end of it I'll still have my principal? I kept on asking this to the Fidelity rep and they couldn't explain why it was better. I must be missing something as they sound like an awful investment? About 10 years ago I allowed a Prudential agent, on the recommendation of a friend (who actually had purchased an annuity product from that agent) to come into my home and explain (to her that means sell) their annuity product. The agent (saleswoman) was young, very cute, and athletic looking... and knew nothing about her product. The only thing she knew was how to present her sales materials in order, as she was instructed. She could not answer the simplest of questi...
by CedarWaxWing
Sat Aug 13, 2022 3:09 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Making Qualified Charitable Donations To Your *Own* Charity?
Replies: 58
Views: 4764

Re: Making Qualified Charitable Donations To Your *Own* Charity?

[/quote]
Simplest option is to train your mind to consider paying taxes as charity. Zero expense ratio. :sharebeer
[/quote]

+1

I pay my taxes on time, every time, all that I owe. I consider myself lucky to have to pay taxes and to be able to have a financially comfortable situation during our post college years and our retirement years also. The USA is one of my favorite charities, and I say that frequently.

I won't go into why I feel that way... because political commentary is not appropriate for this group. :)
by CedarWaxWing
Sat Jul 09, 2022 6:40 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Retire at 43? Good idea?
Replies: 128
Views: 16313

Re: Retire at 43? Good idea?

"I may do some minor consulting after that." Other than "minor consulting"... I don't think you mentioned what you would like to do with new found time. There are so many questions only you can answer for yourself, but there are many that you need to come to grips with. If I were you, I would want to make a written summary of why I would want to retire, and what are the things I would want to do if I were to retire at your age. What I might ask myself ... may not be the things YOU should ask, so for now I would suggest you come to grips with that summary of things you need to consider and not worry about what people here think or recommend. You already know you don't need to work for money...so step zero is easily out of...
by CedarWaxWing
Sat Jul 02, 2022 2:05 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Fidelity's Zero Funds - are they truly zero?
Replies: 55
Views: 7495

Re: Fidelity's Zero Funds - are they truly zero?

[/quote]

Fidelity Total Market Zero fund has a lifetime return of 14.85% CAGR and the index 14.82%. So it actually outperformed the index.

[/quote]

Where did you find those numbers please? I cannot confirm that... using morningstar.

Thanks.

https://www.morningstar.com/funds/xnas/ ... erformance
by CedarWaxWing
Sat Jun 18, 2022 4:30 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Burned out / Decent Net Worth in late 30s
Replies: 68
Views: 9661

Re: Burned out / Decent Net Worth in late 30s

If you like where you life, consider just cutting back into a half time job at the same place if you think that is feasible ... and spend more time doing what you want to do with your family. Real estate... is volatile, and can be in the dumps for years, and in many places at an all time high cost due to low interest rates that are changing fast. It is very time intensive...and it is harder to find good prop managers than good rentals. You sound like a driven person, and rentals are not a good way to go if you want to rearrange how much time you get to spend with the family. When retirement comes, the rental income is taxed at regular rates, and depreciation needs to be paid back when you sell. Selling costs are high. With even half your in...
by CedarWaxWing
Sat Jun 18, 2022 4:13 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Donations at the checkout
Replies: 18
Views: 1790

Re: Donations at the checkout

I only respond if I am asked if I wish to donate to charityX. If asked I respond that I donate directly to specific charities that I chose after I have found out more about what % of my donations goes directly to the cause and not to "administrative" costs. "Police Charities" .... and any other charity phone calls.: I Always ask if they are paid solicitors or not... not matter what the response, I always give the same answer... I pick my own time and place to donate after doing my own homework. Paid solicitors tend to be very persistent... often rude and crude in fact. If they don't respect my response, I repeat it once, then I hang up as politely as possible. Schools... my kids went to our local public schools, which we...
by CedarWaxWing
Sat Jun 18, 2022 11:34 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Paper I-bonds, can we just store them
Replies: 51
Views: 5645

Re: Paper I-bonds, can we just store them

There are advantages to converting (maybe when Treasury Direct isn't facing an avalanche of demand for '9.6%!' as was mentioned). I'd note though if you get $5k paper I-bonds from tax return now there's no way, AFAIK, to avoid the 4*$1k, $500, $250, 5*$50 breakdown they send you, so unlikely somebody would want to cash less than a whole bond. We do have old $5k face paper bonds though that are now $10k+. I doubt we'd partially redeem even those but somebody might. But on balance we're going to keep them paper. Part of the reason is 'unknown unknown' about computer security, ours, govt's, whole system. More recently, people in other threads have reported receiving one single $5k bond (picturing Marian Anderson). So maybe Treasury is finally...
by CedarWaxWing
Mon Jun 06, 2022 3:06 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Buying condo, lawyer suggesting POA
Replies: 20
Views: 1788

Re: Buying condo, lawyer suggesting POA

Go in person. One, it’s a good experience. Two, at many closings you need to present ID. Third, you need to transport the check yourself. Fourth, if something comes up you want to be present. Fifth, two sets of eyes on a document are better than one. I caught so many errors at my closing that my lawyer didn’t. But is there a reason your attorney is suggesting this? Just convenience? Security/privacy? Covid? It’s not intrinsically a horrible idea it just seems there is little reason unless you are likely to interfere with the deal or unless you scream money or weakness to the other side that would make them likely to seek last minute additional terms / concessions unfavorable to you. I am not a real estate atty and this is not legal advice....
by CedarWaxWing
Mon Jun 06, 2022 2:28 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Retiree, no pension, no SS yet. how do you meet expenses?
Replies: 173
Views: 18875

Re: Retiree, no pension, no SS yet. how do you meet expenses?

Retired at age 65, and 64 for spouse. Still living on taxable accounts and also one rental house which we remodeled and then sold, and now also on SS. Started SS at age 66 for spouse, and I then took a spousal benefit until I turned 70, at which time I started my own SS benefits, since I had higher earnings and higher SS benefits. (We also did a spreadsheet to est the age at which I would have to live to make our SS plan less than my collecting at age 66. That life expectancy did not really matter much, but was in interesting game. Either way we would have done the same thing.) The SS benefit basically covers our taxes for Roth conversions, and the taxable account covers living expenses. The wife's mother lived to 99. The wife has no bad ha...
by CedarWaxWing
Fri May 20, 2022 12:07 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Question about these investment types
Replies: 17
Views: 1037

Re: Question about these investment types

Stay with your VG target dated fund, which is a good product. Educate yourself for a year... starting with viewing the videos you were referred to, checking the wiki book lists, search out Jack Bogle online videos and speeches. https://www.amazon.com/If-You-Can-Millennials-Slowly-ebook/dp/B00JCC5JKI Download the above written mini book by Bernstein to your kindle/phone... and read it at least 3 times. Read it every time you find yourself waiting in a long line, or getting your car oil change, or .... you name it. You can get it free, but the 1.00 will be one more incentive to read it, and will make it easy to have on hand always until you understand why what it says is very true. If you also read the books he recommends and take his advice ...