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Kenkat

randomguy wrote: ↑
Thu Aug 16, 2018 2:59 pm

Kenkat wrote: ↑
Thu Aug 16, 2018 11:50 am
The other major consideration here is that the Apple stock will receive a stepped up basis on death. That is a very substantial consideration given age and the capital gains he has realized.
It is in an IRA. I don't think he gets a stepped up cost basis.

Oops, missed that! D’oh...

Kenkat

The other major consideration here is that the Apple stock will receive a stepped up basis on death. That is a very substantial consideration given age and the capital gains he has realized.

Kenkat

Is that a typo or are the two resolutions 1920x1080 and 1920x1200. Those are not the same. The aspect ratios of the monitors (width x height) may also be different which affects the display.

Kenkat

It is a lot to deal with and it takes awhile to get everything unwound. Organization is key - when my in-laws passed in the same year, we made a list of everything that had to be addressed, checked status and sent out periodic updates to family. It eventually all gets finished. For the annuity, it s...

Kenkat

We have a 2014 but the trim levels are similar. We went with an EX since my spouse did not want leather seating. The EX adds a lot of nice features above the LX which seemed too bare bones to me. I wouldn’t get Nav or Res - those systems end up obsolete quickly and those functions can be delivered v...

Kenkat

We had a similar situation a number of years ago where many houses around us got new roofs. I called my insurance company, they sent out an adjuster and the roof was replaced. If you have ANY other damage - cars, dents in siding or gutters, etc. you very very likely have roof damage as well. If ther...

Kenkat

The primary issue with money market accounts is the overall loss of purchasing power due to inflation. The overall CPI for June 2018 was up 2.9% over 2017. VMMXX is earning 2.05% right now, and it wasn't anywhere near that a year ago. VBTLX is at 3.14%. VMMXX is unlikely to decline except in the ab...

Kenkat

iPod Touch is another option if you don’t want to use a smartphone for this.

Kenkat

Typically when you log into a site, it will set an encrypted cookie or in memory session that the site can then decrypt to know that is is “AAA” logged in. Closing the browser would clear out any in memory session but cookies typically will stay in place which is why you can still be logged in after...

Kenkat

$400 is about $250 too much for an entire microwave much less a repair. Over time, I learned that expensive microwaves don’t last any longer than (or even as long as) cheap ones. And you typically don’t use all of the features of the expensive ones. So, my last couple of microwaves have been over th...

Kenkat

This is the part I'm unsure of. You are saying and have direct experience that if I paid $9,000 in Federal tax, am getting a refund of $3,000, that the $2,500 AOTC can fully be added to my refund and make it $5,500? Others have already answered as well, but yes, the above is correct. AOTC is a very...

Kenkat

I am unclear where you are saying “refund”. The amount of any tax refund does not matter for the AOTC. You just need enough tax liability for the year to allow you to claim the full AOTC. If you have zero to $1,000 of tax liability for the year, you can incrementally claim up to $1,000 of the full $...

Kenkat

Also be sure that the match applies to part time employees and check out any fees as well. My son got a first job recently washing dishes at a local nursing / assisted living facility run by a large healthcare institution here in town. He was excited about the 401k offered until he learned that the ...

Kenkat

i would go ahead and get the central air. It’s not worth being miserable in your own home. When I replaced my ac unit a few years ago, it was $4k for a 2.5 ton 14 seer system - 2350 sq. ft. house. Even for $7k, I’d do it. If it feels better to pay it off over time, I don’t see a problem with opening...

Kenkat

The left chart tells you it holds intermediate term govt. agency bonds; the right tells you it holds intermediate term, medium quality bonds. I am a little surprised about the medium quality rating. I would have thought it would have been high but maybe credit pressures on municipalities are bumping...

Kenkat

World’s Largest Gnome in Ames, IA. Old Market in downtown Omaha. World War 1 Memorial in KC. Get some BBQ in KC while you are there.

Kenkat

For movies and TV, the three most important things I think a 5.1 system gives you (in order): 1) center channel 2) sub for bass 3) surround effect A good sound bar can probably do the first two well; maybe a really good sound bar can do all three but I’d have to hear that in action before I would be...

Kenkat

Look at it a different way. If 16% is mid six figures, you are already rich and well positioned for retirement.

Kenkat

I didn’t say it was a good idea, but in competitive bidding situations, if you want the house you are probably not going to get it with an inspection clause.

Kenkat

livesoft wrote: ↑
Sun Jul 22, 2018 1:11 pm

Kenkat wrote: ↑
Sun Jul 22, 2018 1:08 pm
You won’t be able to use the American Opportunity Tax Credit because that only applies to 4 year undergrad degrees but there are other options such as the lifetime learning credit.
LLC is also discussed in Publication 970.

Yes, Publication 970 is important. Learn it. Know it. Live it.

Kenkat

You won’t be able to use the American Opportunity Tax Credit because that only applies to 4 year undergrad degrees but there are other options such as the lifetime learning credit. One of the big watch points is that you can’t “double deduct”. So if you use the savings bond interest as a deduction, ...

Kenkat

You can also use a simple revocable trust to pass assets directly to heirs without going through the probate process.

Kenkat

Ping Pong wrote: ↑
Wed Jul 18, 2018 1:22 pm
How should we keep pensions active? I have a pension that wont have any activity for another couple of decades. I’m not even allowed to create any activity in it before then.

If it is a traditional defined benefit pension plan, you don’t own that - your employer does.

Kenkat

Make a full price offer with no contingencies.

Kenkat

Most insurance companies will not accept life premiums via credit card. 1) the product pricing does not allow for the transaction fees present in credit transactions and 2) there are some laws and regulations that can be interpreted as not allowing credit for life premiums. This has been lessening m...

Kenkat

Yes, the beneficiary designation takes precedence over any instructions in a will or state probate laws.

Kenkat

I found those plastic sliders can still cause scratches when moving furniture on hardwood floors. Even the smallest grain of dirt can get under the slider and leave a scratch. We’ve had better luck with some old towels folded over several times and put under the furniture to move it without lifting.

Kenkat

We have some Ashley pieces - it is ok but don’t expect it to last 15 years as other quality furniture might. It’s all how much you want to spend and how long you actually expect to keep it. You could easily spend $5k to buy a true quality sectional at that size. Do you want this sectional to still b...

Kenkat

Will also mention Chattanooga. Ruby Falls, Rock City, Lookout Mountain, Chickamauga National Battlefield and Missionary Ridge were all worth seeing. The downtown area is also very nice in the riverfront area. Love Sticky Fingers ribs! +1 to all except Sticky Fingers ribs. Lots of people love them t...

Kenkat

Yes, you can roll this over to a rollover IRA. I have rolled over two small pensions and three larger 401k plans into my Vanguard rollover IRA over the years. It is best if you can do a direct rollover from the pension plan to Vanguard but I did have one instance where the pension plan cut a check t...

Kenkat

No. Third Federal is a solid company - I have both a Heloc and my mortgage through them.

Kenkat

Will also mention Chattanooga. Ruby Falls, Rock City, Lookout Mountain, Chickamauga National Battlefield and Missionary Ridge were all worth seeing. The downtown area is also very nice in the riverfront area. Love Sticky Fingers ribs!

Kenkat

Housing is typically less volatile than equities, so the risk of leverage is lower overall. However, as we saw in the 2008 housing bubble, housing can still experience large drops and we witnessed many people who were over leveraged get wiped out in the subsequent crisis.

Kenkat

Do you have an agent? If the adjuster gives you trouble, call your agent and tell them you are very unhappy with the claims service you have received and is there anything they can do. Or who can you call to escalate this? If they are not helpful, tell them you been left no choice but to shop for a ...

Kenkat

Make sure that the jpg files you received are high resolution versions meant for reprint. The jpg file may be the limiting factor; most high volume printers like Walgreens, Costco, etc. can produce high quality prints given good input.

Kenkat

At a minimum, these should have been done: Engine air fliter Cabin Air Filter Other items like brake fluid, transmission fluid and spark plugs are a maybe. I would find a good independent mechanic (ask friends and neighbors) to inspect the vehicle and if you buy, perform any recommended overdue ser...

Kenkat

At a minimum, these should have been done: Engine air fliter Cabin Air Filter Other items like brake fluid, transmission fluid and spark plugs are a maybe. I would find a good independent mechanic (ask friends and neighbors) to inspect the vehicle and if you buy, perform any recommended overdue serv...

Kenkat

This makes a great argument for why 100% stocks has never made sense for me at least - although in 1973 there was really no good place to hide in the U.S.

Kenkat

Remember, it is a recession when your neighbor loses his job. When you lose your job, it’s called a depression.

Kenkat

Nice touch on the Charlton Heston image...

Kenkat

Kids - and a lot of adults - like chicken strips from a place like Raising Cane’s or Popeye’s or a local place. Buy a few different bottles of sauce for dipping; it provides a good anchor for other items you can source as you describe.

Kenkat

balbrec2 wrote: ↑
Wed Jul 04, 2018 10:16 am
I think we can look at an inverted yield curve as a heads up.
Something is askew, but exactly what or when remains to be seen.

And furthermore, whatever it is that is askew, there’s probably not a lot, if anything, you can do about it

Kenkat

Just went to the IRS site and it states:

- mailing address from your latest tax return

So unless the crook has your SSN, DOB and is willing to sit outside your house and wait for the mailman, I think you are good.

Kenkat

I am assuming that the IRS is doing address matching - they will only send the transcript to the address used to file your most recent return. This obviously adds a lot of security if correct. If it is just enter SSN and DOB and whatever address you want, then yes, this is pretty weak.

Kenkat

It’s all going to come down to your use case. If you need something that can do Windows “stuff” and is portable, the Surface Pro is pretty nice for that. It can also do some “tablet” things, but the iPad is going to be much better at that in terms of portability, etc. The iPad is very much a grab an...

Kenkat

Buy a good coat. A really good coat.

Kenkat

There are some truly poor people who can’t afford a $400 emergency because they just don’t have the income needed to cover more than basics. They are out there. Then there is another segment who make choices to consume and not save and they can’t afford a $400 emergency due to choices made, not inco...

Kenkat

We are using Fidelity Freedom Index 2030 as the single fund choice for my wife’s inherited IRA.

Kenkat

One way to make them aware of the disparity is to try and outspend your in-laws to where splitting the bill would be to your advantage (getting the large filet mignon, or the lobster, or the expensive individual drink, with several appetizers, plenty to take leftovers home). If they indeed are obli...

Kenkat

We have a basic refrigerator / freezer in our garage - it was around $400 new. We live in Southern Ohio and it gets both pretty cold here in the winter and pretty hot in the summer. The fridge is in an attached garage and overall works fine. We have had it over 10 years, no issues. It keeps everythi...

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