Search found 216 matches

by jtdavid
Tue Mar 28, 2023 8:31 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Pay off house?
Replies: 22
Views: 2915

Re: Pay off house?

No way. You would be paying significant taxes to pay off a below market rate mortgage.
by jtdavid
Mon Jan 30, 2023 8:37 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What's Your Credit Card Rewards Strategy?
Replies: 7203
Views: 1421970

Re: What's Your Credit Card Rewards Strategy?

My main cards:

Capital One SAVOR: Dining & Streaming (4% cash back)
SAVOR: Groceries (3%)
Amazon Card: Amazon purchases (5%)
Amex Platinum: Airfare (5%)
Alliant Credit Union: Most everything else (2.5%)

Hotel and airline cards are also worth keeping if you don't mind fooling with them: Amex Hilton Surpass, Aspire, Bonvoy, Hyatt, Chase SWA Rapid Rewards, Citi AAdvantage.

Put over $200k/year on the cards, including quarterly tax payments. It is definitely worth it if you are organized. Set up all your payment due dates to be similar and set everything on autopay.
by jtdavid
Thu Dec 29, 2022 7:54 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Warren Buffett 90/10
Replies: 33
Views: 6680

Re: Warren Buffett 90/10

My refined version of this portfolio is 90% VTWAX, 10% ibonds...
by jtdavid
Wed Dec 28, 2022 12:16 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Freetaxusa vs Turbotax
Replies: 121
Views: 17190

Re: Freetaxusa vs Turbotax

Freetaxusa interface is excellent. I pay the extra $8 for additional support even though I don't need it, just because I feel like it is an excellent product. Mildly complicated return here with multiple K-1s, Schedule E, etc.
by jtdavid
Mon Dec 26, 2022 8:18 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 12 year update from a once Panicked Investor
Replies: 30
Views: 7858

Re: 12 year update from a once Panicked Investor

I fail to see a problem here. You can afford to spend $180k. So accept it and move on...
by jtdavid
Thu Jul 28, 2022 12:22 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Should I trade my car in again?
Replies: 64
Views: 5030

Re: Should I trade my car in again?

I would do a "low cost trade-up" like this as long as the market allows.
by jtdavid
Sat Jul 23, 2022 3:43 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Vanguard's ETF buying restriction
Replies: 20
Views: 2191

Re: Vanguard's ETF buying restriction

Based on your posts I would suggest you investigate one of the more conservative LifeStrategy funds or a target retirement fund and allocate your entire Roth to it. You will not have to wait 30 days to buy one of these funds.
by jtdavid
Wed Jul 20, 2022 12:27 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: How many "Japans" have there been?
Replies: 262
Views: 23752

Re: How many "Japans" have there been?

oragne lovre wrote: Tue Jul 19, 2022 9:15 pm
jtdavid wrote: Fri Jul 15, 2022 12:06 pm OP,

There is a chapter in the book "Devil Take the Hindmost" that covers the whole Japan situation. I would highly suggest you check out a copy of the book and read it. It will put your mind at ease to some extent.

Good luck.
jtdavid,

I'm not the OP but will check out the book that you recommend.
I believe it is "Chapter 9".
by jtdavid
Fri Jul 15, 2022 12:06 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: How many "Japans" have there been?
Replies: 262
Views: 23752

Re: How many "Japans" have there been?

OP,

There is a chapter in the book "Devil Take the Hindmost" that covers the whole Japan situation. I would highly suggest you check out a copy of the book and read it. It will put your mind at ease to some extent.

Good luck.
by jtdavid
Wed Jun 29, 2022 3:11 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Opening up Vanguard account through Real Estate LLC?
Replies: 1
Views: 294

Re: Opening up Vanguard account through Real Estate LLC?

Yes, an LLC can open up an account at Vanguard.
by jtdavid
Fri Jun 24, 2022 2:03 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Huge blunder. Accidentally rebalanced 401K Total US Stock/Total Int'l Stock into 50% Wellington/50% Primecap
Replies: 45
Views: 4018

Re: Huge blunder. Accidentally rebalanced 401K Total US Stock/Total Int'l Stock into 50% Wellington/50% Primecap

This is not a big deal. All these assets were in tax advantaged accounts, so there are no tax consequences. And you did not really change your asset allocation in any major way. Just move them back to the previous funds if you so desire.
by jtdavid
Fri May 27, 2022 3:34 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Moving to a later Target Retirement Fund
Replies: 6
Views: 880

Re: Moving to a later Target Retirement Fund

Another thing you could do is direct the dividends and capital gains to be reinvested in a more aggressive (later year) target date fund.
by jtdavid
Sat May 07, 2022 1:03 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Kids saving account
Replies: 11
Views: 1263

Re: Kids saving account

Ibonds!
by jtdavid
Thu May 05, 2022 6:19 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Dog Poop & Pee Sign for Yard
Replies: 84
Views: 6531

Re: Dog Poop & Pee Sign for Yard

Those signs are tacky...
by jtdavid
Thu Apr 28, 2022 9:10 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Dog breeds
Replies: 150
Views: 12427

Re: Dog breeds

French bulldog. Ours is 21 lbs. 5 years old. Good on medium length walks. Hilarious personality. Doesn't shed much.
by jtdavid
Fri Apr 01, 2022 12:31 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Life Strategy Funds
Replies: 11
Views: 1670

Re: Life Strategy Funds

I'm a big fan of the Lifestrategy funds. Wish Vanguard would reduce their expense ratio to match the Target Retirement funds...
by jtdavid
Mon Mar 07, 2022 7:27 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Never saw myself buying gold ...
Replies: 302
Views: 35196

Re: Never saw myself buying gold ...

The events of the past few months have made me glad I own enough physical gold and silver to hopefully keep my family fed for a year or two, if need be. Everything else is in index funds.
by jtdavid
Sun Jan 09, 2022 3:31 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What is the average savings rates for bogleheads?
Replies: 343
Views: 41331

Re: What is the average savings rates for bogleheads?

stoptothink wrote: Sun Jan 09, 2022 2:58 pm
anon_investor wrote: Sun Jan 09, 2022 2:57 pm
Go Blue 99 wrote: Sun Jan 09, 2022 2:39 pm If you have sizable passive income from investments, do you include that in your savings rate? Or are you only looking at job income?
Personally I am only using only compensation from employment to calculate savings rate. Single income household for the last few years saving approximately 50% (+/-) of gross compensation annually. This includes base salary, annual bonus, employer 401k contributions, employer HSA contributions, and employer cash awards.
If we included passive investment income, our savings rate would have been ~150% gross last year.
You'd have to include it in both the numerator and denominator of the calculation...
by jtdavid
Thu Dec 02, 2021 2:39 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Vanguard Lowers Expense Ratio for Target Retirement Funds - Adds Income and Growth Trust Fund
Replies: 104
Views: 22577

Re: Vanguard lowers expense ratios for Target Retirement Funds

I somehow missed this news. My entire tax deferred portfolio is in LifeStrategy Growth.

These moves are are quickly making the LifeStrategy Funds irrelevant.

In February 2022 there will be no compelling reason to choose the LifeStrategy Income Fund over the Target Retirement Income Fund with the new institutional expense ratio.

And in February 2022 LifeStrategy Moderate Growth and LifeStrategy Conservative Growth will have to compete with the new 50% equity Target Retirement Income and Growth fund that will also have an institutional expense ratio.
by jtdavid
Sun Nov 28, 2021 2:44 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Mental accounting with gifted money
Replies: 21
Views: 1982

Re: Mental accounting with gifted money

buy VTWAX with the money instead.
by jtdavid
Tue Jul 06, 2021 9:11 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: The first time in my investing life I'm "fearful"
Replies: 130
Views: 21613

Re: The first time in my investing life I'm "fearful"

In your situation 70/30 is reasonable.
by jtdavid
Wed Jun 16, 2021 11:02 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: What has been the historical market cap weight of total US stock vs world?
Replies: 15
Views: 6810

Re: What has been the historical market cap weight of total US stock vs world?

Use a more conservative fund in your IRA (LifeStrategy Conservative) and Total World Stock Index in your taxable account.
by jtdavid
Tue Jun 01, 2021 10:55 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: New to me - Trust and estate planning
Replies: 8
Views: 1112

Re: New to me - Trust and estate planning

First thing I would do in your shoes is start searching for new 20 year term life insurance policies. The rest is just details.
by jtdavid
Mon May 24, 2021 1:29 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: New HVAC system impact on home value
Replies: 25
Views: 2723

Re: New HVAC system impact on home value

Install a Goodman...
by jtdavid
Tue May 11, 2021 8:18 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: What Happens to Target Date Funds Long After Reaching Their Date?
Replies: 4
Views: 857

Re: What Happens to Target Date Funds Long After Reaching Their Date?

They are merged into the Target Retirement Income Fund at some point.
by jtdavid
Fri Apr 30, 2021 3:33 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Taxable estate and irrevocable trust fees
Replies: 21
Views: 2831

Re: Taxable estate and irrevocable trust fees

I've pondered the same problem, albeit at a lower dollar amount. I've considered selecting a trusted attorney as a secondary trustee, combined with trustee investment instructions that encourage the use of simple index funds. Even if the trustee is paid based on his typical attorney fee hourly rate, the cost should be lower than a percentage of assets.
by jtdavid
Fri Apr 30, 2021 3:26 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Cryptocurrency Owners - Where Do You Keep Your Seed?
Replies: 63
Views: 9642

Re: Cryptocurrency Owners - Where Do You Keep Your Seed?

Just use the first or last 12 words of your favorite book. Or bible verse. Highlight it on a physical copy you own in your bookshelf.
by jtdavid
Mon Apr 19, 2021 9:43 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Out on 4Runner - Used Lexus GX?
Replies: 36
Views: 4622

Re: Out on 4Runner - Used Lexus GX?

Great cars. Just really need updating...
by jtdavid
Sat Mar 27, 2021 2:08 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Selling a Rolex
Replies: 24
Views: 3238

Re: Selling a Rolex

I would recommend www.davidsw.com.
by jtdavid
Tue Mar 23, 2021 8:23 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How to manage elderly parent's finances
Replies: 14
Views: 2153

Re: How to manage elderly parent's finances

Just have him use the $80k to purchase a SPIA. Then you won't have to support him near as much.
by jtdavid
Sun Mar 21, 2021 1:26 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Vanguard ads on their site--can they be stopped?
Replies: 35
Views: 3741

Re: Vanguard ads on their site--can they be stopped?

About six months ago I simply sent a secure message to Vanguard asking them to stop showing me the PAS advertisements and they quickly complied. Problem solved.
by jtdavid
Fri Mar 19, 2021 3:16 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Strategy changes after Lean FI?
Replies: 41
Views: 3605

Re: Strategy changes after Lean FI?

My first reaction to your post was "Why increase your EF?"
by jtdavid
Fri Mar 12, 2021 2:32 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Scorp owners taking distributions-basis required
Replies: 28
Views: 2133

Re: Scorp owners taking distributions-basis required

I inquired about 10 days ago and freetaxusa informed me that the issue was fixed and efiles are now available. Thanks.
by jtdavid
Fri Mar 05, 2021 11:53 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How do you structure accounts in your accounting software?
Replies: 3
Views: 5626

Re: How do you structure accounts in your accounting software?

20+ year user of Quicken here. I used to track a lot of detailed expense accounts, but realized 1) it didn't accomplish anything for me, and 2) I ran into a lot of issues where expenses could go in either category. If you shop at Walmart and buy clothes and groceries in the same shopping trip, are you really going to break down the portion of your receipt that was clothes, groceries, and a microwave purchase? Over the years I found it was not worthwhile to try to attempt to budget very detailed subcategories. I now use the following expense categories: Household: Contributions (budgeted annually, paid monthly or quarterly) Recurring (insurance, utilities, netflix, etc. Most of these are paid monthly, except for insurance) Travel (budgeted a...
by jtdavid
Fri Mar 05, 2021 10:45 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: e-filing taxes and partnership basis computation
Replies: 0
Views: 143

e-filing taxes and partnership basis computation

Just wanted to check in here. I have had good luck with freetaxusa.com for my personal taxes. This year they are telling me I can't efile my return because of this new basis computation requirement. I was hoping this would change so I can efile by April 15. Anyone in this situation having any luck efiling this year with a different consumer tax product?
by jtdavid
Wed Mar 03, 2021 8:56 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Scorp owners taking distributions-basis required
Replies: 28
Views: 2133

Re: Scorp owners taking distributions-basis required

Just wanted to check in here. I have had good luck with freetaxusa.com for my personal taxes. This year they are telling me I can't efile because of this basis computation requirement. I was hoping this would change so I can efile by April 15. Anyone in this situation having any luck efiling this year with a different consumer tax product?
by jtdavid
Fri Feb 26, 2021 5:42 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Can someone explain the logic behind the Buffett Indicator?
Replies: 23
Views: 2936

Re: Can someone explain the logic behind the Buffett Indicator?

I don't like the indicator because the ratio would change depending on how many companies were public vs private.
by jtdavid
Fri Feb 26, 2021 3:34 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Bad week to sell $550K investments?
Replies: 8
Views: 3144

Re: Bad week to sell $550K investments?

If you are making a move like this in an IRA, it shouldn't matter when you do it. I would pull the trigger.
by jtdavid
Mon Feb 22, 2021 3:47 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Where to put $80k?
Replies: 25
Views: 4189

Re: Where to put $80k?

I would invest according to your AA. Your emergency fund is enough.
by jtdavid
Mon Feb 22, 2021 12:51 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: oh what to do?
Replies: 20
Views: 3189

Re: oh what to do?

I'd put the $1M in cash in Target Retirement Income Fund if I were you....
by jtdavid
Sun Feb 21, 2021 5:33 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Most tax-efficient way to pass a vacation home to children
Replies: 22
Views: 2887

Re: Most tax-efficient way to pass a vacation home to children

Have your parents sell the house to you and carry back a note for the entire value of the house. Interest rate on the note can be very low. And have them forgive $30k of the note balance per year.
by jtdavid
Sat Feb 20, 2021 7:54 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Why do I never see a 50/50 split on this site or other sites?
Replies: 45
Views: 5572

Re: Why do I never see a 50/50 split on this site or other sites?

The Vanguard Tax-Managed Balanced Fund tries to be about 50/50. I've always thought it was curious that it doesn't match the Vanguard Balanced Index Fund, which is 60/40, of course. I've wondered about it too. The origins of the "60/40" portfolio continue to be a little mysterious to me. It is the classic result of a mean variance portfolio. You input expected returns, variance, and correlation for stocks and bonds, then optimize. Using historical data you get 60/40. At least in the classroom. I would love to see a series of charts, or calculations, or whatever that walks through this. I recall a post by nisiprius where he looked at the efficient frontier over many different periods, and never found 60/40 to be optimal. The reaso...
by jtdavid
Sat Feb 20, 2021 8:37 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: What to sell first? To complete becoming A Boglehead
Replies: 5
Views: 619

Re: What to sell first? To complete becoming Boglehead

Whats your marginal tax rate?
by jtdavid
Fri Feb 12, 2021 7:51 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: WSJ | Fidelity Holds Secret Weapon to Take On Robinhood and Vanguard
Replies: 56
Views: 9520

Re: WSJ | Fidelity Holds Secret Weapon to Take On Robinhood and Vanguard

If you message Vanguard they will stop bothering you with the annoying PAS ads.
by jtdavid
Wed Feb 10, 2021 7:37 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: MVNO on Verizon network...moving away from Ting
Replies: 54
Views: 6644

Re: MVNO on Verizon network...moving away from Ting

I've been happy with US Mobile. They have an unlimited minutes/text plan with 5 gb of data for less than $20 after all taxes and fees. I don't think they deprioritize speed on this plan either.
by jtdavid
Wed Feb 10, 2021 1:39 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: What to do with cash-out refi money from investment property
Replies: 20
Views: 1893

Re: What to do with cash-out refi money from investment property

People are going to want to know the interest rates on the different debts...