Search found 216 matches
- 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.
- 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.
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.
- 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...
- 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.
- 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...
- 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.
- 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.
- 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?
I believe it is "Chapter 9".oragne lovre wrote: ↑Tue Jul 19, 2022 9:15 pmjtdavid,
I'm not the OP but will check out the book that you recommend.
- 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.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Sat May 07, 2022 1:03 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Kids saving account
- Replies: 11
- Views: 1263
Re: Kids saving account
Ibonds!
- 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...
- 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.
- 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...
- 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.
- Wed Mar 02, 2022 7:25 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Any recommendaion on 5G phone that has the basics and won't break the bank?
- Replies: 63
- Views: 7641
- 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?
You'd have to include it in both the numerator and denominator of the calculation...stoptothink wrote: ↑Sun Jan 09, 2022 2:58 pmIf we included passive investment income, our savings rate would have been ~150% gross last year.anon_investor wrote: ↑Sun Jan 09, 2022 2:57 pmPersonally 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.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?
- 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.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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...
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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...
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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?"
- Fri Mar 19, 2021 2:19 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Sold LifeStrategy Conservative Growth and total international bought Total market. In Roth want to sell Total World
- Replies: 9
- Views: 624
Re: Sold LifeStrategy Conservative Growth and total international bought Total market. In Roth want to sell Total Worl
OP: Respectfully, based on these questions you should really stick with a LifeStrategy fund...
- Mon Mar 15, 2021 5:58 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: High earners, about how much tax do you pay?
- Replies: 79
- Views: 11474
Re: High earners, about how much tax do you pay?
Over $200k...
- 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.
- 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...
- 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?
- 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?
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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....
- 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.
- 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...
- 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?
- 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.
- 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.
- 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...
- Fri Jan 29, 2021 6:12 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: LenderFi: Who did they sell your mortgage to?
- Replies: 62
- Views: 8181
Re: LenderFi: Who did they sell your mortgage to?
Wells. Twice.