Search found 1584 matches

by DaleMaley
Fri May 19, 2023 6:42 pm
Forum: Forum Issues and Administration
Topic: Bogleheads and ChatGPT
Replies: 325
Views: 44210

Re: Bogleheads and ChatGPT

I have written over 20 local history books, and it is a laborious process: 1. Google searches 2. Search Newspapers.com 3. Search GeneaologyBank.com 4. Google books search for old books and magazines 5. Four local county history books that all have been digitized 6. Federal bureau of land management for land purchases 7. Complete family tree on ancestry.com When I saw ChatGPT explained, I thought wow, this AI app could do all these searches for me at one time, and save me a ton of time............so I gave it a try. I was shocked at how bad the ChatGPT search results were for a particular person!! The reply was full of facts, all of them wrong. When I asked ChatGPT to cite their reference for a particular fact, it came back and said Sorry, u...
by DaleMaley
Fri Oct 01, 2021 12:13 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Some vanguard funds share totals not updating this month
Replies: 2
Views: 559

Some vanguard funds share totals not updating this month

On several of my funds, including the Total Bond Fund, the Vanguard web site is showing the September dividend and reinvestment, but it is not updating the share balance to reflect the additional shares purchased.

I sent an email to Vanguard, they replied that they have a system issue, they are working on it, but don't know when it will be resolved.

fyi...
by DaleMaley
Fri Feb 21, 2020 11:23 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Error in Vanguard 1099-Div on upgraded account
Replies: 4
Views: 686

Re: Error in Vanguard 1099-Div on upgraded account

boomer_techie wrote: Fri Feb 21, 2020 6:03 am
DaleMaley wrote: Thu Feb 20, 2020 4:33 pm A couple minutes later I got an email from Vanguard saying a new tax form was available. I went to the web site.......and there was a new 1099-Div which showed the correct REIT div in each account. The total DIV for the REIT fund in both old and new accounts seems reasonable now.
This was not an error. Instead, final data for REITs arrives late. This happens every year.
I think this was an error. They showed a dec 2019 REIT dividend payout on 1 of the 2 accounts, but forgot to show the March, June, Sept dividend payouts. anyway, I will be doing a cross-check in future tax years to avoid this issue in case it occurs again. Thanks
by DaleMaley
Thu Feb 20, 2020 4:33 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Error in Vanguard 1099-Div on upgraded account
Replies: 4
Views: 686

Error in Vanguard 1099-Div on upgraded account

I do taxes for about 5 family members, and all their investments are held at Vanguard. One of these people had their account upgraded in 2019........which means Vanguard generates 2 of the 1099-Div statements....1 for the old account..............and 1 for the new account. I am used to this, because several people have had their accounts upgraded in past years. For 2019 tax year, I noticed the Vanguard REIT index fund dividend seemed way to low. I went to the web site and found quarterly dividends were paid and they totalled about 4X of the amount vanguard reported. I sent a secure PM to Vanguard, and they replied the account had been upgraded, and there were 2 of the 1099-div's for each account..........which I already knew. A couple minut...
by DaleMaley
Mon Jan 27, 2020 6:22 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Engineers - What are you making? ($$$)
Replies: 357
Views: 54069

Re: Engineers - What are you making? ($$$)

Machine Design magazine does a good annual survey of engineering salaries..........

https://www.machinedesign.com/learning- ... their-work
by DaleMaley
Sat Sep 07, 2019 5:57 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: "The Callan Periodic Table of Investment Returns"
Replies: 33
Views: 8719

Re: "The Callan Periodic Table of Investment Returns"

Back maybe 10 years ago, I showed a printed copy of the Callan table to a bunch of people...........every single one immediately tried to identify a trend..........when there is not really any trend.

I read somewhere it is human nature to look for visual trends, because of generations of being on the look-out for the lion by the watering hole :)
by DaleMaley
Wed Feb 13, 2019 8:40 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Need help with frequent week-long stays in Boston over next 18 mos
Replies: 68
Views: 4370

Re: Need help with frequent week-long stays in Boston over next 18 mos

Find a hotel you like, then ask manager for a deal on future stays. We did this successfully a couple of times when the employee had to spend 6 months at a site, and came home on weekends.
by DaleMaley
Mon Dec 17, 2018 5:18 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Investing RMD back into taxable vanguard fund
Replies: 9
Views: 1909

Re: Investing RMD back into taxable vanguard fund

Dandy wrote: Mon Dec 17, 2018 6:49 am Just be aware that if you are moving, via the RMD, money from a fixed income heavy account to a taxable equity fund you are likely going to have a rising equity allocation over time.
Thanks, I was aware of that.
by DaleMaley
Mon Dec 17, 2018 5:17 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Investing RMD back into taxable vanguard fund
Replies: 9
Views: 1909

Re: Investing RMD back into taxable vanguard fund

rkhusky wrote: Mon Dec 17, 2018 6:58 am Depends on whether you have one of the older mutual fund accounts or one of the newer brokerage accounts. The former allows you to send distributions wherever you want, the latter only goes to the settlement fund.
Yes, I think these issues are caused when the switch was made from the old mutual fund accounts to the "upgraded" brokerage set-up.

thanks
by DaleMaley
Sun Dec 16, 2018 10:24 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Investing RMD back into taxable vanguard fund
Replies: 9
Views: 1909

Re: Investing RMD back into taxable vanguard fund

In terms of automatic reinvestment back into a taxable mutual fund, a Vanguard 403B plan is worse than an IRA. On the 403B, you only have 2 options for RMD distributions.......get a check mailed to you.........or direct deposit in your savings or checking account. So once a year, my sister-in-law will need to go into the Vanguard web site, and move the RMD distribution into one of her taxable vanguard funds. She will also need to transfer the RMD distribution in her checking account from the 403B......to one of her vanguard taxable accounts. I suspect the reason there is no automatic reinvestment of RMD's into existing taxable vanguard mutual funds, is the recent Upgrades........where all transactions must first go through the settlement fu...
by DaleMaley
Fri Dec 14, 2018 5:12 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Investing RMD back into taxable vanguard fund
Replies: 9
Views: 1909

Investing RMD back into taxable vanguard fund

I am trying to help my sister-in-law set up automatic RMD's at Vanguard, and have the distributions invested into her taxable Index 500 fund.

Setting up the automatic RMD on Vanguard's web site, we hit the option for Distributions...…..and the only choice for reinvestment, is to have the distribution go to her Settlement Fund. There is no option to invest it in her existing Index 500 fund?

Does this mean each year, she will have to go into the Vanguard web site, after the annual RMD distribution is made, and move the money from her settlement fund to the Index 500 fund???

Boy, I was hoping this could be set up to be done automatically, and not require human intervention each year to do.

thanks
by DaleMaley
Thu Oct 18, 2018 8:33 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Did you retire because you hit your number?
Replies: 71
Views: 8097

Re: Did you retire because you hit your number?

I had hit "my number" several years before I retired. I was planning on working 1 more year until retirement, then the company came out with an early retirement package, with a bonus of 1.5X times annual salary. I think I was the first one to sign up immediately :D After 2 years now in retirement, I am busier now, than when I was working. I miss the people, but not the work.
by DaleMaley
Wed Aug 15, 2018 9:10 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Sidewalk repair - price in line?
Replies: 32
Views: 2814

Re: Sidewalk repair - price in line?

I just helped my son form up a 3rd driveway at his house. We dug out the soil by hand as required, and put up all the forms. The contractor had to add 7 cubic yards of gravel and compact it..........then pour about 5 yards of concrete. Total contractor bill was $1700, which I thought was reasonable...........but no permits required where we did it. Concrete is about $125 a yard in our central Illinois area this year. so poster's price seems a little high for just 1 yard of concrete, plus remove old sidewalk........but since the old sidewalk has to be removed and properly disposed of.......plus permit hassles..........maybe it is not too far out of line. My mother just had her 2 lane asphalt driveway removed, and concrete poured...........do...
by DaleMaley
Tue May 08, 2018 7:03 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Why do so many Americans not own stocks?
Replies: 44
Views: 5366

Re: Why do so many Americans not own stocks?

The phenomena that most of the wealth in a society is owned very a relatively small percentage of the people is nothing new. Mr. Pareto discovered around 1906 that 80% of the land in Italy was owned by only 20% of the people. When he looked at other countries, he found the same type of relationship. This led to the famous Pareto 80:20 Rule that is used everywhere in business to determine which factors are the crucial ones to improve on. In the US today, it is closer to 90:10 versus 80:20 in terms of what percent of people own the wealth. from Wikipedia.......... Vilfredo Pareto Born 15 July 1848 Paris, France Died 19 August 1923 (aged 75) Contributions Pareto index Pareto chart Pareto's law Pareto efficiency Pareto distribution Vilfredo Fed...
by DaleMaley
Sun May 06, 2018 1:33 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Open-ended question about vacationing in Yosemite or a different national park
Replies: 49
Views: 5431

Re: Open-ended question about vacationing in Yosemite or a different national park

We did Yosemite in early Sep of 2016. Was very crowded. Wife got car sick going round and round the mountain road to get there with the 10 or 15 mph constant turning.

Yosemite is relatively small. 3 or 4 million tourists pack into an area that is only maybe 3 miles by 2 miles.

In contrast is Yellowstone, where the same 3 or 4 million people fit much better into a 40x60 mile area.......and the 2 main trails are pretty spread out. We did Yellowstone a few years ago and not too crowded in early Sep. Spent 1 day per each of the 2 main driving loops (my wife is not into hiking).

I would suggest Glacier NP in early Sep. We have friends that went several years in a row, because they were into hiking.
by DaleMaley
Sat Apr 21, 2018 3:08 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How do I make sure IRS receives my manual tax return ?
Replies: 89
Views: 13356

Re: How do I make sure IRS receives my manual tax return ?

I file my own return, and about 6 family member's returns that I prepare, via paper and US Mail. Never had a problem until about 2 years ago. Got a notice in the mail that I had not paid my taxes the year before, and I owed about $2,000 or so. Reviewed my old returns and figured out that one year's return, my return showed $0 owed, because I had a refund, and I applied the refund as prepayment for the next year's return. Called the IRS, they said they never received the return. IRS person said best thing for me to do was to refile the old paper return, which I did. Once I remailed the old return to them, it cleared up everything, and the IRS sent me another letter saying my account was balanced. I suspect a human processor saw $0 owed, and ...
by DaleMaley
Tue Mar 06, 2018 6:29 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Painter did a sloppy job -- seeking advice on next steps
Replies: 28
Views: 4252

Re: Painter did a sloppy job -- seeking advice on next steps

Having done remodeling and finishing 5 basements, I would never try to match the paint color and just do the damaged spots. As others have said, fading over time, dirt, etc..........you will never get a perfect match. I always paint the whole ceiling, or whole wall, depending on which one needs repainting.

Sounds like this guy is not really a painter.

In our small town, there is one guy who specializes in smaller jobs. He is a little expensive, but if he screws up.......the word goes out immediately in our small town and he is out of business. If you can't paint it yourself, then you need to find this type of guy for your small job.
by DaleMaley
Mon Feb 19, 2018 7:14 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What has been your most important skill in achieving financial independence?
Replies: 164
Views: 16348

Re: What has been your most important skill in achieving financial independence?

I grew up on a farm. We had to do our chores every day, rain or shine, except on your birthday. On your birthday, Dad would do your chores. When I got to college, doing homework every night was the same as doing my daily chores on the farm, even though many of the other kids chose partying over homework. I echo the advice of marrying a hard-working and frugal woman. When I graduated from college, I owed $1,000 for a student loan [equivalent to $3,820 in 2017 dollars] and she came with a paid up car! In 1979, the year I got out of college, there were no personal computers yet. From engineering school, I did have a programmable Texas Instruments calculator. I sat down and figured out I would gross a ton of money over a 30 year working career ...
by DaleMaley
Fri Feb 16, 2018 10:01 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Vanguard REIT Fund Forms 1099
Replies: 11
Views: 1601

Re: Vanguard REIT Fund Forms 1099

just checked, and my relative's 1099-Div with the REIT fund added is now posted.

thanks
by DaleMaley
Fri Feb 16, 2018 5:19 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Vanguard REIT Fund Forms 1099
Replies: 11
Views: 1601

Re: Vanguard REIT Fund Forms 1099

someone in our family holds the vanguard REIT fund in a taxable account.......and I do their income taxes every year.

In past years, the REIT fund was included in the 1099-DIV along with the other Vanguard funds.

for some reason Vanguard changed it this year, and 1099-Div's for the REIT fund will not be issued until late februrary........per a PM question given to vanguard by this person. Guess I can't finish this person's taxes until late feb.
by DaleMaley
Thu Jan 18, 2018 8:11 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Besides Bogleheads, What Are Your Favorite Forums?
Replies: 113
Views: 24612

Re: Besides Bogleheads, What Are Your Favorite Forums?

My favorite woodworking forum is http://Lumberjocks.com

Almost a quarter-million woodworkers post their finished projects, and make comments here.

Image
by DaleMaley
Mon Dec 11, 2017 8:59 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Just not getting it [Stock Picking versus TSM]
Replies: 99
Views: 18623

Re: Best reason NOT to invest in individual stocks

Bogleheads: The best reason I have heard NOT to invest in individual stocks is this: Mutual fund managers who select individual stocks are bright, highly educated, well-trained, with large staffs and computer information we can only dream about. Nevertheless, most are unable to beat a comparable index fund. If mutual fund managers can't beat their index benchmark, I know it is foolish for me to try. Best wishes. Taylor There has been thousands of people who have tried to pick stocks and beat the index return over the last 100 years. Only a handful of them have beaten the index return for 10 straight years, and zero of them (including Warren Buffett) have beaten the index return for more than 20 straight years in-a-row. The average investor...
by DaleMaley
Sun Dec 03, 2017 7:39 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: After financial independence, do you lose motivation for work?
Replies: 170
Views: 21071

Re: After financial independence, do you lose motivation for work?

Years ago I made up a financial education powerpoint for my son, as well as young engineers......... . . . . . For the typical W-2 worker, I think the mid-career to late career stage is the hardest. Sometimes it seems like all you do is slave away working. But assuming you follow the Boglehead philosophy, you eventually will have enough net worth to achieve financial freedom :) If you don't mind I'd like to share that chart with my son and grandkids? In the Bogleheads fashion I think there should be another chart showing the opposite correlations to "Black Swan" life events, Self inflicted or otherwise. Dropping out of school, marrying poorly, divorce, alimony, poor investments, and so forth. Sort of a carrot stick approach. Losi...
by DaleMaley
Sun Dec 03, 2017 7:18 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: After financial independence, do you lose motivation for work?
Replies: 170
Views: 21071

Re: After financial independence, do you lose motivation for work?

Years ago I made up a financial education powerpoint for my son, as well as young engineers......... http://i66.tinypic.com/24vqwjk.jpg For the typical W-2 worker, I think the mid-career to late career stage is the hardest. Sometimes it seems like all you do is slave away working. But assuming you follow the Boglehead philosophy, you eventually will have enough net worth to achieve financial freedom :) I got a question for DaleMaley: Shouldn't the slope the the networth decrease or be flattened in retirement? If you follow the Boglehead principles and work long enough, your net worth is likely to continue to increase after retirement..........that is why I show it continuing to increase. If you net worth is just enough to support you per t...
by DaleMaley
Wed Nov 29, 2017 9:40 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: After financial independence, do you lose motivation for work?
Replies: 170
Views: 21071

Re: After financial independence, do you lose motivation for work?

Years ago I made up a financial education powerpoint for my son, as well as young engineers.........

Image

For the typical W-2 worker, I think the mid-career to late career stage is the hardest. Sometimes it seems like all you do is slave away working. But assuming you follow the Boglehead philosophy, you eventually will have enough net worth to achieve financial freedom :)
by DaleMaley
Fri Oct 20, 2017 8:28 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: how long did it take to get used to retirement
Replies: 105
Views: 17813

Re: how long did it take to get used to retirement

In my 22nd month of retirement. At the 14th month point, I was called back to work. But after 8 weeks back on the job.....I retired again. It was good I went back to work, because it reinforced that I had made a good decision to retire in the first place. I like new products/processes, and in our industry.....there is no longer regulatory changes driving forced product updates........so there are almost no new products or processes now to work on. That is too boring for me.

Fortunately, I have so many hobbies and community volunteering activities.........I never run out of things to do in retirement :D :D
by DaleMaley
Mon Oct 16, 2017 8:37 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Equifax - credit freeze is now free?
Replies: 64
Views: 11695

Re: Equifax - credit freeze is now free?

[/quote]
If you have adblock installed, disable it & try again. I've had issues similar to this with Equifax in the past.
[/quote]

I removed Adblock from Chrome, and I still could not get the Equifax report online.
by DaleMaley
Mon Oct 16, 2017 8:24 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Equifax - credit freeze is now free?
Replies: 64
Views: 11695

Re: Equifax - credit freeze is now free?

I just froze my credit reports at all 3 agencies this morning. There was no charge from the Equifax freeze, the other two sites were $10 per person.
by DaleMaley
Sat Oct 14, 2017 10:45 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Equifax - credit freeze is now free?
Replies: 64
Views: 11695

Re: Equifax - credit freeze is now free?

Maybe Equifax's web site is overloaded today, Saturday, Oct. 14th, 2017.

I went to AnnualCreditReport.com this morning and requested credit reports from all 3 agencies.

The first was Equifax. After answering their identify questions, I got a page saying my report was not available online, and I would have to request it manually using US Mail, with 2 forms of identity. I will mail out the letter later today. I got the other 2 agencies reports online fine.

This weekend I plan of freezing my credit reports at all 3 agencies............hopefully the equifax site works and it is free of cost today.
by DaleMaley
Fri Oct 13, 2017 8:32 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Building additional garage - recommendations?
Replies: 26
Views: 2445

Re: Building additional garage - recommendations?

When I built my current house back in 1999, I had a 220V outlet put in the garage for my 1980's Sears 12 inch planer.

As time went by, I bought a 12.5 inch wide Dewalt planer, which only needs 110V. So the old 220V Sears planer sets unused in the garage taking up floor space (I use it once a year maybe), while I run the heck out of my Dewalt paner in my basement workshop on 110V. I have a complete woodworking shop in my basement, and none of the tools require 220V. In retrospect, I would skip the 220V outlet in the garage.


Image
by DaleMaley
Mon Oct 09, 2017 8:23 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Relative Importance of Savings Rate, Asset Allocation, and Investment Selection
Replies: 21
Views: 7306

Re: Relative Importance of Savings Rate, Asset Allocation, and Investment Selection

I set up a simple spreadsheet to try to assess the relative impact of savings rate, AA, and investment selection upon ending portfolio value at age 65. I ignore taxes, and I am using long-term stock and bond average returns, so no Monte Carlo usage to simulate annual variation in returns. Here are the inputs: http://i63.tinypic.com/29p2bnc.jpg The expected worse case scenario is to select investments with high expense ratios. These same investments not only have relatively high ER's, they also under-perform the stock or bond market averages over long periods of time.........like the 43 working years from college graduation until retirement at age 65. To simulate this under-performance, I apply a percentage of the index average as an input t...
by DaleMaley
Sat Oct 07, 2017 10:05 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Relative Importance of Savings Rate, Asset Allocation, and Investment Selection
Replies: 21
Views: 7306

Re: Relative Importance of Savings Rate, Asset Allocation, and Investment Selection

Brinson was the name I was trying to remember......... Asset allocation relies on the notion that different asset classes offer returns that are not perfectly correlated and diversifying portfolios across asset classes will help to optimize risk-adjusted returns. The topic went largely unexplored until 1986, when Gary P. Brinson, CFA, Randolph Hood, and Gilbert L. Beebower (known collectively as BHB) sought to explain the effects of asset allocation policy on pension plan returns. In their seminal paper, “Determinants of Portfolio Performance,” published in the Financial Analysts Journal, BHB asserted that asset allocation is the primary determinant of a portfolio’s return variability, with security selection and market timing (together, ac...
by DaleMaley
Sat Oct 07, 2017 9:15 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Relative Importance of Savings Rate, Asset Allocation, and Investment Selection
Replies: 21
Views: 7306

Re: Relative Importance of Savings Rate, Asset Allocation, and Investment Selection

I think the question of impact of asset allocation versus investment selection has already been answered many years ago. A famous study was done, the researcher's name escapes me, where he looked at the return of large pension funds. If I remember right, 90% of the pension fund's return was determined by the funds asset allocation.........not the selection of investments and not market timing. A typical Boglehead focuses on asset allocation and uses low cost index funds to implement the desired AA. So if you accept the results of that study, then the question comes down to savings rate and asset allocation. One wild card that upsets the apple cart is the ability of an investor to "stay the course" every time we have a bad stock ma...
by DaleMaley
Thu Oct 05, 2017 7:54 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Crisis of Confidence - Choosing Bond allocations in portfolio
Replies: 24
Views: 3011

Re: Crisis of Confidence - Choosing Bond allocations in portfolio

I would suggest focusing on your age versus AA glide path from now until retirement.

In my case it was.......

Age 22 to 40 100:0 Stocks to bonds
Age 40 to 50 90:10
Age 50 to death 60:40

Everyone takes a little bit different glide path, but generally speaking, we all seem to end up with a retirement AA of between 40:60 and 60:40 stocks to bonds.

In my case, it took a lot of intestinal fortitude to "stay the course" from age 22 to 40 at an AA of 100% stocks, and I would not recommend 100:0 for those faint of heart :)
by DaleMaley
Fri Sep 29, 2017 10:54 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: My boneheaded financial mistakes
Replies: 132
Views: 25153

Re: My boneheaded financial mistakes

In order of magnitude of the loss, my biggest mistakes were........ 1. Buying Cisco stock at an average price of $20/share, then not selling it at the peak when it hit $82/share. I rode it all the way down to below $20/share..........and ended up selling it for about $20/share. I could have made over $100K if I had sold it at the peak. 2. Investing in limited partnerships in the 1980's, in real estate and oil wells. They all had good track records over the previous 5 years and good tax advantages, so I thought I had done my good diligence research before I invested. What I failed to understand was that 1 tax law change by Congress could wipe out the investments, and Congress did just that in 1986. Fortunately, my losses were only in the hun...
by DaleMaley
Fri Sep 22, 2017 6:58 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: AA if you were just starting out again
Replies: 49
Views: 5306

Re: AA if you were just starting out again

I started out investing in 1979 with 100:0 AA, then 90:10 around age 40, then 60:40 age 50 and into retirement.

In retrospect, I would not change my AA versus age if I did it over again.

Spending less than you earn and investing the savings each month is probably more important to most people verses the age and AA glide path.
by DaleMaley
Tue Aug 08, 2017 7:25 am
Forum: US Chapters
Topic: Celebrating 30 years with Vanguard!
Replies: 25
Views: 4290

Re: Celebrating 30 years with Vanguard!

I discovered Vanguard index funds back in 1990, when I did an MBA finance research term paper. I switched all my mutual funds to Vanguard in 1990 after I did the paper..........so been with Vanguard 27 years :D
by DaleMaley
Fri Jun 30, 2017 6:44 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Vanguard upgraded my accounts - angry [Brokerage Services]
Replies: 222
Views: 39140

Re: Vanguard upgraded my accounts - angry

My wife's account got upgraded last year, and I bounced a Prime Money Market check I used to pay my property tax......because it was 45 days after the so called upgrade :annoyed Vanguard forget to tell me that Prime Money Market checks are no good 45 days after the upgrade. Now I online transfer money from the Money Market account to my bank checking account to pay big bills like property tax. The Pros and Cons link above covers the Prime Money market 45 day rule......... Less flexible checkwriting. With the mutual fund accounts, you could get a separate checkbook for each of your eligible mutual fund accounts. I could get checks that withdrew directly from my Vanguard Limited-Term Muni Bond fund, or Vanguard Total US Bond fund, or any mone...
by DaleMaley
Mon Jun 26, 2017 6:55 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Slide rule anyone?
Replies: 88
Views: 12567

Re: Slide rule anyone?

In my senior year in high-school, we had to learn how to use a slide rule for a few problems. Then in the Fall of 1974 when I entered the U of Illinois in Engineering, we were the 1st class required to purchase calculators........so I never really used a slide rule too much. In our freshman classes, the professors thought they could include more math problems in the allotted 3 hour test window, because the students could now solve them faster than with a slide rule...........which made some of those early tests pretty tough to complete for us!
by DaleMaley
Sat May 27, 2017 7:31 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Seeking Financial Advice for a Widow
Replies: 21
Views: 4036

Re: Seeking Financial Advice for a Widow

I helped my mother and mother-in-law after their husbands passed away. In the case of my mother, within a month of my father's death, we established a net worth statement.....and began contacting the 3 life insurance companies where he had policies. At the 3 month to 6 month point, I set up a long term financial plan with her, and we shift assets according to the long-term asset allocation plan. In the case of my mother-in-law, again probably at the 1 month point after her husband's death, we established a net worth statement and long-term financial plan........and followed up with shifting the assets to match the plan. In neither case, were any major long-term life changing events anticipated, except my mother selling the farm house within...
by DaleMaley
Mon May 22, 2017 8:44 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Did anything surprise you in your 2016 taxes?
Replies: 83
Views: 10944

Re: Did anything surprise you in your 2016 taxes?

I U.S. mailed in my 2016 tax return in early March. This week, I got a notice saying I owed the IRS $2800 :( I studied the IRS notice, and figured out the $2800 was the amount I said I wanted from my 2015 tax refund to be applied to 2016 taxes. It never got applied, so that is why I got the $2800 tax notice. I called the IRS. After 20 minutes on hold, I got to talk to a person. He checked the IRS system, and my 2015 tax return (filed by US mail) has never been entered into their computer system!! He suggested the best remedy was to file my 2015 tax return again, which I did by US mail this week. So either the 2015 tax return got lost in the mail, or when the IRS got it and saw the net was $0 owed, they decided to not enter it into their sy...
by DaleMaley
Wed May 10, 2017 7:29 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What newspaper or magazine do you pay for?
Replies: 107
Views: 11474

Re: What newspaper or magazine do you pay for?

Business Week

Money and Kiplinger's.............thinking about dropping them. Nothing really new in them.

local weekly newspaper. Sunday paper of nearest large city.

about 6 woodworking magazines. Many have full-scale patterns for projects.

2 investment industry magazines that I get free since I am an RIA.
by DaleMaley
Fri May 05, 2017 10:02 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Tips From Older Bogleheads?
Replies: 51
Views: 7958

Re: Tips From Older Bogleheads?

The realization that there are very few principles involved with individual investing. I think that William Bernstein, in one of his writings, points out the field of medicine has quite a few guiding principles. He was surprised to find very few important principles involved with individual investing. My own field is engineering, and I am also surprised how few important principles are involved with investing compared to engineering. About 2,000 years ago, the Talmud had a famous quote, “Let every man divide his money into three parts, and invest a third in land, a third in business, and a third let him keep in reserve". This is probably the earliest written advice to diversify your investments and keep a proper asset allocation. In th...
by DaleMaley
Sat Apr 29, 2017 10:56 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Vanguard has switched to brokerage only accounts
Replies: 192
Views: 58519

Re: Vanguard has switched to brokerage only accounts

Doc wrote:
DaleMaley wrote:Now I electronically move money from her money market fund to my local bank checking account, then pay the bill using my local bank check, to avoid all the hassle.
Right.

Bogleheads don't make mutual fund investments through their bank so why should they want to write checks on their investment accounts? :?
What if you are an older person who is not very computer literate, and you don't know, or you don't want to know how to go online and move money from Vanguard to your checking account? I have several family members in this category.
by DaleMaley
Fri Apr 28, 2017 8:10 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Vanguard has switched to brokerage only accounts
Replies: 192
Views: 58519

Re: Vanguard has switched to brokerage only accounts

My wife's account was upgraded around April of 2016. We wrote checks drawn on her Vanguard money market fund to pay unusual large bills, like property tax. Vanguard bounced 1 of our checks for property tax. After researching it and phone calls to Vanguard, found out that your money market checks are no good after 45 days from the conversion, and you must file a form to get new checks from the settlement fund. Now I electronically move money from her money market fund to my local bank checking account, then pay the bill using my local bank check, to avoid all the hassle. I have about 6 other family members, and several of them use Vanguard money market checks for big expenses. Assuming they get upgraded at some point, I will have to help the...
by DaleMaley
Fri Apr 21, 2017 7:59 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Building your own fence
Replies: 35
Views: 5338

Re: Building your own fence

back in 2011, my son and I built a couple hundred feet of cedar fence at his Bolingbrook house. He had to get a building permit, and follow the fence design rules. What made his job so difficult was the gravel and big rocks, that started just 6 inches below the surface. He refused to follow my advice to pay somebody to dig the holes, so we rented the 2-man auger, which should be called "man beaters". They are supposed to have a clutch that kicks out when you hit a big rock, but the ones we rented kicked the bar into your thigh.........I think I have still have bruises from that episode! http://i68.tinypic.com/2872m8j.jpg I like building stuff, so the fence building was fine.........in retrospect, we should have hired somebody to d...
by DaleMaley
Wed Apr 19, 2017 7:16 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Did anything surprise you in your 2016 taxes?
Replies: 83
Views: 10944

Re: Did anything surprise you in your 2016 taxes?

I U.S. mailed in my 2016 tax return in early March. This week, I got a notice saying I owed the IRS $2800 :( I studied the IRS notice, and figured out the $2800 was the amount I said I wanted from my 2015 tax refund to be applied to 2016 taxes. It never got applied, so that is why I got the $2800 tax notice. I called the IRS. After 20 minutes on hold, I got to talk to a person. He checked the IRS system, and my 2015 tax return (filed by US mail) has never been entered into their computer system!! He suggested the best remedy was to file my 2015 tax return again, which I did by US mail this week. So either the 2015 tax return got lost in the mail, or when the IRS got it and saw the net was $0 owed, they decided to not enter it into their sys...
by DaleMaley
Fri Mar 24, 2017 6:22 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: AA after reaching your "freedom number"?
Replies: 39
Views: 5696

Re: AA after reaching your "freedom number"?

Here is my old chart showing the actual asset allocation of vanguard investors, and TIAA-CREF investors, plus a 2007 Bogleheads poll. There is a Business Week survey as well.

The data suggests these groups of people do reduce their stock allocation as they age.

I have stuck with my 60:40 AA in retirement, the same AA I had the last 8 years I was working.


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by DaleMaley
Sat Feb 18, 2017 8:39 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Confusing Vanguard 1099-Div tax forms
Replies: 10
Views: 3613

Re: Confusing Vanguard 1099-Div tax forms

Today, when I logged into Vanguard's web site............they have a big notice about getting 2 tax forms. I must not have been the only one who was confused about this.........

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by DaleMaley
Tue Feb 14, 2017 7:25 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Confusing Vanguard 1099-Div tax forms
Replies: 10
Views: 3613

Re: Confusing Vanguard 1099-Div tax forms

Sorry LiveSoft.........I guess I am a creature of habit.

Since 1990, I have always got just one 1099-Div from Vanguard..........and it was consolidated for all mutual funds held at Vanguard.

I did not see any emails from Vanguard about this.......and Turbotax gave me no prompt about 2 1099-s from Vanguard.

I was just trying to save some people some grief.

Thanks