Search found 232 matches
- Tue Jan 14, 2020 12:39 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Fidelity free Turbotax
- Replies: 858
- Views: 96128
Re: Fidelity free Turbotax
Link there, but as others noted it's a bad link. I'm guessing it'll be fixed soon.
- Thu Jun 06, 2019 4:09 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Resort vacation w/ 6 month old...?
- Replies: 30
- Views: 2061
Re: Resort vacation w/ 6 month old...?
To belabor the point about flying just a little more, the position of the FAA is that the safest place for a child is in an approved carseat. The reason lap children are allowed is quite simple: Air travel is safer than car travel. If a family needed to buy a seat for the little one, some percentage...
- Sun May 05, 2019 7:51 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Birthday party- No gifts
- Replies: 42
- Views: 3766
Re: Birthday party- No gifts
No gifts means no gifts. People’s inability to respect other’s wishes is sad. For our next event, I’m tempted to put something to the effect of “no gifts. If you want to bring a gift, don’t come. If you bring a gift, you’ll be asked to leave”. But what we’ll end up doing is “any gifts will be for ch...
- Thu May 02, 2019 1:22 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: itchen renovation vs. investing saved cash
- Replies: 7
- Views: 592
Re: itchen renovation vs. investing saved cash
If you are itchen to do a renovation and it will bring you happiness, do it!
- Mon Apr 22, 2019 7:07 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: When to prioritize funding 529?
- Replies: 31
- Views: 2812
Re: When to prioritize funding 529?
My advice, and path, is to fund retirement sufficient for a normal retirement age, such as 65, along with maxing out retirement accounts.
Next would be 529s.
Next would be taxable retirement for earlier retirement.
Next would be taxable fun money.
Next would be 529s.
Next would be taxable retirement for earlier retirement.
Next would be taxable fun money.
- Sat Apr 13, 2019 9:58 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Soon to be dad, how to prepare
- Replies: 127
- Views: 8143
Re: Soon to be dad, how to prepare
Take 3 months off if at all possible.
- Mon Apr 01, 2019 11:06 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Legal Contract for Loan from Parents
- Replies: 18
- Views: 1911
Re: Legal Contract for Loan from Parents
Can you confirm that your family is writing the mortgage, ie. not doing loans from both family and bank? That’ll make it easier, and let you skip over a chunk of the feedback above. Yes, only one source of funds (my parents). Thanks to all for the information, very helpful. This would / should allo...
- Mon Apr 01, 2019 7:44 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Legal Contract for Loan from Parents
- Replies: 18
- Views: 1911
Re: Legal Contract for Loan from Parents
Thanks to all for the advice. Follow up questions: 1. How would you decide from a purely numbers perspective whether it makes sense to take a loan from the parents at a lower than market rate or get a mortgage from a lender and deduct the interest expense? 2. Is there any scenario where a loan from...
- Wed Feb 27, 2019 8:54 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Mini rant -- 401(k)s
- Replies: 26
- Views: 4154
Re: Mini rant -- 401(k)s
Is the 401k plan a safe harbor plan? That would get rid of hce rules.
- Mon Feb 25, 2019 10:37 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: How often do you and your friends change engine oil?
- Replies: 167
- Views: 9851
Re: How often do you and your friends change engine oil?
When my car asks for it. Probably every 6-8 months,which is roughly 6k miles.
- Sun Feb 24, 2019 11:24 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: What's Your Credit Card Rewards Strategy?
- Replies: 5102
- Views: 962770
Re: What's Your Credit Card Rewards Strategy?
The most cost effective miles redemption I ever got was for a domestic ticket purchased the night before for a family member that was able to travel at the last minute. The $ fare had gone sky high but the miles cost was still available at the standard rate. But that trip doesn't loom large in the ...
- Sun Feb 24, 2019 6:10 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Stumped filing Nanny Taxes from Schedule H using H&R Block
- Replies: 5
- Views: 838
Re: Stumped filing Nanny Taxes from Schedule H using H&R Block
Thanks for the replies. I will confirm with my payroll service. It seems strange to me that using the amounts provided, I owe $1.5k more in taxes even if I take credit for paying the FICA/FUTA. If I don't take credit in the "uncommon, paid SS/Medicare to state" prompt, then I owe $4k more...
- Wed Feb 20, 2019 8:01 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: 30 year Tips Auction Feb 21st: exp. yield 1.1%
- Replies: 31
- Views: 3725
Re: 30 year Tips Auction Feb 21st: exp. yield 1.1%
I also am doing the simple route (buying for family, not myself). Picked a dollar amount when first started, and buying that amount * the inflation index from that, so slightly increasing the buy most years. It’s a good enough portfolio for later years if inflation spikes. Not trying to be perfect.
- Wed Feb 20, 2019 7:30 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: High earners: thoughts on college and aid
- Replies: 91
- Views: 8275
Re: High earners: thoughts on college and aid
My goal is to save to cover undergrad and at least some of grad.
- Mon Feb 18, 2019 7:47 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: What is your RMD (required minimum distribution) strategy?
- Replies: 43
- Views: 3746
Re: What is your RMD (required minimum distribution) strategy?
Roth rollovers make more sense than wirhdrawals.
- Sun Feb 17, 2019 7:00 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: 30 year Tips Auction Feb 21st: exp. yield 1.1%
- Replies: 31
- Views: 3725
Re: 30 year Tips Auction Feb 21st: exp. yield 1.1%
Order is in.
- Thu Feb 07, 2019 7:23 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: AA cancelled flight - results.
- Replies: 31
- Views: 3153
Re: AA cancelled flight - results.
You canceled an itinerary with a reasonable connection time and didn't have a better backup plan. Sorry to say, but your pain is self-inflicted. I agree, OP overreacted. 50 min connections are reasonable in most cases. AA owes him nothing. This. You could have asked for a reasonable itinerary chang...
- Tue Feb 05, 2019 3:06 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Using Emergency Heat on heat pump unit
- Replies: 9
- Views: 578
Re: Using Emergency Heat on heat pump unit
Gets pretty cold here, and when it does (say single digit temps or lower) the heat pump unit gets more noisy outside. So, our HVAC person advises switching indoor thermostat to EM HEAT so the heat pump quits running. She tells us the heat pump just can't keep up (and we notice that it does take lon...
- Mon Feb 04, 2019 5:07 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Inherited IRA RMD to Roth IRA
- Replies: 22
- Views: 1994
Re: Inherited IRA RMD to Roth IRA
No. You can fund a roth if you have earned income and meet the income limits, but you have to take the rmd and pay taxes on it.
- Sun Feb 03, 2019 1:28 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: What Percentage of Your Pre-Retirement Income are You Projecting You Will Need?
- Replies: 108
- Views: 8255
Re: What Percentage of Your Pre-Retirement Income are You Projecting You Will Need?
I find it hard to believe that this is given the time of day on this forum, full of intelligent people. Did you read the other responses? Most are telling the OP that the goal should be to cover your expected expenses, not to achieve a percent of pre-retirement income. Right but still 101 posts? Fo...
- Fri Feb 01, 2019 9:18 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Please help me understand Schedule H and Nanny taxes
- Replies: 9
- Views: 836
Re: Please help me understand Schedule H and Nanny taxes
First, enter what you paid to the nanny. This will generate schedule H and your tax software will tell you you owe lots of money. Then, enter what you paid as estimated taxes (1040-ES) during the year, which your provider should have listed out (mine did). This is the money that was withheld by the ...
- Tue Jan 29, 2019 5:45 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: What Percentage of Your Pre-Retirement Income are You Projecting You Will Need?
- Replies: 108
- Views: 8255
Re: What Percentage of Your Pre-Retirement Income are You Projecting You Will Need?
30-35% of gross income is current best estimate.
- Wed Jan 23, 2019 11:08 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Any regrets not funding a 529?
- Replies: 27
- Views: 4426
Re: Any regrets not funding a 529?
Yup. The wife and I captured another year of deduction using that method, too!
- Tue Jan 22, 2019 9:26 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Any regrets not funding a 529?
- Replies: 27
- Views: 4426
Re: Any regrets not funding a 529?
No, because I am funding one.
- Wed Jan 16, 2019 5:38 pm
- Forum: US Chapters
- Topic: Master thread for Washington DC Area Bogleheads
- Replies: 215
- Views: 87163
Re: Master thread for Washington DC Area Bogleheads
The next meeting of DC Bogleheads will be this coming Sunday, January 20, from 2:30-4:30 in meeting room #2 of the Silver Spring library. David Grabiner will be making a presentation on charitable giving and I will be giving a short presentation on one of my favorite reports about the personal fina...
- Wed Jan 16, 2019 5:04 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Using Cash Reserves to Provide Consistent Cash Flow into Checking Acct
- Replies: 9
- Views: 1035
Re: Using Cash Reserves to Provide Consistent Cash Flow into Checking Acct
Sounds perfect, and is how I would tackle it.
- Wed Jan 16, 2019 3:11 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Ally Banking 1% extra back up to $1,000 on new money deposited
- Replies: 621
- Views: 75334
Re: Ally Banking 1% extra back up to $1,000 on new money deposited
Welp. Just got my email from Ally: At Ally Bank, we're all about delivering on better, and what's better than a little payback? As a thanks for taking advantage of our Payback Time promotion, a cash bonus of $1,000 will be deposited into your account ending in XXXX on or around February 5, 2019. Go...
- Wed Jan 09, 2019 5:40 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Move Inherited Trad IRA Money to Trad or Roth IRA?
- Replies: 12
- Views: 885
Re: Move Inherited Trad IRA Money to Trad or Roth IRA?
Good plan. Do the roth at your age and income level. As others noted, you need wage income to do this plan, but I am guessing you have that.
- Sat Jan 05, 2019 9:21 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: What Do You Spend The Most On Annually?
- Replies: 153
- Views: 9729
- Wed Jan 02, 2019 8:15 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Will you contribute the max to your IRA and then invest it all in equities for the first market day of the new year?
- Replies: 160
- Views: 10239
Re: Will you contribute the max to your IRA and then invest it all in equities for the first market day of the new year?
No because I do not want to deal with nondeductible IRAs. Otherwise, most definitely.
- Tue Jan 01, 2019 11:40 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Different times for cash to settle at fidelity?
- Replies: 10
- Views: 3715
Re: Different times for cash to settle at fidelity?
Same balances between the wife’s accounts and yours?
- Tue Jan 01, 2019 11:25 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: 529 plan when expecting
- Replies: 5
- Views: 538
Re: 529 plan when expecting
Kid due this calendar year? Wait until they are born and you have a SS #.
- Thu Dec 27, 2018 3:12 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Do I need to report my child's income ($1600)?
- Replies: 31
- Views: 3198
Re: Do I need to report my child's income ($1600)?
Thanks to everyone that posted. I learned a lot from this forum (as always). This is a new chapter in my life. So, as long as his earned income is less than $12000 and he is my dependent I will not include his earnings in my tax return. He does not have to file either as long as no taxes were withh...
- Fri Dec 21, 2018 1:48 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Having minor panic about finances with second child, best way to budget?
- Replies: 54
- Views: 3463
Re: Having minor panic about finances with second child, best way to budget?
Childcare and housing are very regional. I would jump for joy at 20k for even a nanny share - my nanny is abour 50k/year for one child (different rate to watch 2 kids). As others said, the big items are espp - if it is a good deal then it should be sold as soon as bought, thus not being an expense a...
- Tue Dec 18, 2018 4:06 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Fidelity free Turbotax
- Replies: 858
- Views: 96128
Re: Fidelity free Turbotax
The basic version includes the 5 federal for free, but does charge for state. You have to get at least the deluxe to get the free state filing. As for the discount, there seems to be a long discussion each year as to who is eligible. Not quite. The Deluxe includes includes one free state, i.e. the ...
- Tue Dec 18, 2018 11:58 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Fidelity free Turbotax
- Replies: 858
- Views: 96128
Re: Fidelity free Turbotax
Is everyone getting $20 off? I recall last year it was free. That is the norm... some frequent traders and high balance/private client members get offered "free". I'm somewhat surprised that I qualified for "free" this year... I went back under the $1M dividing line due to marke...
- Tue Dec 18, 2018 11:52 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Fidelity free Turbotax
- Replies: 858
- Views: 96128
Re: Fidelity free Turbotax
Got it, thanks!
- Tue Dec 04, 2018 12:00 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Home Purchase Price vs. Gross Income
- Replies: 59
- Views: 4907
Re: Home Purchase Price vs. Gross Income
First house was and is 3.25
- Mon Dec 03, 2018 11:00 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Retirement itch- when did you get it?
- Replies: 145
- Views: 16698
Re: Retirement itch- when did you get it?
Sometime in my 20s. Was going for 35, but having a kid derailed that. Now shooting for 40.
- Sun Dec 02, 2018 8:23 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Hiring a Nanny
- Replies: 13
- Views: 1656
Re: Hiring a Nanny
I have a full time nanny, happy to answer any questions. 3. You’ll need to buy a workers comp policy. Is the workers comp because she is full time? Workers comp insurance is based on if they are your employee, not number of hours worked. It is not required in every state, but if always a good idea....
- Sat Dec 01, 2018 10:09 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Hiring a Nanny
- Replies: 13
- Views: 1656
Re: Hiring a Nanny
I have a full time nanny, happy to answer any questions. 3. You’ll need to buy a workers comp policy. Is the workers comp because she is full time? Workers comp insurance is based on if they are your employee, not number of hours worked. It is not required in every state, but if always a good idea.
- Sat Dec 01, 2018 10:08 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Hiring a Nanny
- Replies: 13
- Views: 1656
Re: Hiring a Nanny
I have a full time nanny, happy to answer any questions. 1. No deduction for nanny wages. Can use dependent care FSA for a little bit. 2. No benefit to hours above/below 40, but you do pay time and a half over 40 hours. 3. You’ll need to buy a workers comp policy. We use a payroll service, they han...
- Sat Dec 01, 2018 9:13 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Hiring a Nanny
- Replies: 13
- Views: 1656
Re: Hiring a Nanny
I have a full time nanny, happy to answer any questions. 1. No deduction for nanny wages. Can use dependent care FSA for a little bit. 2. No benefit to hours above/below 40, but you do pay time and a half over 40 hours. 3. You’ll need to buy a workers comp policy. We use a payroll service, they hand...
- Thu Oct 18, 2018 9:45 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Depositing Cash if it was gifted?
- Replies: 113
- Views: 7792
Re: Depositing Cash if it was gifted?
Until 2003. Now it is department of homeland security.Grt2bOutdoors wrote: ↑Thu Oct 18, 2018 9:32 pm Btw, the Secret Service is a branch of the Treasury department.
- Sun Aug 05, 2018 11:04 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Earn 1.5% on your checking account without the usual hoops (at Fidelity)
- Replies: 72
- Views: 17093
Re: Earn 1.5% on your checking account without the usual hoops (at Fidelity)
Open a second brokerage account. I have 2, one for stocks, one holding my cash supply in money markets. The second is linked to cma for overdrafts.
- Sat Aug 04, 2018 9:18 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Will you pay for your kids' college/graduate education?
- Replies: 366
- Views: 17997
- Fri Jul 27, 2018 7:00 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Vanguard vs Fidelity representatives
- Replies: 15
- Views: 2447
Re: Vanguard vs Fidelity representatives
My wife recently decided to transfer her Roth IRA account from Fidelity to Vanguard. Since she has a Vanguard Roth IRA mutual fund account, she tried to do the transfer via the internet. Transfers via the internet required establishing a new brokerage account which she did not want to do. Consequen...
- Sun Jul 01, 2018 9:16 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: ? - Keep emergency credit cards for adult children - Good idea or bad?
- Replies: 18
- Views: 1923
Re: ? - Keep emergency credit cards for adult children - Good idea or bad?
No. Wife’s parents had her as an authorized user when she was in school and never took her off. It was an issue when it came up during our mortgage process with some problem and it was a scramble (and money) to get it removed and fixed. Also, if there’s really an emergency, we would pay and then get...
- Sun Jun 17, 2018 8:59 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Which Supermarket are you?
- Replies: 155
- Views: 10803
Re: Which Supermarket are you?
All my produce and much of my meat comes from my neighborhood farmers markets. I occasionally go to Whole Foods, Giant Food, and Safeway for things I can't get at the farmers markets. I like my food to be very fresh, and pesticide free. I like my meat and eggs to come from pastured animals. I disli...
- Sun Jun 10, 2018 6:38 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Personal Advice for Retirement by 35?
- Replies: 11
- Views: 1994
Re: Personal Advice for Retirement by 35?
How much do you spend each year?