Search found 10686 matches

by student
Thu Aug 31, 2023 8:41 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: 2FA at Chase
Replies: 5
Views: 559

2FA at Chase

Chase has 2FA with the following procedure, once it recognizes the browser, it will not ask for a code again. For some reasons, it needed a code recently and it asked whether I want to require a code even if a browser is recognized. I clicked yes because I forgot Chase wants me to enter the password twice with this setup. Step 1: Enter username and password. Step 2: Select a method to deliver the code. Step 3: Enter code and password. It is kind of annoying that I have to enter the password twice. I could not find a setting to go back to the setting where a code is not required if a browser is recognized. Anybody knows a way?
by student
Thu Aug 31, 2023 7:24 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: TIAA traditional
Replies: 28
Views: 1951

Re: TIAA traditional

You can take a look on a thread about TIAA Traditional viewtopic.php?t=382118 I use it for almost all my fixed income. I think it behaves similar to Total Bond but smooth out the curve but long term return slightly below Total Bond. http://collegeretirement.blogspot.com/2 ... -deal.html
by student
Wed Aug 30, 2023 10:37 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Fidelity best account protection?
Replies: 62
Views: 5814

Re: Fidelity best account protection?

My read was that scheduled (automatic) distributions were not blocked, but that ad-hoc were blocked. That is a better arrangement. It still leaves open the possibility that I turn the blocker off to do an ACH and forget to turn it back on, which would become more likely if I have to leave the blocker disabled until the ACH completes, and then have to remember to login and turn it back on. If an attacker gains access to the account turning off the blocker will probably alert to a problem earlier than the ACH would, a benefit. But also can just be alerted at every login, which would be an even earlier alert of an unauthorized login. You don't have to wait for the ACH to complete tp turn it back on. You only need to turn it off to initiate or...
by student
Wed Aug 30, 2023 1:15 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Sell my Condo or Become a Landlord?
Replies: 36
Views: 2696

Re: Sell my Condo or Become a Landlord?

Whenever someone thinks about being a landlord, I post a link to this thread (nightmare scenario) viewtopic.php?f=2&t=191039
by student
Wed Aug 30, 2023 11:45 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Why are there not more low-cost financial advisory firms?
Replies: 142
Views: 13912

Re: Why are there not more low-cost financial advisory firms?

I don't even think they'd have interest in keeping up a 2 fund portfolio sadly but I can't seem to find advisors near them that aren't charging 1%? There is Vanguard's Personal Advisor Service but my understanding is its more like a call center-type service and the advice they can give is limited. It sounds like a target date fund would be a good choice for their retirement accounts and for taxable accounts there are tax managed balanced fund. If they need tax advice then hiring an accountant to do their taxes and tax planning might be worthwhile. If I am a fiduciary, I am going to have to spend 4 hours just on intake, before I can recommend anything. So that is $1,000 right off of the bat. As a advisor, how can I justify a generic target ...
by student
Tue Aug 29, 2023 10:57 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Lost TV Signal
Replies: 14
Views: 1698

Re: Lost TV Signal

Thanks. This helps me..........
by student
Tue Aug 29, 2023 10:42 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: When is a gift not a gift?
Replies: 12
Views: 1655

Re: When is a gift not a gift?

When it's a boomerang... Sam gives 10K in a brown baggie to Sam Jr on the condition he gives it back next tax year... A no interest loan can still be a gift. I assume you are thinking about imputed interest. If Sam would just give $1 less, it will likely be fine. https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/tax-payments/irs-tax-rules-for-imputed-interest/L7UbulHpC "According to the tax code, some loans are exempt from the imputed interest rules. These include loans "without significant tax effect" as described in Publication 550 and gift loans of less than $10,000, as long as the money isn't used to buy income-producing assets ." Ah, but Sam used the $9,999 car he bought to drive for Uber. That's why I used the word likely . Yo...
by student
Tue Aug 29, 2023 10:20 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: When is a gift not a gift?
Replies: 12
Views: 1655

Re: When is a gift not a gift?

campy2010 wrote: Tue Aug 29, 2023 8:09 pm
rob wrote: Tue Aug 29, 2023 8:06 pm When it's a boomerang... Sam gives 10K in a brown baggie to Sam Jr on the condition he gives it back next tax year...
A no interest loan can still be a gift.
I assume you are thinking about imputed interest. If Sam would just give $1 less, it will likely be fine. https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/ta ... /L7UbulHpC "According to the tax code, some loans are exempt from the imputed interest rules. These include loans "without significant tax effect" as described in Publication 550 and gift loans of less than $10,000, as long as the money isn't used to buy income-producing assets."
by student
Tue Aug 29, 2023 7:48 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: When is a gift not a gift?
Replies: 12
Views: 1655

Re: When is a gift not a gift?

Sam hands Sam Jr. an envelope containing $10,000. He makes no conditions. Sam reports nothing at tax time because he believe that the transfer meets the IRS definitions of a gift and it is less than the annual gift exclusions. Next year, Sam hands Sam Jr. an envelope containing another $10,000. This time, he tells Sam Jr. that he has to use it to buy a new car. Since there are conditions attached, is it no longer a gift? Year three, Sam figures out that Sam Jr. spent the last envelope on a vacation. This time, he tells Sam Jr. that he'll meet him at the car dealership and hand over an envelope containing $10,000 to the car dealer to be used only toward the balance due on a new car being titled only in Sam Jr.'s name. Is this clearly not a ...
by student
Tue Aug 29, 2023 7:45 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: When is a gift not a gift?
Replies: 12
Views: 1655

Re: When is a gift not a gift?

All gifts as they don't even have to be cash. It is a gift if there is nothing of value in return. One can even gift a car as shown https://www.kbb.com/car-advice/gifted-cars/ "As of January 2023, gift tax rules apply if the vehicle’s fair market value is over $17,000. Gifts exceeding the $17,000 annual exclusion count against your lifetime exclusion, which currently is $12.92 million."
by student
Tue Aug 29, 2023 10:05 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: S&P 500 versus Total Stock Market index fund
Replies: 83
Views: 10275

Re: S&P 500 versus Total Stock Market index fund

So I was reading an interesting post on Wolf Street the other day about the meme stock AMC and the financial games they are playing. https://wolfstreet.com/2023/08/28/amc-wipes-out-its-meme-stock-groupies-shares-plunge-to-new-low/ It got me curious if this stock is in any of my total stock market (TSM) index funds and I come to find out it is in FSKAX and the holding is $4million or 0.005% as of 6/30/23. So now I'm thinking why should I invest in a TSM fund that is investing in meme stocks that are total loss making business. Maybe I should instead just invest in the S&P 500 fund index like FXAIX that only includes profit making businesses. Thoughts? The difference will be so minuscule that it won't matter. +1. I have the same impressi...
by student
Tue Aug 29, 2023 9:43 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Odd Amazon Experience
Replies: 12
Views: 1388

Re: Odd Amazon Experience

PeninsulaPerson wrote: Tue Aug 29, 2023 9:26 am Ironically, I "showroom" Amazon now!
lol.
by student
Tue Aug 29, 2023 6:09 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Playing monopoly with $400K - where to park?
Replies: 14
Views: 2211

Re: Playing monopoly with $400K - where to park?

A combination of CD-ladder, HYSA/MM fund and T-bills.
by student
Sun Aug 27, 2023 10:14 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Bank of America/Merrill Edge - Preferred Rewards
Replies: 7041
Views: 879001

Re: Bank of America/Merrill Edge - Preferred Rewards

GoodOmens wrote: Sun Aug 27, 2023 9:47 pm
stilllurking wrote: Sat Aug 26, 2023 6:48 pm
anon_investor wrote: Sat Aug 26, 2023 6:04 pm Anyone able to confirm getting 5.25% cash back om their cell phone bill using the online shopping catagory for their CCR? Some folks on Reddit posted it not working for them.
Testing on my T-Mobile payment of $1.01 today. Will post back.
Doesn't T-Mobile now require a debit card for the auto-pay discount?
People are saying the trick of paying with credit card before auto-pay works.
by student
Sun Aug 27, 2023 6:48 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: True cost of TIAA investments
Replies: 28
Views: 3595

Re: True cost of TIAA investments

crefwatch wrote: Sun Aug 27, 2023 5:04 pm I don't want to introduce extraneous topics, but when I started at TIAA in 1976, it was (as another wrote) the default choice. Indeed, it had few competitors, and they were much smaller. At that time, all units of CREF Variable Annuities had the same Expense Ratio. In 1987, because WE demanded a Money Market fund from CREF, the rest of the mutual fund industry got an opening to compete directly with TIAA-CREF. In 1989, CREF was forced to sign a settlement with the SEC that made them compete on a more level-footing with the Valics, Met Lifes, and other money vacuum cleaners.
Money vacuum cleaners. hahahahahahaha. That's funny.
by student
Sun Aug 27, 2023 10:48 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Different academic titles in medicine
Replies: 37
Views: 4456

Re: Different academic titles in medicine

Doctor Rhythm wrote: Sat Aug 26, 2023 11:33 pm It’s highly institution-specific as far as titles and ranks. In my university, someone who is more than 12 years out from training is likely a “full” Professor, whereas at a well-known school in Massachusetts, they might still be “Assistant” or barely “Associate” Professor.
+1. That's my understanding too.
by student
Sun Aug 27, 2023 9:59 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: 5% cash allocation
Replies: 29
Views: 2849

Re: 5% cash allocation

I have 5% cash in my target allocation but currently it is at around 7%. I also do not have a separate EF.
by student
Sun Aug 27, 2023 9:43 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: True cost of TIAA investments
Replies: 28
Views: 3595

Re: True cost of TIAA investments

crefwatch wrote: Sun Aug 27, 2023 9:34 am viewtopic.php?p=7202077#p7202077

Note that it's misleading to talk about Plan Servicing Fees without mentioning Plan Servicing Credits. But you are right that we are used to the SEC-regulated ER as being a one-look resource. In the effort to unbundle fees and show the true costs of various services, this is one of the results. Your 403(b) is still a relative bargain among such plans.

I don't find .17% to be confiscatory fee for an index fund, just "higher than direct purchase at Vanguard." But that is a matter of opinion, not of "fact".
Thanks. This is what I was referring to but couldn't find it.
by student
Sat Aug 26, 2023 6:58 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: True cost of TIAA investments
Replies: 28
Views: 3595

Re: True cost of TIAA investments

Assume this is a 403(b) plan? Plan charges are negotiated between the plan provider (TIAA) and your employer. There are costs to operating a 403(b) plan that your employer will not want to pay. One rule of thumb is that the smaller the plan, the higher the plan-level charge. +1. The cost is not for TIAA investment. It is for plan administration. +2. I only hold TIAA and CREF assets (no Vanguard) at TIAA and I get plan servicing credits . It's a complicated process for sure. I get something from the 403(b) every year that, among other things, tries to describe how the charge/credit is determined for each fund but that doesn't mean I understand it... :shock: Crefwatch recently gave an explanation but I don't remember which thread.
by student
Sat Aug 26, 2023 6:47 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: True cost of TIAA investments
Replies: 28
Views: 3595

Re: True cost of TIAA investments

bogledeedee wrote: Sat Aug 26, 2023 6:22 pm I think I made an error in typing-- mine is deducted quarterly. So .52 annually. Over 30 years, that's more than 14% additional loss. Seems like those numbers would be made more clear to investors as they select investment options.

Edit: Hmm. Now I'm not so sure. Do you think that's a TOTAL of .13 annually, or do you think that's .13 quarterly? I assumed the latter.

I'm going to call both my institution's plan administrator as well as TIAA on Monday morning.
"An annual plan servicing fee of 00.13% is charged and deducted on a quarterly basis." To me, this means 0.13% for one year as it says "annual plan servicing fee of 0.13%." The second part tells you that it will be deducted quarterly.
by student
Sat Aug 26, 2023 6:43 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: True cost of TIAA investments
Replies: 28
Views: 3595

Re: True cost of TIAA investments

anonenigma wrote: Sat Aug 26, 2023 6:00 pm Assume this is a 403(b) plan? Plan charges are negotiated between the plan provider (TIAA) and your employer. There are costs to operating a 403(b) plan that your employer will not want to pay. One rule of thumb is that the smaller the plan, the higher the plan-level charge.
+1. The cost is not for TIAA investment. It is for plan administration. Here is a webpage about Vanguard 401k fees. https://www.employeefiduciary.com/blog/ ... -401k-fees

Edit: Added link to a webpage.
by student
Sat Aug 26, 2023 2:36 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Thoughts on Vanguard's *Actively* Managed Mutual Funds
Replies: 50
Views: 4697

Re: Thoughts on Vanguard's *Actively* Managed Index Mutual Funds

I know Wellesley and Wellington are reasonably well respected here. At the end of the day I think "costs matter" is a bigger deal than active vs passive. Low cost actively managed funds can do pretty well. I agree. For example, non Vanguard actively managed funds such as Dodge and Cox is respectable. But in general, I don't buy active managed funds anymore. Can you please explain why not? I was thinking with the cost of capital now being significant having some intelligence behind the stock selection would be useful. I did a quick overview of my small cap, mid cap and large cap funds and all returned 10+% over the last 20 years because with low single digit capital costs msot companies could and did make money. How many of these ...
by student
Sat Aug 26, 2023 12:41 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Vanguard has blocked/blacklisted my home IP address
Replies: 206
Views: 16859

Re: Vanguard has blocked/blacklisted my home IP address

A VPN is one way to use a different IP address. Despite what someone told you, VPNs cannot decrypt your traffic. If you power off your modem and wait a while before powering it back on, your ISP may assign you a different IP address. If you just do a quick power cycle, you might get the same IP address. Try powering it off overnight. I agree. I don't see how using a VPN is less "secure" than using the wifi at your library. The VPN may be more secure, but it would be a difficult thing to establish. Using the wifi at a coffee shop or library means your machine is on that network, potentially exposed to attack by other devices connected to the same network. When you make a VPN connection, the VPN server simulates your machine being ...
by student
Sat Aug 26, 2023 12:34 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Vanguard has blocked/blacklisted my home IP address
Replies: 206
Views: 16859

Re: Anyone having trouble logging into Vanguard?

Take a look at viewtopic.php?f=11&t=411352 Try hotspot from your phone.
by student
Sat Aug 26, 2023 10:39 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Vanguard has blocked/blacklisted my home IP address
Replies: 206
Views: 16859

Re: Vanguard has blocked/blacklisted my home IP address

I guess I am still not understanding or I did not explain clearly what I had in mind. I am thinking when the user type vanguard.com in the browser, the spoofed wifi router routes you to vamguard.com, owned by the scammers, which looks the same as vanguard.com, and the user does not notice it. I remember advice on using bookmarks and not type in the address every time, even at home, in case of a typo. If you type in "vanguard.com" (spelled correctly) and the site on the other end presents a certificate for "vamguard.com" (typo), the browser will not let you continue. (The computer is not fooled by the similar-looking letters.) On the other hand, if you actually type in "vamguard.com" and that site is hostile, y...
by student
Sat Aug 26, 2023 9:02 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: New car extended warranties
Replies: 68
Views: 5252

Re: New car extended warranties

Are you talking about an actual car company warranty or aftermarket. For example, Subaru has it's own Gold warranty with a matrix of years, miles and deductible for you to choose from. Audi, from memory uses Fidelity. Those are fine from the standpoint that they will cover you. Keep in mind that some things are never covered beyond what you get by law. For example, if the catalytic converter goes at 80k miles, you are covered by law and will get it replaced for free. Even with a factory extended warranty, if you go over 80k miles and need a new cat, you'll pay for it 100% yourself. I found one of the car manufacturer websites some years ago that talked about aftermarket warranties. I think it was Ford. They pointed out that the 10 largest ...
by student
Sat Aug 26, 2023 9:01 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Vanguard has blocked/blacklisted my home IP address
Replies: 206
Views: 16859

Re: Vanguard has blocked/blacklisted my home IP address

I guess I am still not understanding or I did not explain clearly what I had in mind. I am thinking when the user type vanguard.com in the browser, the spoofed wifi router routes you to vamguard.com, owned by the scammers, which looks the same as vanguard.com, and the user does not notice it. I remember advice on using bookmarks and not type in the address every time, even at home, in case of a typo. If you type in "vanguard.com" (spelled correctly) and the site on the other end presents a certificate for "vamguard.com" (typo), the browser will not let you continue. (The computer is not fooled by the similar-looking letters.) On the other hand, if you actually type in "vamguard.com" and that site is hostile, y...
by student
Sat Aug 26, 2023 7:57 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What is your most helpful use of ChatGPT
Replies: 41
Views: 4767

Re: What is your most helpful use of ChatGPT

I use ChatGPT numerous times throughout the day. My primary use is for proofreading and editing. Furthermore, I often use it to draft MOUs, letters, and other work documents. I estimate it gets me to the fifty-yard line, and then I refine. It saves me a fair amount of time with these tasks. Here in Ann Arbor, the University of Michigan has already rolled out three new generative AI tools for the campus community. A quick snapshot. 1. The first new offering, U‑M GPT, lets users easily engage with popular GenAI models like ChatGPT and other U‑M hosted large language models. U‑M GPT will initially be provided at no cost to the U‑M community to celebrate the launch of the platform. 2. U‑M Maizey will allow U‑M users to access AI language model...
by student
Sat Aug 26, 2023 7:27 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What is your most helpful use of ChatGPT
Replies: 41
Views: 4767

Re: What is your most helpful use of ChatGPT

I have used it to check grammar on important stuff that I wrote.
by student
Sat Aug 26, 2023 7:10 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Vanguard has blocked/blacklisted my home IP address
Replies: 206
Views: 16859

Re: Vanguard has blocked/blacklisted my home IP address

It is not true. Logging in to your Vanguard account over public wifi is perfectly safe. Unless someone spoofs the wifi access at the library. https://www.cybertrust-it.com/2021/09/wifi-spoofing/ They can then redirect you to bogus websites that they setup for major financial companies. You would have to click through a lot of very scary warnings to fall victim to that attack. I am not sure I understand the very scary warnings. If you log on to a fake wifi network that is spoofed, then its DNS server redirects vanguard.com to some fake one. When will the scary warnings come in? Are you saying the info on https://routerctrl.com/wi-fi-spoofing/ and the corresponding news reports from the linked yourtube videos no longer apply? When your brows...
by student
Sat Aug 26, 2023 6:40 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: New car extended warranties
Replies: 68
Views: 5252

Re: New car extended warranties

Are you talking about an actual car company warranty or aftermarket. For example, Subaru has it's own Gold warranty with a matrix of years, miles and deductible for you to choose from. Audi, from memory uses Fidelity. Those are fine from the standpoint that they will cover you. Keep in mind that some things are never covered beyond what you get by law. For example, if the catalytic converter goes at 80k miles, you are covered by law and will get it replaced for free. Even with a factory extended warranty, if you go over 80k miles and need a new cat, you'll pay for it 100% yourself. I found one of the car manufacturer websites some years ago that talked about aftermarket warranties. I think it was Ford. They pointed out that the 10 largest ...
by student
Sat Aug 26, 2023 6:27 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Considering swapping stable value for other fixed income
Replies: 24
Views: 3716

Re: Considering swapping stable value for other fixed income

rossington wrote: Sat Aug 26, 2023 2:23 am
placeholder wrote: Sat Aug 26, 2023 12:36 am Am I correct in thinking that a one year cd with a semiannual coupon is somewhat better than one with the same rate but pays at maturity?
The frequency of compounding is the key factor to consider.
+1. If the rate is r% compounded semiannually, them the effective annual yield is [(1+r/200)^2-1]*100 percent. So if it is 4% compounded semiannually, the effective annual yield is 4.04%. It will be about 4.08% if it is compounded daily.
by student
Sat Aug 26, 2023 6:18 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Husband cracked his iPhone screen
Replies: 53
Views: 6498

Re: Husband cracked his iPhone screen

Do you have cell phone insurance via credit cards such as https://upgradedpoints.com/credit-cards ... rotection/
by student
Sat Aug 26, 2023 6:15 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Vanguard has blocked/blacklisted my home IP address
Replies: 206
Views: 16859

Re: Vanguard has blocked/blacklisted my home IP address

...using a public wifi is not secure and your vanguard account can be compromised... Is that really true anymore? Passwords sent over https are encrypted and not sent in plain text. It is not true. Logging in to your Vanguard account over public wifi is perfectly safe. Unless someone spoofs the wifi access at the library. https://www.cybertrust-it.com/2021/09/wifi-spoofing/ They can then redirect you to bogus websites that they setup for major financial companies. You would have to click through a lot of very scary warnings to fall victim to that attack. I am not sure I understand the very scary warnings. If you log on to a fake wifi network that is spoofed, then its DNS server redirects vanguard.com to some fake one. When will the scary w...
by student
Sat Aug 26, 2023 6:05 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Vanguard has blocked/blacklisted my home IP address
Replies: 206
Views: 16859

Re: Vanguard has blocked/blacklisted my home IP address

A VPN is one way to use a different IP address. Despite what someone told you, VPNs cannot decrypt your traffic. If you power off your modem and wait a while before powering it back on, your ISP may assign you a different IP address. If you just do a quick power cycle, you might get the same IP address. Try powering it off overnight. I agree. I don't see how using a VPN is less "secure" than using the wifi at your library. The VPN may be more secure, but it would be a difficult thing to establish. Using the wifi at a coffee shop or library means your machine is on that network, potentially exposed to attack by other devices connected to the same network. When you make a VPN connection, the VPN server simulates your machine being ...
by student
Fri Aug 25, 2023 10:36 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Pay extra to mortgage or invest
Replies: 69
Views: 6233

Re: Pay extra to mortgage or invest

6bquick wrote: Thu Aug 24, 2023 1:13 pm assuming no need/appetite for lots of liquidity, I think I'd pay extra on the house at 7.2%.

or the ol' half and half approach is viable too for the indecisive among us. A grand each way.
I would consider the same.
by student
Fri Aug 25, 2023 10:21 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Does Anyone Actually Run Down Funds in Retirement?
Replies: 361
Views: 49560

Re: Does Anyone Actually Run Down Funds in Retirement?

I just came across this video, suggested by youtube as I watched a lot of this type of videos. It is about how a financial advisor convinced a couple with over $3 million dollars that they can afford to retire based on their plan of spending. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcJDxPZoeks
by student
Fri Aug 25, 2023 10:08 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 401a & 403b same as 401k?
Replies: 23
Views: 3677

Re: 401a & 403b same as 401k?

There are a small number of 403(b) plans that (paternalistically, usually, no profit motive really) make it very hard to take money out of the plan (even as a rollover to an IRA) before BOTH age 59.5 and termination of employment or retirement. Some financial service providers really want to see a written confirmation of Termination of Employment from the employer. Pure speculation of my part, I think one possible self-serving motive of such restrictions at employers such as universities, is that they do not want old and less productive tenured faculty members, who somehow depleted their retirement savings, to delay their retirement. My employer has such restrictions on money that they put in (age + separation of employment) and less restr...
by student
Fri Aug 25, 2023 9:44 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Transferring Roth from T. Rowe to Schwab
Replies: 11
Views: 920

Re: Transferring Roth from T. Rowe to Schwab

T. Rowe Price is not super expensive. If this not a very large percentage of your portfolio, I will just keep it but transfer to Schwab and turn off dividend reinvesting, if selling will have capital gains that you cannot offset from other capital losses...

Also, I do not believe T. Rowe Price charges account transfer fee for its mutual fund accounts.
by student
Fri Aug 25, 2023 9:35 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Thoughts on Vanguard's *Actively* Managed Mutual Funds
Replies: 50
Views: 4697

Re: Thoughts on Vanguard's *Actively* Managed Index Mutual Funds

Elbowman wrote: Fri Aug 25, 2023 7:13 pm I know Wellesley and Wellington are reasonably well respected here. At the end of the day I think "costs matter" is a bigger deal than active vs passive. Low cost actively managed funds can do pretty well.
I agree. For example, non Vanguard actively managed funds such as Dodge and Cox is respectable. But in general, I don't buy active managed funds anymore.
by student
Fri Aug 25, 2023 9:07 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Vanguard has blocked/blacklisted my home IP address
Replies: 206
Views: 16859

Re: Vanguard has blocked/blacklisted my home IP address

HawkeyePierce wrote: Wed Aug 23, 2023 3:27 pm
Unhandled wrote: Wed Aug 23, 2023 3:24 pm
arcticpineapplecorp. wrote: Wed Aug 23, 2023 3:17 pm ...using a public wifi is not secure and your vanguard account can be compromised...
Is that really true anymore? Passwords sent over https are encrypted and not sent in plain text.
It is not true. Logging in to your Vanguard account over public wifi is perfectly safe.
Unless someone spoofs the wifi access at the library. https://www.cybertrust-it.com/2021/09/wifi-spoofing/ They can then redirect you to bogus websites that they setup for major financial companies.
by student
Fri Aug 25, 2023 9:04 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Vanguard has blocked/blacklisted my home IP address
Replies: 206
Views: 16859

Re: Vanguard has blocked/blacklisted my home IP address

Tex wrote: Wed Aug 23, 2023 2:23 pm If you have Apple devices (Mac/iPhone), then turn on iCloud Private Relay. Then, use Safari to access Vanguard instead of the Vanguard App (Private Relay only works over Safari and not the individual iOS / Mac apps). That will change your IP address and the problem should end.
I did not know that. Thanks.
by student
Fri Aug 25, 2023 9:00 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Vanguard has blocked/blacklisted my home IP address
Replies: 206
Views: 16859

Re: Vanguard has blocked/blacklisted my home IP address

tuningfork wrote: Wed Aug 23, 2023 2:40 pm A VPN is one way to use a different IP address. Despite what someone told you, VPNs cannot decrypt your traffic.

If you power off your modem and wait a while before powering it back on, your ISP may assign you a different IP address. If you just do a quick power cycle, you might get the same IP address. Try powering it off overnight.
I agree. I don't see how using a VPN is less "secure" than using the wifi at your library.
by student
Fri Aug 25, 2023 4:51 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Do you buy rental car CDW insurace?
Replies: 47
Views: 3961

Re: Do you buy rental car CDW insurace?

talzara wrote: Fri Aug 25, 2023 4:34 pm
student wrote: Fri Aug 25, 2023 10:22 am I do too. I sometimes joke with the agent saying that if anything happens to the car, I just give you the key and say "it is your problem," right?
The first €1,000 to €2,000 is the renter's problem. The most common problems -- a scratch under the bumper, a scratched wheel -- are under €1,000. You paid the rental car company for CDW, and they pay nothing for the damage.
Thanks for the info. I have only rented in US and in Canada.
by student
Fri Aug 25, 2023 12:12 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Do you buy rental car CDW insurace?
Replies: 47
Views: 3961

Re: Do you buy rental car CDW insurace?

I'm very surprised by the enthusiasm for CDW among typically frugal Bogleheads. I've rarely bought CDW in the past, and have had only one case of damage (from a collision.) That was back in my Diners Club days and the card covered it with no hassle other than filling out a form. I can understand the appeal of buying it, but it would probably be situational for me. I do have a Chase card with primary coverage so usually I'll continue to rely on that. For me, I guess because I do not rent cars very often. Once every few years for personal use, so I don't mind paying it. I also feel that there is a catch if I decline such as "loss of use." https://blog.autoslash.com/loss-of-use-what-it-is-and-how-to-avoid-getting-stuck-with-the-bill...
by student
Fri Aug 25, 2023 10:22 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Do you buy rental car CDW insurace?
Replies: 47
Views: 3961

Re: Do you buy rental car CDW insurace?

Yes. Absolutely. Always. This is why: I don’t want to have to pay for the damage up front in the hopes that it’ll be reimbursed. CDW is something I treat myself to while travelling. A while ago, I had a rental in Indiana. That one time I just forgot to take photos of the car before leaving the rental lot ... :oops: ! Noticed a scratch on the passenger side the next morning. Was it there before I rented the car? Who knows? But with the CDW, it was nothing I needed to worry about. Turned the car in and never heard a word about it. No fuss, no muss. CDW is a "travel kindness" that you give yourself. Travel is tiring and complicated and expensive enough without having to worry about the rental car! Driving on unfamiliar roads can be ...
by student
Fri Aug 25, 2023 6:54 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: A lesson in not churning bank bonuses. MidFirst Bank Data Breach - Leaked SS#s? How does one best manage this?
Replies: 10
Views: 1769

Re: A lesson in not churning bank bonuses. MidFirst Bank Data Breach - Leaked SS#s? How does one best manage this?

Hello, Was alerted today from a bank that an old account I had closed some time ago had my personal data including my social security # breached: https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/midfirst-bank-files-notice-of-data-2017895/ Few comments: 1. The small amount of money I earned in a bank account bonus is certainly not worth the hassle of this kind of data breach. In the future I'll be more cautious about sharing my information, even with financial institutions - especially small establishments, and just stick with my larger accounts. 2. Has anyone been part of a social security # data breech before? I can't remember if the Equifax scandal had those leak out. 3. Does anyone have any best practices for managing this? The prospect of my SS# bein...
by student
Fri Aug 25, 2023 6:51 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Bank of America/Merrill Edge - Preferred Rewards
Replies: 7041
Views: 879001

Re: Bank of America/Merrill Edge - Preferred Rewards

cheesepep wrote: Thu Aug 24, 2023 11:25 pm I'm interested in getting the no annual fee 2.62% rewards for the other category.

Just to confirm, but holding $100,000+ in their CD account for the three plus months qualifies to get the 2.62%? I am not interested in leaving Schwab for Merrill Edge and having to calculate any cost basis myself.

And is this 2.62% in cash or Bank of America points?
$100,000 in their CD account will work but why use their low paying CD account, buy T-bills or brokered CD in Merrill Edge. https://www.bankofamerica.com/credit-ca ... 3~R3~en_US is 1.5% cash back but it is 2.62% for platinum honors (1.5*1.75=2.625).
by student
Thu Aug 24, 2023 8:18 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Transition from Merrill Edge?
Replies: 5
Views: 720

Re: Transition from Merrill Edge?

Merrill Edge has two versions: Online, and online+advisor (expensive). https://www.merrilledge.com/investing/m ... -investing I assume you have the more expensive version. I would not pay so much for the second version.