Search found 2513 matches

by Saving$
Sat May 30, 2015 1:49 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Behavioral finance and restaurants
Replies: 72
Views: 11450

Re: Behavioral finance and restaurants

stoptothink wrote: it takes as little as 5min to make a meal at home (and we actually prepare most of our meals for the entire week in one shot on Sunday afternoons),
Please help me learn how to do this.
by Saving$
Fri May 29, 2015 7:46 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Should my wife buy her sister's share of their rental house?
Replies: 5
Views: 1431

Re: Should my wife buy her sister's share of their rental house?

The house currently produces net cash flow after expenses of $24,500 per year, of which $10,500 is depreciation expense which is tax deferred, and would be taxed at the capital gains rate if and when the house is sold (as I understand it). It is my understanding your depreciation will be taxed as recapture, and the recapture rate is 25%. This can be a slight advantage if your current marginal tax rate is over 25%. Your capital gains will be taxed at the cap gains rate. Are you a LL of other properties? If you did not currently own this house, would you go out looking for a similar residential investment property to get a mortgage on? Is there some reason to think this particular property will appreciate more than the stock market, or do yo...
by Saving$
Sun May 24, 2015 9:06 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: WiFi [Thermostat] - Security Issues?
Replies: 9
Views: 6041

Re: WiFi Tstat - Security Issues?

magellan wrote:You mentioned that you access the t-stat using a web interface. Generally, there are three different models for how this can work, and they each have different security issues. In all cases, it's assumed that you use robust passwords.
It is either case 2 or case 3. How do I tell the difference? The t-stat is made by Honeywell.

No one has commented about an increased security risk by putting the app on my phone, vs. just using the interface from my laptop. I guess the initial tstat connection to the internet creates the most risk, and the way I access it (laptop or phone) has less impact on security. Do I have the correct?
by Saving$
Sat May 23, 2015 6:27 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: ObamaCare 2016 Premium Increases some 36%
Replies: 40
Views: 5034

Re: ObamaCare 2016 Premium Increases some 36%

Had a post that disappeared. Oh well.
The short version is your premiums are just slightly more than the premiums (employer + employee cost) in my employer provided plan.
Your deductible is much lower than mine. And my plan is not an HDHP. I wish it was because I want to put money in an HSA, but I'm not eligible.
by Saving$
Sat May 23, 2015 5:55 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: WiFi [Thermostat] - Security Issues?
Replies: 9
Views: 6041

WiFi [Thermostat] - Security Issues?

I recently purchased and installed a WiFi thermostat for my home. Because it is WiFi, it allows me to access the program from my laptop via an internet page. This is MUCH easier to program than trying to push tiny buttons on a 4 inch thermostat, and that alone is probably worth the extra $40 over a similar model that did not have WiFi. When I set it up, I used a ridiculously long password. My WiFI network also has a similarly ridiculously long password. I get that anyone can log onto the t-stat mfg webpage, and if they guess my username and password, they can "hack" onto my thermostat and change the settings. My questions are: 1. Does this t-stat in any way compromise the security of my WiFi system? ie can someone hack into it and...
by Saving$
Sun May 10, 2015 9:34 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Tenants left and we end up with a flooded basement and no insurance coverage
Replies: 35
Views: 6129

Re: Tenants left and we end up with a flooded basement and no insurance coverage

Have your read your lease? Many leases contain a clause stating tenant is responsible for paying utilities through their lease term. Thus if tenant had unit through May, tenant is responsible for paying through May. Your property manager is responsible for making sure the tenant does this. In order to avoid these types of problems, many LL's have a LL agreement with the power company. Any time tenant turns power off, account automatically gets switched to LL name and power is NOT turned off. The risk with this is that some tenant will find out you have such an agreement, and have their power turned off while they live there. Most states make it illegal for a LL to turn off the utilities while a tenant is living there, so you could get stuck...
by Saving$
Sat May 09, 2015 10:39 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Brand Loyalty
Replies: 60
Views: 9163

Re: Brand Loyalty

Costco - price & quality
Amazon - at least I know they are a legitimate online retailer and not stealing my cc number
Tide laundry detergent - because I was having skin problems with others and it stopped with the Tide, so I stopped switching.
New Balance shoes - because they consistently fit and I can buy them at Joe's online on sale affordably
CREE LED bulbs - more lumens per watt
by Saving$
Fri May 08, 2015 6:10 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: [Deleted]
Replies: 11
Views: 1794

Re: Where should I keep my EF?

1. My debts require me to pay $400/month, but I've been paying $800/month to pay them off faster. Should I continue doing that, or should I move some of the excess $400 into my EF? Based on your response below that the interest rate on the debt is all below 5%, I would not recommend paying extra on the debt. Yes, the $400 excess should go into your EF, then Roth, then 401k. 2. Assuming all remains constant, what should I do with my $5k bonus in December? Should I throw all of it at my debts? Put it all into my EF? Start a Roth IRA and put it there? If I am reading your post correctly, your extra is $400/month x 12 mos = $4800 + $5k bonus = $9,800/year? If so, I would recommend the following: a. About 1 months expenses "parked" in...
by Saving$
Fri May 08, 2015 5:49 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Stop contributions to retirement accts due to future RMDs
Replies: 77
Views: 25900

Re: Stop contributions to retirement accts due to future RMDs

Well, it is an interesting question, and one I have been wondering about as well. I think there is probably some formula we could devise that would provide the break even point. We would have to make assumptions about average annual return and tax rates - I'd assume current rates & rules continue, as I have no information to the contrary. Traditionally, this has been framed as assuming you will be in a lower tax bracket at retirement than you are now, and thus by deferring taxes and allowing your funds to grow tax free you will accumulate more and pay less taxes on it. However, if you end up in the SAME tax bracket at retirement as you were when you contributed to the 401k/IRA, I think you will be worse off. a. If you had invested the m...
by Saving$
Fri May 08, 2015 5:32 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Advice Needed: Family + Rental Property + Interesting Scenario
Replies: 22
Views: 3561

Re: Advice Needed: Family + Rental Property + Interesting Scenario

This should not be a financial analysis, it should be a relationship analysis.

As a financial decision, it is probably not a sound financial decision. The cons probably outweigh the pros.

As a relationship decision, it is definitely not a sound decision. The cons totally outweigh the pros.

Based on the above factors, it does not seem like an idea worth pursuing; in fact I would run as far from it as possible.
by Saving$
Thu May 07, 2015 9:57 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: transfer taxes
Replies: 7
Views: 1124

Re: transfer taxes

Why don't you just help your father open an Amex savings account, and he can get the same 0.9% interest rate? Tax-wise, that is alot cleaner.
by Saving$
Thu May 07, 2015 9:08 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Paying off student loans by selling house
Replies: 43
Views: 6722

Re: Paying off student loans by selling house

Sweet Betsy wrote:In your situation here is what I would do....

1. Get married
2. Move your wife into your house.
3. Working together, aggressively pay off her student loans. Don't have babies until you are done.
4. While you are working on paying off the loans spend alot of time deciding where you'd like to buy your next house together. Research schools, neighborhoods, housing costs, etc.
5. Sell your current house
6. Buy a new house
You may also consider the above but rearrange the order, moving #2, getting married, to #4.5. If it works to make it to 4.5, you will be in good shape and stronger as a couple. If you find out that it does not work, you will not have lost your house, and you will have learned alot.
by Saving$
Wed May 06, 2015 3:10 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Investment Real Estate Tax Avoidance Strategy?
Replies: 4
Views: 835

Re: Investment Real Estate Tax Avoidance Strategy?

Would you be opposed to 1031'ing into a real estate partnership that has triple net deals? I've read that is one way to avoid the taxes and get rid of the day to day management but still stay invested in RE. These are often called 1031 syndications.
by Saving$
Wed May 06, 2015 12:48 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Budget allocation between LARGE student loan burden and Retirement_Updated details
Replies: 33
Views: 11195

Re: Budget allocation between LARGE student loan burden and Retirement_Updated details

1. Get rid of Larsen financial planner. Move the Roth IRA's and taxable fund to Vanguard now. 2. 401k for you and spouse up to the match 3. Max out Roth for you and spouse. Use the Roth as an emergency fund 4. Lower expenses and aggressively pay down the debt 5. Sell the taxable and pay cap gains now R 15% before you get in that $400k tax bracket, and use the proceeds to pay off the debt. 6. Look into refinancing the student loan debt to a lower rate, but that should not dissuade you from paying it off 7. Refi the house with something like the PenFed 5/5 ARM at 2.75% and use the saving to pay off the debt At $200k income, it is conceivable you could go on an austerity program and aggressively pay down the debt. If you think you can do that ...
by Saving$
Wed May 06, 2015 12:32 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Best current cash/gift card for Grad gifts, etc
Replies: 5
Views: 909

Best current cash/gift card for Grad gifts, etc

Graduation time is upon us again, and when asking around for what the best gift would be, most young people just want cash or a gift card. So what is the best general, non-retailer specific gift card out there that has either no or the lowest fees? - Amex charges $3.95 purchase fee no matter how much I load the card with, but no fees to the recipient and no expiration - Visa charges $3.95 online with no info about other fees There is always Starbucks, ITunes or Amazon which I think you can buy for face value or even discounted, but that limits the spending to one place, which may not be the best. There are always local gift cards from the local merchants or the town where the college they will attend is, but that somehow also seems limiting...
by Saving$
Wed May 06, 2015 12:13 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Paying off student loans by selling house
Replies: 43
Views: 6722

Re: Paying off student loans by selling house

Does not sound like a good idea, from both a financial and relationship point of view. Financial You need to pay for housing anyway. How much per month will you save if you sell your place and rent (cost of PITI, maintenance vs rent)? Good advice above re: student loans can be deferred, tax deductible, etc. The house has the ability to appreciate in value. Of course it could always depreciate, but if you can ride it out you have a place to live. Rent rises. Mortgage payment only rises for tax & insurance portion, which is a much smaller bite. Money if fungible. If you have $50k equity, you have already saved or started saving for that house for both of you. Instead of putting money toward house savings, put it to paying off the debt. Re...
by Saving$
Wed May 06, 2015 5:39 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Nutribullet or Ninja extractor?
Replies: 20
Views: 7499

Re: Nutribullet or Ninja extractor?

Can't comment on the extractor, but I have been very happy with the Ninja Blender for making smoothies. Use mine about 2x week for going on three years.
by Saving$
Tue May 05, 2015 10:57 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Fidelity GPS problems
Replies: 17
Views: 2562

Re: Fidelity GPS problems

Mine stopped showing Thursday as well. Showed up again this evening.

Like others, I found this sometimes happens. I have no clue why. Now I'm wondering if it happens more to coincide with the end of the month when statements come out??...
by Saving$
Tue May 05, 2015 9:04 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Replace Fidelity AMEX with Citibank Double Cash
Replies: 14
Views: 5035

Re: Replace Fidelity AMEX with Citibank Double Cash

czr wrote:... I still have other cards to get 5% restaurants....
Please tell us which one that is??
by Saving$
Mon May 04, 2015 9:55 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How To Find The Best Doctor
Replies: 42
Views: 14683

Re: How To Find The Best Doctor

For PCP, your interaction with them may be as important as their skill. If you can't communicate, your care will suffer. For specialties, I've learned to ask a different question. The PCP might say "I can recommend Dr. X." I'm very direct and ask "have you personally or someone in your immediate family ever been treated for this ailment? Which doctor did you go to?" I got at least one excellent specialist doing this. He was not whom the PCP initially recommended, and the PCP warned me this specialist had a "difficult" personality and thus was reluctant to send him referrals, but when the PCP's mother needed such a specialist, guess who she went to? I went to see the difficult personality doc, whom I indeed foun...
by Saving$
Mon May 04, 2015 9:20 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Advice Needed: Family + Rental Property + Interesting Scenario
Replies: 22
Views: 3561

Re: Advice Needed: Family + Rental Property + Interesting Scenario

Tell her you care about and enjoy her company far too much to take any chance of mixing business with family. If you did not like her so much it would not bother you, but because she is such a great person, you really want to keep the relationship warm. Offer to help her find another place to rent or buy. Nothing good comes of renting to family. Even keeping the mortgage payoff out of this (which is a bad idea), and even though she may be loaded, and she may be a great tenant, but there are all sorts of things that could happen. These include - she decides to stay a long time, and taxes increase, and family dynamics make it untenable for you to raise the rent. Now you are out more rent than you planned. - she decides the place needs to be r...
by Saving$
Mon May 04, 2015 8:46 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Do I need another credit card?
Replies: 16
Views: 2296

Re: Do I need another credit card?

I have had occasional problems when a credit card number in compromised and had to be cancelled so having a backup card is good in case this happens when you are out of town. One in a a while something will happen and they will freeze the card with a fraud alert too. You might look at getting a card that has low foreign transactions fees in case you decide to travel outside the US. This. This ends up happening to me at least twice a year, and I would be in real bind if I did not have extra cards. Also, during the crash around 2009-2010 there were a few credit card issuers that simply shut down their credit cards with little notice. Yes you need another credit card. Keep your current card and get another. Look into the Sallie Mae card for 5...
by Saving$
Mon May 04, 2015 8:35 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What happens to mortgage when house is willed to non-spouse?
Replies: 22
Views: 4574

Re: What happens to mortgage when house is willed to non-spouse?

Maybe I did not do this properly when I was executor...but...

When you die, everything you own becomes owned by your "estate." Your estate even needs to get a tax ID. So your estate pays your mortgage for a few months while your estate is figuring things out. If your estate is leaving the house the gf, and upon your death it is worth $300k and has $200k mortgage, you are leaving a $100k asset to your gf. If you are also leaving her $250k in other investments, she has enough money to pay off the house. There is a "closing" where she pays off the mortgage with that other money, and she gets title to the house at the same time.
by Saving$
Sun May 03, 2015 11:15 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Financial reasons to get a summer job?
Replies: 36
Views: 3685

Re: Financial reasons to get a summer job?

Leeraar wrote:Sophomore son is back from college for the summer, and does not (yet) have a summer job. ... What are the advantages?

There are no local jobs in his field of study (computer science). So, the local option is the pizza place. Any thoughts?
The advantage to him getting a job this summer (paid or unpaid) is that eventually he is going to be looking for a permanent job, someone like me is going interview him along with 4 or 5 others with similar degrees, etc. I will ask him to tell me about his first job, and how he spent his summers when in high school and college. This will give me insight into how driven and industrious he is. And if he replies that he did nothing, I'm going to pass...
by Saving$
Tue Apr 28, 2015 7:30 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Need tips on taking HS student on college tour
Replies: 34
Views: 3618

Re: Need tips on taking HS student on college tour

Thanks for all the replies. I sincerely appreciate fellow Bogleheads taking the time to reply - very helpful info. I had no idea about Http://nces.ed.gov, Naviance, the Common Data Set or making sure he is the one scheduling the visit. These will be great things to discuss with him. Like many teenagers, I'm not sure how much initiative he will take - he is very laid back. I think his parent is not making this any kind of priority, nor encouraging him to seek guidance from the guidance office; he is pretty much on his own on this, and is not the type of kid to seek out whatever guidance his high school offers. However, if I can give him some familiarity with the different concepts and ideas about what questions to ask, I can only hope it wil...
by Saving$
Mon Apr 27, 2015 8:57 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Need tips on taking HS student on college tour
Replies: 34
Views: 3618

Need tips on taking HS student on college tour

I need some advice about taking a 16 year old rising HS junior to visit colleges. He is an excellent student, and very bright. Over the holidays we talked about what he wants to study in college (STEM). He was non-committal about which schools he had an interest in, and he replied he probably would not visit any colleges. I told him if he wanted to visit some colleges, I would be happy to take him. In a conversation about the logistics of his upcoming visit to my relatives this summer, he took the initiative to ask me if we could still visit colleges, and I of course, confirmed. The young man is a relative of my relatives, and my relatives have saved a bit for his college and are thrilled he followed up with me about visiting colleges. His ...
by Saving$
Sun Apr 26, 2015 4:22 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Poll Question: Vanguard vs Fidelity taxable brokerage
Replies: 38
Views: 6423

Re: Poll Question: Vanguard vs Fidleity taxable brokerage

I selected Fidelity but not for the reasons you listed. I wanted everything at one broker for simplicity. I also needed a Solo 401k and needed to roll a pretax IRA into it to qualify for backdoor Roth. Since Vanguard did not allow this, I went with Fidelity. I've kept it at Fidelity because Vanguard does not allow Admiral shares in their solo 401k, so in the case of my Solo 401k the Fidelity offering has a lower cost than the Vanguard offering. Unlike Livesoft, I see everything with one logon. I have no idea if a separate logon is required to actually buy and sell because I only do that when I fund the accounts, in one LS each annually, so it is rare. I don't even re -balance - just do that with the new contributions. So I don't have any se...
by Saving$
Thu Apr 23, 2015 8:31 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Anyone Manually Manage Quicken?
Replies: 46
Views: 7445

Re: Anyone Manually Manage Quicken?

Gill wrote:Yes, I enter everything manually in Quicken and download nothing. I prefer it that way.
Gill
Me too.
I enter all transactions - cash, cc, bank, investment, assets, etc. Went from Q92 or something, to Q99 to Q10. Have all transactions since sometime in '94.
by Saving$
Wed Apr 22, 2015 11:16 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Help Requested: How many ETFs & Index Funds is too much?
Replies: 32
Views: 3248

Re: Help Requested: How many ETFs & Index Funds is too much?

I currently only have a Roth IRA but am planning to do half and half for 2015 contributions, for example $2,800 in Traditional IRA which I just opened but has $0 and $2,700 in Roth IRA, so I have tax diversification through the years and when I retire...I can pull some $ out at a lower tax rate and other funds from the Roth IRA will be tax free. Does it not make sense to have a Traditional IRA? I don't get any tax deductions from it since our incomes are too high... maybe I should do 401k pre-tax through my work at 10% or more to reduce my taxable income, and then max out my Roth IRA every year? I can do this as long as I stay under the income limits since I file my taxes married jointly. I will take a look at the format you linked and tak...
by Saving$
Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:19 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Single best piece of personal finance advice ever received?
Replies: 93
Views: 15831

Re: Single best piece of personal finance advice ever receiv

In addition to the above:
- Money will not make you happy, but not having enough can certainly make things difficult
- It is ALL about choices - the choices you make. EVERY DAY you get to make choices that will determine if, when you go out to eat, you read the menu left to right, or right to left. There is nothing magic about spending less than you make.
- I would involve them in a discussion between wants and needs; ask about things like I-Phones, cable tv, etc. Talk about Warren Buffets house.
- Sprinkle in a few anecdotes about your acquaintances (those on this board) whose net worth is well over $1 mil and don't have an Iphone, drive 10 year old cars, etc.
by Saving$
Sun Apr 19, 2015 6:43 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Single best piece of personal finance advice ever received?
Replies: 93
Views: 15831

Re: Single best piece of personal finance advice ever receiv

from someone on this board a few years ago:
The single biggest financial decision of your life is person you chose as your spouse/partner...
by Saving$
Sun Apr 19, 2015 4:14 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Limiting Financial Institution "Sharing Personal Info"
Replies: 1
Views: 360

Limiting Financial Institution "Sharing Personal Info"

Each year, I receive a privacy disclosure from each financial institution, outlining if and how they share my "Personal Information." I believe they are legally required to send these disclosures. One of the sections on the disclosure form indicates if you can limit the sharing of info, and another section tells you how to limit the sharing.

My question is do you need to reaffirm your direction to limit sharing to the greatest extent possible every year, or does a directive given one time stick forever, or for a certain number of years?
by Saving$
Sat Apr 18, 2015 8:46 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Home stereo system conversion to digital
Replies: 27
Views: 3555

Re: Home stereo system conversion to digital

Thank you to everyone who replied. I might be the only one who did not know this, but I'll post just in case there is another music dinosaur out there. Goal was to figure out a way to play music through the old stereo receiver & speakers & access entire music library without changing CD's, turning on the computer or tv, and without buying an apple device. I had previously "ripped" my CD collection to mp3's. Per the above posts, I need to check if I used the proper format to maintain the quality of the original CD. I had put all the mp3 files onto an extra portable hard drive and connected it to the USB on the Roku. However, playing through Roku requires the TV to be on to listen to music, and I wanted to eliminate that. I ...
by Saving$
Sat Apr 18, 2015 11:23 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Home stereo system conversion to digital
Replies: 27
Views: 3555

Re: Home stereo system conversion to digital

kenschmidt wrote:Looks like maybe WinAmp is back...
PERFECT!!! thank you so much. I'm looking into that now. Any technical problems with this plan?
1. WinAmp on computer and create playlists, etc.
2. WinAmp on old Android phone, sync with computer for playlists, etc.
3. Plug phone into receiver some sort of way (either via mini usb which I have yet to figure out) or headphone jack, which I already have.
4. Play music without need to turn on TV or computer or use up internet download.
by Saving$
Sat Apr 18, 2015 11:16 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What Is The Worst Car You Have Ever Owned?
Replies: 39
Views: 4636

Re: What Is The Worst Car You Have Ever Owned?

Acura - sold it at just over 100k miles after putting in a new transmission, ac, and four brake jobs... and I had bought it used, so I got less than 14k miles per set of brakes...
by Saving$
Sat Apr 18, 2015 10:53 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Home stereo system conversion to digital
Replies: 27
Views: 3555

Re: Home stereo system conversion to digital

The other cheap steaming option that hasn't been mentioned is Chromecast. $29 ChromeCast http://www.amazon.com/Google-Chromecast-Streaming-Media-Player/dp/B00DR0PDNE $30 HDMI to RCA Converter http://www.amazon.com/ViewHD-Premium-Extractor-Converter-VHD-H2HSAs/dp/B00KBHX072/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1429277846&sr=1-1&keywords=hdmi+audio Wirelessly stream from your computer/phone to your stereo. Good idea. I've a Chromecast already, just needing to get the ViewHD. For computer or phone, I assume that you connect to the Chromecast via wi-fi, but how does the Chromecast and ViewHD connected to your stereo? My AVR does have HDMI. Thanks. Please clarify - I have a Chromecast (and a ROKU) but they are connected to the t...
by Saving$
Sat Apr 18, 2015 10:49 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Home stereo system conversion to digital
Replies: 27
Views: 3555

Re: Home stereo system conversion to digital

cjking wrote:My amplifier has a USB port on the front, if I had your list of requirements I would plug an Ipod into it. Second choice would be a USB stick.

Since you have an Android phone that plays via your receiver, upload all your MP3 music to free cloud storage Google Play Music, and you can stream it from there.
This sounds good but I think this means I will use download data, right? Is there some way to do this using wifi, which is inside my house and does not use download data?
by Saving$
Fri Apr 17, 2015 10:28 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: M* Article today 4/17 on ATT's shaky dividend
Replies: 20
Views: 2747

Re: M* Article today 4/17 on ATT's shaky dividend

I feel your pain. I helped a friend with the EXACT same issue. My friend acquired the stocks starting in the late 60's, through the '70's, and they were also held at Compushare. My friend owned original ATT and had no records of how many shares were acquired on what date. With the 1984 divestiture, it split into 8 - ATT & seven others. Those 8 then split, spun, merged and croaked. At the time I helped my friend with this, there were limited resources on the internet. I did find a software program someone was selling for $500 or so, but I'm too frugal for that. So first I had my friend STOP all DRIPS, immediately. The dividends are used for current expenses, no longer reinvested. Next, I started with 1968, took the average share price fo...
by Saving$
Fri Apr 17, 2015 9:54 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Home stereo system conversion to digital
Replies: 27
Views: 3555

Re: Home stereo system conversion to digital

If you want to do something quick and easy, an Android phone or iPod would work. I plug my iPod into the RCA input jacks on the front of stereo receiver using a $10 cable I bought on Amazon. There's two options - either use the output from the headphone jack on the phone or for a little better quality sound, use the dock/mini-USB connector on the phone. You should be able to do the same with an Android phone. My son has an Android phone and he uses PowerAmp to organize his music collection. I like this idea. I will look into using the mini usb on my old Android to connect it to my receiver. I looked up the PowerAmp software - however it looks like I need to use that software on the android only. Does it have a version I can use on the Wind...
by Saving$
Fri Apr 17, 2015 12:18 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Home stereo system conversion to digital
Replies: 27
Views: 3555

Home stereo system conversion to digital

I'd like to enter the 21st century music-wise, and convert from CD changer & tape deck to a digital music system. Ideally, my parameters are as follows: 1. Prefer not to use Apple products - have never owned any and don't really understand IOS. 2. I have a version of this started - I burned all the CD's to digital files, and have an old hard disk connected to the Roku, and the TV is connected to the receiver & speakers. However, I prefer a system that does not require me to have the TV on to listen to music, as is required if I access the music files through the Roku, as well as a system that does not require a computer to be on to listen to music. 3. Prefer not to use internet bandwith for this setup. Wifi use ok. 4. Prefer to be a...
by Saving$
Thu Apr 16, 2015 10:00 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Can I open solo 401K on 2500$ self employed income
Replies: 18
Views: 2218

Re: Can I open solo 401K on 2500$ self employed income

Yaz wrote:I just called Vangaurd . You cannot rollover IRA into a Solo 401K .
Correction: Vanguard will not allow you to rollover an IRA into a Solo 401k.
Other providers will; Fidelity is a popular one on this board that allows this.
by Saving$
Sun Apr 12, 2015 4:22 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Unsolicited offers to buy your house
Replies: 14
Views: 4298

Re: Unsolicited offers to buy your house

I get these all the time. Probably 6-8/week. Got one this week in which the investment company enclosed a 12 page purchase agreement contract all filled out except for the price... I figure if they are for real, they would offer a price.
by Saving$
Sun Apr 12, 2015 4:12 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Career and college advice for current HS students
Replies: 34
Views: 4458

Re: Career and college advice for current HS students

Most important advice for any of these fields: Be the type of employee you would hire if you owned the company.
You don't have to be the best, smartest, etc., but you need to show up, act and look respectable, be willing and eager to learn, be willing to work and not expect to be in charge overnight. Biggest problem I have these days is lazy people who think we owe them something, and they try to get by with as little work as possible. They forward emails and think that is where their responsibility ends. Take ownership of issues as if your entire career depended on it - it does.
And always, always be honest. There are not enduring shortcuts.
by Saving$
Sun Apr 12, 2015 3:10 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Password manager recommendations?
Replies: 86
Views: 16962

Re: Password manager recommendations?

Keepass, because
1. It is free; very Bogleheadish
2. It gets ported to pretty much any operating system shortly after that system comes out. I've used it on Palm, Blackberry, Windows, Android, Apple...all free.
3. It is open source, so it's encryption is constantly scrutinized by people who know about these things. I'd rather crowdsource my trust than give it to a company that has a profit motive. What I give up for that is a slight bit of convenience, and some pretty colors/layouts. But it works.
by Saving$
Sat Apr 11, 2015 1:20 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: [Unclogging sewer line - is this technique worth?]
Replies: 11
Views: 1624

Re: Does anyone know about this?

Does not seem to be any advantage to use a more expensive method that probably is less effective (essentially power washes away what is clogging the pipe, leaving the root or whatever everything it catching on there. This should not happen, so you need to figure out the cause. Once you figure that out, you can get it fixed. Possible causes: 1. tree roots 2. improperly installed line that things catch on and cause further blockages - example - if there is a snag inside the line and someone is flushing floss, that eventually gets caught up and catches other things, eventually causing a clog. 3. improperly installed line that turns too tightly causing the backup. Is your townhouse fee simple? Is there a sanitary line easement across your drive...
by Saving$
Wed Apr 08, 2015 11:56 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Considering Doing My Own Investing...but I'm not sure I shou
Replies: 49
Views: 8466

Re: Considering Doing My Own Investing...but I'm not sure I

I had an entire post and it disappeared - not going to rewrite it so the summary is:

Move one account at a time; start with tax advantaged.
Keep it simple, so if you already have accounts at a low cost provider consider using them (ie Fido)
Move the account in kind so you sell AFTER they get to the new custodian.

Q1: Did you have 2014 IRA contributions? If so, you can re-characterize those before 4/15.
Q2: Any chance you will ever have consulting income?
by Saving$
Tue Apr 07, 2015 8:50 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Gaps in newly installed flooring?
Replies: 3
Views: 1393

Re: Gaps in newly installed flooring?

This is interesting. Vinyl tends to become harder and more brittle the colder it gets. Perhaps it also shrinks a bit. Perhaps it was warmer when installed. However the link you gave states the core will not expand or contract under normal conditions. That leaves either manufacturing, installation or subfloor issues. I suspect manufacturing issues are unlikely as these things are likely extruded rather than cut like products made out of wood. So it is either the installation or the subfloor. The product page says the cork is supposed to absorb subfloor imperfections, but there is going to be a limit. However a good installer should be able to either overcome the subfloor imperfections with installation tricks (I have no idea what those are f...
by Saving$
Tue Apr 07, 2015 8:37 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Family member asking for money
Replies: 141
Views: 30556

Re: Family member asking for money

I'm posting just to thank everyone for posting these widely divergent views giving money to family and financial situations. This has really made me think ALOT and the different viewpoints are really helpful.
by Saving$
Tue Apr 07, 2015 8:33 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Rental flooring decision
Replies: 36
Views: 6999

Re: Rental flooring decision

One thing I would recommend with laminate flooring is to ask if it can be refinished (or more specifically screened). Some are thick enough that you can screen (basically scuff up the surface with an abrasive pad on a floor buffer or floor orbital sander) and apply a new layer of finish. This would be nice option in case it does get beat up or scratched. Most laminates do not have thick enough a surface to do this, but some do. Might be worth asking the question when shopping for brands. I think you are getting laminate and engineered wood mixed up. Engineered is a layer of real wood on top of pressboard or similar, and can often be rescreened once; high quality engineered floors can be rescreened twice. Laminate is basically a photograph ...
by Saving$
Tue Apr 07, 2015 8:16 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: VG Target Funds vs VG Index Funds for grandchildren
Replies: 18
Views: 2221

Re: VG Target Funds vs VG Index Funds for grandchildren

The grandchildren are 4 and 1. We'd like the funds to be available for college if needed, but we don't want the fund to interfere with scholarships/grants or cause any tax consequences for them or the parents. We also would like low fee investments. Thank you. Neither a custodial account or a 529 will interfere with merit scholarships or grants but there are impacts on financial aid. Here's and article that makes some suggestions on how to minimize negative impacts for a grandparent opening a 529 for a grandchild child. https://www.aarpcollegesavings.com/do-529-college-savings-plans-affect-financial-aid Thank you for the link. This is an excellent article which succinctly summarizes the issues. We should have something like this or a link ...