Search found 85495 matches

by livesoft
Thu Feb 29, 2024 11:04 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Neighbor Got Burglarized, How To Prevent
Replies: 74
Views: 8333

Re: Neighbor Got Burglarized, How To Prevent

The police car parked in the driveway works surprising well on our cul-de-sac.
by livesoft
Thu Feb 29, 2024 8:37 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Roth conversion during retirement question
Replies: 51
Views: 5716

Re: Roth conversion during retirement question

I want to add another thing about financial advisors: I have a friend who uses a financial advisor. Even though their income is low enough to pay $0.00 in Federal income taxes their financial advisor has never recommended that they do Roth conversions. That may seem like a "So what? They pay no income taxes anyways!" However, in the future they will have RMDs, so doing Roth conversions now while paying no taxes on them would be prudent and a no brainer.
by livesoft
Thu Feb 29, 2024 8:26 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Deep Dive: Poor Tax Efficiency of Vanguard International Funds 2023
Replies: 41
Views: 6039

Re: Deep Dive: Poor Tax Efficiency of Vanguard International Funds 2023

I guess an issue is that one can get "locked in" to whatever choices one made years ago due to unrealized capital gains. That is more important for US funds than International funds mostly because International funds have performed relatively poorly compared to US funds since at least 2009. Since we cannot go back in time and change our investments based on the new analysis, I guess we have to dance with the one we brought. In retirement to pay for expenses, we have been selling VEA (Vanguard FTSE Developed, though it wasn't always this) and VEU (Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Index, large-cap) from our taxable holdings. Also we have never reinvested the dividends in these funds over the years. I guess the choice to not reinvest di...
by livesoft
Thu Feb 29, 2024 7:13 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Roth conversion during retirement question
Replies: 51
Views: 5716

Re: Roth conversion during retirement question

anthonyphamy wrote: Thu Feb 29, 2024 1:30 amWould the easy answer be to reach out to a financial advisor to navigate, or is this feasible to navigate ourselves?
We navigate this ourselves because it is easy for us. But we have been filling out our own tax returns for decades and also reading about financial things for decades. I like to read IRS publications myself. Financial advisors are typically sales reps and are not helpful. Finding someone to help with this will require one to learn quite a lot about it beforehand. Otherwise, I think it is very likely that one will get ripped off and not get good help.
by livesoft
Thu Feb 29, 2024 7:09 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Roth conversion during retirement question
Replies: 51
Views: 5716

Re: Roth conversion during retirement question

Your questions cannot be answered with a short internet discussion. We are converting some traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. That is, we are doing Roth conversions. We are on Medicare and will start receiving Social Security benefits soon. That is, our situation is not dissimilar than what you have described for your parents. Do your parents know that converting money from a tax-deferred account increases the income they report on Form 1040 (see 2023 Form 1040 Line 3b)? Do your parents know that if their income goes above certain amounts then their Medicare premiums are higher? See https://thefinancebuff.com/medicare-irmaa-income-brackets.html Your parents probably already know that 85% of their Social Security income is taxable, right? Does y...
by livesoft
Thu Feb 29, 2024 6:32 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Retirees apparently tend to maintain assets - lessons for BH investors?
Replies: 129
Views: 16934

Re: Retirees apparently tend to maintain assets - lessons for BH investors?

People jumping to their deaths over losses in stocks. Fake news (or real comedy). Please read some of this article: https://www.history.com/news/stock-market-crash-suicides-wall-street-1929-great-depression From the article: Galbraith reported that the number of suicides in the United States in October and November 1929 was among the lowest of any month of that year. The suicide rate, in fact, had been substantially higher during the summer months before the crash. Yet, the false tales about a rash of Wall Street suicides had become so pervasive by mid-November 1929 that Charles Norris, New York City’s chief medical examiner, felt compelled to publicly refute them by reporting that while 44 suicides had occurred during the previous four we...
by livesoft
Wed Feb 28, 2024 10:17 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Retiring in one year - How to generate a safe cash flow?
Replies: 19
Views: 2944

Re: Retiring in one year - How to generate a safe cash flow?

John1437 wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2024 10:11 pmThis gets to my main concern. Can Muni funds be considered reasonably safe such that someone with relatively high net worth and relatively low expenses might consider investing up to 70% in a set it and forget it approach?
One can check the historical record on that easily. Have you? But there is always the possibility that the future is different from the past.
by livesoft
Wed Feb 28, 2024 10:12 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: A confident Boglehead in his 60s pondering managing a portfolio in their 80s and beyond?
Replies: 42
Views: 5535

Re: A confident Boglehead in his 60s pondering managing a portfolio in their 80s and beyond?

Over our 40+ year marriage, my spouse and I have taken turns with doing our own tax returns and making decisions about investments and paying bills. I don't see that we have to do any "managing a portfolio" anymore as we will not inherit any large sums nor win any lotteries. The portfolio assets are what they are and can just be slowly sold to pay for retirement. Occasionally I ask my spouse to sell some shares and move the cash into our checking account mostly to make sure we both remain familiar with the process. Maybe that's managing? But it is rather trivial. At some point I expect I might ask our adult children how their investments are going and maybe to help us. I know for fact that my kids use Fidelity and/or Vanguard and ...
by livesoft
Wed Feb 28, 2024 9:55 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Inherited accounts adjustments
Replies: 28
Views: 3531

Re: Inherited accounts adjustments

I think you misread the article, but Investopedia has incorrect information sometimes as pointed out a number of times here, too. When you sell losers, they are gone. You don't care about their cost basis anymore. When you buy new shares, they will have their own cost basis. It is what it is. For folks selling losers that often means the stock market overall is at a lower point than in the past. That then means that as the stock market recovers the unrealized capital gains will be there, but that's a good thing. However, I would like to point out that the stock market overall is NOT at a much lower point than in the past. People are writing about all-time highs in the past few weeks. You want stocks to go up and have unrealized capital gain...
by livesoft
Wed Feb 28, 2024 7:40 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: First Post, Am I too late? [to contribute to a 529 plan?]
Replies: 18
Views: 2539

Re: First Post, Am I too late?

You are not too late for 529 plan contributions. My 2 children were older than yours when we started contributing to 529 plans. As a Texas resident your children will have many outstanding universities that are inexpensive to attend if they choose to go to college. And of course there are schools outside of Texas, too.
by livesoft
Wed Feb 28, 2024 6:12 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: What good is tax deferred?
Replies: 122
Views: 15328

Re: What good is tax deferred?

During accumulation our tax bracket was as high as 33%. During decumulation we haven't gotten above 12%. 33% - 12% = 21%. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
by livesoft
Wed Feb 28, 2024 4:44 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Retiring in one year - How to generate a safe cash flow?
Replies: 19
Views: 2944

Re: Retiring in one year - How to generate a safe cash flow?

Welcome to bogleheads.org! Since you didn't give much info, I'll just make some up. I'll assume you are 59 years old, will live to 80 years old and need $500K a year for your spending including taxes. That's $10 million right there. You can generate safe cash flow by having $500,000 a year transferred automatically from your VMFXX to your check account. Did I miss anything?
by livesoft
Wed Feb 28, 2024 7:39 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Floating an Unusual 529 Strategy
Replies: 38
Views: 3046

Re: Floating an Unusual 529 Strategy

retiringwhen wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2024 7:06 amYou can also buy I-Bonds too. That gives you many more options in the long-run.
Yes, one can buy I-bonds. I will guess the OP will not be able to get the interest tax-free even if used for qualified higher education expensions. So I-bonds are just another place to save and invest money. Another place is just using VTI in a joint taxable account with spouse. That might let one have some tax-loss harvesting opportunities. I know that we didn't pay any taxes on the shares in our joint taxable acount that we sold to pay for about 8 years of college expenses. That's because of what happened in 2000 and in 2007-2009.

As of a few years ago, losses in 529 plans have not been tax deductible.
by livesoft
Wed Feb 28, 2024 6:16 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Medicare: 64 Year Old Eyeing 2025 Medicare
Replies: 168
Views: 11483

Re: Medicare: 64 Year Old Eyeing 2025 Medicare

I do not have Medicare Advantage which I have heard is free upfront.
by livesoft
Wed Feb 28, 2024 6:07 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Floating an Unusual 529 Strategy
Replies: 38
Views: 3046

Re: Floating an Unusual 529 Strategy

I think everything is reasonable when it comes to 529 plans. That's because if one has the money to pay for college from multiple sources, then one simply adjusts where the money comes from to pay for college. Now if one doesn't have money to pay for college, then the kids have to get jobs.

Given the current ages of your children I think you will be overthinking this for many years to come.
by livesoft
Wed Feb 28, 2024 6:01 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Medicare: 64 Year Old Eyeing 2025 Medicare
Replies: 168
Views: 11483

Re: Medicare: 64 Year Old Eyeing 2025 Medicare

You can pay the minimum or as much as you want. I pay the minimum because my physicians accept Medicare. My spouse wanted to keep her Concierge PCP who does not accept Medicare, so she pays more. Frankly, I don't even know what it costs, so I'll be interested to read what numbers folks report.
by livesoft
Tue Feb 27, 2024 6:43 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Help me choose: Garmin watch or Apple Watch Ultra 2?
Replies: 23
Views: 2493

Re: Help me choose: Garmin watch or Apple Watch Ultra 2?

Garmin’s product lines are so confusing since the feature are almost identical, and I’m worried about a model becoming obsolete quickly. Garmin has a bad habit of pushing updates only to the newest models. I have an older Garmin Forerunner 45S. It has continued to get updates including one in the last week. I don't even know what these updates do I haven't noticed any changes in the way I use my watch. Probably not important to you, but for me I need a watch that does not have wireless charging because I will be using it backpacking and will recharge the watch from a power bank with shortest, lightest cord possible. As for use running, I am only concerned about cadence, pace, and heart rate, so even though my watch is small (an unobtrusive...
by livesoft
Tue Feb 27, 2024 4:07 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Retirees apparently tend to maintain assets - lessons for BH investors?
Replies: 129
Views: 16934

Re: Retirees apparently tend to maintain assets - lessons for BH investors?

madbrain wrote: Tue Feb 27, 2024 3:16 pm
livesoft wrote: Tue Feb 27, 2024 7:41 am I don't think anyone in their right mind would not maintain assets until at least age 95.
Some of us have enough medical conditions that make it sufficiently unlikely to live to that age. Family history also informs this.
So you are spending like there's no tomorrow! Is that realistic?
by livesoft
Tue Feb 27, 2024 3:08 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: After moving from TDA Solo 401(k) to Schwab with Roth IRA?
Replies: 3
Views: 418

Re: After moving from TDA Solo 401(k) to Schwab with Roth IRA?

yankees1966 wrote: Tue Feb 27, 2024 3:06 pmUnder merger with Schwab Solo 401k with Trad only. No Roth option.
As noted, that has changed. Schwab Solo 401(k) has both Trad and Roth nowadays.
by livesoft
Tue Feb 27, 2024 3:03 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Swim Mask
Replies: 14
Views: 1834

Re: Swim Mask

The cheapest mask at Walmart has always worked for me. The Walmart even has cheap masks with prescription about $23.
Link. Walmart has them for both farsighted and nearsighted folks.

The Maui Walmart has these. Way way cheaper than renting.
by livesoft
Tue Feb 27, 2024 2:45 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Recreational Land Management in Ohio
Replies: 5
Views: 656

Re: Recreational Land Management in Ohio

I know folks who put their land in a Conservation Easement for the tax breaks. There is no "management" in that case except to keep outsiders from trespassing and trashing the property. An accredited land trust can help with this as no fly-by-night outfits can do this: https://www.landtrustaccreditation.org/. However, 20 acres is probably too small for this kind of thing.

Of course, this is probably not what you want to do. There are organizations that do exactly the opposite: Destroy the land in the name of "stewardship."
by livesoft
Tue Feb 27, 2024 2:19 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: After moving from TDA Solo 401(k) to Schwab with Roth IRA?
Replies: 3
Views: 418

Re: After moving from TDA Solo 401(k) to Schwab with Roth IRA?

My TDAm solo 401(k) moved to Schwab. No issues really. I mail in my contribution check instead of going by the local TDAm office. My solo Roth 401(k) had nothing in it, so I simply had it disappear. I have not bothered to add a Roth to my Schwab solo 401(k) yet.
by livesoft
Tue Feb 27, 2024 8:17 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Why not convert all my funds to ETFs?
Replies: 59
Views: 6139

Re: Why not convert all my funds to ETFs?

I can have the dividends from my mutual fund automatically sent to my external checking account bypassing any settlement fund. Can you do that with your ETF dividends?

I'll answer my own question: At least at Fidelity I can have my VBR dividends sent to my settlement fund and then automatically sent to my external checking account.
by livesoft
Tue Feb 27, 2024 8:13 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: What to buy if you had 0% capital gains tax?
Replies: 13
Views: 1552

Re: What to buy if you had 0% capital gains tax?

FunTimes wrote: Tue Feb 27, 2024 8:05 am How does this change the typical advice on what funds to buy?

Currently I have 70% in VTSAX. The rest is 5% in VTIAX and VIMAX, then the remaining 25% is spread across 21 individual stocks (at least I've stopped adding to them). I have cash that needs investing, but I'm not sure what is best given the amazing tax program.
If you are paying 0% cap gains tax, then you should tax-gain harvest every single year. For instance, those 21 individual stocks should be sold whether they have gains or losses.

Otherwise, more VTSAX is just fine.
by livesoft
Tue Feb 27, 2024 7:41 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Retirees apparently tend to maintain assets - lessons for BH investors?
Replies: 129
Views: 16934

Re: Retirees apparently tend to maintain assets - lessons for BH investors?

I searched for the text "infla" hoping to find something about inflation as in "inflation adjusted" or something like that. The text was not found, so I guess this study is not worth reading. After all, the 4% thing for retirement withdrawals is inflation adjusted as are SS benefits and things like healthcare costs and other expenses.

I don't think anyone in their right mind would not maintain assets until at least age 95.
by livesoft
Tue Feb 27, 2024 6:30 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How to deal with/spend too much money?
Replies: 91
Views: 8903

Re: How to deal with/spend too much money?

4nursebee wrote: Tue Feb 27, 2024 6:26 am ..., but it seems like we ought spend more on things that make us happier.
What makes you happier? For some people giving it away makes them happier.
by livesoft
Tue Feb 27, 2024 6:22 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: International Value - fund or ETF selection
Replies: 8
Views: 1238

Re: International Value - fund or ETF selection

I don't know about tax-efficiency of this category, but if it important to you, then you should check and confirm past tax-efficiency for yourself. Here's how to do it: viewtopic.php?t=397966. I will note that AVIV is in the spreadsheet for 2022.
by livesoft
Tue Feb 27, 2024 5:59 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How to deal with/spend too much money?
Replies: 91
Views: 8903

Re: How to deal with/spend too much money?

You mentioned a lot of things, but did you mention: Volunteering to help alleviate human pain and suffering? Maybe one can aspire to be the next Dr. Ruth Gottesman?
by livesoft
Tue Feb 27, 2024 4:39 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Turbotax, Sale of (sort of) inherited ETF shares, weird situation
Replies: 4
Views: 715

Re: Turbotax, Sale of (sort of) inherited ETF shares, weird situation

For inherited shares, the date acquired is ""INHERITED" on Form 8949 (See https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i8949.pdf page 5). The shares also get a LONG-TERM holding period. So using the Date of Death as the Date Acquired is probably going to be perceived as the shares are held short-term which might not be correct. Inherited shares get a cost basis of the average of the high and low price of the date of death, not the closing price. For mutual funds of course there is only one price per day, but not for ETFs. So I'm not sure the brokerage did what you said it did.

I don't know how a "trust account" affects all this. That is, the shares may not have been community property.
by livesoft
Mon Feb 26, 2024 6:00 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Taxable accounts - how to invest?
Replies: 1
Views: 906

Re: Taxable accounts - how to invest?

BlunderBuddy wrote: Mon Feb 26, 2024 5:47 pm 8) I tend to view each account separately, rather than taking a whole portfolio perspective. For example, I have different asset allocations for each of my three IRA’s because, in my mind, they have different time frames
Stop doing this because it adds complexity.

Just make your taxable account(s) 100% VTSAX. If you need cash from the account then do this:
https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Placing ... ed_account
by livesoft
Mon Feb 26, 2024 4:58 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Ditch Wells Fargo Advisors
Replies: 24
Views: 3126

Re: Ditch Wells Fargo Advisors

Nadir wrote: Mon Feb 26, 2024 4:40 pmI was thinking the ER for a fund in a Wells Fargo Advisors brokerage would include everything, i.e. front end loads etc... Is this wrong?
The e.r. does not include front-end loads nor back-end loads nor any commissions nor any assets-under-management (AUM) fees.
by livesoft
Mon Feb 26, 2024 4:44 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Advice on Paying for Care of Elderly Uncle
Replies: 62
Views: 6527

Re: Advice on Paying for Care of Elderly Uncle

This will be the 3rd time I have posted this:
livesoft wrote: Mon Oct 05, 2020 2:15 pm I remember this article about George Bell who died alone: https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/18/nyre ... -city.html which does explain some things.

Apparently, a public administrator manages estates.
All involved included the bedridden should read the article. The situation in this thread is not as bad as that, but it may wake up some people.

If the books really are going to a sibling, then the books should go to a sibling today. The sibling can try to sell them.
by livesoft
Mon Feb 26, 2024 4:24 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Where can I see a chart of 7-day SEC yields on SWVXX?
Replies: 5
Views: 1152

Re: Where can I see a chart of 7-day SEC yields on SWVXX?

Would a "growth of" chart be meaningful to you? It would included reinvested distributions. Morningstar.com has them.
by livesoft
Mon Feb 26, 2024 3:28 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: What did I do wrong to trigger the wash sales?
Replies: 22
Views: 2481

Re: What did I do wrong to trigger the wash sales?

As already mentioned, the OP appears to be a 1099-B and does not explicitly show purchases. I don't see how to decipher this without a history of the transactions.

For instance,
Jack FFR1846 wrote: Mon Feb 26, 2024 2:15 pm ... but you have buy/sell of IVV on oct 2 and 4. Wash.
would not necessarily be a wash sale. One can buy and sell all those shares for a loss at any time if there are no other shares involved.
by livesoft
Mon Feb 26, 2024 11:02 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: ROTH Conversion Requirements
Replies: 19
Views: 2246

Re: ROTH Conversion Requirements

Just the willingness is all I needed.
by livesoft
Mon Feb 26, 2024 10:40 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Why can't I change capital gains elections at Vanguard?
Replies: 16
Views: 1802

Re: Why can't I change capital gains elections at Vanguard?

plats wrote: Mon Feb 26, 2024 10:30 amYeah. After discussing with my accountant, I decided to take it as cash and invest in a Snickers Bar.™
Today I found $0.03 in the settlement account of my inherited IRA. It won't even buy a Snickers Bar. Nevertheless, I transferred it to my external checking account because it bothered me.
by livesoft
Mon Feb 26, 2024 10:36 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Why can't I change capital gains elections at Vanguard?
Replies: 16
Views: 1802

Re: Why can't I change capital gains elections at Vanguard?

I have no idea how large the distributions would be, but the holdings are millions of dollars. In this case, I guess you will have to monitor the account for possible capital gains distributions. Vanguard publishes a warning in advance for those that are on the lookout for this. Then you can talk to Vanguard ahead of time or readily sell any and all of the shares that might have been purchased with those capital gains distributions. You can set up an alert to be sent to you about dividends: https://investor.vanguard.com/client-benefits/alert-messaging Presumably, cap gains distributions will only happen at the time of a dividend distribution, so that you will not have to monitor anything except your e-mail which you probably do anyways. ht...
by livesoft
Mon Feb 26, 2024 10:14 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Why can't I change capital gains elections at Vanguard?
Replies: 16
Views: 1802

Re: Why can't I change capital gains elections at Vanguard?

plats wrote: Mon Feb 26, 2024 10:13 am I was shocked, shocked, to see a tiny short-term capital gain in MMF VMRXX last year.
That probably destroyed all your long-term tax-planning and really messed up your life.
by livesoft
Mon Feb 26, 2024 10:04 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Why can't I change capital gains elections at Vanguard?
Replies: 16
Views: 1802

Re: Why can't I change capital gains elections at Vanguard?

VUSXX is a money market and will never have a capital gains distribution anyways, so this interesting

When was the last time VTI and VXUS had any capital gains distributions?

This is not something I would waste my time on. Besides, if capital gains are reinvested, you can sell those shares right away.

Finally, are we talking about $10 of distributions or $10,000 of distributions?
by livesoft
Mon Feb 26, 2024 10:01 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 12% Bracket-Roth vs. Traditional
Replies: 35
Views: 4187

Re: 12% Bracket-Roth vs. Traditional

I could not say. Traditional would be excluded from income, so would help make other accounts with qualified dividends tax-free. And in retirement someone now in the 12% bracket might be in the 0% bracket, so those tradtional contributions and gains could be withdraw tax-free as well.

So maybe traditional and put the tax-savings into a taxable account invested tax-efficiently. That could allow for the purchase of car or other big ticket item in the future.
by livesoft
Mon Feb 26, 2024 9:54 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Rebalancing Roth IRA
Replies: 19
Views: 1997

Re: Rebalancing Roth IRA

Maybe "cerebral" was meant? Soon this thread will turn into a NYTimes "Connections" word game!
by livesoft
Mon Feb 26, 2024 9:42 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Which Money Market fund is best?
Replies: 4
Views: 867

Re: Which Money Market fund is best?

Can you do us a favor and list the most recent 7-day yields of these please? Put the number at the beginning of the line as in:

9.13% Cash Reserves Federal Money Market Fund Admiral Shares (VMRXX)

You might as add the the yield of the bond fund, too.

Thanks!
by livesoft
Mon Feb 26, 2024 8:44 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Vanguard account in brother's estate
Replies: 22
Views: 2529

Re: Vanguard account in brother's estate

When my sister executed my mother's estate, I didn't have to do anything. As the executor my sister got a bunch of certified copies of the death certificate and sent them to any of the heirs who wanted them. My sister did a great job --- everyone else just relaxed and let her do her job. I will say it was not instantaneous as any possible debts of my mother had to be paid out of the estate. So my question is: Why not give your sister a lot of time to sort things out? These things take months and sometimes years. After all, her brother just died. Although this thread reads like you don't talk to her since you are completely in the dark. And you can learn from this yourself. What's happens when you die? Are you making things easy for your hei...
by livesoft
Mon Feb 26, 2024 8:04 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Portfolio Review Request
Replies: 9
Views: 1509

Re: Portfolio Review Request

Since her 401(k) is not nearly as large as his 401(k), I suggest that you just pick one single fund for her entire 401(k) account. Then it becomes set-it-and-forget it. If you want to monkey around with allocations, then just do that in his 401(k) where the your combined accounts treated as one portfolio can have all of its rebalancing done. Basically, you wanted simple, but you made it complicated.
by livesoft
Sun Feb 25, 2024 5:17 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Portfolio Advice
Replies: 23
Views: 2221

Re: Portfolio Advice

It's weird to see a family with over $600K stated annual income have a 4% auto loan of $48K. I can see a 0% loan though. Folks with that income usually would pay cash for such a vehicle -- even with 2 kids in college.
by livesoft
Sun Feb 25, 2024 4:58 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Portfolio Advice
Replies: 23
Views: 2221

Re: Portfolio Advice

prof dave wrote: Sun Feb 25, 2024 4:52 pmIf we didn't have that annual tuition bill for my son. Think of it as sorta kinda buying a new car every year. Best money ever spent (he has some special needs), but there's your explanation.
Something else is going on besides that tuition. A close review of actual expenses might be beneficial.
by livesoft
Sun Feb 25, 2024 4:50 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Taxable account income
Replies: 5
Views: 922

Re: Taxable account income

In another thread @adave writes:
adave wrote:I get just over $100k a year in income from my taxable account, 92% of that is QDI.
I am going to say that a lot of people don't make that kind of income in their taxable account because their taxable account is no where near as large as yours is. You are über wealthy, so you have the luxury of spending your taxable income with no worries.
by livesoft
Sun Feb 25, 2024 4:40 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Portfolio Advice
Replies: 23
Views: 2221

Re: Portfolio Advice

The main thing I see is that your expenses must be sky high since you have not been able to put much in a taxable account. Or maybe your income has recently increased. I would have expected a taxable account to be almost half of your investment accounts by now. Maybe you lose a lot of money in Las Vegas?
by livesoft
Sun Feb 25, 2024 4:34 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: What happened to Vanguard's Portfolio Watch?
Replies: 6
Views: 852

Re: What happened to Vanguard's Portfolio Watch?

I use 3 similar tools available at my brokerages:
Vanguard Portfolio Watch
Schwab Portfolio Check-up
Fidelity Analysis

They all often suffer from stale data --- usually prices are not always up to date. Each has their quirks. But all agree if everything is up-to-date. Below are screen grabs of the overviews, though each have more details to show with a click or scroll.

Vanguard Portfolio Watch
Image

Schwab Portfolio Checkup
Image

Fidelity Analysis
Image