Search found 532 matches

by Cobra Commander
Mon Mar 25, 2024 7:56 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Do I need a buyer's agent when seller is a realtor?
Replies: 69
Views: 5287

Re: Do I need a buyer's agent when seller is a realtor?

In NJ you definitely need to find an attorney. Once a contract is signed, there is an attorney review period where the lawyers hash out the finer details of the contract. Until attorney review ends, either party can back out without penalty. Is the seller an agent and also the listing agent? Or did they hire another agent for the listing? I think realtors who sell their own property are more likely to wait for a better price than non-agent sellers. You definitely do not want to have a seller listing their own property as a dual agent. If you have experience and can do most of the legwork yourself, you could find a a buyer's agent who will agree to rebate you part of their commission since they will be doing less work than normal. If you go...
by Cobra Commander
Sat Mar 23, 2024 4:51 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Do I need a buyer's agent when seller is a realtor?
Replies: 69
Views: 5287

Re: Do I need a buyer's agent when seller is a realtor?

In NJ you definitely need to find an attorney. Once a contract is signed, there is an attorney review period where the lawyers hash out the finer details of the contract. Until attorney review ends, either party can back out without penalty. Is the seller an agent and also the listing agent? Or did they hire another agent for the listing? I think realtors who sell their own property are more likely to wait for a better price than non-agent sellers. You definitely do not want to have a seller listing their own property as a dual agent. If you have experience and can do most of the legwork yourself, you could find a a buyer's agent who will agree to rebate you part of their commission since they will be doing less work than normal. If you go...
by Cobra Commander
Fri Mar 22, 2024 11:27 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Do you tip hotel staff when checking out?
Replies: 145
Views: 6934

Re: Do you tip hotel staff when checking out?

I can afford it and don’t want to be a jerk. The next time you eat at a restaurant, you should tip the kitchen staff you make your food, the busboy, and the dishwasher. Why just tip the waitstaff who just brought your food? We don’t want to be a jerk right? When you visit your grocery store, be sure to tip the people who stock the groceries. Those items don’t appear out of thin air. You need to tip the cashier too! They provided personal service for you so you don’t have to go through the self checkout line. Let’s not be a jerk and not leaving them a tip. If you are seriously asking, here’s the difference I see. One, norms and expectations vary by job. It’s illogical and I would rather not have any of our US tipping system, but that’s not ...
by Cobra Commander
Fri Mar 22, 2024 11:08 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: At what age to tell child about family's finances
Replies: 74
Views: 6103

Re: At what age to tell child about family's finances

I will hit this question from the other side. I am in my 40s and don't know the specifics for my parents other than that they have enough to afford top quality assisted living care. Honestly I don't really care that much though, it's their money and they can choose to blow it, leave it to me or leave it to someone else, totally their call.

It would be nice if they had a will so whatever they wanted was spelled out but they don't seem to be interested in taking action in that regard so I guess whenever they pass I will muddle through it.
by Cobra Commander
Fri Mar 22, 2024 8:13 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Do you tip hotel staff when checking out?
Replies: 145
Views: 6934

Re: Do you tip hotel staff when checking out?

safari wrote: Thu Mar 21, 2024 11:03 pm
Hogan773 wrote: Thu Mar 21, 2024 10:41 pm
Morik wrote: Thu Mar 21, 2024 10:09 pm We don't. We leave the do not disturb sign up for our entire stay and swap out towels/get extra toilet paper/etc if needed by requesting from the front desk.
We also clean up after ourselves before leaving--all trash in trash cans, used towels in a single pile, etc.
Why

Do you have some issue with having the cleaning people coming in?
We do the same. We keep our hotel room clean. There is no reason to have cleaning people enter the room, unless we're staying for a week or longer. I don't need them to make the bed or to tidy up the charging cords.
I also do as the previous posters do. Obviously a hotel is a shared space but I'd rather as few people in my room as possible, just prefer the privacy.
by Cobra Commander
Thu Mar 21, 2024 5:59 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Do I need a buyer's agent when seller is a realtor?
Replies: 69
Views: 5287

Re: Do I need a buyer's agent when seller is a realtor?

chemocean wrote: Thu Mar 21, 2024 12:22 am See threads about the NAR settlement. Under present rules, the seller's agent will pocket the whole commission if the buyer is does have a buyer's agent. Under the present rules, it doesn't hurt to have a buyers agent- the seller will pay your buyer's agent. When the new settlement goes into effect after the rules are released in mid-July, YOU will need to pay the buyer's agent out of YOUR pocket through a contract.
With respect to the first part OP can make an offer that is 3% below list without an agent and it is effectively a ful price offer assuming the seller did not separately engage a real estate agent which I assume they wouldn't.
by Cobra Commander
Wed Mar 20, 2024 3:50 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Would you sign a real estate agent contract with 5% commission today?
Replies: 11
Views: 1056

Re: Would you sign a real estate agent contract with 5% commission today?

What is the approximate sale price of your home? 5% of $300K is different than 5% of $1 million.

Have you considered flat fee brokers? They are out there and can list your home on MLS for a flat fee.
by Cobra Commander
Tue Mar 19, 2024 9:01 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Hospital Bill - Negotiation strategies?
Replies: 136
Views: 8576

Re: Hospital Bill - Negotiation strategies?

You should receive and EOB from your insurance provider. It should show the CPT codes that were billed, the amount, the "allowed" amount, and what was paid (zero in this case). You are responsible for the "allowed" amounts. Your insurance company has already negotiated a rate for care provided to you. So, pay the amount that your insurance company says is your responsibility and move on. If you have questions/concerns about what services were billed, then ask the provider and if the answer isn't clear, speak to your insurance company. Ultimately, it is a bill you will need to pay. When a patient has had their questions fully answered by my financial office yet still don't want to pay the full amount but rather want to &...
by Cobra Commander
Mon Mar 18, 2024 2:32 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Intuit's Mint App Shutting Down...Replacement Recommendations?
Replies: 775
Views: 146761

Re: Intuit's Mint App Shutting Down...Replacement Recommendations?

Thanks to everyone who responded to my question about empower. I will consider ignoring the calls or change the phone number in my profile if needed. Does anyone know what will happen to Mint data if one is not moving to CK? Will they automatically delete everything? I am not interested in downloading the data but will it be advisable to manually delete it for privacy reasons before losing mint access? I saw this on Empower's website and it looks like you can e-mail and ask to be placed on the do not call list. I think you might need your phone number in there for 2FA although maybe someone that is better at tech than me knows a way to work around that. Opt-out Information If you request to be added to our opt-out lists from our communicat...
by Cobra Commander
Sun Mar 17, 2024 9:36 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Intuit's Mint App Shutting Down...Replacement Recommendations?
Replies: 775
Views: 146761

Re: Intuit's Mint App Shutting Down...Replacement Recommendations?

I thought Mint might back down and keep the app running but it looks like this might actually be happening. I might try CK assuming the migration is easy.

Reviews of empower on the ply store aren't great. I might just need to adjust my perspective and start paying for this service, just a dramatic shift from Mint being free and meeting my needs.
by Cobra Commander
Thu Mar 14, 2024 9:47 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: The best game-changing financial advice you ever received (or "discovered")
Replies: 219
Views: 25610

Re: The best game-changing financial advice you ever received (or "discovered")

It's not what you make it's how you spend it.

On a related note, always helpful to look at the per unit cost in the grocery store as sometimes different brands are in different sizes. Also, always consider the private label brand as an option. My dad worked in a plant that literally sold the same product to the private label.
by Cobra Commander
Thu Mar 14, 2024 8:48 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: College degree worthwhile for marketing?
Replies: 124
Views: 8481

Re: College degree worthwhile for marketing?

College isn't as important as you think it is, unless you are in one the STEM fields. Only 46% of college grads got jobs in their fields per Pew Research and reddit, so this myth is debunked. If my child had a passion for Real Estate after attending for a few years, I'd say Go For IT? You do you, but I'm raising my children to not be sheep and to think outside the box. Start a business. I suggest you quit while you're behind...from the Pew Research site you referenced: - "Having a bachelor’s degree remains an important advantage in many sectors of the U.S. labor market. College graduates generally out-earn those who have not attended college, and they are more likely to be employed in the first place." - "There is a growing ...
by Cobra Commander
Tue Mar 12, 2024 9:48 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: College degree worthwhile for marketing?
Replies: 124
Views: 8481

Re: College degree worthwhile for marketing?

I realize this sounds snobbish but I would be unlikely to hire a young realtor without a college degree. Older, experienced and well-recommended realtor without a degree would be fine. But for someone that's young and inexperienced I would hold it against them that they don't have a degree because it is a huge purchase with significant potential complications. Anyways, there might be others out there like me so the lack of a degree might impede her success in real estate. I also second the comments from others that most real estate agents wash out and having a degree will give her more options if that happens. I think her doing this part time while she is in school is the best plan. Also, with college classes she should have flexibility to ...
by Cobra Commander
Fri Feb 23, 2024 8:03 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Estate plan for blended family primary residence?
Replies: 20
Views: 1508

Re: Estate plan for blended family primary residence?

This is not estate planning or legal advice, just practical advice. Why not let the surviving spouse buy the house? That seems so much cleaner and keeps the heirs from needing to be tied to the house until the younger spouse dies and all of the issues that entails (who pays for maintenance/improvements, etc.). Then when younger spouse dies their heirs can sell the house and recoup the funds used for it's purchase. Sounds reasonable to me. I wonder how that would be done. Maybe some sort of purchase option contract without an expiration date? and the price set by a third party appraiser? If everyone is normal and reasonable you could do 3 appraisals and pick the middle one as the selling price. People could give a small discount for saving ...
by Cobra Commander
Fri Feb 23, 2024 6:58 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Estate plan for blended family primary residence?
Replies: 20
Views: 1508

Re: Estate plan for blended family primary residence?

This is not estate planning or legal advice, just practical advice. Why not let the surviving spouse buy the house? That seems so much cleaner and keeps the heirs from needing to be tied to the house until the younger spouse dies and all of the issues that entails (who pays for maintenance/improvements, etc.). Then when younger spouse dies their heirs can sell the house and recoup the funds used for it's purchase.
by Cobra Commander
Fri Feb 09, 2024 7:50 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Costs Of Kids From BH Parents?
Replies: 59
Views: 5299

Re: Costs Of Kids From BH Parents?

We flex our schedules so no aftercare but we will have summer care which is priced similarly to full time day care. However, summer care is per week so you save some money if you take vacations or send the kids to grandparents whereas with daycare you pay regardless of whether you use the weeks or not. Food is a little more because you're packing or buying lunch/snacks. Clothing is a little but not much more as the costs increase a little as they size up. We started them doing 1 activity each so about $200 per month per kid there but some people already have kids in activities in the daycare years so maybe that cost stays the same for you. Everything else is about the same, maybe a little gas savings because no longer driving to/from daycar...
by Cobra Commander
Sun Feb 04, 2024 11:18 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Stipulation in a will
Replies: 8
Views: 1518

Re: Stipulation in a will

BuddyJet wrote: Sun Feb 04, 2024 11:13 am
Bonny wrote: Sun Feb 04, 2024 10:09 am Thank you for the answers. I'm just trying to figure out why my son has stopped talking to me suddenly after he saw dad's will. (I didn't see the will or anything in the safe, only my son did)
Pure speculation but I’d guess that your spouse left things to you rather than your son.
I got more of a vibe that dad is OPs ex (thus the reference to dad rather than DH). Also OPs question implies the father may have told son he can only inherit if he cuts ties with mom (i.e. OP) and OP is wondering if that happened since her son stopped talking to her.
by Cobra Commander
Wed Jan 24, 2024 5:40 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Will related issue
Replies: 79
Views: 7355

Re: Will related issue

I bet if you tell a few of those charities about the will they will take action to open an estate and get their due.
by Cobra Commander
Sun Dec 24, 2023 9:27 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Ethical dilemma - restaurant gift card
Replies: 52
Views: 9237

Re: Ethical dilemma - restaurant gift card

JBTX wrote: Sun Dec 24, 2023 3:11 am I didn’t follow the details.

What was the cost of the first meal that was comped?

I don’t follow you said you tipped generously the first time but then said you didn’t tip generously the first time. Not sure which is true or why that is even relevant.

My take is if you received $120 worth of value, or close to it, between the first comped meal and the $50 customer satisfaction credit, I’d feel we were even and let it go at that.
+1. Agree with thid and others that the first meal was comped because the GC didn't work, not bad service, so that counts against the value of the card.
by Cobra Commander
Sun Dec 17, 2023 9:47 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: trashmen tipping conumdrum
Replies: 73
Views: 12196

Re: trashmen tipping conumdrum

I am not sure how you separate the service provided from what you are already paying for here. Fast food, for example, is buying a burger for $x dollars. I pay and get a burger, there is no extra service to tip for and the worker is not making a tipped minimum wage unlike a server. With garbage collection, we pay for 2x per week and they pick up the trash in the bin. It doesn't seem like there is anything extra to tip for here. We pay extra for them to take large items so that's part of our contract.
by Cobra Commander
Mon Nov 13, 2023 9:22 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Retiring from NYC Civil Service Job - Right Decision?
Replies: 21
Views: 2214

Re: Retiring from NYC Civil Service Job - Right Decision?

You sure those expenses are right? Your rent total is $20.8K leaving you with $9.2K to $14.2K for everything else (food, utilities, medical co-pays, clothes, vacations, gifts, transportstion/subway, etc.).

Sounds like you're in good shape with that pension regardless of whether your expenses are that low or a little higher. Is the pension inflation adjusted? I'd factor that in too but you've got some healthy savings there you can always draw down on.
by Cobra Commander
Mon Nov 13, 2023 1:04 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How to Download Your Mint Data Before It Shuts Down
Replies: 19
Views: 4115

Re: How to Download Your Mint Data Before It Shuts Down

snackdog wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2023 9:51 pm
Cobra Commander wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2023 9:24 pm
snackdog wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2023 9:16 pm You can move it all to Credit Karma when the time comes.

https://support.creditkarma.com/s/artic ... edit-Karma
Only three years per the FAQ.
True. I must confess I have never been interested in my spending more than a year old. I do download the Mint transactions monthly into a master spreadsheet so I have many years in there but don’t look back more than a year. What am I missing?
I think you're right but there's folks in this thread and the other one that appear to be interested in that data. The net worth progression chart is kinda interesting to see how far I've come.
by Cobra Commander
Sun Nov 12, 2023 9:24 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How to Download Your Mint Data Before It Shuts Down
Replies: 19
Views: 4115

Re: How to Download Your Mint Data Before It Shuts Down

snackdog wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2023 9:16 pm You can move it all to Credit Karma when the time comes.

https://support.creditkarma.com/s/artic ... edit-Karma
Only three years per the FAQ.
by Cobra Commander
Sat Nov 04, 2023 12:08 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Citi cuts off some paper bill recipients
Replies: 46
Views: 5448

Re: Citi cuts off some paper bill recipients

Are they going to email you a pdf of the statement or do you have to log in and get it? Realistically I am not going to log in to multiple credit card accounts each month to verify the transactions are accurate. Much easier to just open the mail and scan the transactions to make sure non are unauthorized. Granted, it is extremely rare for there to be unauthorized transactions so I guess this one is an easy cost/benefit for citi.

Also, from the article which I read the other day, I think only 10% of people receiving estatements opened them.
by Cobra Commander
Sun Oct 15, 2023 5:59 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Is a prenuptial agreement suggested in Washington state
Replies: 52
Views: 5304

Re: Is a prenuptial agreement suggested in Washington state

For those who think a prenup is always necessary and/or want to protect your inheritance to them from the spouse, IMO you should educate your children well before they announce they are getting married. I will say this again. Everyone who gets married already has a prenup. It is the law of the state they live in. The point of creating your own is if you disagree with the agreement the state has to offer. At the very very least, in my opinion one should have a prenup that sets an agreement for arbitration so at to remove the cost involved with lawyers and court fees. The problem with that attitude is that people move. Well guess what. Move here and your prenup is void anyway. You have one year to sign one that meets this states code. If you...
by Cobra Commander
Sun Oct 15, 2023 9:10 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Starter home struggles
Replies: 51
Views: 6037

Re: Starter home struggles

$6.5K net income minus $2.8K mortgage leaves you $3.7K for everything else per month if you use savings to pay off relatives mortgage (won't you still pay taxes and insurance for them?) apparently with kids too right? You tell us, what are your monthly expenses? To me it seems maybe doable but without a lot of wiggle room. Hopefully no childcare expenses (even optional camps) because that would chew up a lot of that remaining cash.
by Cobra Commander
Fri Oct 13, 2023 11:57 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Is a prenuptial agreement suggested in Washington state
Replies: 52
Views: 5304

Re: Is a prenuptial agreement suggested in Washington state

Our son is getting married next year. We're wondering, if he stands to inherit a comfortable estate when we pass (we're 71 and 68) if we should suggest a prenuptial agreement. Different state and different rules but before I got married, my parents had my fiancé sign a prenup between her and them for exactly the same reasons. I didn't sign a prenup with my fiancé before we were married. I wonder if that would have stood up if challenged. She wasn’t marrying them. Why wouldn't it? It is their estate and my spouse just signed away any right to it with any inherited proceeds going to me or if I'm deceased, directly to our children. It was actually a very simple one page document created by a lawyer schooled in such documents. Not a lawyer, bu...
by Cobra Commander
Sun Oct 01, 2023 8:27 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Negotiating Salary - Internal Lateral Change
Replies: 13
Views: 1842

Re: Negotiating Salary - Internal Lateral Change

Is this a significant increase in workload or responsibility? If so, I think it is fair to ask for an increase in compensation commensurate with the increase in your workload. Yes - I will be asked to continue to do my business development work, but take on at least 1 territory to manage accounts. Also, they won't have to hire someone new and train them. My guess is if you asked to go part time (80% hours) they would want to cut your pay by 20%. So, I would try to quantify that in percentage terms. X% more work = Y% raise. I think you can say it nicely by couching it in terms of an increase in your responsibilities and workload warranting a compensation adjustment. The fact is they hired you for one job at one salary and less than a year i...
by Cobra Commander
Sat Sep 30, 2023 9:00 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Negotiating Salary - Internal Lateral Change
Replies: 13
Views: 1842

Re: Negotiating Salary - Internal Lateral Change

Is this a significant increase in workload or responsibility? If so, I think it is fair to ask for an increase in compensation commensurate with the increase in your workload.
by Cobra Commander
Mon Sep 18, 2023 9:14 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: 98-year-old breaks lease. What to expect?
Replies: 44
Views: 7744

Re: 98-year-old breaks lease. What to expect?

Consider looking at this problem from an alternate angle. Is the legacy facility market rate or perhaps rent controlled and below market? What would it take the legacy facility to evict the 98 yr old? Rather than moving out and turning the space back, the 98 year old may be within their rights to maintain the property as a residence until evicted at a cost and hassle to the landlord. In that context a cost free early termination of the lease may be in the interest of both parties. Cousin wasn't that smart, he turned in the keys, as his idea of a good-faith effort: all possessions removed, broom clean. I actually think it was a good move to turn over the unit. First, it gives them the opportunity to re-rent it and mitigate their losses. Sec...
by Cobra Commander
Sun Sep 17, 2023 7:24 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: 98-year-old breaks lease. What to expect?
Replies: 44
Views: 7744

Re: 98-year-old breaks lease. What to expect?

A few thoughts. Consider asking for advice and counsel from a Legal Services organization in Florida. Housing is usually one of the issues they handle as is elder law issues. With her low assets and no income she should qualify. To sue her they have to find her to serve her. For normal people this is relatively easy but for an elderly person without credit cards or utility bills this can be much more difficult. What is her plan when she runs out of money now? What is the consequence of paying the landlord and running out of money sooner? Conversely, by the time they find her, sue her, obtain a judgment and move to garnish her assets she will be out of money. Further to my first suggestion ask the legal services attorney for advice on protec...
by Cobra Commander
Sun Sep 10, 2023 7:06 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How to budget for a newborn
Replies: 43
Views: 3917

Re: How to budget for a newborn

Plan on a lot of doctor visits in the beginning. Newborns get sick a lot so if you have a high deductible plan you might be paying a lot.

You can buy a lot of great baby gear lightly used for 10% of retail prices. I'd buy the carseat new.

Aldi diapers were decent and very reasonably priced. Formula is very expensive if you use it or end up needing it. A lot of people I knew didn't produce enough BM so needed to supplement.
by Cobra Commander
Fri Sep 08, 2023 5:35 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Engagmenet in 5 months - prenup questions for newbie
Replies: 105
Views: 11274

Re: Engagmenet in 5 months - prenup questions for newbie

The least amount of divorces (like 15%-20% chance of divorce) were the ones that happened when the people were in their late 20s or early 30s. Education didn't matter that much (although college educated did lower the rates slightly). But high school graduate or college educated, waiting until later in life to get married usually meant a more mature marriage that lasted. To be fair, even 15~20% isn't low; at least it's not so crazy to prepare for such a possibility. Sure, but again, anything they make after the wedding is going to be 50/50 anyway. I'm pretty sure you can't write a clause where you say "Hey, everything I save while you are home with the kids is 100% mine if we get divorced" :) So even a pre-nup isn't going to save...
by Cobra Commander
Thu Sep 07, 2023 9:43 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Engagmenet in 5 months - prenup questions for newbie
Replies: 105
Views: 11274

Re: Engagmenet in 5 months - prenup questions for newbie

I don't see why you need a prenup, because everything you've expressed a desire for is available by default under California law. If you divorce, community property is split equally. Separate property (that you bring into the marriage, or receive as gifts or inheritances) remains separate. Your $150K is not an especially tricky situation. It's not a business that you plan to grow during the marriage or anything like that. Of course there is no rule that your prenup has to differ from the law. You could sign a contract that just reiterates your rights under the law. But do you really want to pay the money for that? One thing a prenup does offer is choice of law. You can guarantee that your possible divorce would be conducted under Californi...
by Cobra Commander
Mon Sep 04, 2023 7:36 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Am I Underpaid? (Lawyers)
Replies: 71
Views: 9284

Re: Am I Underpaid? (Lawyers)

IMO teachers and police officers are underpaid. IMO everybody's underpaid as long as it's someone else paying for it. OP probably feels underpaid because new grads out of law school going into biglaw make more. IANAL, but from what I've heard getting those big $ firm positions aren't the "average" situation. It's a very competitive, highly selective, and over-crowded field of work. Depending on ones school prestige, class rankings, and other experience/qualifications isn't something that just anyone whose a member of the bar association can get into. But everybody here is "above average" right? To be fair many govt positions are very competitive as well. There are a lot of folks (even those leaving biglaw) that want a d...
by Cobra Commander
Mon Sep 04, 2023 7:19 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Am I Underpaid? (Lawyers)
Replies: 71
Views: 9284

Re: Am I Underpaid? (Lawyers)

One option to consider if you have the skill set for it is to go to a financial regulator. Their pay scales are considerably higher than the GS pay scale. Those positions are very competitive for that reason though.
by Cobra Commander
Tue Aug 29, 2023 8:02 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: (Thinking far ahead) pay Dec. 2025 property taxes late if SALT cap ends?
Replies: 9
Views: 1242

Re: (Thinking far ahead) pay Dec. 2025 property taxes late if SALT cap ends?

, it is unlikely the IRS has the resources to pursue this just like they didn't for people that prepaid in 2017 but I didn't think it was the correct approach. The situations aren't equivalent. For many people, perhaps most and certainly me in two different states, the taxes are levied and due in the year you get the bill but you have the option of paying all at once or in two installments, the second of which may be due sometime the following year. There's no restriction on paying both installments at once nor do I think the IRS would have any sort case in that scenario. I think it is pretty clear that the taxes have to actually be paid in order to claim the deduction (someone correct me if I'm wrong or there are exceptions) so if your re...
by Cobra Commander
Mon Aug 28, 2023 7:39 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: (Thinking far ahead) pay Dec. 2025 property taxes late if SALT cap ends?
Replies: 9
Views: 1242

Re: (Thinking far ahead) pay Dec. 2025 property taxes late if SALT cap ends?

I am digging far back into my memory here but I thought the issue with this approach is that the taxes have to be accrued and paid for the period you are seeking the deduction. Here, the taxes would be owed for the period when you were limited by the cap so I didn't think you could carry them forward. Granted, it is unlikely the IRS has the resources to pursue this just like they didn't for people that prepaid in 2017 but I didn't think it was the correct approach.

Edit: I think I am wrong as noted by subsequent posters.
by Cobra Commander
Sun Aug 27, 2023 7:47 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Daycare vs Single working parent
Replies: 28
Views: 2051

Re: Daycare vs Single working parent

Totally agreed, but my hours are already pretty reduced to ~10-20hrs/week. If you’re only working 10-20 hrs a week then you should have a lot of time for parenting. Instead of full time daycare maybe the kids could do a morning program or 3 days a week? I think you guys are set just as you are: spouse keeps the job, you can work 10-20 hrs a week and fill in the gaps with some half time programs. My spouse stayed home for the early years, but she is a high performer and felt somewhat empty without her career. I actually thought she would go back sooner and encouraged it but for various reasons she kept putting it off. She’s back at work now and it’s great. We pay more in childcare but it’s worth it. It’s not about the income it’s about bala...
by Cobra Commander
Sun Aug 27, 2023 7:06 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Daycare vs Single working parent
Replies: 28
Views: 2051

Re: Daycare vs Single working parent

How easily can your wife reenter the workforce if she quits?

I am not sure how you weigh this now but as your kids get older you might find that you want them in some form of preschool even if not full time. Many SAHP around here use church-based preschool that runs 9-1 so you might feel differently about preschool when your oldest child is 1-2 years older.

The answer though if your wife really doesn't want to SAH seems to be either you do it or change your view on daycare.
by Cobra Commander
Mon Aug 14, 2023 9:13 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Bloomberg Why the rich don’t feel rich.
Replies: 164
Views: 18872

Re: Bloomberg Why the rich don’t feel rich.

We are very comfortable and can afford most things but I would not say we are rich. We could not afford to send our kids full pay to private school or private colleges nor could we fly first class which I think are activities generally reserved for the rich. I am happy with where we are so and the life we lead so I don't really debate whether we are classified as rich or not.
by Cobra Commander
Fri Aug 11, 2023 8:08 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: WSJ Series on "Here's what a $X million retirement in the US looks like"
Replies: 113
Views: 15240

Re: WSJ Series on "Here's what a $X million retirement in the US looks like"

I thought that in several instances in the previous articles they picked people that were not very representative of the demographic. For example, I recall one person that had a substantial public sector pension and another that brought in substantial income from consulting. It just seemed like those are niche cases and probably should not have been included.
by Cobra Commander
Mon Jul 31, 2023 11:04 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: AZ landlord. Renter refused to pay the last month's rent. What next?
Replies: 117
Views: 14320

Re: AZ landlord. Renter refused to pay the last month's rent. What next?

Our renter (~$3k rent, $3k security deposit) bought a home in June; gave a notice about 30 days earlier and moved out early June. He paid June and July rent. The lease states that breaking a lease doesn't mean that he is out of the rent till end of contract date which is Aug 31st (exact terms included below). The contract states: "Breaking the lease – If you are unable to fulfill the lease obligations for the entire term, there is a lease buy out that is required before management can proceed with the leasing of your rental home. This lease fee is equal to one (1) months’ rent plus $750 and is merely a penalty for breaking your lease paid to Desert Canyon Properties and the landlord. This penalty does NOT release you from all of your ...
by Cobra Commander
Sun Jul 30, 2023 8:04 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Pension, final salary, and reducing hours before ramping back up at end of career
Replies: 15
Views: 2321

Re: Pension, final salary, and reducing hours before ramping back up at end of career

Probably a minor point but your 401k matches would of course be smaller on a reduced salary. They may also require you to pay a larger portion of hour health insurance premium. Also your years of service are probably pro rated for part time status. May not matter but just mentioning.
by Cobra Commander
Wed Jul 26, 2023 4:53 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: KlangFools How Much House Formula
Replies: 145
Views: 13131

Re: KlangFools How Much House Formula

John Doe 123 wrote: Wed Jul 26, 2023 4:48 pm His opinions on home affordability are so conservative that they almost can not be taken seriously.

So, to answer your question: it doesn't matter.
+1.
by Cobra Commander
Sat Jul 15, 2023 1:08 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Retire @ 51 y.o. w 75% of my salary or 61 y.o. w 100% or something in between
Replies: 38
Views: 4798

Re: Retire @ 51 y.o. w 75% of my salary or 61 y.o. w 100% or something in between

Will your job let you work part time? I might consider that as an option after a few years.
by Cobra Commander
Sat Jun 24, 2023 7:26 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Hired remote, forced into office. Should I stay or go?
Replies: 118
Views: 9722

Re: Hired remote, forced into office. Should I stay or go?

My vote is for using an address 50+ miles away. Worst case rent a room in someones house you'll never use and claim that is your address.
by Cobra Commander
Thu Jun 15, 2023 2:53 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Mechanic Shop Issue: Legality of paying repair bill
Replies: 31
Views: 2208

Re: Mechanic Shop Issue: Legality of paying repair bill

Your state may permit them to place a mechanic's lien on your vehicle without obtaining a judgment. As a dealership, they may have the infrastructure in place to easily place a mechanic's lien on your vehicle which would prevent you from selling the vehicle. Your state may permit them to tack on additional fees for doing this and for removing the lien when you pay it. It sounds like you didn't sign a contract with them so they would not have a contractual right to recover attorney fees if they were to sue you which makes this route unlikely. That said, your state may have a statute that provides repair shops with the right to recover attorney fees and collection costs which would increase the likelihood that they will sue you. At a minimum,...
by Cobra Commander
Mon Jun 12, 2023 6:06 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: I feel like I'm lagging behind where I "should" be. Am I, or am I just in my head?
Replies: 42
Views: 5597

Re: I feel like I'm lagging behind where I "should" be. Am I, or am I just in my head?

gotoparks wrote: Mon Jun 12, 2023 5:51 pm CNBC has the kinds of articles that show where everyone should be at certain ages. All those are clickbait. You should stay off of CNBC and the like if they affect you. At 27 you are starting out, so you are not going to have piles of money. Probably your best bet is to find another company with better benefits. It might take a few years but that would be my goal.
+1. Agree to avoid clickbait generalizations. Thing is you had student loans that you paid down so you increased your net worth from negative to positive over the past few years. Keep up good financial habits and progress will come in time.
by Cobra Commander
Thu May 18, 2023 6:09 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: [Realtors unwilling to negotiate lease with military personnel]
Replies: 40
Views: 3748

Re: Military Towns - Realators Are Out of Control and Controlling the Market

The problem is this is a losing proposition for the LL. You lock in rent for 3 years and LL loses the ability to raise rents in accordance with the market. Since you're military if you get different orders you can terminate the lease so there's no long term stability for the LL.