Search found 31 matches

by Bubba24
Wed Feb 14, 2024 1:17 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Best dumb thermostat?
Replies: 35
Views: 2969

Re: Best dumb thermostat?

Home Depot has a $20 Honeywell that is simple, straightforward, accurate, quiet and made for DIYers.
by Bubba24
Sun Feb 04, 2024 3:41 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Tax Preparer bailed, which tax software to use?
Replies: 76
Views: 6501

Re: Tax Preparer bailed, which tax software to use?

Another endorsement for Free Tax USA: clarity of directions, ease of use and presentation of subjects on the org chart to prod one's thinking (did I fill out all the income sources, etc.).
by Bubba24
Wed Jan 24, 2024 5:16 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: VUSXX = 80.6% U.S. Treasury for 2023
Replies: 67
Views: 9751

Re: VUSXX = 80.6% U.S. Treasury for 2023

Heading is misleading: it's 80.06%
by Bubba24
Fri Jan 05, 2024 8:12 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: preferred tax preparation software? [for tax year 2023]
Replies: 56
Views: 7804

Re: preferred tax preparation software?

I've used free tax usa on chrome for three years without problems. Program seems more logical than others in requesting data.
by Bubba24
Fri Dec 29, 2023 10:39 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 100K milestone, consolidating to 3-fund, general plan checkup
Replies: 17
Views: 1622

Re: 100K milestone, consolidating to 3-fund, general plan checkup

You have an excellent plan and perspective. Continue the march!
by Bubba24
Mon Sep 25, 2023 2:40 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: My Elderly Parents Can't Resist Answering the Phone
Replies: 127
Views: 38955

Re: My Elderly Parents Can't Resist Answering the Phone

The AT@T cordless phones effectively stop scam calls while allowing friends and desired services to go thru.
by Bubba24
Sat Nov 19, 2022 11:46 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: What have your (long term) investment returns been?
Replies: 47
Views: 4428

Re: What have your (long term) investment returns been?

Vanguard's 10 year performance chart has me at 7.7% presently. At the start of the year it was 10.0%.
by Bubba24
Thu Jul 07, 2022 5:57 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Need some Help Deciding about Employment
Replies: 29
Views: 3185

Re: Need some Help Deciding about Employment

You clearly are capable of abstract thought in your presentation of the variables. Would you be able to put up with a bad supervisor while in thrall to the system for a significant period of time on the job??
I suggest that you should seek the most flexibility in the choices you have so as to not be trapped by the golden handcuffs of good pension, etc.
by Bubba24
Thu Jan 27, 2022 2:48 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Moving to VTI from BND in tIRA
Replies: 12
Views: 1680

Re: Moving to VTI from BND in tIRA

Thanks for the comments to my pandemic-produced waiver of my usual "I'll just take the annoying frustration of no good choices". :annoyed
Stay the course wins again.
by Bubba24
Wed Jan 26, 2022 8:19 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Moving to VTI from BND in tIRA
Replies: 12
Views: 1680

Re: Moving to VTI from BND in tIRA

Should have typed 65 and 35 for VTI and VXUS!
by Bubba24
Wed Jan 26, 2022 6:53 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Moving to VTI from BND in tIRA
Replies: 12
Views: 1680

Re: Moving to VTI from BND in tIRA

Because the erosion of BND seems steady and the Fed promises more erosion to come.
by Bubba24
Wed Jan 26, 2022 5:35 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Moving to VTI from BND in tIRA
Replies: 12
Views: 1680

Moving to VTI from BND in tIRA

I am single, have 5M in assets, pension pays living expenses, 75/25 AA. All tIRA in BND around 900K. Why shouldn't I convert tIRA to 65% VTI, 25% WXUS??
by Bubba24
Fri Jan 14, 2022 8:10 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Need recommendation on Landline phones
Replies: 13
Views: 1740

Re: Need recommendation on Landline phones

The at&t from amazon (above) works great!!
by Bubba24
Wed Jan 05, 2022 6:51 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Help! I'm considering buying a timeshare
Replies: 188
Views: 18287

Re: Help! I'm considering buying a timeshare

Do you really want it or do you think its a good deal??
by Bubba24
Wed Jan 05, 2022 6:24 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Will/Trust
Replies: 31
Views: 2683

Re: Will/Trust

10 years ago we had a living trust, POA, health care directive done for $700 dollars in Northern Virginia.
Is inflation that bad? :confused
by Bubba24
Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:15 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: New to Mystery Reading: Which Authors?
Replies: 98
Views: 8504

Re: New to Mystery Reading: Which Authors?

Research
ResearchMed wrote: Mon Dec 06, 2021 6:55 am I'm especially interested in starting the Louise Penny series. Does it make much of a difference in that series?
I think her character development and the near-British reticence to make horror explicit makes her works much better read in order.
by Bubba24
Sun Dec 05, 2021 11:05 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Protecting Purchasing Power of Cash
Replies: 28
Views: 2351

Re: Protecting Purchasing Power of Cash

One can't keep money "safe" in inflation without risk. Your question asks the impossible.
by Bubba24
Tue Jul 27, 2021 10:20 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: roof heating cables nuisance tripping of gfci
Replies: 11
Views: 2254

Re: roof heating cables nuisance tripping of gfci

In addition to the above age and condition questions, is it a weather resistant GFCI?
by Bubba24
Sat Jul 10, 2021 5:45 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How quickly did you receive your 2020 tax refund?
Replies: 437
Views: 49837

Re: How quickly did you receive your 2020 tax refund?

Oh joy, oh rapture!! Mailed 1040 on February 17th, received notice of receipt on March 30th, and finally moved from being processed to Refund Approved on July 10th!!! Roughly 5 months.
by Bubba24
Sat Jun 05, 2021 9:34 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: IRS estimated tax went to wrong bucket
Replies: 5
Views: 668

Re: IRS estimated tax went to wrong bucket

EFTPS and IRS are dissimilar. You may have to use snail mail to reply to IRS and if so certify your response mail.
by Bubba24
Sat May 08, 2021 1:13 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Best options for squashing scammer phone calls?
Replies: 67
Views: 7725

Re: Best options for squashing scammer phone calls?

AT&T cordless phones have an excellent call blocker function that has stopped spam calls from any ringing for six months now in my case.
by Bubba24
Thu Apr 29, 2021 5:44 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Funeral expenses-10K fair?
Replies: 25
Views: 3549

Re: Funeral expenses-10K fair?

Thank you for all your responses. I just wanted reassurance that the costs were within reasonable limits as specific questions to the person making the arrangements seem inappropriate just now.
by Bubba24
Wed Apr 28, 2021 6:06 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Funeral expenses-10K fair?
Replies: 25
Views: 3549

Funeral expenses-10K fair?

Is 10K a fair price for funeral expenses in eastern Massachusetts? The form notes $2600 for professional services from the git-go and then additional fees for personnel at the religious ceremony, etc. My most recent experience was in 2017 when $8500 was the charge?
by Bubba24
Fri Feb 19, 2021 2:38 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: E-filing form 1116 [FreeTaxUSA]
Replies: 122
Views: 15540

Re: Can't E-file form 1116

Free tax USA said I could not efile because I needed to attach 1099-R showing tax withheld. This is a new requirement to me.
by Bubba24
Mon Jan 18, 2021 11:37 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Radio Frequency Interference Issue
Replies: 25
Views: 2311

Re: Radio Frequency Interference Issue

This discussion solves a 70 year-old mystery of tire chains playing the programming of a nearby radio station. They were suspended horizontally from two nails in the barn of a farm and perpendicular to the tower. I now understand how that could have happened, if unattached speakers can be activated, why not tire chains left out to dry? Thank you.
by Bubba24
Fri Sep 04, 2020 8:28 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Did I pick this butternut squash too early?
Replies: 13
Views: 3472

Re: Did I pick this butternut squash too early?

Let it mature; it's a hard squash that keeps well :happy .
by Bubba24
Tue Aug 18, 2020 3:03 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Vxus [Vanguard Total International Stock ETF]
Replies: 17
Views: 1402

Re: Vxus [Vanguard Total International Stock ETF]

If you place more than 30% of your stock in international that will extinguish the warning notice on Portfolio Watch :happy
by Bubba24
Mon Jan 13, 2020 6:11 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Which Tax Software
Replies: 43
Views: 6668

Re: Which Tax Software

I'm using Free Tax USA this year after Tax Act program prevented me as a widower from filing a single 2018 electronic return. I had used Tax Act for 2017 as married and their program retained my deceased wife's SS number without indicating it was doing so which confused the IRS computer. Cryptic error messages from IRS and Tax Act required my calling a humanoid at Tax Act to amend their coding which was invisible to the naked user! Virginia also billed me for $10 on my state tax return after having accepted the Tax Act electronic submission but I have no reason given from them and no patience for pursuing the case.
by Bubba24
Fri Nov 29, 2019 10:35 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: H&R BLOCK Pre-Order 2019 Software Offer
Replies: 317
Views: 35427

Re: H&R BLOCK Pre-Order 2019 Software Offer

I ordered from Newegg and the product was downloaded promptly but I am newly on Chromebook and it cannot be opened. Anyone else have this experience?