Search found 4669 matches
- Mon Mar 18, 2024 10:05 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Dollar Cost Averaging
- Replies: 12
- Views: 890
Re: Dollar Cost Averaging
As a reminder, the wiki has a page on this very topic: https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Dollar_cost_averaging Which includes: When you are ready to invest money, a common question is whether you should invest it as a lump sum or Dollar Cost Average (DCA) by splitting your investment across several payments. The answer depends on the degree to which you are willing to accept lower expected returns in exchange for lower potential losses (aversion to possible loss). In most cases, you are moving your money from cash (or the equivalent, a low-yielding money market) to some mix of stocks and bonds. The expected return of both stocks and bonds is higher than cash. However, their volatility is higher as well. The risk is that just after making your...
- Mon Mar 18, 2024 9:59 pm
- Forum: Forum Issues and Administration
- Topic: Rule Against Disparaging a Post or Question?
- Replies: 11
- Views: 1221
Re: Rule Against Disparaging a Post or Question?
Ultimately, I see this as basically the golden rule - "treat others as you would want to be treated". Towards that, it's great when new posters show they value the communities time by attempting to use search, wiki, etc. Likewise, it's great when longtime posters remember what it was like to be new, and offer a helpful redirect/recommendation/etc. I'd wager many of them who point out that search exists and/or note the question is "asked and answered" (or some phrasing of that) are attempting to do just that. You may not like the wording they use, but likely in their minds they are trying to help . ... There is value in telling people to read the old posts. True, that. I have never (yet) had to type out a question here. S...
- Sat Mar 16, 2024 11:12 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Dollar Cost Averaging
- Replies: 12
- Views: 890
Re: Dollar Cost Averaging
I dollar cost average in the sense that when I have money available to invest, it gets invested according to my AA.
If you'd prefer to call that "lump sum" on every pay cycle, I won't object.
If you'd prefer to call that "lump sum" on every pay cycle, I won't object.
- Thu Mar 14, 2024 6:49 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Greenlight debit card for teenager.
- Replies: 7
- Views: 494
Re: Greenlight debit card for teenager.
Happy Greenlight customer. We opened the account to start an "allowance" (posted more background on that in another recent thread, snippet below), which Greenlight made really simple. While we never ended up using them, liked the debit card visibility and controls. As noted below, "our plan" was to switch to a "free" option (local banks, CU's, Capital One, even Fidelity Youth accounts) to avoid the monthly fee after a few years. But their "Family Card" with up-to 3% cash back (depending on monthly spend) ends up "paying for the service" with the "extra" cash back we get versus our 2nd highest cash back card. We've since added child to the credit card as well, so they should get a h...
- Thu Mar 14, 2024 6:14 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Cloud based backup options for sensitive files
- Replies: 92
- Views: 7403
Re: Cloud based backup options for sensitive files
I used open-source software as much as possible. I don't trust closed source, because nobody outside the selling company knows whether there are vulnerabilities, though hackers can find these by brute force methods. Sorry - just have to call this out... IMHO this is a fallacy that somehow "open-source" is "more secure." That's only potentially true for massively used open source projects where you have very large teams of developers working on the open source code. Linux is a good example of this. But often many of those developers actually work for the "closed source" companies you don't like... Don't know if it's still true, but for at least a few years, Microsoft was one of the largest contributors to Linux...
- Thu Mar 14, 2024 6:02 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Cloud based backup options for sensitive files
- Replies: 92
- Views: 7403
Re: Cloud based backup options for sensitive files
As an example, if the key is stored in an cloud location that's compromised, your data could be compromised. If your key is stored on an unprotected local USB drive, someone with access to it could access your data. And keeping the key "only locally" goes back to the risk of data loss if your "local" location is damaged by water/fire/wind/etc. In my case, if the cloud location were to be compromised, the attacker would obtain access to an encrypted file, which you do them no good and me no harm. The local backup drive is in as safe a location as necessary for my purposes. My backup for my spideroak key, like my other backups, also is encrypted. Perhaps my point was missed... And if your spouse/heir/executor needs access...
- Thu Mar 14, 2024 2:45 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: FAWXX for emergency funds
- Replies: 6
- Views: 812
Re: FAWXX for emergency funds
Should add one more consideration... You didn't state how much money, or what kind of liquidity you need. So this may, or may not, be relevant to you. But several people use I Bonds as part of (or eventually for their entire) emergency fund. The downside with I Bonds is they are limited to $10k/year purchase limit (add $5k if you get them as part of tax refund), can't be redeemed in the first 12 months, and have a 3-month interest penalty if redeemed within the first 5-years, can only be purchased from TreasuryDirect.gov. Some of the upsides include they have an "inflation" protection aspect (only thing else that does are TIPS), uniquely have a "deflation" protection as well (variable rates can never go below 0%), effect...
- Thu Mar 14, 2024 2:16 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Margin account is running wild with interest on Fidelity. Personal advice.
- Replies: 20
- Views: 1415
Re: Margin account is running wild with interest on Fidelity. Personal advice.
Don't beat yourself up.
Almost all of us have made investing mistakes. Many far worse and far more painful.
While my prior post listed at least 5 mistakes you made, and hopefully learn from... What it didn't list were the numerous mistakes I've made, and have tried to learn from.
In other words, welcome to the club!
Dust yourself off. Read some of the recommended materials, solidify a better plan moving forward, and you'll have a bright financial future.
- Thu Mar 14, 2024 2:08 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: FAWXX for emergency funds
- Replies: 6
- Views: 812
Re: FAWXX for emergency funds
Many of us use Fidelity Money Market funds as our primary "checking" and/or "savings" accounts. There's even a wiki https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Fidelity:_one_stop_shop and a massive thread on the subject... https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=266538 That said, not sure if FAWXX is the "best" option for you - at least not right now. Looks like 7-day was 2.98%. FDLXX is a "Treasury Only" option, had a 7-day yield of 4.95%. Even taxed at 35%, that's still around 3.22% after federal taxes. It's also usually 95% state tax free, so likely to be higher return (currently) after both state and federal taxes than FAWXX. FZEXX would be federally tax-free, had 7-day yield of 3.16%, but you'd owe ...
- Thu Mar 14, 2024 1:42 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Margin account is running wild with interest on Fidelity. Personal advice.
- Replies: 20
- Views: 1415
Re: Margin account is running wild with interest on Fidelity. Personal advice.
Agree - OP needs to stop the damage, sell off enough to payback the margin, even better close the margin account so it doesn't happen again. One rule - a big rule - I try to live by - always make new mistakes. This falls into that category. You've made the mistake. You can't undo it. You cannot avoid making mistakes in the future. But you can avoid making this mistake again. Arguably OP made at least five mistakes, ideally they learn from and don't repeat: They attempted to "pick winning stocks" They failed to create a diversified portfolio They took on too much risk (using margin and a non-diversified portfolio) They didn't manage the risk/monitor the account They are attempting to "time the market", assuming they know ...
- Wed Mar 13, 2024 8:52 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Is it Too Late to Invest in VTI?
- Replies: 126
- Views: 19052
Re: Is it Too Late to Invest in VTI?
If the market crashes, vti will absolutely crash. If it didn’t there would be something very wrong, as it is designed to mirror the market. Peaks and crashes over the long term are going to happen, so your investment strategy has to take that into account. VTI is 12% made up of two stocks - Apple and MS. Just 2 stocks. It is 31% technology. That is not "the market". That is not how to diversify. Wise to include other funds, in addition to VTI. That is the market, though. The market has chosen to weight those stocks very heavy. Exactly... There was a time when IBM and AT&T made up near 12% of the market. And that was the early 80s, I believe... Pretty good time to invest in the SP500, even though both of those stocks dropped b...
- Wed Mar 13, 2024 8:30 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Ooma Phone Service
- Replies: 40
- Views: 3439
Re: Ooma Phone Service
+1
Although unless they've changed it since we set ours up, you do need a computer or mobile device on the same network to set it up the first time.
But once setup, it just runs and runs and runs, nothing else required.
- Wed Mar 13, 2024 8:25 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Kid's Accounts and How They Use Them
- Replies: 22
- Views: 1943
Re: Kid's Accounts and How They Use Them
As others have noted, lots of different opinions, no clear "right" answer. Some of that comes down to kids are just not all the same... In our case, we never planned to do an "allowance".... Kid got money from relatives for holidays, birthdays, etc. They'd keep some in "cash" (or gift cards, etc.), the rest we'd deposit into a child savings account (Capitol One). All of this was "their money", we didn't put any limits/conditions/constraints on it. We figured if they blew it on something, and then didn't have money for the next thing they wanted, they'd learn a valuable lesson. Great in theory. Failed in reality. :oops: Turns out our kid is a natural Boglehead, or at least a natural saver. There wasn't...
- Wed Mar 13, 2024 7:26 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Good free investment/retirement software?
- Replies: 2
- Views: 535
Re: Good free investment/retirement software?
There's a lengthy list awaiting your review: https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Tools_and_calculators
- Wed Mar 13, 2024 6:47 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Ooma Phone Service
- Replies: 40
- Views: 3439
Re: Ooma Phone Service
Does Ooma work with a TP Link Mesh system? How does it hook up? "Ooma" doesn't care... But what matters is what Ooma hardware you have, and what it needs. It's been awhile since I've looked at their hardware choices... But the one I bought years ago didn't support WiFi, it required being "plugged in" to the router (IIRC comes with required cables). So long as your router (aka your "base" station for your TP-Link setup) has an open port, it should work fine. Even if newer versions support WiFi, it's arguably best to plug it in if you can. The other piece as I recall is that Ooma also plugs into your "phone line" (once your phone line is discounted from the phone company). This is how it enables your p...
- Wed Mar 13, 2024 12:56 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Cloud based backup options for sensitive files
- Replies: 92
- Views: 7403
Re: Cloud based backup options for sensitive files
Spideroak is cheap and reliable. Files are encrypted on your computer. All Spideroak ever has are the encrypted files. No bad actor at the company could see your unencrypted information. Backups are automatic. You do need to keep your key. Lose it and you have nothing. I keep multiple backups of this sort of critical password information in various physical locations and in the cloud. I also backup to a local hard drive using File History. I am a low risk target and I am comfortable with the security of my computer and the hard drive. Just to call it out... As you noted, your "key" becomes critically important. Lose it, you effectively lose all your data too. So your "multiple backups" makes a lot of sense to address th...
- Tue Mar 12, 2024 11:44 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Rate my asset allocation
- Replies: 4
- Views: 743
Re: Rate my asset allocation
Would recommend putting in fund names, people don't memorize the thousands of funds out there (nor want to be forced to look them up).
But even not knowing the names, the general view is that 5% isn't enough to "move the needle". You are creating unneeded complexity.
But even not knowing the names, the general view is that 5% isn't enough to "move the needle". You are creating unneeded complexity.
- Tue Mar 12, 2024 11:28 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Changing target retirement dates
- Replies: 6
- Views: 895
Re: Changing target retirement dates
I'm currently in 2025 and I want to change to 2035. This is my traditional IRA and Roth IRA. Do I sell everything in it and then pick the 2035? ... My husband has a tsp that is in 2030 and wanted to change over to 2040. You should be able to "exchange" your funds. Basically swap 100% of what's in the 2025 fund to 2035. The "exchange" avoids you having to "sell" and then "buy" separately. But doing so would end up with the same result. Since these are tax-advantaged accounts, there are no tax implications. I also noticed under my traditional IRA that has been idle for years, there is a button that says convert to Roth IRA. Is this something I should consider? I have a Roth IRA. This would result in pa...
- Tue Mar 12, 2024 10:54 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Changing target retirement dates
- Replies: 6
- Views: 895
Re: Changing target retirement dates
I'm not sure I follow your question... Presumably you mean that you are currently invested in a target date fund. Let's use VFORX - their 2040 Target Date fund. If you want to "change" to a different "target date", you simply "exchange" your current fund for the "closest" one to your new target date (they are typically in 5-year increments). For example, if you wanted to "push back" retirement to 2044, the "closest" option would be the 2045 fund, which is VTIVX. In other words, you don't "change your date", you "change to a fund that aligns to your new date". A full list of Vanguard Target Date Funds can be found: https://investor.vanguard.com/investment-product...
- Tue Mar 12, 2024 10:32 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Tax software which can calculate income exempt from state taxes?
- Replies: 21
- Views: 1483
Re: Tax software which can calculate income exempt from state taxes?
+1
My assumption is the "market" for this is very small, with the cost/liability is likely pretty high. It's just not worth their time...
My assumption is the "market" for this is very small, with the cost/liability is likely pretty high. It's just not worth their time...
- Tue Mar 12, 2024 9:20 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Layoff/regisn offer but employer won't share terms
- Replies: 20
- Views: 2831
Re: Layoff/regisn offer but employer won't share terms
Your answer to your employer is a one word sentence. "No" Then let them lay you off and go collect unemployment. LOL - yeah, because the generous unemployment benefits in any state in the US will definitely beat a severance package on offer from an established consulting firm... I don't think anyone was implying unemployment would be better than getting a severance package... But I think people were noting that if they won't share details about the severance package, that's "questionable" ("shady"). And without actually "having an acceptable offer in hand", you could end up without a job, without severance, and since you resigned without unemployment. Why risk that? Glad to hear it worked out for OP!...
- Tue Mar 12, 2024 11:12 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Roth IRA - Transfer
- Replies: 6
- Views: 436
Re: Roth IRA - Transfer
And my Fidelity brokerage account doesn’t charge any fees beyond whatever the fund expenses are correct? Yes, UNLESS you signed up for some type of Fidelity Advisor plan. And there is NO REASON to do so! If you go and create an account online at Fidelity, the default is a self-managed no fee account. https://www.fidelity.com/retirement-ira/roth-ira Once created, simply start a "Transfer", and that will kick off the process. Once the transfer is complete, you can reinvest your funds in a bunch of options. Fidelity has ZERO cost funds (like FZROX), or more traditional low cost funds (like FSKAX). You can also use most ETFs with no fees, so you could use Vanguard (VTI), Schwab (SCHB), etc. if those were your preference. If you are t...
- Tue Mar 12, 2024 9:01 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Roth IRA - Transfer
- Replies: 6
- Views: 436
Re: Roth IRA - Transfer
Just to clarify, since this is a tax-advantaged account, no taxes are due. As such, not really a big deal if they can't do an "in-kind" transfer. You are going to end up selling/exchanging those share anyway. So if it's done as part of the transfer to a new brokerage like Fidelity, arguably no downside. OK, if we want to be nit picky, the downside is a transfer can take a few days. And if they have to liquidate the funds first, those funds could be "out of the market" for a few days during the transfer. The "concern" is if the market sees extraordinary gains in those few days you are "out of the market". Is it possible - sure. Is it likely - not really. Which is worse, being stuck with high fees erodi...
- Tue Mar 12, 2024 8:54 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Locums life and South Dakota residency?
- Replies: 15
- Views: 1249
Re: Locums life and South Dakota residency?
Travel nurses and locums providers pay taxes to the states they work in. Not in the medical field, but I've heard of some employers doing the same... You work X days in state A, they withhold taxes X/365 days of your income to pay to that state. We are taking regular W2 work, not consulting or other "income generation" conducted in the state. As I understand it, different states have different "minimum" thresholds - from no threshold to week+ of work. But my working theory is your "residence" may have less impact on your taxes than you think, as it's likely you'll owe taxes in/to the state you are in when earning the income. Admittedly, not sure how well this is enforced or understood... When I first heard of ...
- Mon Mar 11, 2024 1:35 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Ooma Phone Service
- Replies: 40
- Views: 3439
Re: Ooma Phone Service
I always ask people what their use case is for keeping a landline versus shutting it down and simply using Mobile all the time. - If the use case is a second number to give out so you aren't giving out your mobile - you can get a free Google number. - For my Dad, he didn't want to give up all his handsets that he had throughout the house that he was accustomed to using. He had a set of 5 wireless Panasonic handsets - wanted to answer from various rooms without having to carry his cell phone around with him. I looked at the set and noticed it supported blue-tooth so we connected his mobile to the system and he was able to answer both landline calls AND mobile calls from anywhere in the house on his existing phone handsets. Once he got used ...
- Mon Mar 11, 2024 8:01 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Ooma Phone Service
- Replies: 40
- Views: 3439
Re: Ooma Phone Service
We have/use Ooma - although very rarely as most things are done via cell now. But for the few dollars it costs, we don't mind keeping a "home phone." Works out well for kids, guests, etc. - knowing if they need to make a call, especially emergency call, they call do so. I was not impressed with their support for porting my phone number over to a cell service provider. I cannot be certain that the issue was with Ooma or the new cell phone service provider (US Mobile), but my impression was that Ooma was not that cooperative and I had to make a lot of phone calls back and forth to make it happen. FWIW this is not unique to Ooma. Telephone companies are notorious for trying to delay number porting. It just is what it is... Unfortunat...
- Sun Mar 10, 2024 8:49 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Quick way to efile an extension?
- Replies: 16
- Views: 777
Re: Quick way to efile an extension?
As a reminder, taxes are due in April, an extension simply gives you more time to figure out and file the actual taxes - it does not give you more time to pay.
To avoid interest and penalties, they should have a good tax estimate, and pay that estimate. Making the payment should automatically grant an extension. https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/extensio ... tax-return
They could also fill out the extension form and mail it in, with a tax payment, before taxes are due.
Ideally, when they file their taxes, it will be "close enough" that no interest/penalties apply.
To avoid interest and penalties, they should have a good tax estimate, and pay that estimate. Making the payment should automatically grant an extension. https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/extensio ... tax-return
They could also fill out the extension form and mail it in, with a tax payment, before taxes are due.
Ideally, when they file their taxes, it will be "close enough" that no interest/penalties apply.
- Sat Mar 09, 2024 10:19 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Tax software which can calculate income exempt from state taxes?
- Replies: 21
- Views: 1483
Re: Tax software which can calculate income exempt from state taxes?
I don't hold as many funds as the OP, but I don't find this too difficult...
Simple spreadsheet with:
Entering the calculated amount into TurboTax was simple.
Simple spreadsheet with:
- Ticker/Fund name
- amount of dividends/interest (from 1099)
- % exempt from state taxes (from supplemental information from each institution)
- a simple formula multiplying the two together.
Entering the calculated amount into TurboTax was simple.
- Thu Mar 07, 2024 10:49 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: 16 yr old - how can I best take on high risk?
- Replies: 65
- Views: 5236
Re: 16 yr old - how can I best take on high risk?
Highly recommend reading https://www.etf.com/docs/IfYouCan.pdf
After that, tune out the noise, follow its timeless advice.
After that, tune out the noise, follow its timeless advice.
- Wed Mar 06, 2024 10:38 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Fidelity free Turbotax 2023
- Replies: 435
- Views: 154186
Re: Fidelity free Turbotax 2023
I can't speak to the "free" offer part. I can confirm that you can have/use multiple TurboTax/Intuit accounts. But I'd advise "using caution" doing so. A few years back I filed minor child's tax return (under Kiddie Tax limits), using the "federally free" version of TurboTax - as their federal taxable income was $0. Since the online version works in the browser, and browsers use things like "cookies" to ostensibly "help" the user experience - I had lots of issues trying to switch between "accounts". IIRC it kept wanting me to pay for child's "free" return... Ultimately, I had to use separate logins on my computer (or separate computers, browsers, etc.) to get it to work ...
- Wed Mar 06, 2024 8:53 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Help with Firecalc "Your Portfolio" Tab Entries
- Replies: 5
- Views: 651
Re: Help with Firecalc "Your Portfolio" Tab Entries
I tried playing around with the % equity input. Below are the ending values it spit out for my current allocation of 58%, and what it said when I tried bumping it up. Those results and this statement on the screen make me wonder a little if I'm being too conservative with my asset allocation. I'm planning for 32 years. "Research seems to suggest about 50% for a 10 year term, almost 70% for a 20 year term, and around 85% for a 60 year term" 58% - $2,587,462 to $15,019,656 75% - $2,891,980 to $19,561,237 80% - $2,976,722 to $21,140,270 There is also an "Investigate" option which will show you the impact to your "success rate" based on changes to your AA. It won't give your the $$ values, instead a simple % succe...
- Wed Mar 06, 2024 5:59 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: FireCalc.Com Question
- Replies: 19
- Views: 1811
Re: FireCalc.Com Question
The success rate that folks go for is quite personal. Kind of like asset allocation, some folks have a higher risk tolerance. Personally, on firecalc, I look for 95%+. +1 Also depends on people's inputs/assumptions. The default for Firecalc is to "maintain" a consistent - inflation adjusted - annual expense. Effectively a "Safe Withdrawal Rate" (SWR) approach. If someone uses an "expense" that's a "nice to have" amount - they have a built in "buffer" as they could reduce spend if needed - and thus could tolerate a lower "success rate." Conversely, if someone uses a "must have" amount, they may have zero tolerance, and thus will want a higher "success rates." An...
- Wed Mar 06, 2024 5:39 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Need Asset Location Help
- Replies: 6
- Views: 1159
Re: Need Asset Location Help
Just simplify and use FXNAX and VBMPX? This would be my vote. There was another thread recently asking "can you do better than a total bond fund", and the answer AFAIK was effectively no. There might be some marginal benefit doing "this" or doing "that", but for everything you try you change your risk and complexity - for arguably zero benefit. I'm personally not a fan of Inflation Protection funds . I think they have more complexity with an uncertain benefit. If you had the option to buy individual inflation protection bonds - namely I Bonds (with effectively an expanded tax deferred space) or TIPS (ideally in a tax-deferred account to avoid tax drag), those can be good options. Again, not sure in the grand s...
- Tue Mar 05, 2024 11:46 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: What is the deal with Fidelity's time until cash settles for Roth backdoor?!
- Replies: 2
- Views: 451
Re: What is the deal with Fidelity's time until cash settles for Roth backdoor?!
I can't answer "why"...
But I can tell you I wait two business days for money pushed into the account (I used to add two more for "pulls").
Doing so has had zero issues in many years of doing so.
But I can tell you I wait two business days for money pushed into the account (I used to add two more for "pulls").
Doing so has had zero issues in many years of doing so.
- Tue Mar 05, 2024 12:39 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Non-WiFi Dishwasher Needed Software Update
- Replies: 33
- Views: 2905
Re: Non-WiFi Dishwasher Needed Software Update
Clearly it didn't "know" it needed an update... Any who knows if it actually "got" a software update... But let's say it did, maybe it has some internal parameter/countdown that was exceeded, and the "update" simply reset that counter. Only thing I can think of for why some "update" changed something... But my personal guess is it didn't really get an "update"... At least not in how you think... Maybe there was a fault in the systems, and basically they just cleared the fault - maybe even the equivalent of a "reboot". How would that sound to a customer? "Oh, it was nothing, I just rebooted your dishwasher, here pay my fee and I'll be back the next time it happens.". Can't...
- Tue Mar 05, 2024 11:20 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Market Timing = Always Bad?
- Replies: 35
- Views: 4106
Re: Market Timing = Always Bad?
FWIW the "free" online version of Excel might include stock data types as well. At least that's how I read: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/off ... a89e210877
You need a paid version for the desktop app, but if you are considering an online only version with Google Sheets, again might be worth a quick look at Microsoft's online only equivalent.
If you already have an OneDrive account, think you can just open that up from a browser and create a new Excel file in the, it should open up in the web version.
.Note: The Stocks and Geography data types are only available to Microsoft 365 accounts or those with a free Microsoft Account
You need a paid version for the desktop app, but if you are considering an online only version with Google Sheets, again might be worth a quick look at Microsoft's online only equivalent.
If you already have an OneDrive account, think you can just open that up from a browser and create a new Excel file in the, it should open up in the web version.
- Mon Mar 04, 2024 8:19 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Cloud based backup options for sensitive files
- Replies: 92
- Views: 7403
Re: Cloud based backup options for sensitive files
What ae your reasons for using OneDrive Vault? Perhaps those reasons would apply to me. The bitlocker encryption on Personal Vault indeed seems like no big deal if your Windows system already encrypts files automatically. However, the Personal Vault has an explicit unlocking process that requires Microsoft acct two-step verification. So nobody can walk up to your logged-in Windows system and get into the Vault unless they go through the two-step verification process first. And the Vault can be set to lock automatically from 20 min to about 4 hours (user selected). Microsoft also notes that Personal Vault files are not cached in the browser (if you optionally access the Vault this way) and the files can't be shared accidentally or otherwise...
- Mon Mar 04, 2024 2:51 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Fidelity free Turbotax 2023
- Replies: 435
- Views: 154186
Re: Fidelity free Turbotax 2023
I know some folks go after the download version to file multiple (federal) returns -- up to 5. Tho the state files are extra. Fine. For some reason, I prefer online. Yeah I'm the customer, but.... Let's say that I want to start filing my folks returns at they enter their last years. No better way to get an idea of what accounts are where while they are still alive. Can this be done using a *second* login and using the same "free turbotax" offer? I think it'll work but I've not tried it. I can't speak to the "free" offer part. I can confirm that you can have/use multiple TurboTax/Intuit accounts. But I'd advise "using caution" doing so. A few years back I filed minor child's tax return (under Kiddie Tax limits)...
- Mon Mar 04, 2024 2:35 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Convert $1M+ to Roth while in high tax bracket?
- Replies: 33
- Views: 4274
Re: Convert $1M+ to Roth while in high tax bracket?
2) For my spouse after tax accounts, I am considering moving the after-tax basis to Roth IRA in Vanguard and gains + pre-tax balances to Vanguard. I am still thinking through this piece as my understanding is that this will essentially close the "backdoor roth" door given I'd now be subject to the pro-rata rule. Main objective here is to get the after-tax balance to Roth, but the downside of closing the "backdoor roth" door might outweigh the benefits of Roth. As a reminder, this is "per spouse". If one spouse has a Traditional IRA, that spouse is effectively blocked from doing a "Backdoor Roth" due to the pro-rata rule that applies to their Traditional IRA balance . It has no impact on the other spo...
- Sun Mar 03, 2024 11:37 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Market Timing = Always Bad?
- Replies: 35
- Views: 4106
Re: Market Timing = Always Bad?
@SnowBog Good idea on the auto-updating of the portfolio values. I was thinking the same, but struggling with what software might update the live values on a spreadsheet or etc. What do you use...or any ideas? Or do you do it manually? I use a paid version of Microsoft Excel, which has a Stock data type: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/excel-data-types-stocks-and-geography-61a33056-9935-484f-8ac8-f1a89e210877 I think Google Sheets may have something similar. In Excel, I create a "table" (named Table1 below) in my spreadsheet which includes: Ticker Type Price Shares Value VTI Stock =[@Ticker].Price 10 =[@Price]*[@Shares] FZROX Stock =[@Ticker].Price 15 =[@Price]*[@Shares] FZNAX Bond =[@Ticker].Price 23 =[@Price]*[@Share...
- Sun Mar 03, 2024 1:44 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Do cap-weighted funds strictly align with BH philosophy?
- Replies: 118
- Views: 8903
Re: Do cap-weighted funds strictly align with BH philosophy?
Because you aren't "betting" on any companies, not the large ones, not the small ones. If you are "betting", you are simply betting that the "total market value" continues to grow. You do not care what companies, industries, segments, etc. drive that growth.
- Sun Mar 03, 2024 1:41 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Market Timing = Always Bad?
- Replies: 35
- Views: 4106
Re: Market Timing = Always Bad?
At the risk of re-inflaming the discussion, now I have to figure if set a reminder for once or twice a year, or set an “alert” on stock/bond prices to act. I’m a recovering engineer, so I might be getting too specific about having a trigger. Since this re-balancing is supposed to be a methodical and unhurried type activity, not a surgical strike type thing. My trigger would be an “oh ya, I should do that”, not a panicked drop everything and do this thing. The alert could be similar to the Vanguard’s Stock or ETF alerts you can sign up for. The alert price would indicate a target percent off on my AA if I figure the math right. I’ve played with this alert before as a gee whiz type experiment but did nothing further with it. Perhaps this is ...
- Sun Mar 03, 2024 1:12 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Market Timing = Always Bad?
- Replies: 35
- Views: 4106
Re: Market Timing = Always Bad?
I’m looking to learn here , let me know your ideas. I’m a newbie at this withdrawing part and frankly it feels really scary since I’ve been only saving my whole life. How do you current retirees do the withdrawing? When I was still working I did active rebalance using bands (5/25 per Larry). Now that I'm retired I do passive rebalancing. If I need money from my portfolio I withdraw from the asset class that is over my AA. +1 "Rebalancing" doesn't have to be an annual/timed thing. I'm currently working, my contributions are in part driven by which part of my AA is lower. If stocks have been doing great, I'm likely buying fixed income to nudge closer to target AA. When we retire, I'll do the opposite with withdrawals, taking from w...
- Sun Mar 03, 2024 12:08 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Feels impossible to take the foot off the pedal of saving, but saving at the boglehead pace is stressful.
- Replies: 88
- Views: 13597
Re: Feels impossible to take the foot off the pedal of saving, but saving at the boglehead pace is stressful.
When one considers saving less and spending more of their income, one must realize that a higher cost lifestyle will require more savings to support. Retirement will take more years to reach. Common sense of course, but when I see so many posters saying spend more and save less, surely they realize those suggestions may be adding five to ten years or more onto your time frame for attaining financial independence. And this is the choice/balance... Lower expenses means higher savings means fewer years required to save up for retirement (as you save more per year and have lower expenses to cover meaning you need to save less). Higher expenses means lower savings means more years to work to save up for retirement. As long as your plan "wo...
- Sat Mar 02, 2024 11:57 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Cloud based backup options for sensitive files
- Replies: 92
- Views: 7403
Re: Cloud based backup options for sensitive files
This is kind of the elephant in the room too. Microsoft has thousands of cyber security professionals working on this stuff. They’re better at this than you are. They work 24x7x365 on this stuff….. I trust them (or Apple or Google) with my data. And lots of government agencies and other big companies, with bazillions of dollars on the line, and great security teams of their own, agree. They are migrating a lot of their data to these clouds. They may very well be "better at this", but the attack surface of cloud services is also much larger than that of, say, data stored locally that isn't online 24/7/365 in your home. I believe that will continue to be the case. The threat model isn't the same. I'd argue you have a narrow view of...
- Sat Mar 02, 2024 11:43 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Cloud based backup options for sensitive files
- Replies: 92
- Views: 7403
Re: Cloud based backup options for sensitive files
The mud-puddle test was one we wanted to pass, which is the reason I mentioned it. Most cloud providers fail this test. You can ignore this risk if you choose to, but I wouldn't. Not only do I ignore it, I reject it - at least as I understand it, as it was not well explained. Presumably, there are only two ways one could pass this test. One is that you completely get rid of "logins" (aka passwords). On this front, I'll partially agree - which is why I've mentioned "passwordless" a few times. But for this to meet the "mud puddle" test, the provider would have to store your biometrics such that if all your devices were "dropped in the puddle" - you could buy a new one and regain access. I'm not ready f...
- Sat Mar 02, 2024 12:36 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Convert $1M+ to Roth while in high tax bracket?
- Replies: 33
- Views: 4274
Re: Convert $1M+ to Roth while in high tax bracket?
Currently, I work and am in the highest tax bracket. Your plan makes no sense whatsoever unless you are convinced tax brackets will go way up in forty years. Let's say the balance does grow to $15M, which is not at all out of the question. In this case, RMD at age 72 would be $15,000,000/27.4 = 575K. This is likely to still be a relatively high tax bracket which means the spread between today's highest bracket and what I'd be paying at age 72 shrinks anyways. In other words, I don't see any scenario where I'm in a very low tax bracket, irrespective of future tax law. Without being forced to do RMDs, the balance can continue to grow tax free for as long as my spouse or I live, and we can then donate to kids for example with no tax. If your ...
- Sat Mar 02, 2024 12:14 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Cloud based backup options for sensitive files
- Replies: 92
- Views: 7403
Re: Cloud based backup options for sensitive files
+1 As for password change frequency, I do follow the NIST recommendations. Bit of an aside, but I've seen the NIST password change frequency mentioned a few times. For those that aren't familiar with "why", it is very relevant. Ultimately it's because of "human nature". What they finally figured out is when people are forced to change passwords frequently, invariably they pick "weak" passwords and/or use slight variations of passwords. For example, maybe my password was "SnowBog", then "SnowBog1", then "SnowBog2"... So at its heart, the change/recommendation isn't "against" changing your password frequently. Instead the core of the recommendation is to use a sufficiently ...
- Sat Mar 02, 2024 11:45 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Cloud based backup options for sensitive files
- Replies: 92
- Views: 7403
Re: Cloud based backup options for sensitive files
I highly doubt Microsoft is going to do anything with my data. My account is protected by strong authentication, I'm not going to have my account compromised by a phishing attack as I never enter a password to access it (always login via biometrics from one of my devices). Microsoft still owns the encryption keys for your OneDrive vault. It is not end to end encrypted. A rogue employee, or a hacker, could potentially gain access to the keys, unbeknownst to you. A court order could compel them to do so as well. https://www.cloudwards.net/onedrive-security/ This may be an acceptable risk to you, but the op asked about sensitive data. I don't believe this meets the requirements. IMO, a cloud storage service should pass the so-called "mud...
- Sat Mar 02, 2024 1:00 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Feels impossible to take the foot off the pedal of saving, but saving at the boglehead pace is stressful.
- Replies: 88
- Views: 13597
Re: Feels impossible to take the foot off the pedal of saving, but saving at the boglehead pace is stressful.
At your level of income, you can afford to buy almost anything , but not everything . Candidly, that isn't likely to change. Even at double, triple, quadruple the income you have now - it would still apply. I recommend the book Your Money or Your Life . This book describes a simple methodology where you regularly and deliberately go over every expenditure and rate how much happiness it brought you. The idea is that you're likely to discover at last some expenses that you can remove with little to no grief. And on the flip side, you get a better sense of what brings you joy, and you can feel good about allocating either more spend towards those things, or possibly even optimizing them to enjoy them at a lower cost. +1 Loved this book! Still ...