Search found 629 matches

by yules
Mon Mar 18, 2024 10:57 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Nervous about giving out information
Replies: 30
Views: 2190

Re: Nervous about giving out information

Hello! I am working hard at planning for retirement, and I'm considering posting my portfolio information using the provided template. But, how do you get past the thought of giving out so much information? I do want advice, but I'm a pretty fearful person. Am I the only one who feels this way? Create an username which you have not used anywhere else. Choose an username that doesn’t reveal anything about you. Look at my username for example. There are millions of Mets fans in the US. I am one in millions. :-) Once you have your username settled, feel free to post. But always make sure not to reveal identifying details. Too bad you didn't go with Metsfan92. You could still be paying Bobby Bonilla! Thank God I dodged that one. LOL Stop this....
by yules
Sun Mar 17, 2024 11:02 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Can I retire with $1.75M at age 43?
Replies: 169
Views: 11026

Re: Can I retire with $1.75M at age 43?

Josh5000 wrote: Sun Mar 17, 2024 10:56 pm I am surrounded by mouth breathing white collar welfare recipients making 6-figure doing less than nothing. I should be working for myself instead of babysitting them at detriment to my sanity and my own work and personal finance.
I assume you are working for the government or some union shop where jobs are protected. If not, can you PM the company or at least the industry, because that sounds like a sweet gig
by yules
Sat Mar 16, 2024 4:47 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Question about bonds allocation
Replies: 11
Views: 832

Re: Question about bonds allocation

I'm sort of a new investor who recently inherited about 1.2 million dollars. ... For what it's worth, I'm 47 years old, never invested in bonds, never invested in any 401k, currently have around $25K in a Roth IRA account, currently not working, and hoping to stay retired if possible. So you are retired, inherited 1.2 million dollars and are "hoping" to stay retired??? In what world would inheriting 1.2 million dollars threaten an already existing retirement? LOL In any case, your thinking about the 3 fund portfolio is right. Except you should invest in more international stocks than you are saying, because the basic principle of index investing is to not make an active choice, accept the market's returns at market weights, and t...
by yules
Fri Mar 08, 2024 3:37 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Fidelity advice
Replies: 67
Views: 8018

Re: Fidelity advice

Zipster wrote: Fri Mar 08, 2024 9:43 am
NHRATA01 wrote: Fri Mar 08, 2024 9:18 am maybe Fido makes anyone a VP?
My cousin was a VP at a bank everyone has heard of. He was basically the account manager for their account with a big-box retailer that had a branded credit card through that bank. He said that his job was basically to take store managers out to lunch to keep them happy. He had no financial training whatsoever.
Sounds like a sweet deal, VP title and free lunches. You say your cousin *was* a VP...is that position open now? If so can you PM me the job advertisement?
by yules
Fri Mar 08, 2024 3:30 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Time to convert mutual funds to ETF?
Replies: 28
Views: 2292

Re: Time to convert mutual funds to ETF?

PhinanceMD wrote: Fri Mar 08, 2024 2:54 pm So you can't convert mutual fund to ETF then in the future back to a mutual fund?
The chances of doing this are slim and none, and Slim just left town
by yules
Fri Mar 08, 2024 3:03 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 16 yr old - how can I best take on high risk?
Replies: 65
Views: 5234

Re: 16 yr old - how can I best take on high risk?

I have a 50 year time horizon so it is safe to say I am not at all worried about short-term risk. I want to take advantage of my youth to assist my returns since I have such an enormous amount of time before I think about retiring. I want to deviate from a total market fund in a way that allows me to carry risk through the years for a premium even if it is very slight. I am currently tilted small and value through AVGE. Is this the right move for me? How can I best capture risk premiums? Nothing is as risky as taking a plane to Ibiza and partying all night with strangers...DO IT. No one every looked back on life and regretted not putting extra money in a tactical fund trying to eke out more risk adjusted returns...but many did regret not s...
by yules
Thu Mar 07, 2024 8:46 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Career ending, getting fired. Can we FIRE ?
Replies: 149
Views: 21627

Re: Career ending, getting fired. Can we FIRE ?

(deleted at request of madbrain--good luck!)
by yules
Wed Mar 06, 2024 5:59 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Job Goes Poof
Replies: 23
Views: 4182

Re: Job Goes Poof

dunk1234 wrote: Wed Mar 06, 2024 4:31 pm Hello!

My job will go poof end of May. Should I max out my HSA before I am laid off? Thank you.
No, you should get a new job and leave before they make you leave, that'll show them!

Yules
by yules
Thu Feb 29, 2024 6:58 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Fidelity 500 Index Fund (FXAIX) vs. Schwab S&P 500 Index (SWPPX) vs. VOO vs. Vanguard 500 Index Fund Adm Shares (VFIAX)
Replies: 20
Views: 3094

Re: Fidelity 500 Index Fund (FXAIX) vs. Schwab S&P 500 Index (SWPPX) vs. VOO vs. Vanguard 500 Index Fund Adm Shares (VFI

Claudia Whitten wrote: Thu Feb 29, 2024 3:54 pm Expense ratios:
Fidelity 500 Index Fund (FXAIX): 0.01%
Schwab S&P 500 Index (SWPPX): 0.02%
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO): 0.03%
Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFIAX): 0.04%

One would expect the fund with the lowest expense ratio to perform better, right?

Well, check a comparison chart of these four and let me know your thoughts, please. While they're often neck-and-neck, sometimes one outperforms the others over a given timeframe, and it's not the one with the lowest expense ratio. This begs the question: Are there factors other than expense ratio that we should consider when evaluating funds that track the same index?
Why are you comparing mutual funds with and ETF?

Yules
by yules
Mon Feb 26, 2024 10:58 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Why not convert all my funds to ETFs?
Replies: 59
Views: 6129

Re: Why not convert all my funds to ETFs?

Can someone help me understand what I must be missing… The ETFs for a boglehead 3 fund portfolio all have a lower ER than their corresponding admiral mutual funds. Granted the ER for them all are so small and the difference between the fund and ETF is very tiny, but it’s still an amount I’d rather keep in my account. So why don’t all BH’s switch exclusively to ETFs ? What am I missing. For my situation personally it’s 3 funds, which I manually rebalance once per year. All inside a tax advantage account. Should I be switching to all ETFs???? I don't think it matters. As you said, the ER difference is insignificant. I switched to all ETFs (with a couple exceptions) in my account a little while back. The primary reason for me was that I don't...
by yules
Wed Feb 21, 2024 11:24 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Realtor handling both sides
Replies: 28
Views: 2536

Re: Realtor handling both sides

billaster wrote: Wed Feb 21, 2024 11:06 pm
iamlucky13 wrote: Wed Feb 21, 2024 10:04 pm
billaster wrote: Wed Feb 21, 2024 7:55 pm Really? I wonder how many people here have "long term relationships" with real estate agents? Sounds a bit creepy.
I chose our agent based on a referral from a coworker. I was happy with his effort and attention to detail and later referred several coworkers to him. He liked to visit once a year for a few years afterwards to bring homemade cookies, ask how the home was working out, etc. He was also happy to give me the info on a surveyor some of his clients had used and recommended when I had an interest in that service. He was a nice guy, and I honestly liked his short visits, even knowing the ultimate goal was to gain referrals.
Like I said, creepy.
Sounds like you just don’t like cookies :sharebeer
by yules
Wed Feb 21, 2024 11:24 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Realtor handling both sides
Replies: 28
Views: 2536

Re: Realtor handling both sides

billaster wrote: Wed Feb 21, 2024 11:06 pm
iamlucky13 wrote: Wed Feb 21, 2024 10:04 pm
billaster wrote: Wed Feb 21, 2024 7:55 pm Really? I wonder how many people here have "long term relationships" with real estate agents? Sounds a bit creepy.
I chose our agent based on a referral from a coworker. I was happy with his effort and attention to detail and later referred several coworkers to him. He liked to visit once a year for a few years afterwards to bring homemade cookies, ask how the home was working out, etc. He was also happy to give me the info on a surveyor some of his clients had used and recommended when I had an interest in that service. He was a nice guy, and I honestly liked his short visits, even knowing the ultimate goal was to gain referrals.
Like I said, creepy.
Sounds like you just don’t like cookies :sharebeer
by yules
Wed Feb 21, 2024 9:39 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Realtor handling both sides
Replies: 28
Views: 2536

Re: Realtor handling both sides

billaster wrote: Wed Feb 21, 2024 7:55 pm
Northern Flicker wrote: Wed Feb 21, 2024 6:22 pm
stan1 wrote: Wed Feb 21, 2024 5:16 pm All realtors are motivated to close the sale as quickly as possible, whether listing/seller's agent, buyer's agent, or dual agent.
That is just plain false. Some realtors are focused more on building a long-term relationship with a client.
Really? I wonder how many people here have "long term relationships" with real estate agents? Sounds a bit creepy.
Do you have any friends? Friends who might need the services of a real estate agent at some point? Friends who the real estate agent might be commented to through your referral? I don’t know why you are creeped out.
by yules
Mon Feb 19, 2024 10:41 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Are we a good fit for Vanguard Personal Advisor, at least for now?
Replies: 45
Views: 5657

Re: Are we a good fit for Vanguard Personal Advisor, at least for now?

Vanguard offers two levels of non-robo advice services: 1) Personal Advisor and, 2) Personal Advisor Select. My wife (34 yo) is largely hands-off on the finances, despite my (also 34 yo) attempts to get her more involved. I'd like her to be, or feel, more involved because I'm an LEO in a large city, and someone could hit my "off button" on any given day. We currently have approximately $150,000 total amongst her rIRA, my rIRA, and a taxable account, as well as approximately $250,000-300,000 in cash. I contribute to my 457b and our daughter's 529 plan. Our house is paid off and we have no debt. I have a decent pension coming when I retire. What’s a “LEO”? And yes you are holding a significant amount of cash for someone with no mor...
by yules
Tue Feb 13, 2024 10:25 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: FSA when leaving job
Replies: 14
Views: 1398

Re: FSA when leaving job

gtrplayer wrote: Tue Feb 13, 2024 9:45 pm
1) spend it down on something before the last day… that’s a lot of random medical things to buy although I’m sure there are some worthwhile things for a middle-aged guy
- as long the expense is FSA-eligible, is there any rule preventing this?
There are lots of surprising qualified expenses that a middle age guy could buy. For example, buy some sunscreen for the daytime and some condoms for the night. Google the list of eligible expenses, you might be surprised
by yules
Tue Feb 13, 2024 2:48 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Any reasons not to rollover my 401k?
Replies: 32
Views: 3399

Re: Any reasons not to rollover my 401k?

I just started a new job and am considering rolling over two old 401ks. When I started my last job I did not rollover from two jobs ago because the investment options were limited. So I now have two old Fidleity 401ks (one with $300k, one with $200k) with more limited options than my current employer. My new employer is with Merrill Lynch and has the following options which looks great: FXAIX - Fidelity 500 FSMAX- Fidelity Extended Market FTIHX - Fidelity Total International FXNAX - Fidelity US Bond Seems like I can make a simple three fund low cost index portfolio all in here. Any reason not to? This is my first experience with Merrill Lynch. Any questions I should be asking to be sure with the new plan. Why would you not roll them into a...
by yules
Tue Feb 13, 2024 2:47 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Pay cleaning lady for snow day?
Replies: 119
Views: 10091

Re: Pay cleaning lady for snow day?

mpnret wrote: Tue Feb 13, 2024 12:43 pm We have a cleaning lady we like (her own business not a service). Every once in a while, we have a snowstorm or some other event that prevents her from coming. Should we pay her when this happens. I think no but wanted to check. Being she is booked up there is no makeup day. We don't see her till the next scheduled cleaning.
Depends when you cancelled. (Morning of? A week in advance?) If you didn't give her much notice, you should pay her something, maybe not the full amount, because she held that spot for you and was unable to fill it.

But if she is the one who cancelled and you theoretically could have wanted the service anyway, then no, don't pay.
by yules
Sun Feb 11, 2024 5:59 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Any reasons not to rollover my 401k?
Replies: 32
Views: 3399

Re: Any reasons not to rollover my 401k?

I just started a new job and am considering rolling over two old 401ks. When I started my last job I did not rollover from two jobs ago because the investment options were limited. So I now have two old Fidleity 401ks (one with $300k, one with $200k) with more limited options than my current employer. My new employer is with Merrill Lynch and has the following options which looks great: FXAIX - Fidelity 500 FSMAX- Fidelity Extended Market FTIHX - Fidelity Total International FXNAX - Fidelity US Bond Seems like I can make a simple three fund low cost index portfolio all in here. Any reason not to? This is my first experience with Merrill Lynch. Any questions I should be asking to be sure with the new plan. Why would you not roll them into a...
by yules
Sun Feb 11, 2024 5:57 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Nassim Taleb article - "White Swan" Risk
Replies: 50
Views: 6689

Re: Nassim Taleb article - "White Swan" Risk

Fat-Tailed Contagion wrote: Sun Feb 11, 2024 5:50 pm [Off-topic comment removed by moderator Kendall.]

Question is there anyway to diversify away this risk in a portfolio?
Increasing your allocation to international funds!
by yules
Sun Feb 11, 2024 10:53 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Any reasons not to rollover my 401k?
Replies: 32
Views: 3399

Re: Any reasons not to rollover my 401k?

I just started a new job and am considering rolling over two old 401ks. When I started my last job I did not rollover from two jobs ago because the investment options were limited. So I now have two old Fidleity 401ks (one with $300k, one with $200k) with more limited options than my current employer. My new employer is with Merrill Lynch and has the following options which looks great: FXAIX - Fidelity 500 FSMAX- Fidelity Extended Market FTIHX - Fidelity Total International FXNAX - Fidelity US Bond Seems like I can make a simple three fund low cost index portfolio all in here. Any reason not to? This is my first experience with Merrill Lynch. Any questions I should be asking to be sure with the new plan. Why would you not roll them into a...
by yules
Fri Feb 09, 2024 11:31 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Continued tIRA Growth Undermines Roth Conversion Plan - A Real Life Example
Replies: 81
Views: 7800

Re: Continued tIRA Growth Undermines Roth Conversion Plan - A Real Life Example

JazzTime wrote: Mon Feb 05, 2024 1:59 pm It's not the tIRA growth that's the sad story. It's my annual tax bill that brings on the tears, not to mention the monthly IRMAA penalty where I get to pay five times as much as everyone else for Medicare. :oops:
If this is your problem, the annual tax bill and the IRMAA penalty, then convert your **entire** balance this year. You will only have 1 year of a high tax bill, not many annual years. And you will pay high IRMAA in 2026 (due to the 2 year look back), then never again.

I just solved your problems!

Meanwhile, I will never reach $1 million, much less $5 million :(

Yules
by yules
Thu Feb 08, 2024 6:25 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Einhorn: Value is not working
Replies: 116
Views: 11368

Re: Einhorn: Value is not working

David Einhorn has the option that passive investing (e.g., you and me) has eroded the value of value: I view the markets as fundamentally broken...Passive investors have no opinion about value. They're going to assume everybody else has done the work.'David Einhorn, president, Greenlight Capital "Value is just not a consideration for most investment money that's out there. There's all the machine money and algorithmic money which doesn't have an opinion about value it has an opinion about price: 'What is the price going to be in 15 minutes and I want to be ahead of that,'" he explained. https://www.morningstar.com/news/marketwatch/20240208373/markets-are-fundamentally-broken-due-to-passive-investing-says-david-einhorn If this Ein...
by yules
Sat Feb 03, 2024 11:41 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: DW Laid Off, I'm Panicking
Replies: 166
Views: 20729

Re: DW Laid Off, I'm Panicking

DW was recently laid off and I’m stressed about making sure I stay employed so there’s income coming in and also for the family to have health insurance coverage. Also worried that our hopes of retiring in the next 3-5 years are now dashed. Me: 53 yo, DW 51 yo Kids: 16 yo, 13 yo We still live in a VHCOL area in East Coast My Gross Income: $260K + 25% bonus Monthly expenses are ~$14,000-16,000 per month pre-tax (~$5K for mortgage and property tax) Investments: Cash/MM/CD - $1.3M @ ~5% interest rate Stocks - $4.0M (includes ~$1.3M in 401K/ROTH/IRA and about $250K in 529) Bond - $200K Mortgage Debt of $550K (equity of ~$900K) @ 3% We’ve been average cost investing the cash into the market, which is what helps us sleep at night rather than a l...
by yules
Sat Feb 03, 2024 11:36 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Dumb money is the smart money
Replies: 17
Views: 4569

Re: Dumb money is the smart money

I think some of the TIAA funds are index enhanced. I think part of it is index and the other parts are active for that extra boost or in my opinion, extra lag. Yes, I understand index-enhanced. It’s the difference between pure index funds and index-based funds that I’m unsure of. “Pure index funds” are generally large Swaths of markets, like total market or S&P500. “Index-based funds” are technically indexes but are more curated or artificial, like a health care index fund or and energy index fund in which a manager needs to first define an index and then select the investments. It’s sometimes arbitrary. For example, is Tesla defined as a tech company? An auto company? An energy company? Another example are ESG funds. It can be arbitra...
by yules
Sat Feb 03, 2024 11:25 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: EMH - Are the markets efficient?
Replies: 43
Views: 3455

Re: EMH - Are the markets efficient?

If they lower rates, bond prices should go up up up correct? You should be able to sell your 5 percent bond for about 25 percent more than the new 4 percent bond right? And yet people are not flooding the market buying as many bonds or treasuries as they can anticipating this correct? And yet they will once the fed declares they are lowering rates. I think we all agree that the Fed is very very likely to lower rates and when they do the price will increase a lot. And I think everyone anticipates this. And I think it is likely to happen sometime this year. So if the markets are efficient. Why hasn’t everyone jumped in yet? But they have jumped in. Why do you think the yield curve is inverted? An inverted yield curve means that the market it...
by yules
Sat Feb 03, 2024 12:48 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Recently let go from work while pursuing MBA - need advice.
Replies: 26
Views: 3852

Re: Recently let go from work while pursuing MBA - need advice.

Hey everyone, I just started my first semester for my MBA program with an emphasis in entrepreneurship at CSUSB. Tuition is looking at 31k for two years. I’m fortunate enough to have it be paid for by my Dad, so I’m essentially getting it for free. But I’m already regretting my decision. My background is in filmmaking and photography and my previous job has been in that field. I feel like the MBA is going to do nothing for me when applying to jobs after I graduate. I’ve been trying to start my own video production business but it’s been a failed attempt. I figured learning more about entrepreneurship and earning an mba would be beneficial, but I’m taking these bogus classes all while raising a child and trying to pay my mortgage. What make...
by yules
Thu Feb 01, 2024 7:58 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Best & Worst "Mid-Life Crisis" expenditures
Replies: 129
Views: 24362

Re: Best & Worst "Mid-Life Crisis" expenditures

DoTheMath wrote: Thu Feb 01, 2024 7:56 pm
livesoft wrote: Thu Feb 01, 2024 11:28 am I started my "OnlyFans" channel. So far, so good.
That puts your username in a new light! :D
I always thought that livesoft hates Bruce Willis and the username was supposed to be the opposite of the “die hard” movies

Yules
by yules
Wed Jan 31, 2024 9:51 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Re-evaluate your subscription services (to save money)
Replies: 35
Views: 3292

Re: Re-evaluate your subscription services (to save money)

[This is a preamble to the main topic; please, no commentary on Amazon's policy; it's their business, they can do what they want.] Yesterday, Amazon began inserting ads into "included with Prime" videos and TV shows. They had been advertising for some time that this move was coming and Prime members could pay a surcharge to keep videos ad free. This made me evaluate my need for a Prime membership for the first time ever; I've been a member for a long time. I guess the "attention" and negative publicity got my attention and after long deliberation, I was finally able to drop anchor and let my subscription lapse today. (To be fair, I tested the ad situation on a video and it wasn't too egregious, but it was the principle ...
by yules
Wed Jan 31, 2024 9:47 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Best towns with great schools, weather, outdoor activities
Replies: 74
Views: 6937

Re: Best towns with great schools, weather, outdoor activities

nydoc wrote: Wed Jan 31, 2024 9:17 pm It’s amazing to see how rapidly weather has changed in past 5 years.
Okay, but aren’t you worried that the weather will change rapidly again in the next 5 years?

Yules
by yules
Wed Jan 31, 2024 9:44 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Vanguard/Fidelity Funds - Splitting the Difference
Replies: 22
Views: 2244

Re: Vanguard/Fidelity Funds - Splitting the Difference

I moved everything to Fidelity last year but ironically I own almost exclusively Vanguard ETFs. Which is okay, I'm sure. But I'm thinking that to spread the possible risk (are there security risks to the ETFs of a brokerage firm?) of holding all investment vehicles of one firm, I may split investments between Vanguard and Fidelity, buying FZROX (Fidelity Zero Total Market) and FUAMX Fidelity Intermediate Treasury Bond Index Fund) to replace VTI and VGIT. This would be in tax-advantaged accounts only. Problem? Ignore most of the commenters. If this is a concern of yours, do it because you will sleep well at night. Keeping track of your investments will not be meaningfully complicated if you maintain that one login with Fidelity, and it does...
by yules
Wed Jan 31, 2024 9:40 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Love my job, told re-lo for RTO or no advancement [Return To Office]
Replies: 128
Views: 9756

Re: Love my job, told re-lo for RTO or no advancement

Age: 39 Sector: Technology Total Comp: ~$191 Super flexible work. Role: High level IC I work remote, my manager works remote, my VP works remote. I work on a global team where few people even live in the same country. I love my job. I am good at it, my manager and team are great. My manager informed me today that leadership has a new policy that for individuals at my job level or above, I will no longer longer be eligible for promotions or further advancement unless I relocate to support return-to-office and physically visit a company office three days a week. As a practical matter this involves relocation to a HCOL or finding some backwater company office I can badge in at three days a week--long story short Unless they offer to pay me fo...
by yules
Mon Jan 29, 2024 10:34 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Vanguard login, asked for phone # to send PIN?
Replies: 40
Views: 3434

Re: Vanguard - 2FA Change

Hello, Until the last few days, when I logged into Vanguard from my Chromebook I was able to select that I wanted to log in to the app on my iPhone to verify that it was me (i.e., 2FA). In the last few days it has stopped offering me this option and instead automatically sends me an SMS code to my phone for confirmation. Have they removed the first option? Apologies if I'm missing something obvious here. Any sort of change just makes me nervous. I'm currently on hold with Vanguard Tech Support to ask them directly but they are saying that my wait time is 55-65 minutes and the on hold music is making me want to put a pencil through my brain. Sigh. Anyone else experiencing this change and know the story? Thanks! Same thing happened to me: ht...
by yules
Mon Jan 29, 2024 10:33 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Vanguard login, asked for phone # to send PIN?
Replies: 40
Views: 3434

Re: Vanguard login, asked for phone # to send PIN?

BolderBoy wrote: Mon Jan 29, 2024 11:12 am
yules wrote: Sun Jan 28, 2024 11:46 pmBut just today when logging in, Vanguard stopped me and required me to provide a phone number to send a PIN. I still had to use a Yubikey, so I don’t feel too worried about that specific log in, but I am curious if this happened to anyone else recently, since I wasn’t expecting it.
VG started mucking around with its 2FA last week and screwed up the automated verification system in the process. They are working through trying to fix it so you'll see some odd stuff going on.
Thank you! I saw another thread addressing this, and am semi comfortable knowing I am not the only one!
by yules
Sun Jan 28, 2024 11:50 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: How to “Unwind” a Sliced-and-Diced Roth IRA
Replies: 47
Views: 3818

Re: How to “Unwind” a Sliced-and-Diced Roth IRA

20 years ago, when I started my Roth (and didnt know what I was doing, nor did I appreciate the simplicity of the total market fund), I sliced-and-diced my investments in my Roth based on the 9-box grid for US equities, with a value and mid/small cap tilt. Along with allocations to Total International, International Value, and REIT. Now that I’m wiser, I would like to simplify this to VTI+VXUS. The “problem” is, virtually every tilt in the Roth has underperformed VTI over the 20-year time period. Value < Growth Small/Mid < Large REIT < everything So this has me not wanting to consolidate to VTI yet, as I would be locking in the “losers” or “selling low, buying high”. I’ve been waiting patiently, hoping that by holding these underperforming...
by yules
Sun Jan 28, 2024 11:47 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Travel to Greece - seeking input on itinerary
Replies: 14
Views: 1946

Re: Travel to Greece - seeking input on itinerary

RetireSoon90 wrote: Fri Jan 26, 2024 6:07 am We are traveling to Greece in mid June 2024, staying with family on Naxos for a week. We have never been to Greece and wanted to continue our visit for an additional 2 weeks but struggling with where to go. The only things we know we want to do is go to Santorini after Naxos for a couple of days and walk Fira/Oia, we also want to see Athens and see the Meteora monasteries. We are not shoppers nor do we like to sit on the beach. We are in our early 60's, love to walk 6-8 miles a day, see some historical sites and want to experience Greece. Thoughts on where else we should visit and things not to be missed?
I went to Greece a year before the pandemic and did almost exactly the same trip as you...you won’t regret it! Have fun!

Yules
by yules
Sun Jan 28, 2024 11:46 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Vanguard login, asked for phone # to send PIN?
Replies: 40
Views: 3434

Vanguard login, asked for phone # to send PIN?

So at the suggestion of other Bogleheads, I moved to the Yubikey MFA about a year ago and deleted my phone number from my Vanguard profile, so as not to allow a bad actor to get around Yubikey.

But just today when logging in, Vanguard stopped me and required me to provide a phone number to send a PIN. I still had to use a Yubikey, so I don’t feel too worried about that specific log in, but I am curious if this happened to anyone else recently, since I wasn’t expecting it.

Yules
by yules
Wed Jan 24, 2024 8:32 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 60/40 vs. 67/33 plus bond allocation question
Replies: 46
Views: 5008

Re: 60/40 vs. 67/33 plus bond allocation question

veggivet wrote: Tue Jan 23, 2024 9:55 am Thanks for the above responses. Age is 55, and account is a taxable trust.
She’s 55? At $15 million and that withdrawal rate (and lower if she drops the 150k/year “advice”) she could set up plain old CD ladders, which is simple and needs no advice, and it probably will last her lifetime.

So if she is even remotely comfortable with investing, nothing complicated, she could do something like 20 stocks/20 bonds/ 60 CDs and have an exxxcellent chance of her money outliving her.

Maybe put that into perspective for her and she will feel more confident? She’s really in a good place

Yules
by yules
Wed Jan 24, 2024 8:26 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 60/40 vs. 67/33 plus bond allocation question
Replies: 46
Views: 5008

Re: 60/40 vs. 67/33 plus bond allocation question

veggivet wrote: Wed Jan 24, 2024 6:57 pm
strafe wrote: Wed Jan 24, 2024 6:08 pm
veggivet wrote: Tue Jan 23, 2024 6:54 am Yes, the person involved is on the risk averse side…. Her taxes are extremely complicated with multiple trusts….
A person who seeks asset management advice for a complicated $15 million portfolio from someone who must turn to an anonymous group of internet strangers for basic bond investing questions is hardly risk averse. :D

If ever there were a need for hiring a (fee-only) financial planner, this would be it!
Au contraire, she has been paying %150k/year for the privilege of underperforming the market for the last 3 years.
If she stops paying $150k/year for the privilege of underperforming the market, she only has to withdraw $67.5k/quarter instead of $100k/quarter!

Yules
by yules
Mon Jan 22, 2024 3:22 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: I like a Bond Ladder Limerick … and you?
Replies: 34
Views: 2502

Re: I like a Bond Ladder Limerick … and you?

There once was a man from Nantucket
Who said "Who needs BND? Let's chuck it!"
But stocks began to sink
And he then began to think,
"That yield look tasty, I'll pluck it!"
by yules
Sun Jan 21, 2024 9:28 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: S&P 500 Closes at Record High
Replies: 203
Views: 26134

Re: S&P 500 Closes at Record High

Inflation is completely irrelevant to the original post. The S&P 500 did, in fact, without equivocation, without any lack of clarity, without any doubt whatsoever, close at an all-time high on Friday, the Nineteenth of January, in the Year of our Lord 2024, at 4839.81, beating its previous high on January 19, 2024 high of 4796.56. Inflation has nothing to do with that data. End of story. :D Inflation has nothing to do with the data? If I told you that you were getting a 5% raise from January 2022 would you go "Whoopee, I have my highest salary ever!" even though you would be poorer than you were in 2022 due to 9% inflation? Of course inflation matters. Tell that to my boss. He thinks that I should be excited about getting a 2...
by yules
Sun Jan 21, 2024 9:27 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Another Amazon Prime Stage of Evolution - Delivery
Replies: 76
Views: 7671

Re: Another Amazon Prime Stage of Evolution - Delivery

I've been a Prime member for years. It started out as 2 day delivery, sometimes 3 and later 4. For a long time. Then the pandemic and all bets were out the window. Now in a mostly post pandemic world, I am noting something new, mostly in the past month or so. Although already a Prime member, I am told if I add at least $25 worth of ELIGIBLE items, I can get delivery before 8AM the next day. If not, 3-7 days is now standard for me. So, it's basically overnight for certain orders, and if not - 3-7 - which is standard delivery times for most other companies that don't charge a membership fee in addition. Perhaps not coincedentaly, I moved to a town about 12 miles from the nearest distribution center. Often, delivery status will show that the ...
by yules
Sun Jan 21, 2024 8:19 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: S&P 500 Closes at Record High
Replies: 203
Views: 26134

Re: S&P 500 Closes at Record High

How is it arbitrary? The previous peak in S&P 500 was January of 2022. If you are celebrating the new high from January of 2022, then you should also measure inflation from the same date, eh? That's the only way to compare real, inflation adjusted prices. Inflation is completely irrelevant to the original post. The S&P 500 did, in fact, without equivocation, without any lack of clarity, without any doubt whatsoever, close at an all-time high on Friday, the Nineteenth of January, in the Year of our Lord 2024, at 4839.81, beating its previous high on January 19, 2024 high of 4796.56. Inflation has nothing to do with that data. End of story. :D Inflation has nothing to do with the data? If I told you that you were getting a 5% raise f...
by yules
Sun Jan 21, 2024 8:16 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: S&P 500 Closes at Record High
Replies: 203
Views: 26134

Re: S&P 500 Closes at Record High

How is it arbitrary? The previous peak in S&P 500 was January of 2022. If you are celebrating the new high from January of 2022, then you should also measure inflation from the same date, eh? That's the only way to compare real, inflation adjusted prices. Inflation is completely irrelevant to the original post. The S&P 500 did, in fact, without equivocation, without any lack of clarity, without any doubt whatsoever, close at an all-time high on Friday, the Nineteenth of January, in the Year of our Lord 2024, at 4839.81, beating its previous high on January 19, 2024 high of 4796.56. Inflation has nothing to do with that data. End of story. :D Inflation has nothing to do with the data? If I told you that you were getting a 5% raise f...
by yules
Sun Jan 21, 2024 8:08 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Retirement investment - Cash vs Bonds
Replies: 12
Views: 2236

Re: Retirement investment - Cash vs Bonds

FiveFifty wrote: Sun Jan 21, 2024 9:42 am Let's say I plan on spending $100,000 a year in retirement.
Assume I have $300,000 in cash-equivalent (money market for now) and $2,000,000 in my retirement accounts.

Once I retire, is the conventional wisdom to keep the $300,000 in cash-equivalent and have a mix of stocks and bonds in my retirement accounts, or is it ok not to have anything in bonds (since in this scenario I would have the $300,000 in cash to weather a down-turn on the market)?

Thanks!
If you plan on spending $100K/year and only have $2.3 million, then you should consider (1) not retiring, (2) spending less, or (3) having more money, because I don’t like the chances of your portfolio lasting 30 years otherwise.

Yules
by yules
Sat Jan 20, 2024 11:16 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 5 Years as a Boglehead- am I ready to retire?
Replies: 18
Views: 4967

Re: 5 Years as a Boglehead- am I ready to retire?

Hello fellow Bogleheads! I read The Millionaire next Door in 2008 and decided I should start a business to build wealth. By 2017 I had a successful business but nothing to show for it; I was in student loan debt and had a mortgage and zero saved for retirement. I found this website in late 2017 and started getting out of debt and started a 401K for my wife and myself. Fast forward 5 years and I am out of debt and have a NW of around 4 million. I thank all of the generous contributors who have informed and guided me this far, and I ask for insight on anything I am missing or doing wrong as I move toward early retirement. Emergency funds: 50k in checking account Debt: None- paid off house worth about $400K Tax Filing Status: Married Filing J...
by yules
Sat Jan 20, 2024 11:05 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Tax-Managed Balanced Fund (VTMFX) for Taxable account?
Replies: 40
Views: 5511

Re: Tax-Managed Balanced Fund (VTMFX) for Taxable account?

Hello, Working with some funds for a family member for a taxable account where per their age and general risk tolerance, they were wanted something more along the lines of 60/40 or 50/50 Stocks vs bonds. I quickly thought of the vanguard tax managed balanced fund (it is a vanguard account) and they do still have high tax rates. For folks that have it, or have an opinion; any secret sauce re/that fund vs say going 50% total stock and 50% munis? Is there a difference? Or other thoughts re/a conservative (vanguard) fund or funds in a taxable account where tax liability is an important priority? Thanks! Consider the possibilities when they need to sell: maybe stocks are way down and bonds are flat. Perhaps they'd prefer to sell from bonds. Or ...
by yules
Sat Jan 20, 2024 10:58 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Tax Withholding on Bonus Payments
Replies: 5
Views: 895

Re: Tax Withholding on Bonus Payments

czaj wrote: Sat Jan 20, 2024 10:00 am Your colleague is incorrect. Bonuses are considered supplemental wages and are withheld at 22% (unless very large) regardless of what the W-4 says.

You can adjust your withholding on your salary amount if you will be overpaying based on the bonus withholding amount.
Not necessarily. Depending on how the bonus is paid, it might be a flat 22% or might be the same as wages, see section 7 of publication 15 here: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-prior/p15--2024.pdf

But in any case we agree that OP’s colleague is at best misleading/uninformed and at worst just wrong.

Yules
by yules
Sat Jan 20, 2024 9:38 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: "Which Investments to Keep Out of Your Taxable Account"
Replies: 27
Views: 5343

Re: "Which Investments to Keep Out of Your Taxable Account"

rockstar wrote: Fri Jan 19, 2024 9:50 pm
Makefile wrote: Fri Jan 19, 2024 1:43 pm Some of those funds (REITs?) may have delayed 1099-DIV forms as well.
They get better tax treatment in taxable post Trump tax cuts. This might change in the future. But given the delay in tax reporting, you have to either file an amended return or delay filing.
It depends on your tax bracket though, because the Trump tax cuts are permanent for upper income earners but were made to expire for lower and middle class earners.

The best bet is to check with your accountant to see which situation you’re in

Yules
by yules
Sat Jan 20, 2024 9:29 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: S&P 500 Closes at Record High
Replies: 203
Views: 26134

Re: S&P 500 Closes at Record High

Taylor Larimore wrote: Fri Jan 19, 2024 7:31 pm Bogleheads:

Good news for Bogleheads who stay the course using low cost, tax-efficient, broad market index funds.

Best wishes.
Taylor
Jack Bogle's Words of Wisdom: "Deep down, I remain absolutely confident that the vast majority of American families would be will served by owning their equity holdings in a S&P 500 Index fund (or a total stock market index fund)."
Time to Rebalance into bonds and international stocks, then.

Yules
by yules
Sat Jan 20, 2024 9:26 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Cancel my health insurance?
Replies: 100
Views: 12600

Re: Cancel my health insurance?

boglerocks wrote: Fri Jan 19, 2024 12:43 pm I'm self-employed and health insurance for my family seems to cover very little of our (small) medical expenses. Should I consider canceling the policy? Could I run into a scenario that would require me to have health insurance?
I have fire insurance, but my house has never burned down, should I cancel the policy? That’s the same idea as you,IMO. If you don’t like your current policy, drop it, but you should have something in case something wild happens

(But I hope nothing wild ever happens to you!)

Yules