Search found 198 matches
- Mon Jan 22, 2024 7:58 am
- Forum: US Chapters
- Topic: 🎁 🎉Happy 100th Birthday to Taylor Larimore 🎊🎂
- Replies: 429
- Views: 41877
Re: 🎁 🎉Happy 100th Birthday to Taylor Larimore 🎊🎂
Happy Birthday Taylor! If I only achieve a fraction of what you have accomplished in life, I will still consider it a success. Thanks for all your no-nonsense posts and for your service to our country!
- Thu Jan 04, 2024 5:27 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: 2024 BOGLEHEAD CONTEST REGISTRATION
- Replies: 579
- Views: 37877
- Fri Dec 08, 2023 6:18 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Should I accept that job offer?
- Replies: 53
- Views: 7318
Re: Should I accept that job offer?
I'd reject the offer and keep looking, even if it does look like a decent job. Losing 2 hours a day just for the commute is a deal-breaker (for me, anyways). That's 2 hours that you could be doing something you really enjoy. And the fact that the pay is lower is just another reason to keep looking.
- Fri Jul 07, 2023 8:15 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: What "upgrades" have you made after LBYM?
- Replies: 15
- Views: 1191
Re: What "upgrades" have you made after LBYM?
Prior to retirement, I wanted to learn how to fly, but never wanted to fund this hobby because I was focused (probably too focused) on saving. Now I'm a few years in retirement (retired early at age 52), and have happily accepted the fact that I have the funds and can spend them. I joined a local flying club, took lessons, and became a private pilot. Life is good.
- Tue Jan 31, 2023 5:03 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: HomerJ - 15 years and 20,000 posts
- Replies: 59
- Views: 5913
Re: HomerJ - 15 years and 20,000 posts
Congrats Homer!
Your posts are usually informative and entertaining, and personally gave me the confidence to retire early and still sleep well at night.
Your posts are usually informative and entertaining, and personally gave me the confidence to retire early and still sleep well at night.
- Sun Jan 08, 2023 9:18 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: REGISTRATION FOR THE 2023 BOGLEHEAD CONTEST
- Replies: 672
- Views: 40217
- Tue Oct 11, 2022 12:45 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Any BH retirees with no pension?
- Replies: 134
- Views: 17445
Re: Any BH retirees with no pension?
Retired at 52 with no pension, but was always a prudent saver and started planning for retirement in my 20s. I was laid off at age 52, and since I was in a good financial position, I decided that this was fate and turned it into an early retirement. No regrets.
- Fri Jun 03, 2022 10:02 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Retiree, no pension, no SS yet. how do you meet expenses?
- Replies: 173
- Views: 18769
Re: Retiree, no pension, no SS yet. how do you meet expenses?
I am retired, no pension, and not eligible for SS. I simply sell shares from my taxable account regularly to pay for expenses. My overall allocation is pretty close to 60/40, and my income is low enough that I pay very little taxes and I also get a subsidy that helps pay for health care. I actually sell shares that have high capital gains to take advantage of my tax bracket. Once I start collecting SS and reach the point where I will tap into my 401k, my tax burden will increase, so I'm harvesting gains now while I can.
- Tue May 11, 2021 2:33 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: What prompted you to pull the plug and retire?
- Replies: 249
- Views: 45652
Re: What prompted you to pull the plug and retire?
After surviving several downsizings, I was not having fun and was seriously considering heading for the door. I even starting marking off the days on my personal calendar to a date that I thought might be my last day, but secretly wondered whether I'd actually pull the trigger and hand in my resignation then. Then the company made the decision for me when they laid me off. I was relieved because now I didn't have to make the decision, and I managed to snag a little severance on my way out. That was about 2 years ago, and so far so good.
- Sun May 09, 2021 10:03 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Help me choose a piano for my 10-year old
- Replies: 75
- Views: 11941
Re: Help me choose a piano for my 10-year old
The K300 is from Kwai's professional line, has a larger soundboard, and is made in Japan. The K15 is one of their lower cost pianos, and is made in Indonesia. I don't have any direct experience with either of these, but based on the specs and manufacturing location, the K300 is clearly the better better piano and would be my first choice. I'm sure it's more expensive, but it will likely hold it's value better, too.
- Mon Jan 18, 2021 10:24 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Radio Frequency Interference Issue
- Replies: 25
- Views: 2280
Re: Radio Frequency Interference Issue
Assuming that everything is grounded correctly, I would recommend applying ferrite cores to all the cables going into the control unit (which was one of the suggestions already provided). I assume that the radio station is AM, as that is more likely to cause the issue you describe. For AM frequencies, I would recommend using ferrites with a material type that is more effective for that range, such as the "31 material" from Fair-Rite Corp. You can do a search on Amazon for "31 material ferrite core". Clamp one these cores onto each of the input wires, including the power cable and speaker cables. If there is room to loop a wire twice through the core, then do that as it will increase its effectiveness dramatically. This i...
- Sat Nov 21, 2020 8:53 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Sharkbite Fittings
- Replies: 18
- Views: 2272
Re: Sharkbite Fittings
I did a few jobs with them and had one leak, which I determined was caused by some strain on the joint. If you follow Sandtrap's advice carefully, you should be fine. But I personally decided I didn't want to take any risk and went back to old fashioned sweated joints.
- Sun Nov 15, 2020 5:45 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: You’ve won the game, now what? 45-55 how to allocate assets?
- Replies: 98
- Views: 11059
Re: You’ve won the game, now what? 45-55 how to allocate assets?
At age 53 and recently retired, I settled on 50/50. Works for me and I sleep well at night. I probably would have been more aggressive if I had a pension, but I don't.
- Sun Jul 26, 2020 9:32 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Advice from retirees: do you need a project or do you 'play it by ear'?
- Replies: 36
- Views: 3028
Re: Advice from retirees: do you need a project or do you 'play it by ear'?
I think it really depends on the type of person you are. I'm the type of person that likes to have defined projects. I usually have at least two projects going on at once, one that I can do outside if weather is nice (such as fixing a shed, or taking lessons to become a private pilot), and another indoor project that I can pursue regardless of weather (such as remodeling a room or building a small experimental airplane in the garage). I look forward to working on these each day.
- Fri Jul 17, 2020 6:47 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: What surprised you the most once you retired?
- Replies: 267
- Views: 35451
Re: What surprised you the most once you retired?
Some things that surprised me... 1. I'm spending more than I originally thought I would. I was so accustomed to denying myself luxuries and saving every penny prior to retirement that I wasn't sure I'd be able loosen the purse strings. Turns out this concern was unwarranted as I have no problems spending a extra money to enjoy my retirement now. 2. Adjusting to retirement was easier than I thought. I was initially worried that I'd get bored and want to return to work. Again, not a problem. 3. Volunteering can be more of a commitment that I thought. While volunteer work is great, it's also easy for this to become a burden rather than a fun activity if you're not careful. I recommend learning exactly what a position entails before volunteerin...
- Mon May 18, 2020 9:20 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: How to convince amazon.com - Spending is difficult and confusing to track
- Replies: 18
- Views: 3240
Re: How to convince amazon.com - Spending is difficult and confusing to track
There's an easier way to get a single detailed report from Amazon for a group of purchases. Got to "Your Account", and select "Download order reports", then you can select the time period for the report. Amazon will generate a nice spreadsheet with multiple columns, including Categories, payment type, price, description, etc. Once you have the report in spreadsheet form, you can sort it however you want within a program such as Excel.
- Sun May 17, 2020 9:19 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: How did you feel after giving notice to retire?
- Replies: 85
- Views: 11166
Re: How did you feel after giving notice to retire?
Well, my experience was a little different as I never got the chance to give them notice. Last year, I had planned on giving my notice in early July, partially due to the fact that I had saved enough to retire, and partially because the work environment was becoming corrosive, with layoffs twice a year. But I never got the chance because they announced another layoff in May and I was on "the list". My manager was visibly nervous when he gave me the news, but my first question to him was about a separation package. Once I confirmed that there was going to be a halfway decent separation package, I was all smiles. What a nice gift at just the right time, and I felt like I finally won the lottery. I was a little disappointed that I wa...
- Tue Apr 28, 2020 6:32 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Early retirees who were close - how are you adjusting
- Replies: 47
- Views: 7775
Re: Early retirees who were close - how are you adjusting
I personally believe that 3.5% is a prudent starting point for someone retiring in their early 50's, especially with current valuations and an unknown sequence of returns. I don't intend to stick to a simple and strict withdrawal rate that only increases with inflation, either. It will vary depending on how well the market does as well as what my financial needs are in any particular year. So if the market gives, then I will taketh (and vice versus). Also, any one year may be out of wack due to large expenses such as a new roof or vehicle.
- Mon Apr 27, 2020 4:12 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Early retirees who were close - how are you adjusting
- Replies: 47
- Views: 7775
Re: Early retirees who were close - how are you adjusting
I retired at 52 last year with a 50:50 allocation, and my initial withdrawal is around 3.5% (and no pension). Yes, my accounts dropped a bit and I didn't really enjoy seeing my nest egg tumble, but I was always aware this was a possibility and have planned for it. Thus far, I have plodded along and rebalanced to 50:50 whenever my allocation was off by 5%. The reason I sleep well at night is because the house is paid off, I have no debt, and most importantly, I could lower my expenses and drop my withdrawal to 2% if I absolutely had to. Don't want to, but I could survive just fine on 2% if I had to.
- Sun Apr 26, 2020 7:27 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Job Uncertainty is Killing Me: How to Cope???
- Replies: 22
- Views: 2596
Re: Job Uncertainty is Killing Me: How to Cope???
Do not go this alone. Talk to friends and family for their support. Seek professional help and KNOW that you are not a failure just because you need assistance. Learning how to deal with uncertainty is more important than the uncertainty itself. Unless the job is horrible, having an uncertain job is generally better than having certain unemployment, and you may to find a way to convince yourself of this.
- Sat Feb 29, 2020 10:08 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: New retiree perspective during Corona Crash
- Replies: 57
- Views: 8271
Re: New retiree perspective during Corona Crash
I retired last year, and am sticking to my plan. Asset allocation of 50/50, with rebalancing bands of 5%. If stocks drop just a little more, I'll hit a rebalancing threshold and will rebalance to 50/50. Other than normal rebalancing, I do not intend to make changes due to any major events, including the Coronavirus.
- Mon Feb 10, 2020 6:27 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: What is your most luxury/expensive hobby.
- Replies: 264
- Views: 27545
Re: What is your most luxury/expensive hobby.
Flying. I retired last year, and have decided to become a private pilot. I'm attending ground school now, and will start taking flying lessons soon. Not a cheap hobby by any means, but it is great to finally have the time (and funds) to pursue this.
- Thu Jan 23, 2020 6:28 am
- Forum: US Chapters
- Topic: Sad news: LadyGeek's husband has passed
- Replies: 352
- Views: 37260
Re: Sad news: LadyGeek's husband has passed
Very sorry for your loss. Thank you so much for sharing and for all you do for the boglehead community.
- Fri Jan 17, 2020 7:07 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Engineers - What are you making? ($$$)
- Replies: 357
- Views: 54056
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Average pay for an engineer in the US, based on a a sample of around 9000 reported salaries, is around $88k:
https://www.indeed.com/career/engineer/salaries
https://www.indeed.com/career/engineer/salaries
- Sun Jan 12, 2020 9:02 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Heat Pump Water Heater
- Replies: 9
- Views: 1571
Re: Heat Pump Water Heater
I'm guessing that your hot-water system is working as designed, and there is some risk of scalding if you increase the water temperature much more. I would recommend changing to a shower head with lower flow rate. If you think you are already using one with a low rate, then you might want to actually measure the flow rate from your shower head, as flow rates can vary considerably even among two heads that are labeled "low-flow". Just take a gallon container and measure how long it takes to fill it up. If it is less than 2 gallons/min, then it can be considered "low-flow", but you still have the option of changing to a head that uses less water, such as 1.5 gal/min. Other option (yes, an obvious solution, but needs to be ...
- Mon Jan 06, 2020 6:26 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Can I retire (early)?
- Replies: 49
- Views: 7197
Re: Can I retire (early)?
Absolutely. You can retire and I think you already know that, but just want some external confirmation first. I retired at 52 with far less assets but similar projected expenses. Any uncertaintly you have is purely psychological, because financially you are secure.
- Wed Jan 01, 2020 5:06 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: OFFICIAL REGISTRATION FOR THE 2020 BOGLEHEAD CONTEST
- Replies: 688
- Views: 36338
- Fri Oct 11, 2019 6:29 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Retirees, when did you start really planning your retirement?
- Replies: 53
- Views: 6590
Re: Retirees, when did you start really planning your retirement?
At the start of my career, I was only saving money so that I could a) have a cushion in case I was laid off, and b) buy stuff. After several years, I began to rethink my financial goals. I was about 35 years old when I first started running some rough retirement calculators with Excel. I was 46 when I started running more complex calculators and scenarios. Retired this year at age 52.
Good luck.
Good luck.
- Sun Sep 29, 2019 7:23 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Retirees - do you hold extra cash for a bear market?
- Replies: 93
- Views: 12060
Re: Retirees - do you hold extra cash for a bear market?
Just retired this year, and have approximately 3 years in cash (about 8% of my portfolio). I wanted some more insurance in case there was a sharp market decline shortly after retiring, as I have no pension. Having 3 years in a money market fund help me sleep well at night. I may move more of this cash allocation into bonds as I become more comfortable with retirement.
- Wed Aug 21, 2019 8:10 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Anyone disenchanted with retirement?
- Replies: 326
- Views: 56796
Re: Anyone disenchanted with retirement?
When this thread first started, I was working full time. But after a fortuitous lay-off (with a reasonable severence package) two months ago, I now consider myself retired at 52. I am hedging my bets by updating my resume and have also investigated working as an engineering consultant. I did this because I was (am) worried about retiring so early and not finding enough to keep my mind occupied. But so far this has not been a problem at all as I really enjoy DIY and have lots of projects to work on. Odds are looking slimmer that I will ever return full-time to the workforce, but I'm still new to this retirement thing, so I'm still figuring this all out.
- Tue Aug 13, 2019 6:37 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Can having wealthy parents be a justification for a more aggressive investment strategy?
- Replies: 97
- Views: 9493
Re: Can having wealthy parents be a justification for a more aggressive investment strategy?
Taking a different approach... how much older are your parents? The odds that one of them live to age 90 is 45%, so there's a very good chance you would not receive any inheritance before you want to retire. I agree with other posters... if you want to go 100% stocks, do that based on your personal risk tolerance, excluding the possibility of an inheritance.
- Tue Aug 06, 2019 4:54 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Upgrading a PC, am I spending too much in too little time?
- Replies: 35
- Views: 3492
Re: Upgrading a PC, am I spending too much in too little time?
For gaming, the SSD will really speed up load times of new levels. I had one game (can't remember which) that would show game tips whenever a new level loaded, but the level loaded so quickly that I didn't have the time to read the tip before the screen went away. That's a good problem to have, in my book.
- Thu Jul 18, 2019 6:22 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: ACA subsidy vs Roth conversions
- Replies: 35
- Views: 3893
Re: ACA subsidy vs Roth conversions
After running the numbers, I have come to much the same conclusion. It is better for me to get the ACA subsidy than to do a Roth conversion that puts me over the ACA cliff. I have also run the numbers (like Watty), to see how the subsidy increases the further you are from the cliff, but for me the biggest benefit is to just avoid falling off that dang cliff. There is a small window between 65 (Medicare) and 70 (start up SS) where it makes sense for me to do Roth conversions.
- Tue Jun 11, 2019 10:10 am
- Forum: US Chapters
- Topic: Roll Call for the Retirement Class of 2019!
- Replies: 433
- Views: 94295
Re: Roll Call for the Retirement Class of 2019!
Add my name to the list. I had been thinking of leaving my company for a while, but got a kick in the pants when I was told a week ago that my job function was being transferred overseas. Instead of considering it a layoff, I have decided to turn this into a fortunate opportunity to retire early at age 52 with a nice going-away bonus (ie severence package). My last day of work is June 28.
- Sun May 19, 2019 8:55 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Why should I employ an advisor?
- Replies: 10
- Views: 1858
Re: Why should I employ an advisor?
pnwfintech,
I recommend posting the entire fund names and not just the ticker symbols (that's the proper etiquette, but you're new to the forum so I certainly understand). You will get more responses if readers don't have to look up 12 individual symbols themselves to see exactly what funds you are referring to and to help decide if your advisor is giving you sage advice.
The advisor fee at 0.57% is not horrible, but you can certainly do better with Vanguard PAS or (much better DIY) once you become comfortable handling your own portfolio. However, if this particular advisor is preventing you from making bad choices that you would likely make without them, then it may be money well spent for the time being.
I recommend posting the entire fund names and not just the ticker symbols (that's the proper etiquette, but you're new to the forum so I certainly understand). You will get more responses if readers don't have to look up 12 individual symbols themselves to see exactly what funds you are referring to and to help decide if your advisor is giving you sage advice.
The advisor fee at 0.57% is not horrible, but you can certainly do better with Vanguard PAS or (much better DIY) once you become comfortable handling your own portfolio. However, if this particular advisor is preventing you from making bad choices that you would likely make without them, then it may be money well spent for the time being.
- Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:04 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: How Much Do You Pay For Haircut?
- Replies: 115
- Views: 9187
Re: How Much Do You Pay For Haircut?
Ahh yes, the oft maligned Flowbee. I have one and actually love it...it's one of those inventions that looks kind of ridiculous, but really works well. I use one plus a pair of clippers to neaten things up around the ears and back of the neck. Haven't paid for a haircut in about 10 years now.
- Fri Mar 08, 2019 5:20 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Do you have 1 or 2 numbers for expenses in retirement?
- Replies: 59
- Views: 5260
Re: Do you have 1 or 2 numbers for expenses in retirement?
Why only 1 or 2 numbers? I'm an overachiever and have 4. The first is a "survival" number that is the minimum I need to survive without becoming a burden on society. The 2nd number is what I would call a decent minimal retirement, covering expenses plus a little more to go on a reasonable vacation, go out to eat occassionally, and support a few hobbies that aren't that expensive. Number 3 is the one that I would call a nice retirement, with a spending level that allows me to go on nicer vacations and have a few more expensive hobbies. Then number 4 is what I would call the luxurious retirement, allowing me to travel 1st class, visit exotic places more often, eat frequently at expensive restaurants, etc. As my retirement savings ha...
- Sun Mar 03, 2019 8:49 pm
- Forum: US Chapters
- Topic: Roll Call for the Retirement Class of 2019!
- Replies: 433
- Views: 94295
Re: Roll Call for the Retirement Class of 2019!
$2.1 million net worth and $25K annual expenses? Why're you still working? TravelforFun Because I am retirement rich and cash poor, I only make about 95K a year, and have zero cash in my checking account, no 6 months emergency fund due to spent cash on upstate property, also Net worth does not mean liquid cash. Government workers typically have lower salaries, than private sectors, this is to give relief to taxpayer. Don't sell yourself short. The median US income is a bit under 64K (see link below), so your current salary is nothing to sneeze at, and is much higher than most. But either way, good luck in retirement! http://sentierresearch.com/pressreleases/Sentier_Household_Income_Trends_Press_Release_January_2019_02_21_19.pdf
- Sun Mar 03, 2019 7:45 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: If you currently or are planning to spend over $120k/year in retirement, what is your projected budget?
- Replies: 196
- Views: 18591
Re: If you currently or are planning to spend over $120k/year in retirement, what is your projected budget?
You are my hero. Congrats on your success and good luck to you in your retirement.MarkerFM wrote: ↑Wed Feb 27, 2019 2:16 pm I almost hesitate to post this, but here goes.
We are young retirees. Our annual spend excluding mortgage payments (currently about $220K per year, but they go away in 8-10 years) is about $440K.
(...)
We live below our means. Money leftover going to savings is about $60K
- Thu Feb 14, 2019 7:59 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: glide-path in a declining market?
- Replies: 13
- Views: 1837
Re: glide-path in a declining market?
I, too am close to retirement, and had a difficult time (psychologically) increasing my bond allocation. But then I told myself, "What if the stock market drops by 50% ? Then I would feel like an idiot for not adjusting my allocation sooner, and may have to delay retirement. That was not an outcome I was willing to accept, so I shifted another 10% from stocks to bonds. I felt better and slept better, so that worked for me, anyway.
- Sun Jan 13, 2019 5:13 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Vanguard PRIMECAP and Capital Opportunity
- Replies: 64
- Views: 12496
Re: Vanguard PRIMECAP and Capital Opportunity
I have a sizeable position in PRIMECAP in a regular (not tax deferred account). Due to the tax inefficiency, it was not a great decision to put this in a taxable account, but then again it hasn't been too bad as the fund has done very well, even after paying the taxes. It generates a sizeable capital gain every year that is a pain to deal with (greater than 6% this year), so I've made the decision to slowly shift money out of Primecap and into a standard SP 500 fund. But that also has its own problems as I generate even more capital gains by selling PrimeCap. Luckily, this is a first world problem that I am happy to deal with.
- Wed Jan 02, 2019 12:27 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: REGISTRATION FOR 2019 BOGLEHEAD CONTEST [Entry deadline has passed]
- Replies: 701
- Views: 35022
- Tue Dec 18, 2018 6:30 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: What did you do once you hit your target number?
- Replies: 49
- Views: 6307
Re: What did you do once you hit your target number?
Number keeps changing, but I have reduced risk by rebalancing more into bonds since I'm close
- Sun Dec 02, 2018 8:42 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Retirement itch- when did you get it?
- Replies: 145
- Views: 18505
Re: Retirement itch- when did you get it?
Always been thinking about retiring early, but for me, a significant moment of disillusionment hit at age 51 with another layoff that wiped out 1/2 my team. That was 3 months ago. Maybe I'll get over it and find some purpose in my job, but if not I'll need to either seek another job I enjoy or else cut the purse strings and retire early. Not sure which way the wind is blowing yet, but we'll see.
- Wed Oct 03, 2018 12:18 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Too heavy on S/M cap??
- Replies: 10
- Views: 1052
Re: Too heavy on S/M cap??
If your goal is to match the distribution of a total stock market fund, then you need want to readjust such that 73% of your equities are large company, 18% in mid-cap, and 9% in small-cap. This is the approximate distribution for Vanguard's Total Stock Market Index fund. However, if you intend to tilt a bit more towards the small-cap, with the understanding that the risk is higher as is the potential reward, then your distribution is fine. If you don't have a defined plan for equities, then keep researching this topic before making any sudden changes.
- Mon Oct 01, 2018 1:36 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Can I Hold Off "Upgrading" to Vanguard Brokerage until 2019?
- Replies: 45
- Views: 7740
Re: Can I Hold Off "Upgrading" to Vanguard Brokerage until 2019?
I suppose Vanguard could add annoying pop-ups to the website for those that have not converted. So every time you login, a huge window covers half your screen and says something like, "Help us help you by upgrading to a brokerage account today!". Or maybe a similar banner covers the top 1/4 of your screen if you have not been upgraded yet. Eventually, the nag-ware will cause most people to either upgrade or leave. Of course there will still be some stubborn folks who will do neither, but that is their right.
As for me, I went ahead and upgraded. I was annoyed for a few months until I figured it out, and it took me a while to update things in Quicken, but I'm ok with it now.
As for me, I went ahead and upgraded. I was annoyed for a few months until I figured it out, and it took me a while to update things in Quicken, but I'm ok with it now.
- Sun Sep 02, 2018 9:27 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Job woes and retirement - Should I adjust my allocation?
- Replies: 20
- Views: 2657
Re: Job woes and retirement - Should I adjust my allocation?
jimmyq, So, with about 15 years of expense in fixed income, your AA is about right at this moment. <<Writing these numbers down makes me think I'm an idiot for not leaving already. But I've been a worst-case worrier for many years, so I guess that is my curse. And my job was actually enjoyable up to about 6 months ago, so that plays a major role, too.>> So, instead of worrying, you should celebrate if they send you off with a good severance pay. <<I currently have 6 years of expenses in fixed income (bonds) that I can access in taxable account,>> That is enough for your Roth conversion ladder. You only need 5 years. File the following link. https://www.madfientist.com/how-to-access-retirement-funds-early/ KlangFool Thanks KlangFool, I trul...
- Sun Sep 02, 2018 9:18 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Job woes and retirement - Should I adjust my allocation?
- Replies: 20
- Views: 2657
Re: Job woes and retirement - Should I adjust my allocation?
I was in a pretty similar situation the last couple of years. About this time last year, my company was going through a round of restructuring, I took the opportunity to engineer my own exit. This is not always possible, but it may be worth looking into. I was able to walk away with a very generous exit package that worked out better than if i had kept working until planned retirement date. It also saved the jobs of a couple of colleagues that might have been impacted by the restructuring. Doing something like this had crossed my mind. If I see an opportunity to engineer my exit to benefit me and my coworkers, that would be a win/win. It's a tricky proposition, because I wouldn't want to give the impression that I am looking for a quick ex...
- Sun Sep 02, 2018 6:53 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Job woes and retirement - Should I adjust my allocation?
- Replies: 20
- Views: 2657
Re: Job woes and retirement - Should I adjust my allocation?
OP, The question and answer have no meaning until and unless we know your portfolio size in term of your current annual expense and annual expense after withdrawing social security. In general, folks would like have X years of annual expense in fixed income. In your case, the answer would range from 5 to 10 depending on whether you believe that you will be fully unemployed or partially employed over the 10 years until you are 62 years old and so on. If you are optimistic, the answer is 5. If you are pessimistic, the answer is 10. Once you answer this question, the AA percentage is obvious. So, it (AA) has nothing to do with percentage. It has to do with the absolute number in the fixed income in term of annual expense. This approach let yo...
- Sun Sep 02, 2018 12:43 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Job woes and retirement - Should I adjust my allocation?
- Replies: 20
- Views: 2657
Re: Job woes and retirement - Should I adjust my allocation?
Thanks. I'll respond with more details a bit later when I have the time to put the numbers together and respond. I do appreciate all the responses so far.