Search found 970 matches

by beernutz
Thu Mar 14, 2024 6:02 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Charles Schwab cannot overnight a replacement debit card
Replies: 87
Views: 6103

Re: Charles Schwab cannot overnight a replacement debit card

anagram wrote: Wed Mar 13, 2024 5:40 pm
Cranberry44 wrote: Wed Mar 13, 2024 5:36 pm I’ve vacationed to Europe a few times and never needed cash. Credit cards only. What are the reasons for needing a debit card/cash?
Small restaurants, Farmers markets, festivals, food trucks etc
Gratuities for cabs, airport transfers, tour guides, and hotel personnel.
by beernutz
Sun Mar 10, 2024 5:29 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How Much Cash Do You Keep In Your Home?
Replies: 207
Views: 14915

Re: How Much Cash Do You Keep In Your Home?

$1,600 not counting my coin collection.
by beernutz
Thu Feb 29, 2024 5:45 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Is the 401k still worth it?
Replies: 22
Views: 2070

Re: Is the 401k still worth it?

Comparison is the thief of joy.
by beernutz
Thu Feb 22, 2024 8:37 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Be careful - could happen to anyone [fraudulent bank transactions]
Replies: 77
Views: 12245

Re: Be careful - could happen to anyone [fraudulent bank transactions]

I login to my bank account every day which takes 15 seconds per login. I also have transaction alerts set up.

I login to my investment accounts at Schwab, Vanguard, and TIAA at least twice a week which takes at most 2 minutes each time in total.

That's under 6 minutes a week spent in exchange for some quality peace of mind.
by beernutz
Wed Feb 14, 2024 8:26 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Happy Valentine’s Day! What’s your love song?
Replies: 88
Views: 4453

Re: Happy Valentine’s Day! What’s your love song?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG_vo3gevhc

Goodbye Girl by Squeeze. My wife and I danced to it at a Halloween party on our first date. Great song imo although not particularly romantic.
by beernutz
Tue Feb 13, 2024 9:53 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Why do TIAA CREF index funds have such high fees?
Replies: 27
Views: 5196

Re: Why do TIAA CREF index funds have such high fees?

Check out their commissions also. The TIAA-CREF Equity Index Fund (which changes its name to Nuveen Equity Index Fund on May 1, 2024) only has a 0.05% expense ratio, but charges 6.1% of every purchase less than $50,000. Unless you're a fund manager yourself, you're not putting more than $50,000 per paycheck into the fund, so that's the effective rate for everyone. 6.1% ! On an INDEX Fund! Commissions (or loads) are buried fees that are rarely reported in third party fund comparisons (which tend to focus on management fees), but you can find the number in the Summary Prospectus published each year. I believe the sales charge will only apply to the Retail share class funds. The Institutional share class TIAA-CREF Equity Index Fund with the ....
by beernutz
Tue Feb 13, 2024 10:48 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Should my 21-year old nephew fire his financial advisor?
Replies: 99
Views: 10674

Re: Should my 21-year old nephew fire his financial advisor?

White Coat Investor wrote: Tue Feb 13, 2024 9:16 am
dogagility wrote: Mon Feb 12, 2024 9:19 am
White Coat Investor wrote: Mon Feb 12, 2024 8:31 am
dogagility wrote: Sun Feb 11, 2024 6:55 pm
herrick55 wrote: Sat Feb 10, 2024 6:00 pm Individual account with LPL Financial.
LPL is similar to Edward Jones... run away.
LPL
Edward Jones
Primerica
Wells Fargo
Northwestern Mutual
First Command
Northstar Financial

Any other large financial companies that belong on the list of companies I'll never do business with? That's all I can think of right now.
Raymond James
Another fine addition to the list.
I haven't read many good experiences about Ramsey's Smartvestor advisors. Their reviews generally include that their clients were recommended high front-loaded funds.
by beernutz
Sun Feb 11, 2024 7:08 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Should my 21-year old nephew fire his financial advisor?
Replies: 99
Views: 10674

Re: Should my 21-year old nephew fire his financial advisor?

herrick55 wrote: Sat Feb 10, 2024 5:46 pm My nephew inherited a large sum of money before he was 18, and my sister hired a financial advisor to manage it. The current amount of money is $294,000 and the asset allocation on the January 2024 financial statement is 6.23%. cash, 30.19% equities, 22.87% fixed income, 8.77% other, and 31.94% undefined.

[snip]
If only: https://www.portfoliovisualizer.com/bac ... t3Kjq1QVYI
by beernutz
Thu Feb 08, 2024 6:28 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: TIAA 403b brokerage window transaction fee for contributions (Update)
Replies: 37
Views: 2720

Re: TIAA 403b brokerage window transaction fee for contributions

I think you can approximate a total market fund at TIAA with a combination of TISPX (their SP500 index fund) and TISBX, the TIAA-CREF Small-Cap Blend Index Fund, where the Institutional version has a .06 NER. I did this for a while with 80% TISPX and 20% TISBX and if you want an international component in equities there's TCIEX with a .05 NER for the Institutional.
by beernutz
Wed Feb 07, 2024 1:26 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: When to Start Soc Sec
Replies: 61
Views: 6812

Re: When to Start Soc Sec

WhiteMaxima wrote: Tue Feb 06, 2024 6:34 pm 70s is very old to enjoy the money. But, SS pays more at 70s. Depend on your life expectancy.
Spoken like someone who is nowhere near 70.
by beernutz
Mon Jan 29, 2024 1:19 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Dishwasher - repair or buy new?
Replies: 60
Views: 5515

Re: Dishwasher - repair or buy new?

I just repaired our 5 1/2 year old Whirlpool dishwasher by replacing the control board. The dishwasher had stopped responding to any control panel touches and web searching revealed that the control boards on these dishwashers commonly stop working. I've replaced several dishwasher control boards. What is the deal with that? I would honestly think that is the last part to go out. Is it just the environment its placed in? It seems to be the #1 repair for modern appliances. I heard in the 2000's, there was supposedly some industrial espionage with China that resulted in widespread manufacturing of capacitors being defective. Not sure if this just took out a lot of appliance control boards and it just took some time? The damp/wet environment ...
by beernutz
Mon Jan 29, 2024 12:20 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Dishwasher - repair or buy new?
Replies: 60
Views: 5515

Re: Dishwasher - repair or buy new?

I just repaired our 5 1/2 year old Whirlpool dishwasher by replacing the control board. The dishwasher had stopped responding to any control panel touches and web searching revealed that the control boards on these dishwashers commonly stop working. Luckily Amazon had the control board I needed in stock and it was $50 less than a local appliance repair shop wanted for the part not to mention theirs wasn't in stock and was subject to a 25% restocking fee if returned. Control board and control panel replacements are in my wheelhouse however a leaking dishwasher would almost certainly be a replacement situation. A similar situation occurred with our LG refrigerator as a few years ago it stopped cooling but I was able to fix it with a new therm...
by beernutz
Sat Jan 27, 2024 9:58 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: How much is owned real estate (primary/secondary homes) as a percent of your net worth?
Replies: 113
Views: 8869

Re: How much is owned real estate (primary/secondary homes) as a percent of your net worth?

Currently our paid off house is 8% of net worth with its value based on 90% of what its zillow zestimate was a few years ago. The equity in our home which is reflected in our net worth rose each month by the principal payment while we were making payments but now just sits at the estimate at the time of mortgage payoff.

The highest percentage of home equity as a percentage of net worth was 17% just before we sold a second home we owned last year.

New worth is interesting to me but more important and relevant to our finances is the total and details of our retirement and liquid assets which I closely track.
by beernutz
Fri Jan 26, 2024 1:02 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Online Roth Conversion at Major Brokerages?
Replies: 15
Views: 968

Re: Online Roth Conversion at Major Brokerages?

I've done this conversion at both Schwab and Vanguard and both were very easy and quick.

I've also done it at TIAA and easy and quick would not be words I'd use to describe the process. Maybe convoluted and patronizing?
by beernutz
Thu Jan 25, 2024 3:29 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Anyone intend on SS@70, now thinking 68 or 69?
Replies: 86
Views: 8243

Re: Anyone intend on SS@70, now thinking 68 or 69?

We plan to have DW start SS at 62 and me at 70 however playing around with opensocialsecurity.com reveals me starting at 68 and her at 62 returns 97.6% of the maximum present value of benefits and me at 69 and her at 62 is 99% of maximum. I'm comfortable with either of those options.
by beernutz
Thu Jan 25, 2024 1:17 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: TIAA account help me understand
Replies: 8
Views: 782

Re: TIAA account help me understand

22twain wrote: Thu Jan 25, 2024 11:58 am
macher wrote: Thu Jan 25, 2024 10:58 am Hi 56 years old with a $500k accumulation in a pre tax TIAA account.
I'm confused. About a year ago you wrote:
macher wrote: Sat Feb 11, 2023 7:04 am I’ll be 24 years old in April
Click on the up-arrow to the right of your username in the quote, to see the full post, in case you need to jog your memory.
In October 2022 OP was 58 years old and 23 years old in July of 2022. I guess age really is just a state of mind.
by beernutz
Wed Jan 24, 2024 7:14 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Costco Visa - not worth it?
Replies: 30
Views: 4317

Re: Costco Visa - not worth it?

My Citi Costco rebate this year was $1,275. I calculated that if we got a straight 2% on all of those Citi transactions the rebate would have been $1,370. The difference isn't enough for me to worry about and that's one less card to carry in my Costanza wallet.
by beernutz
Wed Jan 24, 2024 1:10 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Aftermarket tow hitches?
Replies: 21
Views: 1529

Re: Aftermarket tow hitches?

Last year I installed a Curt on our 2011 Lexus RX-350 to hold a bike rack. A local RV place quoted me over $550 for the Curt hitch and install not including a wiring harness but I found the same one on Amazon for $166 and installed the hitch myself in about an hour and a half. I already owned a torque wrench and the hardest part was cutting a bit of the vehicle's plastic underside cover. Works great. Do you have ramps? Or did you have to jack the car up? I don't have ramps and would prefer not to jack anything up if I can help it. I know of the trick to ride your car up onto the sidewalk for an oil change so wondering if maybe I could do something like that for this install? I don't have ramps but didn't need them anyway nor did i have to ...
by beernutz
Wed Jan 24, 2024 11:51 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Aftermarket tow hitches?
Replies: 21
Views: 1529

Re: Aftermarket tow hitches?

Last year I installed a Curt on our 2011 Lexus RX-350 to hold a bike rack. A local RV place quoted me over $550 for the Curt hitch and install not including a wiring harness but I found the same one on Amazon for $166 and installed the hitch myself in about an hour.

The Curt was supposedly a perfect fit per the reviews and it turned out to be in my experience also. I already owned a torque wrench and the hardest part was cutting a bit of the vehicle's plastic underside cover. Works great.
by beernutz
Wed Jan 24, 2024 9:02 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Amount and Method of Gifting to Children
Replies: 7
Views: 682

Re: Amount and Method of Gifting to Children

I use Zelle regularly to do this. Easy peasy and the transfers generally happen within minutes.
by beernutz
Mon Jan 22, 2024 7:44 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Anyone Ever Retire With a 6-Month Notice?
Replies: 50
Views: 4593

Re: Anyone Ever Retire With a 6-Month Notice?

I formally informed my Dean in early June I was retiring at the end of December so they could plan how to fill my line. It became an officially recognized retirement once I filled in the HR form in October.

It was funny to me that a couple weeks after I gave notice, the Dean, who to put it mildly I never saw eye-to-eye with, stepped down as Dean and a good friend of mine took his place. I'm still very happy I retired when I did and that the ship is sailing on fine without me.
by beernutz
Sun Jan 21, 2024 6:21 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Investing home sale proceeds as a retiree w/no other savings
Replies: 5
Views: 814

Re: Investing home sale proceeds as a retiree w/no other savings

oxidize726 wrote: Sun Jan 21, 2024 3:32 pm Thank you!
chassis wrote: Sun Jan 21, 2024 2:49 pm I would not use a target type fund, they typically include bonds or bond funds, less than transparently.
Can you explain the rationale here for avoiding bonds?
2022
by beernutz
Sun Jan 21, 2024 11:19 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Pension or lump sum pay out
Replies: 37
Views: 4242

Re: Pension or lump sum pay out

This post reminds me of a question I've never forgotten that was on a high school physics exam.

A building is 15 meters tall, 10 meters wide, and 8 meters deep. How much does it weigh?
by beernutz
Sun Jan 21, 2024 11:09 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Withdrawal
Replies: 26
Views: 3466

Re: Withdrawal

John3 wrote: Fri Jan 19, 2024 4:16 pm I am 74 and about to retire. I have worked in the non-profit field with lower annual salaries but did what I thought was appropriate for my values. I have $420,000 in my 403 (b), a mortgage of $1800/month, a rental property for which I get $1200 per month. I know of the 4% withdrawal rate but am hoping to be able to withdraw more since I have worked to this advanced age. Any thoughts you can share with me about the withdrawal phase. 4% would only give me $1400 per month which would be a major reduction in my income after I leave work. Thanks. John
What would be the estimated net proceeds (estimated sale price minus (mortgage repayment + selling expenses + any depreciation recapture + any LTCG)) if you sold the rental property?
by beernutz
Fri Jan 19, 2024 7:24 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How to get rid of car
Replies: 50
Views: 4699

Re: How to get rid of car

chinchin wrote: Fri Jan 19, 2024 4:53 pm The car has been donated to Habitat for Humanity. They are coming on Wednesday. Thank you to all that gave advice.
You'll probably be shocked at how much it brings in the auction. I donated a 2000 Yukon Denali with 200,000 miles to Make a Wish the first of the year and it sold at auction for $1500. I thought it was worth half that as the paint job was terrible and the AC didn't work.
by beernutz
Fri Jan 19, 2024 7:49 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How to get rid of car
Replies: 50
Views: 4699

Re: How to get rid of car

I can't believe how many suggest calling AAA for thing as simple jumping a battery. OP has AAA membership, so that could be the easy way out for OP. But .. for posterity, if one were to DIY, this is what I would do 1. Get a battery booster. Order it from Amazon, wait until it arrives. Here's an example: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015TKUPIC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 In fact, I have that in each car we have. 2. Jump the car with it to star the engine. 3. Perhaps also need an compressor to inflate the tires if it's been sitting there for a while. Here's one (I also put this in every car we have): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CTGM2LD/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 And BTW, having t...
by beernutz
Wed Jan 17, 2024 9:27 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Help needed - 1st time investor
Replies: 59
Views: 5910

Re: Help needed - 1st time investor

Not the OP but I'm 99% sure he's talking about RSA-1, a 457b plan offered by the Retirement System of Alabama to its participants. The 3 fund options have no fees, nor do employers offer any match that I'm aware of anyway. The RSA-1 handbook is full of information: https://www.rsa-al.gov/uploads/files/RSA-1_Member_Handbook_2023.pdf Option 5. My state does have a 457b plan but I don’t truly understand the point behind it. I also am not sure how much longer I will teach. If any decent funds are offered in this plan you should contribute, even if not sure how long you will teach. Which funds are offered offered in this plan. Please give fund names, tickers and expense ratios. Is there any employer match? For her simple ira. I thought maybe I c...
by beernutz
Wed Jan 17, 2024 10:41 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Share your net worth progression
Replies: 4273
Views: 1072408

Re: Share your net worth progression

2014: 299K (36 years old) 2015: 317K 2016: 393K 2017: 505K 2018: 698K 2019: 1.02 million 2020: 1.35 million 2021: 1.74 million 2022: 1.83 million 2023: 2.90 million (45 years old) Kicking myself for not keeping better track earlier. Fidelity reporting only goes back 10 years (really?). Started working in 2001. Opened up my first taxable account in 2017 and started plowing everything I could into it post retirement/pre-tax savings. Up until 2016 it was just my work 401k Found bogleheads in late 2017. Wish I had found it earlier! Totally re-vamped my savings and investing strategy after that. Thankful to this forum and all of the great advice and information I learned from it. I'll do my best to pay it forward (for those who will listen, whi...
by beernutz
Wed Jan 17, 2024 9:21 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Help needed - 1st time investor
Replies: 59
Views: 5910

Re: Help needed - 1st time investor

If your username state means you are a member of RSA then there is a very good investment option you can take advantage of called RSA-1 which is a 457b plan (similar to a 401k or 403b plan) with no fees that allows you to make tax-deferred contributions. RSA-1 is simple in that it only has 3 investment options: EQUITY which is an S&P500 index fund, FIXED INCOME which is essentially a greater than 1 year maturity bond fund and SHORT TERM which is a money market fund. You can create a simple asset allocation matching the one proposed by your advisor using just 90% EQUITY and 10% FIXED INCOME investments. If your advisor is charging even a 1% fee for AUM (assets under management) you'll save hundreds of dollars each year in fees. My curren...
by beernutz
Tue Jan 16, 2024 10:30 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Help needed - 1st time investor
Replies: 59
Views: 5910

Re: need advice on portfolio - financial planner gave it

Your percentages add up to 95%. I think you're missing 5% in bonds.

I suggest you start by reading the wiki's investment philosophy page and watching the embedded videos.
https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Boglehe ... philosophy

Before you decide to save in only Roth and taxable investment accounts you might consider contributing to a tax-deferred account if your employer provides a match, at least up to the value of the match. There are many other possibilities to consider such as paying off high interest debt, emergency funds, HSAs, and 529 plans to name a few. The wiki page on prioritizing investment discusses this issue.
https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Priorit ... nvestments
by beernutz
Tue Jan 16, 2024 9:50 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: How did you make your first $1M?
Replies: 148
Views: 33633

Re: How did you make your first $1M?

A 2006 inheritance likely pushed us over a $1 million net worth but I'm not sure as I never calculated it until about 7 years ago when contemplating retirement.

Three other siblings inherited the same amount. Two of them are comfortable but likely worth far less than in 2006 due to divorce and bad financial decisions while the third is approaching an 8 digit net worth which is more than double ours. Families.
by beernutz
Mon Jan 15, 2024 7:02 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Preparing for a talk with my financial advisor
Replies: 78
Views: 9754

Re: Preparing for a talk with my financial advisor

I think right now the OP: 1) knows too little to even productively talk to his adviser; and 2) he is not getting bad service by his current adviser. At this point it could benefit for OP to keep his existing accounts as they are, and open his own individual (or joint with his spouse) small account at other brokerage other than Schwab where his current account is, and see how it works for him. Added: of course to manage this new account on his own, without assistance from his current adviser. I don't know that he even has to leave Schwab. I've had a managed investment account with them along with 2 other self-managed accounts at the same time. When I discontinued management a few years ago Schwab just converted the managed account to a self...
by beernutz
Sun Jan 14, 2024 8:50 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Share your net worth progression
Replies: 4273
Views: 1072408

Re: Share your net worth progression

Code: Select all

December, 2017	$2,701k		
December, 2018	$2,711k	
December, 2019	$3,166k	DW retired
December, 2020	$3,310k		
December, 2021	$3,830k	I retired
December, 2022	$3,352k	yikes
December, 2023	$3,894k	 
by beernutz
Sat Jan 13, 2024 6:19 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: My kid asked me for advice! Please advise
Replies: 33
Views: 7633

Re: My kid asked me for advice! Please advise

aristotelian wrote: Sat Jan 13, 2024 8:20 am The fact she is asking these questions is an excellent sign she is going to be just fine.
So true. I am longing for the day when one of my adult children asks me for advise about saving for retirement.
by beernutz
Fri Jan 12, 2024 4:39 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: If You Are Retiring/Retired: How are you estimating your real annual returns going forward?
Replies: 141
Views: 21257

Re: If You Are Retiring/Retired: How are you estimating your real annual returns going forward?

In Pralana Gold 2022 I use these estimates which are close to the default values: Asset Class Real ROR Standard Deviation Money Market 1.0% 0.1% Stocks 5.0% 20.0% Bonds 2.5% 7.5% What default does Pralana use for inflation? Pralana is user configurable for both general inflation and real healthcare cost inflation rates which are relative to the general inflation rate. You can set initial rates for both these estimates and also adjust the initial general rate at some point in the future. My kids had already graduated so I didn't use it but you can also set a real college cost inflation rate. IIRC the general inflation rate was set at 3% when I first started using the program. I like to make conservative estimates so I increased it to 4%.
by beernutz
Fri Jan 12, 2024 8:46 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: SWR based on length of Retirement
Replies: 5
Views: 1154

Re: SWR based on length of Retirement

https://www.morningstar.com/retirement/ ... te-be-2024

Benz discusses this issue in the section Can Retirees Withdrawal (sic) 4%?
by beernutz
Wed Jan 10, 2024 12:22 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: If You Are Retiring/Retired: How are you estimating your real annual returns going forward?
Replies: 141
Views: 21257

Re: If You Are Retiring/Retired: How are you estimating your real annual returns going forward?

In Pralana Gold 2022 I use these estimates which are close to the default values:

Code: Select all

Asset Class			Real ROR 	Standard Deviation
Money Market			1.0%		0.1%
Stocks				5.0%		20.0%
Bonds				2.5%		7.5%
by beernutz
Wed Jan 10, 2024 9:36 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Potentially selling a great house
Replies: 101
Views: 11756

Re: Potentially selling a great house

I would be wary of seeking greener neighborhood grass primarily so your kids can have more opportunities to meet playmates. We've lived in our current neighborhood which has 142 houses, a pool, small clubhouse, and a couple tennis/pickleball courts for 24 years and my kids were 6 and 2 when we moved in. Our house is on a cul-de-sac and when we moved in every family in it also had young children--I believe there were 12 kids spread over the 5 houses in it. While the kids weren't unfriendly with each other, they went to several different public and private schools and that seemed to be, along with their extracurricular activities, where they made their closest friends. Several houses have changed hands and all the kids, including mine, have a...
by beernutz
Wed Dec 27, 2023 8:38 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Anything special to see in Denver?
Replies: 33
Views: 3819

Re: Anything special to see in Denver?

Agree with Red Rocks. You can hike quite a bit within the park and get some great views of the city. We've camped in Chatfield state park which was beautiful and had numerous outdoor activities like hiking, biking, boating, kayaking, SUP, archery, hot air ballooning.
by beernutz
Sat Dec 23, 2023 3:58 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: 2024 Subaru Forrester Touring vs 2024 Lexus RX 350H
Replies: 47
Views: 4650

Re: 2024 Subaru Forrester Touring vs 2024 Lexus RX 350H

ReadyOne wrote: Sat Dec 23, 2023 11:36 am The Lexus is a fussy, poser car. Get the Subaru.
LOL the things you see on Bogleheads.
by beernutz
Thu Dec 21, 2023 12:31 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Alaska recommendations
Replies: 21
Views: 2120

Re: Alaska recommendations

We're taking our first Alaskan cruise this summer and after doing a lot of research on CC (imo the bogleheads of cruising) and talking to our TA we decided on Viking Ocean but considered both Seabourn and Oceania. Our criteria were very similar to yours and we considered "smallish" to be under 1,000 passengers. I think the TA probably swayed us to Viking as she'd just returned from a Viking River cruise.
by beernutz
Wed Dec 20, 2023 7:30 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Laptop ugrade...............
Replies: 47
Views: 4370

Re: Laptop ugrade...............

Not wading into the PC v Mac debate but several years ago we bought an Epson all-in-one printer which uses the Ecotank technology and couldn't be happier. Ecotank uses no ink cartridges but instead has 4 ink reservoirs in the printer which are refilled using large replacement ink bottles.
by beernutz
Wed Dec 20, 2023 1:16 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Anyone Bored in Retirement ??
Replies: 131
Views: 30100

Re: Anyone Bored in Retirement ??

The only reason I'm reading this thread is because I am at this moment bored in retirement.
by beernutz
Sat Dec 16, 2023 10:29 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: I am considering moving my funds to Schwab Private Client. Any experiences with them?
Replies: 32
Views: 6086

Re: I am considering moving my funds to Schwab Private Client. Any experiences with them?

This may be a nit but Schwab Private Client Services is not the name of one of Schwab's managed portfolio offerings. Private Client Services are a free bundle of services and features that are automatically available to Schwab clients with over $1 million in qualifying household assets.
by beernutz
Fri Dec 15, 2023 4:46 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What Retirement Planning/Budgeting Software Are You Using
Replies: 132
Views: 23931

Re: What Retirement Planning/Budgeting Software Are You Using

We used YNAB from 2 years before I retired to just after. We used Pralana Gold from 2 years before I retired to today, which is 2 years post retirement. Highly recommend them both.

I also use custom spreadsheets but my spreadsheets don't optimize for Roth conversions or do Monte Carlo analysis or model multiple and varying income and expense streams while including general and medical inflation estimates like Pralana does.
by beernutz
Thu Dec 14, 2023 10:28 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 50 year old.just got laid off-Need advise Bogleheads!
Replies: 94
Views: 13377

Re: 50 year old.just got laid off-Need advise Bogleheads!

Does your wife have disability insurance? If not, I'd consider getting some.
by beernutz
Wed Dec 13, 2023 5:01 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Is my Roth IRA too complicated?
Replies: 61
Views: 5274

Re: Is my Roth IRA too complicated?

What you posted in the first post is not the same ERs as what you posted in the chart. What you posted in the chart is sometimes the same and sometimes not the same as the numbers I'm finding on the internet (and sometimes I find 2 different numbers on the internet). Is the chart straight from your Fidelity account or something you put together yourself? Just where did you find these funds? You are not using FidelityGo (robo-advisor) are you? The chart is what I exported from my Positions chart. I had to copy the ER percentages from the Fund Performance tab so maybe that's why they're different? I'm not using a robo-advisor. Initially I set up my Roth with four funds: FSPSX, FDSVX, FGRIX, FCPGX based on some advice I read online about what...
by beernutz
Mon Dec 11, 2023 6:27 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Help a professor trying to balance three fund portfolio and TIAA traditional
Replies: 15
Views: 1873

Re: Help a professor trying to balance three fund portfolio and TIAA traditional

I really like owning TIAA Traditional as part of our fixed income allocation and have both RA (similar to your GRA) and GSRA versions in my account. Personally I wouldn't sell the TIAA Traditional if I were you but consider putting all new TIAA contributions into an equity fund until you get closer to your desired 65/35 AA. If you do sell Traditional it is taken proportionally from all vintages you own so you're really giving up your 4.7% average not 6.75%. Is TISPX an investment option for you? It is an SP500 index fund with only a .05 NER. My account also allows a TIAA Traditional vintage swap, which I am in the process of doing in order to get all of the investment balance into a higher earning Traditional vintage. I'm doing this by sell...
by beernutz
Mon Dec 11, 2023 10:08 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Christmas present = forced retirement
Replies: 128
Views: 20216

Re: Christmas present = forced retirement

Current yearly expenses not including the $4,100 primary housing payment and not including health insurance (how much going forward???) and not including the 2K monthly car payment is $70K annually. The $70K estimate includes some discretionary travel and repair reserves. I’m very sorry for the job loss. Keeping in mind that your spouse wants to retire in three years, your expenses will be much more than your income for many years. You have over one million in real estate debt. You will be in serious trouble if payments are missed. My suggestion is that you create an income and expense spreadsheet adding taxes, UG expenses, etc. We are a family of four, 1 just graduated college and 1 college junior. They are still on our insurance and live...