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GerryL

Having gone through several transitions, although none quite like the one you describe, here is my suggestion: Keep your hand in by scheduling some time each week to network and do ongoing research in your industry. Make it a part-time job. As you know, the world will not stand still while you take ...

GerryL

Another resource to look at is the book How to Make Your Money Last: The Indispensable Retirement Guide by Jane Bryant Quinn. Look for the most recent version.

GerryL

at 85? I wouldn't care - that sounds like a long-lived life. Sorry, I'm 86 and I care and I haven't changed a heck of a lot on likes and dislikes and wants and needs. I bought a new car last December and a new AC and Furnace this summer and other stuff. I still eat and drink (plus eat in restaurant...

GerryL

If I take cashback as cash -- e.g., Costco Visa annual cashback -- I just set it aside for gradually putting in my wallet and don't even enter it into Quicken. The amounts are not so significant that I feel a need to track it as income. If something comes into an account as a credit, I categorize it...

GerryL

I would hope that I notice that I am in danger of running out long before I actually run out. This is the real answer. I would take some serious steps before completely running out of funds. Gill Few people suddenly wake up and realize they have run out of money, but there are, sadly, instances of ...

GerryL

So, no more Flagship level? I have noticed that the descriptions of their different levels have become rather wishy-washy. My Flagship rep disappeared "temporarily" almost 2 years ago. In the past I have had a VG CFP run my plan to see how it held up at a specified spend level. So, is this...

GerryL

mrsmith, My "technique": I have 3 accounts w/ Vanguard IRA, Roth IRA and taxable (i.e., not tax-advantaged for retirement). That last, which is in a balanced index fund, is where I put extra $$ for long-term growth. For years, while I was working, I had dividends set to auto-reinvest and j...

GerryL

Can anyone answer this. For the Vanguard automatic RMD service, can they take the RMD from any mutual fund or ETF in your account, or only from Vanguard mutual funds? Gary, I don't know the answer to your question, but you could always move the amount of your RMD from various funds in the IRA into ...

GerryL

The process of putting money into SS is not like a deferred annuity. But the process of getting it out is much like an annuity. A COLA'd single-premium annuity.
And it is by its nature "deferred."

GerryL

*Disposing of a retired topper can be a challenge. I've used a utility knife to cut and tear them up into smaller pieces that fit in the trash bin. But that can be a little messy and it takes a few weeks to get them out of the house. That's what I have done. When I bought the second one, I asked at...

GerryL

I've been keeping my old Simmons mattress going with a 3" memory foam topper ... for a bunch of years now. But unlike your situation, I went with the topper because my bed was no longer giving me the support I wanted. If I start waking routinely with a sore back, that's the sign to replace the ...

GerryL

Nice thread to revisit. OP sold on May 1 - open 58.83 | high 59.32 | low 57.31. Today Intel is down to $50.71 as I write this. A few weeks ago INTC was going up and was approaching 62. With no RMDs this year, I figured I'd sell some, and I put in a limit order for ~65. Then it went down. Then it st...

GerryL

I'm a big fan of Medicare for Dummies. Bought my own copy after perusing the one in the library. I found that many resources simply copied the text that was available on the official Medicare site, but MforD did a better job in explaining the complexities in different language. And I like the grids....

GerryL

With everybody telling us how much the market is overvalued and how surely it will fall drastically, Here are a couple of tips that will help you stay the course Imagine the worst case scenario - spy down 50 % or even 75 % and calculate your portfolio. If that’s a number you feel ok with to survive...

GerryL

Wilderness Librarian wrote: ↑Sat Jul 18, 2020 9:16 am
Keenobserver wrote: ↑Fri Jul 17, 2020 1:28 pm Does anyone here regrett not having kids, or not havijg enoguh kids ?
Medicare age. Zero kids. Zero regrets. This is one of several reasons I bought long term care insurance when I was in mid-50s

We librarians seem to think alike.

GerryL

Does anyone here regrett not having kids, or not havijg enoguh kids ? Solo. No kids. No regrets. Regret about anything you cannot change is a waste of time, so I really, truly do not think about "what might have been." EDIT: But in answer to the original question, and reiterating what oth...

GerryL

All the above is a textbook symptom of becoming inefficient and lazy. When you have too much time without much to do, you become less efficient and it is difficult to finish anything because you don't have any sense of urgency. Your frustration with unfinished tasks makes you feel busy, i.e., short...

GerryL

Anyway, my biggest surprises: How many people are around 9-5. Go to a movie theater, a cafe, or a grocery store at 2pm on a Tuesday and....it isn't "full" but I'm always a bit surprised how many other people are there. I always wonder....are all of you early retirees? House-spouses with k...

GerryL

How quickly I adapted. I thought it would take a few weeks, but it was more like fifteen minutes.
And how quickly time passes. I recently celebrated my 6th anniversary in retirement. I have to keep doing the math, because it feels like it can't be more than three years.

GerryL

... On the other hand, I do expect that the lowest cost Plan G-HD may *eventually* be cheaper than the lowest cost Plan F-HD, due to the growing difference in age-risk pools. When that happens to any significant extent, I will likely do a one-and-done switch to Plan G-HD. (I would not expect to swi...

GerryL

This doesn't answer your question but we received the Hamilton book as a gift and it is a great coffee table book. I'm surprised there's a Kindle version. I think this DOES answer the question. A book with an emphasis on photos is not going to be good for an e-ink experience. Just like National Geo...

GerryL

Need help thinking this through: Is it worth the effort to switch from a Medigap F-High Deductible plan to a G-HD. I live in Oregon, where in your birth month you can switch to a different Medigap plan at the same or lower level. I checked my insurer’s rates and found that for my category in 2020, t...

GerryL

Really? Never heard of such a thing. I'll be interested in seeing how others respond.

GerryL

If you intend to travel in retirement, you will need to decide whether to insure trips that involve a large layout of money for interruption/cancellation and medical incidents that could occur when you are out of the country. So far I have been insuring my trips, but I have not yet had a need to us...

GerryL

Since you are in CA, I will respond. I go with Hartford--with the dreaded AARP membership--to get the low deductible earthquake insurance. They are the only carrier that I know of that has this plan. Difficult to find reasonably-priced earthquake coverage these days, I learned when I was shopping a...

GerryL

If you intend to travel in retirement, you will need to decide whether to insure trips that involve a large layout of money for interruption/cancellation and medical incidents that could occur when you are out of the country. So far I have been insuring my trips, but I have not yet had a need to use...

GerryL

Think about what your goals are. Are you trying to simplify your portfolio as you get closer to retirement? Are you trying to reduce costs? Increase return? First decide what what you want to achieve. Then plan for how you can do it in the most tax-efficient way. I had a significant chunk of my port...

GerryL

One consideration in making this decision is the ability to ensure a guaranteed income stream that will cover your basic living expenses. I had three plans on which I needed to choose between lump sum and non-COLA annuity. I opted to take the two smaller (tiny, actually) amounts as annuities that to...

GerryL

When I have a buildup of cash, I buy a 12-month Ally CD, about 3-4x a year. I aim to space them out, so that when one matures I can decide whether I will need a burst of cash in the coming quarter, for example, to help cover the balance of a planned vacation. If I don't see a cash need coming up bef...

GerryL

While working, I invested because I understood that just saving money and sticking it under the mattress would not be enough to secure a stable/comfortable retirement when I was no longer willing/able to work. Now retired, I continue to invest because I am aiming to live a long (healthy?) life and w...

GerryL

Huh, my assumption has always been that people choose to sell RSUs and spend them. If they are holding them, that can be a pretty impressive savings rate above and beyond retirement. Or sell the RSUs and reinvest the $$ in an index fund. That's what I should have been doing, but I held on to too ma...

GerryL

OP,
There are so many more variables than who "wins" at investing. Maybe it's time for you to read Jack Bogle's little book, "Enough."

GerryL

In short: If you're willing to pay $250+, Tivo with lifetime subscription. Only does Tivo stuff, but does it really well, plug and play. If you're willing to pay $125+, hdhomerun with an Android TV stick. Also gets you YouTube, Netflix, Spotify, etc, etc. hdhomerun gives you more flexibility in the...

GerryL

Gill, That's an interesting option ...obviously I would have to look up the IRS code Most working people , if they're not subject to Withholding , have to pay a certain amount each quarter ....I don't know anything about the July 15th provision All estimated payments were deferred this year to July...

GerryL

I'm sure you realize that taking a distribution to pay your estimated taxes is a taxable distribution which you could avoid by making the payments from other funds. Gill The benefit of taking them through an IRA distribution is that you are having the taxes withheld and therefore do not have to fol...

GerryL

Please point me to the existing thread. I'm planning to take a portion of my 2020 RMD strictly for a qualified charitable contribution and estimated taxes ( since nothing of ours is subject to withholding ) This is pretty much what I am doing. Executed my QCDs early in the year before 2020 RMDs wer...

GerryL

I picked up a box at Costco on Tuesday. I've been making and buying various masks since this thing began, but frankly, the surgical-style masks are more comfortable than any of the fabric ones I've worn. I used to have to wear the surgical masks when I worked behind the scenes in the primate buildin...

GerryL

Some years back, someone on this site mentioned that Tivo sometimes had brief sales when they were selling off old models. I set up a Google news alert and, sure enough, one day I was notified about a sale on refurbished and new OTA Tivo DVRs with a lifetime subscription option. Paid out once and ha...

GerryL

[Merged into existing thread on same topic in Personal Finance (Not Investing) forum- Mod Misenplace] For those of you who took your RMD early in the new year: The IRS on Tuesday announced that anyone who already took a required minimum distribution (RMD) in 2020 from certain retirement accounts no...

GerryL

Iorek wrote: ↑Mon Jun 15, 2020 7:38 pm Don’t do something, just stand there

This. And "Nobody knows nothin'."

GerryL

My mom lived alone while she declined. I gradually took over her finances and was her fiduciary for SS. I found I needed to have her bills and such sent to me to make sure they did not disappear. One example: I was visiting once and she pointed to her Medicare bill (apparently premium for an Advanta...

GerryL

If you will ever want credit again, the good folks only seem able to deal with monthly income. They don't want to hear about your assets. In response to a question "What is your income?" they especially do not want to hear "What ever I want it to be." I have chosen to take my RM...

GerryL

In a year where I've taken RMDs, I've taken those annually in November. I'll do a year's worth of federal and state tax withholding from those RMDs. If I need more than Social Security and RMDs, I'll just transfer a chunk from my taxable brokerage account, probably on a quarterly basis (I'm still n...

GerryL

That is an interesting way to look at bonds. It did feel good to be able to do "something" by selling bonds and buying stocks if you need to scratch that itch! Next time you feel the need to "scratch that itch," go buy a tube of Hydrocortisone cream. And recite Jack Bogle's advi...

GerryL

I did VERY well with my IRA in Dodge&Cox Stock Fund for around 20 years. It was my first fund, and I picked it for the low ER. Didn't know about indexing. This was early 1990s As life went on, I got a 401k and I slowly learned more about investing and the Boglehead way. Eventually I was able to ...

GerryL

Early 70s, retired 6 years. SS and tiny pension cover basic expenses. I am comfortable at 60/40 but won't fret if AA goes to 50/50. My financial plan supports an annual spending target that is more than what I have been spending.

GerryL

nope definately not flying until there is a vaccine with mandate for everyone to take it. I seriously doubt there will be a mandate for everyone to take the vaccine in this country. Some countries might require some vaccine documentation for people coming from "certain" geographies, but I...

GerryL

With all the posts about people not being able to get refunds for flights the airlines canceled there is no way that I would book tickets far in advance unless it was with points. ... Based on the train wreck going on here it will be interesting to see if foreign countries block Americans from entr...

GerryL

Interesting about Comet, which my mom always used.
I've been using Bon-Ami for decades because it is recommended for Corning Ware, whereas Comet was said to be too abrasive. I feel comfortable using Bon-Ami on my smooth-top range.
Probably not worth switching now.

GerryL

This is what I did in a similar but not identical situation: Left company just after I was fully vested. I was in my 40s. They would not let me take the pension as cash, so I had to just wait. Figured that when I eventually retired I'd get ~$120/mo. So, probably chump change in a future budget. Over...

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