Personal Investments • Why not leveraged Sp500 - xxxx/upro?
If things go south you could well be forced to liquidate at a substantial loss. Indeed this dynamic of forced selling is what drives a lot of financial panics. The more you lever up to hedge out...
View ArticlePersonal Finance (Not Investing) • Odd Meeting Today with IRS Re my 2022 Return
Not an expert, but this story strikes me as odd too. Especially the part about the agents being surprised that the OP's refund was not held up:The agent was surprised that my refund was not held up.It...
View ArticleInvesting - Theory, News & General • 85% of my bonds in Muni's. 15% in...
Probably depends on your tax situation. I am in the top Federal and California tax brackets, and have nearly my entire bond portfolio (40% of total investments) in Ca munis at this point, either...
View ArticlePersonal Finance (Not Investing) • Is this a problem? Direct beneficiary of...
Bottom line, I've drafted an email and will send it to eldest sibling and cc: other sibling requesting the correction be made.You know your siblings....But if a situation like this has arisen in my...
View ArticlePersonal Consumer Issues • Interior paints
If you do the work yourself I`d go with Benjamin Moor´s "Ben" paint. Dont go with the big box stuff. It´s all inferior quality despite what CR or so might tell you. You also want to think about if you...
View ArticlePersonal Consumer Issues • New Car: pay cash or finance?
I'd just pay cash and be done with it. Trying to arbitrage on the 3.9% isn't worth the hassle of filling out a loan application, having to make payments, and investing the money.VMFXX is currently...
View ArticleInvesting - Theory, News & General • Disadvantages of Using SGOV as a...
It would take quite a crisis for FDIC insured deposits to be lost. Could you really count on the ETF provider, brokerage, and exchange to be fine in that kind of extreme crisis? Maybe you'd be...
View ArticlePersonal Investments • Roth conversion: What to convert?
Is it preferable to select funds that are down vs. up, or vice versa? Does it even make a difference, since I'm planning to exchange whatever I convert to a different, more agressive fund?It makes no...
View ArticlePersonal Consumer Issues • Can I afford to splurge on a Tesla?
Can you clarify how you are so certain that you qualify for the EV tax credit? Your stated combined income suggests otherwise.Statistics: Posted by vfinx — Wed Dec 20, 2023 12:31 am — Replies 33 —...
View ArticlePersonal Consumer Issues • DW being let go. Is it a violation of MA PFML?
Some of the details likely vary by state, but I don't believe in general it is a violation of family medical leave laws to be subject to a layoff while on leave, nor to be fired for causes unrelated...
View ArticleInvesting - Theory, News & General • International (Non-US) versus US...
It’s funny, I thought I remembered you, as being one of the big international balanced guys. Welcome to the dark side!As mentioned, I used to have a higher int'l allocation a decade or more ago...
View ArticlePersonal Consumer Issues • Selling car and using a rental a few times a year
As a minimalist, perhaps drop car and motorcycle altogether and bike around, and use Uber for times you need to go beyond bike range.Statistics: Posted by renter — Wed Dec 20, 2023 11:48 pm — Replies...
View ArticlePersonal Finance (Not Investing) • Anything else (to do at Merrill Edge?)
At ME, can you purchase ETF shares and reinvest Dividends of VTI and BND?What about VTC, BSV, VCSH, and VUSB ETFs for purchase and reinvesting dividends?Statistics: Posted by OldSport — Wed Dec 20,...
View ArticlePersonal Finance (Not Investing) • Roth conversions and Tax Cuts and Jobs Act...
Thanks for the info. I was just curious on the recharacterization. I have only been doing conversions the past 3-4 years and have got it dialed in now but it would be nice to be able to safely convert...
View ArticlePersonal Consumer Issues • Post-minivan options
Plywood is rare (been years), but long boards less rare (our deck seems to need a steady supply of replacements). Never done one of those "Rent me for $20/hour" pickups at the HW store - is a...
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Personal Finance (Not Investing) • Fidelity as a one stop shop
I finished this thread today. I would like to personally thank in no order, JoMoney, Victor Starr, and Lyrrad for excellent, coherent, and helpful posts in this thread over many years. Oh and also...
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Investing - Theory, News & General • Modified versions of HFEA with ITT...
How are you putting 50k into your roth? Are you paying the penalty to do that? In fact how are you not hitting the income limit for the roth? Ahh mega backdoor.Yeah, I do the Mega Backdoor that my...
View ArticleInvesting - Theory, News & General • The murky path to figuring out if...
Fortuitously, I had a discussion with my best friend...My friend was right and I’m glad I followed his advice (I stumbled upon MMM and Bogleheads 10 years ago and affirmed my friend's suggestion)Thank...
View ArticleInvesting - Theory, News & General • Rich Author, Poor Readers - Ben Carlson
Real financial advice doesn’t try to scare you. Real financial advice turns complex topics into simple explanations. Real financial advice doesn’t offer predictions; it offers perspective. It shows...
View ArticlePersonal Finance (Not Investing) • Expecting Twins-Advice?
Congratulations! We also had twins before our oldest turned two and they are all a lot of fun. Our twins are fraternal, but the same gender, and still share a room at the age of 8.Definitely agree on...
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