Recent content by Jim in PA

Real life - NOT a dream Doctors tell me that EVERYONE has dreams. Perhaps I'm one of the lucky ones who just doesn’t remember them. But this happened to me in real life at the end of my junior year. I had scheduled early morning classes anticipating that I would find a job working afternoons...

Have you considered Series I savings bonds? You’re limited to buying $10,000 per calendar year, but they are government bond and currently yield 9.62%. Yes, for a government guaranteed bond. Rate is variable and linked to inflation. You buy them directly at treasury direct.gov Check it out.

I order from Maud’s Coffee. https://shopblends.com/ But I buy only when there’s a sale on Brads Deals https://www.bradsdeals.com/ At the sale price it’s $30 for a 100 count or $.30 each. Shipping is free and very fast. I like dark roast. They have cute names for the blends and there’s also a...

Is Schwab slipping? I have been a very satisfied client of Schwab for many years. It started when my then employer used Schwab for stock based compensation. Very recently Schwab seems to have slipped. It’s things like not being able to reach support or glitches on the trading system. A few...

Humor in the prep I never got past the line by humorist Dave Barry. He was cleaned out so well that he passed food he hadn’t even eaten yet... that sounded about right.

Ok... here’s another “expert” who indicates that you must take the RMD >>BEFORE>> doing a Roth conversion. But he provides additional explanation. Paraphrasing here: In IRS logic, your traditional IRA isn’t “yours.” It’s partially yours, but some of it is “theirs.” Once you’re subject to RMDs...

WATCH OUT. Information I had received from Schwab said that I had to take my RMD BEFORE any Roth conversion. Otherwise, it causes some tax problem. Here is a source I found online that says the same thing. https://lawrencefinancialplanning.com/blog/roth-conversion-faq 3. CAN I DO ROTH...

It’s an old line and I’m surprised that no one mentioned it. Exercise is extremely important... especially that exercise when you push your chair back from the table. That’s the key to losing weight.

Well, enjoy. Just noting, I hear from many (most?) retirees that they are so busy, they don’t know how they ever found time for w*rk... That’s ok, but as your ‘time’ fills up, just be sure that it is spent on the things that YOU prefer or that it matches YOUR priorities. Again, Enjoy!

On reusing dental floss. DON’T! Flossing helps reduce inflammation which in turn has been linked to heart disease. Google it. Foaming soap. I strongly prefer the foaming soap dispensers to the full strength ones. The soap is diluted and it spreads easier on your hands. I DO refill them. Like...

Here is a scenario for discussion. Suppose that in the election, Joe Biden is elected and his coattails are long enough to give the Democrats control of the Senate. I think that most observers believe that the Democrats will keep control of the House, so under this scenario, they have control...

Please let us know how this works out - or not. I’m posting this note so that the system will inform me when additional comments are posted. Thanks

Too much of a good thing I’m working at converting ALL of my traditional IRA to Roth. With the Secure Act provision that the account must be emptied in 10 years (for a non-spouse), a taxable account may well be a burden. Suppose that your heir inherits $1M and at the time, she/he is in a peak...

I pay only $112 for $1M. As others have alluded to, the liability limits on your homeowners & Auto need to be synced to the umbrella policy. My cost may be lower because the liability coverage on my auto & homeowners is higher AND I PAY FOR IT THERE.

Ok so from all of the answers, it’s never about the math. It’s about the warm feeling you have from being mortgage free. Here’s a couple more thoughts. I look at paying extra principle (or paying off your mortgage) as making a long term investment at the mortgage rate, say 3%. So I ask...