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  1. Brat

    About death and money

    We belong to the Oregon Memorial Society, a not for profit society. They list mortuaries, from there I can see their prices.
  2. Brat

    Condo vs. Co-Op as a Second Home? Pros and Cons

    I have a neighbor who owned a coop in DC. They made provisions in their bylaws that allow a purchaser to have a loan to purchase shares. Virginia may have similar provisions.
  3. Brat

    Condo vs. Co-Op as a Second Home? Pros and Cons

    Then go for the cond.
  4. Brat

    Condo vs. Co-Op as a Second Home? Pros and Cons

    I live in an 'unofficial' housing cooperative (aka, Oregon has no conforming statute). A couple shareholders want us to convert to condo, most oppose. If you are comparing a coop to a condo in the specific area look at your local State statutes. IMHO, a coop is a better value than a condo...
  5. Brat

    Condo vs. Co-Op as a Second Home? Pros and Cons

    One of the advantages of a co-op is that residents are screened, often background checks are conducted and financials examined. Co-ops are not immune from special assessments but should a big one happen the board often works with a resident who can't pay immediatly working out a time payment...
  6. Brat

    BALANCED FUND vs INTEREST INCOME FUND? Where to park $100k for the next 2 years?

    While I agree that the time horizon is short all signals are for a rising equity market, decreasing interest rates. I would choose a low cost balanced fund.
  7. Brat

    Dumbest Booking Error

    I have been watching a UTube series by a hotel staffer. One of her STRONG recommendations is to book directly with the hotel. She says that there won't be a difference in price but any schedule changes can be easily arranged and that the hotel will know the specifics of amenities available. The...
  8. Brat

    Tax Refund in <3 days!

    Fidelity 1099-Div and INT available today. I purchased H&R Block Fed+State but could not get updates (which include my state) to load. I even tried re-installing the program. Still no success. Then I tried FreeTaxUSA. It grabbed my H&RBlock last year's return with ease, data entry was...
  9. Brat

    Spouse is Afraid of Flying

    Given Boeing's recent missteps her anxiety isn't unreasonable. Consider taking trips by train then rent a car. Not cheaper but can be very pleasant. A UTube couple recommended two roomettes over a bedroom.
  10. Brat

    Trust or Not?

    Oregon has a very low estate tax, our IRAs alone would trigger that on the last to pass. One feature of a revocable living trust is the ability to 'decline for the benefit' of the survivor so to park the asset value for heirs. Also in case of incompetency residual trustees can sell assets in...
  11. Brat

    Alternative to nuclear electric power generation

    Geothermal power generation using drilling procedures used in oil and gas industry. Take a look at Fervo Energy and if you have time listen to the conference video posted on https://fervoenergy.com/technology/. Among their sponsors are Stanford, Princeton, Rice universities, USGS, Sandia...
  12. Brat

    DW's engagement/wedding ring

    Years ago the stone fell out of my engagement ring and couldn't be found. When my Mother heard about that she offered me her grandmother's engagement/wedding ring set. It has little but sentimental value. I wear it to this day (I am 82). I suggest you keep it with the hope you can pass it on...
  13. Brat

    Strange prepaid visa card received in the mail

    My "through dental workup" was referring to the saying "don't look a gift horse in the mouth". This card came out of the blue. I googled the issuer and learned that there is a scam associated so I cut the card in small pieces.
  14. Brat

    Strange prepaid visa card received in the mail

    I received a prepaid visa card with an initial value of $20 issued by Sutton Bank. I haven't activated it as this gift horse requires a through dental workup. Has anyone else received such a card?
  15. Brat

    Moved into CCRC today

    I recommend you check out Holladay Park Plaza in Portland. It would have been on our short list but we have a paid up long term care policy so their program would have been redunant for us. Their skilled nursing unit is top rated by Medicare. Portland is a reasonable drive to Sacramento and...
  16. Brat

    Medicare Plan G but hospital charging balance

    Request an itemized bill.
  17. Brat

    Those Who don't/didn't do Roth Conversions

    I just called Fidelity to discuss IRA conversion. The customer service person said that our RMDs must go to a taxable account and couldn't go to a Roth. Nuts. It has been a while since we did conversions, maybe before RMDs kicked in.
  18. Brat

    No kids. Who do we put in the will?

    You could open 529 accounts to the children you are considering as beneficiaries. If they turn out to be not suitable for college you can move it to another student or redeam the account with a modest penality on the gain. Don't contribute to the parent's 529 for the kids, you want to control...
  19. Brat

    Trip Insurance --- To Alaska?

    Ah but aircraft transport with paramedics ... I would check on that.
  20. Brat

    Tax prep software offers

    I have been an H & R Block fan for several years. I just tried FreeTaxUSA because of the lower cost of filing my state return online. The only thing FreeTaxUSA doesn't offer is electronic downloads of 1099s although they can import my last H & R Block return via a PDF - that went smoothly...
  21. Brat

    Trip Insurance --- To Alaska?

    A classmate of mine, who lived in Portland, was on vacation in Hawaii with his son. He broke his spine scuba diving. No evacuation insurance. Quadriplegic. He took his life weeks after the accident. I am not sure that evacuation insurance would have made a difference as he would not have...
  22. Brat

    Trip Insurance --- To Alaska?

    The only insurance that may be valuable is medical evacuation insurance.
  23. Brat

    For old-timers on ER.org

    I miss Brewer too. He lives in a suburb of Denver. We met when DH and I visited Colorado. Several years ago I prevailed on him to review the annuity held by an elderly relative who lives in Fort Collins and was being solicated by a 'financial advisor' to 'update' it. Brewer met that gal...
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