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  1. M

    10 vs. 20 ?

    I thought so too but if I increase the spending to 20K for example the situation changes. 10 years 200K 20 years 104K ?
  2. M

    10 vs. 20 ?

    I am curious why failure rates increase (smaller balance) with shorter time periods. Example: Spending $10K a year Portfolio $500K 20 Years. Portfolio 50% Stocks 50% Commercial Paper. Results Min 385K Same calculation except time period is 10 years Results Min 284K This does not...
  3. M

    Lost Decade: Real Estate

    Some areas are a lot more than a decade. We just bought a condo in Sun City Center FL for 65K. The original owners bought it for 87K in 1987.
  4. M

    Our financial smarts erode quickly after age 60

    I'm not any dumberer than I was before I were 60. In fact, I was dumberest in my 20s and 30s! Seriously, I'm 67 in two months and I feel confident in my ability to leave my assets alone and let my allocation do the work. I don't think I really got financially smart until my 50's. Before that...
  5. M

    Sinking Funds

    This will be our (hopefully) final home. If it goes as planned - the next step will be the drool factory or peaceful valley. We are older than some of the group here so we are planning an additional 25 years tops. The place is 25 years old with most appliances-windows-etc original...
  6. M

    Sinking Funds

    Just bought a new (for me) condo in FL. We've always kept a sinking fund for household/vehicle repairs but we've added a lot of new (possible) expenses. Golf cart (our first) garage door (always had car ports) much more expensive windows (Hurricanes) etc. My question is how do all of you...
  7. M

    AARP: No change in Social Security position

    Ziggy I have no intention of getting into a p match with you. The truth is that current baby boomers have already made a sacrifice in 1983. Our contribution increased and our benifits were cut. There is an indexing of benefits - it's called income tax. The rate at which ss is taxed is not...
  8. M

    AARP: No change in Social Security position

    Sorry - it doesn't fly - The fixes for the baby boomers were made in 1983. That was good for 75 years based on known baby boomer population. Congress said so. So it's not really demographics - it's congress. The seniors didn't make the deficit - congress did. I recognize that nothing is...
  9. M

    AARP: No change in Social Security position

    I love all the arguments about how cutting current SS benefits will "save" SS. SS is in its current state because congress spent the money. If there is any savings by cutting benefits congress will spend that money as well. The problem isn't SS the problem is congress.
  10. M

    Condo Trap and Double Dip

    Major problems with condos for 2011 Four Real Estate Market Predictions for Homebuyers in 2011 Check item #3. I am extremely aware of this as we just lost a sale on our MI condo because the number of delinquents are now too high. This dashes our hopes to retire in FL. We are currently in FL...
  11. M

    More people forced into ER and early social security

    I agree with nun. Recently I had a younger friend parrot the popular mantra on SS. It's a scam! It won't be there when I get there. I could do better with the money myself. I asked him about his pension. He has none coming. I asked him about his 401K. After some digging I found out it was...
  12. M

    Personal Inflation Rate

    I am going over my retirement expense budget. We are looking at a permanent move and wanted to see the effects on our retirement plan. I'm finding a disturbing trend. Our personal rate of inflation appears to be about 7%. Increases in HOA, insurance and medical, utilities, taxes, travel, have...
  13. M

    Experts - Has your view changed?

    I find that now, when I watch or read financial information from the experts, I tend to discard most of it. All I can think is that we just went through the most significant financial event since the great depression and ,arguably, no one saw it coming. (I know the permabears, did but a stopped...
  14. M

    Buckets of Money Strategy

    Several members of the board have used the "bucket" approach to their thinking of asset allocation. Yes a rose by any other name.... but I found that Lucias book made me think a little differently about asset allocation, even if it's only a mind game. By mentally separating the allocations I...
  15. M

    Rent vs. Buy House

    Thanks for the thoughts. Kroeran, the health risk is one that is on my mind. But I guess that it exists for everyone that is not living close to family. There are so many things to consider. Not the least of them is that with the current situation, Michigan may be a good place to be from...
  16. M

    Rent vs. Buy House

    No this isn't a new thread about the finance aspects of rent or own:laugh: We currently own a home in Michigan. We have been leasing a snowbird residence in Florida. We are now staying 7 months of the year in the sunshine state and have started to consider moving here full time. Our intent...
  17. M

    Further on E trade Bank

    I'm the one that got the boot. They wanted to send my savings account to Discovery bank. When I called I found out it was because my brokerage account wasn't active. I have been an ETrade bank customer for a long time (and a Prefered one as well). I thanked them and pulled my funds to Ally...
  18. M

    Etrade Bank Ending Savings - Looking for New Online Bank

    Heads up for the other etrade bank guys - I called etrade bank - I'm being dumped (my words not theirs) because my brokerage account is inactive and I am not maintaining a high balance. I have moved much of my savings to other banks paying higher interest. If you didn't get an email it probably...
  19. M

    Etrade Bank Ending Savings - Looking for New Online Bank

    Here's the email I received - It states that only the online SAVINGS account is moving but I can't see how they would keep the checking and move the more lucrative savings: We are writing to let you know that your E*TRADE Bank account referenced above will soon be transferred to Discover Bank...
  20. M

    Etrade Bank Ending Savings - Looking for New Online Bank

    Etrade Bank sent me an email telling me that they were transferring my savings account to Discovery Bank next month. They have not announced anything about the checking account but I feel that it can't be far behind. It looks like they are leaving the banking business. I have been very happy...
  21. M

    Zero Liability Online Banking

    I don't think I trust this author. Etrade Bank has had zero liability and a password pendant for some time.
  22. M

    Caught Capital One's hand in my pocket

    I think a person's view of a CC is their view and is OK with me. I, for one, like my CC. I always pay full on time and have never paid any interest or fees (rather than the cc company not liking me as a customer they increased my rewards recently as I pointed out in another post). I like the...
  23. M

    A Variable Annuity that Works

    The article is correct. 65 year old male gets about 7.9%. You are right though, a joint annuity pays about 5% for the same age group. Rich - you forgot foreign and gold - You'll need at least another 200% Telly - I like pecan I just posted this to show off the financial experts that all...
  24. M

    A Variable Annuity that Works

    From 3 strategies to guarantee income in retirement - Sep. 21, 2009 This is the way to make a variable annuity work - just have 150%!
  25. M

    Reward CC not going anywhere

    With all the concern that the new rules on Credit Cards would limit or end rewards for those of us that don't carry a balance I may have good news. I just got a notice from Capital One on my travel rewards card. They changed the formula! I used to divide the points by 125 now by 100. That...
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