Recent content by Brook2

I've looked in all the obvious places to close my account to this forum - but I'm not finding it. I've had a security issue with my email and I want to close all optional accounts I have.

I'm going through some papers and found a note card with these investment tips I wrote down and I'm trying to figure out the source. Ring any bells? Book, podcast, perhaps who talks this way? I tried several AI searches of the text without any results: -Markets Average a 14% decline once...

People seem to talk a lot about Trump winning the election and walking away from all his legal woes and becoming a tyrant - but what they don't talk much about, which I find more interesting is: What happens when he loses? Things probably for sure will happen: He will claim voter fraud and...

I vote for CDs. It's nice to have some FDIC insured funds to balance things out.

I notice a pattern that JP Morgan offers a lot of callable CDs, and then always calls them really early. (For example: 2 years callable, and then call in 6 months). They seem to be a company that consistently does this. It’s as if they have no idea how much money they will need. Your theories?

A new reason why people might decide what state to live in (go to school, transfer jobs) - might be more important than taxes. Now you have to decide if you want to live in a state where you are allowed to decide when you want to start a family. Then that list gets shorted very fast.

After going to a Kaiser medicare seminar today - I realize I wouldn't want to move to any state that does not have Kaiser. So I guess one benefit of living CA is Kaiser (I know they are in some other states too). I've been with them for over 30 years. They are affordable, and interested in...

Most tax information assume you have earned income from a job, but what if you don’t? What if you only have 2 sources of income: LTCG and Non-Qualified Dividends. How are they ’stacked’? For example, Assume you have both LTCG $44,000 (no fed taxes), and $44,000 Non-qualified dividends (marginal...

It was just a side rant. Maybe that is why there's a big turn over in city council this year and 2 people already quit. There is a loss of logic in how the city spends money.

Yes, I was shocked to find there was no fed taxes for long term capital gains up to about $44,000. I thought "gee, I could have used that tax break back when I was working at a cafe." Now, that cafe worker making nothing down the street is paying my taxes (or so it seems). I don't really need...

Now if I could get a laugh like THAT every time the city asked for money for some oddball thing, I might not mind so much. I'm lucky I can afford these things, whereas my neighbors live on a limited fixed income with health issues. Our city threatens to put a lien on one's house for...

I'm using Freetaxusa.com which has been recommended by several people. It's probably way more reliable than 'me' doing it by hand for sure :) I'll double look at things - but so far I'm not finding it. It could be as simple as what people said above, it's not that my state taxes are so high -...

I don't have withholding or pay quarterly. I just cash out mutual fund to live off of, and see what I owe at the end of the year.

I'm not a tax whiz, but I also don't have a complicated financial life (no deductions, no kids, own my home). I'm living on long term cap gains and cash out about $50,000 a year. This year I stumbled by forgetting my dividends and ended up with $60,000 income/investment total. I just did my...

I've read several articles on how long to wait before you shred old tax records, but a lot of it has to do with deductions, debt, home loans, business or employment income. Since I'm fire, own my home, have no debt, and live on investments and I don't deduct anything - can you think of any...