I just returned from two back-to-back cruises on Paul Gauguin in Polynesia(Cook Islands and Society Islands, Tuamotus & Society Islands). The service, food, and entertainment were great. Also, the local crew members called Gauguins offered a nice exposure to Polynesian culture. One thing that...
I have the majority of my stock allocation in international because articles I've read from Vanguard, Fidelity, etc have said that the lower valuations of international mean better long term returns. However, they have been saying that for many years and international continues to fall behind...
I did Roth conversions last year with the plan for my income to not exceed the amount that would require me to pay Medicare IRMAA surcharges(I turn 65 in two years). After I received my final dividend payment in December 2023, I did a final Roth conversion to take my income to about $1000 below...
I'm seven years into retirement from age 55. Spending a tad under planned (100% success rate in FIRECalc). However, that is about double my typical spending when working mostly due to additional travel expenses in retirement.
I'm another resident of California who will likely stay put. Here in Ventura where I live, the weather along with the nearby beach and mountains make the higher cost of living worth it.
I moved from a single family house in Pasadena to a townhouse in Ventura four years ago. The size is about the same. When I decided to move to Ventura, I wanted a home with a view and a location near the beach. In order to afford such a place, I was limited to condos. So far it has worked out...
We are scheduled to depart on September 7 for 2 weeks in Iceland and then 3 weeks in Spain. The latest surge appears to have already peaked in both countries, but still going up in the US. My biggest concern is having our flight back the US cancelled. A second concern is that one of us will...