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I think most of us are in a situation where when we ERd, our income dropped dramatically but we still had sources of money that allowed us to maintain our desired lifestyles, and that's really all that matters.

The bigger monitor/better keyboard thing is not an issue for a laptop. It takes me less than a minute to move my laptop from the couch to the office and plug in an HDMI and USB to connect the monitor and keyboard that are always in place in the office, and I'm ready to roll.

I agree that this is the right thing to do 401ks that have high fees and/or poor investment options. But this is not the case for all plans. My megacorp 401k offers index funds with very low fees, on par with Vanguard and Fido. So I've had no reason to move the money.

Probably true in cases where the man was the provider and the woman the caretaker, but this is becoming less prevalent as time goes on, and I can cite a lot of counterexamples to this generalization.

I enjoyed listening to him on SiriusXM Deep Tracks.

DW and I are doing something very similar with our DAF at Fidelity. Most of our beneficiary designations have myself, DW, and/or a sibling as primary beneficiary, and the DAF as secondary. We're all doing well financially, so may not need the money when the account owner passes. If so, we can...

I have friends who own homes in IL and NV. They do not spend 6 months in either home, as they are often traveling. They claim that the days when they are in neither home can be counted toward either state.

When we sold our house, we donated, gave to friends, and freecycled as much as possible, but there were a few items, like a portable shed, an extension ladder, and a big storage cabinet that were easier to just leave in place. So our realtor checked with buyer's realtor, and buyers were happy to...

I don't see the problem. She's tech-savvy on the Ipad, so savviness is not the issue. Some people are just happy with the phones they have. My SIL's SO uses a flip phone. She bought him a smart phone for his birthday, and it sat unopened and untouched for a few months. She finally returned it.

To me, "frugal" means denying yourself things that would bring you more utility than the money you're spending. "Keeping up with the Joneses" is on the other extreme, where you buy things that will bring you less utility than the money you're spending. An economist would say that both of these...

I use a USB heat mask for 10 minutes in the morning (convenient because I have it plugged into my alarm clock) and a microwave mask for 10 minutes in the evening (convenient because I sit in the living room). I think they're both equally effective. Also use Systane Ultra PF eye drops a couple...

DW and I have a DAF with Fidelity, and have the DAF as a beneficiary on our retirement accounts. Then we have a legacy plan in the DAF that says which charities will receive the money.

DW and I plan to avoid the tax torpedo by ramping up our donations - using QCDs and the like - when that time arrives.

Seems like they go out of their way to reinforce stereotypes. Many are borderline offensive, and IMO a few cross that line.

Almost all local for DW and I. - Outdoor recreation (this is also in my wheelhouse for volunteering) - Organizations like hospice, etc where both the workers and clients have it tough - Local foundation that spreads the good around the community (and adds a match)

Tora! Tora! Tora! My dad took me to see that for my 9th birthday.

For DW and I, peak will likely be right before RMDs kick in. Once that happens, we'll start giving away a lot via QCDs and the like to avoid the tax hit and at the same time do a lot of good.

The last 2 replies are a matter of semantics. I think what was meant by "everybody qualifies for ACA" is that you can't be denied coverage, not that everybody is eligible for an exchange plan. ACA is a big complex law, and you can't "qualify" for a law. Rather, the rules for who can get an...

OP, can you sell some investments to generate capital gains or the like to increase your income? My ACA application shows a small pension plus investment income to get us where we want to be income-level-wise, and that has never been questioned.

Also check out a couple of state parks: Goblin Valley and Dead Horse Point. The latter is where Thelma and Louise went over the edge. Also the La Sal Mountains outside of (and above) Moab. Especially if it's hot at the lower elevations. Lots of great hiking.

Agreed. The adult daughter being controlled to this extent seems like a major red flag on two fronts: The husband being so extreme, and the daughter tolerating this behavior.

Since there are clearly unresolved grievances driving this, instead of baking those grievances into the will, why not use your remaining years to try to fix things?

Good points. For our tax-deferred accounts, DW and I have each other as primary beneficiary and our DAF as secondary. So when one of us passes, the survivor can decide how much they need and disclaim the rest, which will then go into the DAF.

As a (very) small minority have mentioned on this thread, cross country is the way to go. There are plenty of easy trails where you can avoid the potential for a nasty crash, although there are also plenty of challenging trails for those who want an adrenaline rush as well as an endorphin rush...

When I ERd and people asked me if I was really retired, I said: "For now". After a while, they stopped asking. I also made it a point not to celebrate my ER around people who were older than me and still needed/wanted to work. But things of course were different when hanging out with my other ER...