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I guess I was thinking that the variable rate was the one they were predicting and that the fixed side was more open due to the latest rates/sales of the auctions. I could certainly be wrong.

He was just on this podcast: Animal Spirits Podcast: Talk Your Book: Defining Risk with Structured Protection ETFs on Apple Podcasts. He mentioned the interest rates are high enough to make it (a buffered ETF) work.

I decided my new M.O. will be buy $2.5k at the end of April (in addition to the $5k with the tax refund) and $7.5k in May to split the difference should the fixed rate component change. I had put in an order after hemming and hawing all month about "now" or "wait?" I think this should simplify...

I think what ticks me off is that we brag about our great system and then have to wait forever for relatively common stuff. Long wait for potential cancer issue like the derm or colonoscopies. Makes me want to be a medical tourist. Not to mention, I get better pricing saying "not insured"...

In our state, if you can have a certain level of income that's too high for everyone to be on Medicaid (type of program) which directs you toward the ACA. If you have too little income above that threshold, the child won't qualify for ACA and thus the parents go on ACA plans and the child...

Probably most thankful for the mandate re: pre-existing conditions.

Sorry. Thanks for sharing. We're the nutty outliers in our family and community. But with a 15YO, it's hard to know where he'd go in the (unlikely but possibility) of a COVID demise? So we're still locked down/masked with N95s other than if we can see it's a contained situation. Something...

Every form advisor's ADV I've read states that fees are negotiable. But they're going to ask you for a full fee every time. They won't get it unless they do. Your job is the opposite: to ask for a plan for a reasonable fee. Let's say you think $1000 is reasonable. They shouldn't need to...

You're very young and on the right track with wanting to buy it right before you invest. Most gurus state there are plenty of decent portfolios and no "right" ones. The prevailing sentiment is to only buy what is needed and have the intention that you will never change course. Buy, keep...

Wondering if any have used a service like "The Zebra" or, by all means, offer up an alternative way to shop the companies that's worked for you? Got my letter from Kemper that they're getting out of this area so I'm in need to shop policies again...sigh. Thanks!

I think the key is to assume you're holding to maturity. Then you have your "worst case" understood. They you could choose to continue holding or not. I think if you don't intend to hold to maturity that you might be better in a fund for easy liquidity/rebalancing.

I've bought it early in the past but have been more than frustrated with their early versions not being accurate. Therefore I'm less likely to buy early. I'll make a dummy run using a copy of last year's return in last year's software to get an estimate that's close enough for some...

Opening yield on a bond fund is its expected return. So if you liked it when you bought it, that's about what to expect. Isn't this the textbook case of buying more of the fund as its value has decreased? Going back to my first point, what is the yield on the fund, today? If you like that...

I went with a single stage 96% Goodman. The one thing I'd insist on is a commission report being handed over at the end of the installation stating that they've measured gas, temps, and all that stuff. I'd also look for an installation manual which might mention that the unit should be...

In general, I prefer using a browser vs an app; I usually find the browser experience a bit more robust. Any thoughts? Do you prefer one over the other?

I was just rethinking the need for a separate "financial-only" device and it occurred to me that perhaps using a separate User profile would suffice. I'm on a Mac. Any thoughts re: if a virus was on a device, would it cripple the whole thing or would it be user-specific? I could easily just...

I was thinking about dedicating one device for all my financial stuff to lessen the chance of a virus on the daily computer messing with me. Just wondering what kind of experience you've had using iPads for the big names: Vanguard, Schwab, Fidelity, e-Trade, etc. Otherwise I'd have to get a...

Could someone explain to me the difference between the total return between a ladder and a fund that would be churning over from rung to rung? I understand that during interest rate changes that the NAV will show gains/losses but if you're going to hold on for 40 years, it seems to me that the...

I don't like the idea of having bases and certainly not nukes next to any major powers just as I wouldn't like it super-close to ours. My guess is we'd do nothing militarily and basically hand it over just like Hong Kong. I've been avoiding Taiwan Semi Conductor, for just this reason. I'd be...

I do wish Rob would have asked what he spends and what does he have for income? Assuming his family gets SS and perhaps an annuity, he might not need to tap the portfolio? So while it's easy to call him a hypocrite, the bottom line is it's his decision. I also think there's a big difference...

Listen to Stan the annuity man on YouTube. If you're going for a monthly payment, he mentioned that about 90% of the time that the company's offering is better than if you used the cash to buy your own as he figures they can do about as good as the next guy and would rather keep the cash under...

I recall a podcast where they folks were in the biz of negotiating rights for things like that. As much as I'm a do it yourself guy, I'd probably want help on something that goes on for years.

It is frustrating. I just did the whole system HVAC for 8k after the AC went out last year. Old system was from 1963 or early 70s (which I doubt as it wasn't likely replaced in under a decade back when USA made stuff to last [possbily the AC was added in the early 70s]). Furnace still worked...

I think there's a lot of moving parts needing to be thought of besides "this year's brackets:" Are you filing married and in good health? (RMDs change drastically if you become widowed), Age? Do you have a lot of years to do conversions or only a few?, Do you care about beneficiaries and their...

I think it can change. If you retire early, you might need 5% but if you later get SS and drops you down to 2%, that initial 5% might be OK. But I'd be modeling it to see how much would be left to determine that SWR at the time the SS kicks in.