Search results

I'm approaching FIRE and pondering the best way to turn my investments into an income stream. Currently I have a well-diversified portfolio of low-cost mutual funds: about 45% stocks, 55% bonds/cash. The current yield across my portfolio is about 3%. I assume I could take a total return approach...

I'm close to FI, but with no safety margin. I've gotten depressingly good at enduring my current high-paying job, and could possibly eke out a few more years. But I feel exhausted, unproductive, and uncreative. And I'd have to work quite a while longer to absolutely guarantee financial security...

I've looked at doing a Roth IRA conversion several times over the years and it never makes sense to me. Everybody's financial parameters are different, but here are my fundamental objections: Most of the people in range to retire early are there because they have a substantial income now and...

We've had some family changes that necessitate: (1) finding a new executor for our wills, and (2) defining a trust-like mechanism to manage assets for my son during his young adulthood, should DW and die. So I have a few questions: If you couldn't choose a trusted family member to be the...

Hi, I'm shopping for a used Class B (van-sized) RV such as the Roadtrek (www.roadtrek.com), and have a few questions for anybody who might have owned/lived in one of these: How are they for a couple to live in for an extended period, of say a few weeks or a month? We'd need to use it a lot to...

I recently bought a certified refurbished laptop through Dell's Outlet and thought I'd share the experience, for what it's worth. As a software engineer I generally buy higher-end business machines, from the major companies, with a service contract etc. I've owned dozens of computers over the...

I was beginning to think of end-of-year tax loss harvesting to offset some capital gains I had before the big market plunge. But it occurred to me that I might not need to artificially create a loss, because my stock mutual fund holdings could generate those instead. Is this possible? I have not...

This past Friday I placed a market order on Schwab for a small amount of VTI (Vanguard's Total Stock Market ETF) at the market open. It was trading in the 60's. I knew it would be a volatile day -- I figured a few percent either way for the total stock market would be the worst case. I'm a...

Can anybody here help me answer these questions about how the Investment Advisers Act is actually applied? I realize that anybody who is compensated for advising others about investing generally needs to be registered with the state or SEC. But I have two questions: (1) Apparently this...

Conventional wisdom is that those approaching retirement should move their asset allocation toward fixed income. Older generations in my own family have the motto "never touch principal," leading them to a primarily fixed income portofolio, which is at risk from inflation. Discussions on this...

'...fixed pension, then you own, in essence, a bond issued by your former employer. If that employer was the government, you can capitalize (that is, discount) its payments by a low rate -- say 6%. Your Social Security payments should be capitalized in the same way....it would not be a bad idea...

Hi everybody! I appreciate all the friendly and informed posts here and hope to contribute as well. I'm 47, a software engineer, married, with one son -- a junior in high school. We own our house outright, no debt, have a total investment portfolio in the high 6 digits, which I've managed...