The credit bureaus have an incorrect birthday for me. This has been going on for a decades if I remember correctly. I’ve just never got around to ..read more

Both DH and I got an email this weekend stating our social security numbers are now available on the dark web…meaning available for viewing? We do ..read more

I’m starting a new thread because I don’t want people to have to wade through very old posts on this narrow topic. I talked to Vanguard today ..read more

A couple of weeks ago facebook served up a thing for a free estate planning seminar at the nearby community center. This is one of those things SO ..read more

As DH and I near the possible years of retirement (we span the mid-50s), the idea of actually retiring - given the upheavals in the market a few years ago (and always possibly happening again at any time), poor performance by less risky investments e.g. bond index funds, and crazy inflation (in what we see, such as 50% increase in home utility costs and 30% increase in groceries, not what the Fed reports) - makes me more and more nervous. I'd appreciate any stories and/or wisdom that you can share about things like... Trusting the 4% rule (or 3%, or whatever) for a horizon longer than 30 year ..read more

Just a question from curiosity. How do you do your withdrawals? Monthly? Quarterly, etc ..read more

I never heard of this guy until iris lilies mentioned him, and then I heard him on a Tim Ferriss podcast. I really, really like him. He has filled the gap for me since Dave Ramsey went into semi-retirement. I am at the moment watching him on Netflix, and I also get his newsletters in my inbox. Right now I'm feeling so discouraged. Since the house sold I paid down a decent chunk in debt and also put the max into my Roth. I also put money into some individual stocks for fun--like Toyota, which is considered a good investment at the moment since they are so big on hybrids when people are not rea ..read more

Apparently, the bulk of recently deceased MIL's monies are in IRAs so as beneficiaries we will receive "inherited IRAs". RMDs must be paid every year and and any money withdrawn other than that will be taxed as ordinary income. Much to learn yet but makes me think twice about leaving IRA funds to beneficiaries. Blecchhh ..read more

They are done! E-filed the federal and taking the state to the post office, as it would cost more than the refund to e-file them. LOL. I use Turbo Tax and do them myself, which frustrates the H*LL out of me! But it is very satisfying when they are finished and out the door. On a side note: We actually made more than I thought we were making - due to dh getting a raise, I guess. It makes me want to sock more into savings in preparation for when I finally retire. I think the year will go by quickly, so it will be interesting/sort of fun to see how much we can save in this coming year. Good luck ..read more

For a while now I’ve been thinking about how values create conflict in people. That person on the other side of an issue isn’t “wrong” so much as is making a decision from a different set of values than mine. A self actualized person will act in accordance to his values. Two self actualized people could hold very different opinions on issues of the day, depending on what they place as top values in life. And then, after a few months of listening to Ramit Sethi’s podcasts “I Will Teach you to be Rich” where he focuses people to identify their values around money, I even more see values as sha ..read more