AUTHOR: achnk53 on 11/27/2025 FIRST: baldscreen on 11/28/2025 | RECENT: Linda Grady on 11/28/2025
Comments
I learnt of this approach and implemented this plan according to this article from the following link here. https://humbledollar.com/2024/09/laying-down-a-floor/ There was also another interesting article about this topic here. https://humbledollar.com/forum/the-only-other-spending-rule-article-you-will-ever-need/
My situation is somewhat unique, I guess that's why it is called PERSONAL finance. Our 2 big concerns are inflation and taxation. Please allow me to explain. Due to my spouse's family & her own medical history; and my family longevity, (my mom is still alive at 101 this August). We may most likely be a single taxpayer sooner rather later. I am 73 this year & she will be 73 next year. Our 2 SS & other income sources are more than enough to cover all our expenses,so that we will not need to touch our investment for years to come. In order to address our taxation & inflation problems, we invested our bond portion with 30 yrs Tips ladder to the amount equal or up to the lesser SS benefits to cover the loss of one's spouse. The bond ladder is about 10% of our total allocation and it is within our Roth to avoid any taxation. We have allocated 76% domestic stocks/ETFs & 10% Foreign ETF;.& about 4% ST as in cash. Since we are not going to touch our Roth for legacy purposes, we will have converted all of our t-IRA into Roth by this year. We will not have any RMD worries. Because our Roth will be about 58% of our total asset, that means we have a much larger (about 42%) are in taxable growth stocks ETFs, of which 1/3 is earmarked for long term care, & the rest are not touch if necessary so that they can be step up on their basis when they pass on to our heirs. I know this may be SO different from some traditional thinking but it is the best problem to have when you have the biggest bowl you could have to weather any storm.
Sorry about my mistake about the post above. My laptop was dying and doing some crazy things. If we have understood what was coming for us after we turned 65 with IRMAA & 2 years look back, we would not have done 3 mega Roth conversions, and were hit with 3 highest tier IRMAA years. We would had done much smaller Roth conversion ladder instead. That 3 years hit were almost as bad as the sequence risk for our early unplanned retirement years.
If we have understood what was coming for us after we turned 65 with IRMAA and the 2 years look back, we would had done much more smaller Roth conversions, as like a Roth conversion ladder, but instead we did 3 mega large conversions & was hit with the highest tier for 3 years into our unplanned retirement. That was something we should have researched and planned differently for a redo 5 years look back.
I feel your pain. We had 3 daughters' weddings with them had no planning, no budgeting, & my wife was fine for them just spending. Fortunately I took on extra assignments and sold some holdings to cash flow them, then just had to stay out of their ways. Trust me & my best advise to you is just stay out of your wife's way, and prepare for the worse outcome. Good luck & God bless.
I retired from my professional career of 42 years at the age of 69 not because I burnt out or hated my work, but due to my spouse's chronic illnesses. In order to be able to fully care for the love of my life and the most valuable, and important patient, I decided on Dec. 30, 2021 will be that day. I loved my work, and the many connections that I made with my patients and co-workers & staff; but once I decided to retire, I have not looked back to what it was but have enjoyed every bite of what time we have together each and every day. Her health is getting better & stable, and we are enjoying our daily 6-8 miles walk. I must said those are the more worthwhile times spent than the 40 some years of patient care I ever have done. The key word that keep us going through those very dark days is contentment. Content with what we can change and also content with what we cannot.
I have done similar transfers from varies brokerages, like M-1, Schwab, etc that charged me $100 to transfer out into Fidelity where they promptly credit me the fees but the difference here is that they were not considered taxable income, just credit into my accounts.
I'm 1000% with you, BUT, I can't do what you can do to turn away any of my patient even it meant to be called up at 3 in the morning by an horrible, ill-mannered 13 years old about why it took me so long to come in for her OB epidural. I made sure I did the procedure purposefully, and properly slow but with the best possible technique and she was smiling for the first time as I tried to leave her bedside, she finally realized how rude she was and thanked me. I just had to walk away, and said to her "God bless".
Based on family history, my mom is 101 & still alive, and dad died when he was 97. BUT, they live in our home land, while I came to America as a 16 years old & have been living on the America diet, plus a high stress professional for 40+ years. I would feel very lucky if I live to be 85.
Rick. Thanks for the article and the helpful link to this calculator spreadsheet. I have try to find something like it and have not came up with any thing like it, so thanks again. Great job.
Comments
I learnt of this approach and implemented this plan according to this article from the following link here. https://humbledollar.com/2024/09/laying-down-a-floor/ There was also another interesting article about this topic here. https://humbledollar.com/forum/the-only-other-spending-rule-article-you-will-ever-need/
Post: What Would You Do?
Link to comment from January 12, 2026
My situation is somewhat unique, I guess that's why it is called PERSONAL finance. Our 2 big concerns are inflation and taxation. Please allow me to explain. Due to my spouse's family & her own medical history; and my family longevity, (my mom is still alive at 101 this August). We may most likely be a single taxpayer sooner rather later. I am 73 this year & she will be 73 next year. Our 2 SS & other income sources are more than enough to cover all our expenses,so that we will not need to touch our investment for years to come. In order to address our taxation & inflation problems, we invested our bond portion with 30 yrs Tips ladder to the amount equal or up to the lesser SS benefits to cover the loss of one's spouse. The bond ladder is about 10% of our total allocation and it is within our Roth to avoid any taxation. We have allocated 76% domestic stocks/ETFs & 10% Foreign ETF;.& about 4% ST as in cash. Since we are not going to touch our Roth for legacy purposes, we will have converted all of our t-IRA into Roth by this year. We will not have any RMD worries. Because our Roth will be about 58% of our total asset, that means we have a much larger (about 42%) are in taxable growth stocks ETFs, of which 1/3 is earmarked for long term care, & the rest are not touch if necessary so that they can be step up on their basis when they pass on to our heirs. I know this may be SO different from some traditional thinking but it is the best problem to have when you have the biggest bowl you could have to weather any storm.
Post: What Would You Do?
Link to comment from January 11, 2026
Sorry about my mistake about the post above. My laptop was dying and doing some crazy things. If we have understood what was coming for us after we turned 65 with IRMAA & 2 years look back, we would not have done 3 mega Roth conversions, and were hit with 3 highest tier IRMAA years. We would had done much smaller Roth conversion ladder instead. That 3 years hit were almost as bad as the sequence risk for our early unplanned retirement years.
Post: If You Could Rewind 5 Years Before Retirement… What Would You Change?
Link to comment from December 31, 2025
Post: If You Could Rewind 5 Years Before Retirement… What Would You Change?
Link to comment from December 31, 2025
I feel your pain. We had 3 daughters' weddings with them had no planning, no budgeting, & my wife was fine for them just spending. Fortunately I took on extra assignments and sold some holdings to cash flow them, then just had to stay out of their ways. Trust me & my best advise to you is just stay out of your wife's way, and prepare for the worse outcome. Good luck & God bless.
Post: Well: That’s Just Inconvenient!
Link to comment from December 31, 2025
I retired from my professional career of 42 years at the age of 69 not because I burnt out or hated my work, but due to my spouse's chronic illnesses. In order to be able to fully care for the love of my life and the most valuable, and important patient, I decided on Dec. 30, 2021 will be that day. I loved my work, and the many connections that I made with my patients and co-workers & staff; but once I decided to retire, I have not looked back to what it was but have enjoyed every bite of what time we have together each and every day. Her health is getting better & stable, and we are enjoying our daily 6-8 miles walk. I must said those are the more worthwhile times spent than the 40 some years of patient care I ever have done. The key word that keep us going through those very dark days is contentment. Content with what we can change and also content with what we cannot.
Post: What Age Did You Retire—and What Made You Decide It Was Time?
Link to comment from December 30, 2025
I have done similar transfers from varies brokerages, like M-1, Schwab, etc that charged me $100 to transfer out into Fidelity where they promptly credit me the fees but the difference here is that they were not considered taxable income, just credit into my accounts.
Post: Disappointed (and annoyed) with Vanguard.
Link to comment from October 27, 2025
I'm 1000% with you, BUT, I can't do what you can do to turn away any of my patient even it meant to be called up at 3 in the morning by an horrible, ill-mannered 13 years old about why it took me so long to come in for her OB epidural. I made sure I did the procedure purposefully, and properly slow but with the best possible technique and she was smiling for the first time as I tried to leave her bedside, she finally realized how rude she was and thanked me. I just had to walk away, and said to her "God bless".
Post: Discarding the Negative
Link to comment from October 20, 2025
Based on family history, my mom is 101 & still alive, and dad died when he was 97. BUT, they live in our home land, while I came to America as a 16 years old & have been living on the America diet, plus a high stress professional for 40+ years. I would feel very lucky if I live to be 85.
Post: How Long Will We Live?
Link to comment from August 31, 2025
Rick. Thanks for the article and the helpful link to this calculator spreadsheet. I have try to find something like it and have not came up with any thing like it, so thanks again. Great job.
Post: Free Social Security Taxability Calculator
Link to comment from August 15, 2025