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I am Chris. My spouse and I are newly retired, and are navigating all the things new retirees do. We live in the Midwest in the same town as our children and grandchildren. I have been a faithful HD reader since the beginning, and enjoy the different perspectives the writers bring to the table. I have learned a lot from them.
Our kids do listen to us.
18 replies
AUTHOR: baldscreen on 1/21/2025
FIRST: Jeff Bond on 1/21 | RECENT: David Lancaster on 1/22
First year of retirement by Chris
16 replies
AUTHOR: baldscreen on 1/5/2025
FIRST: R Quinn on 1/5 | RECENT: Michael1 on 1/12
Jonathan in Washington Post this am.
8 replies
AUTHOR: baldscreen on 8/28/2024
FIRST: 1PF on 8/28/2024 | RECENT: Olin on 8/28/2024
How do you know when it is time to step in with elderly parents?
9 replies
AUTHOR: baldscreen on 6/25/2024
FIRST: Edmund Marsh on 6/25/2024 | RECENT: Jackie on 6/28/2024
Comments
I have written before about our son still coming to me for financial advice on occasion. But I let him come to me. Spouse was not interested in our finances and left it all to me. They had no idea about anything. I had to start leaving the bills at their place after I paid them. I am making them do some of the online bill pay now. Our daughter is a CPA and knows more than I do. Chris
Post: How nosey are you?
Link to comment from March 18, 2025
We are middle class and benefitted from some of these. The education credits were a particular blessing when our kids were in college. Chris
Post: Yup, most usable, needed tax breaks go to average/middle class Americans.
Link to comment from March 18, 2025
We have the utility rider on our homeowners insurance also and it is about $25/year. We think it is worth it also. Chris
Post: Going Naked
Link to comment from March 17, 2025
Good post, Marjorie. Another thought, especially with social media, is to just scroll on by. Chris
Post: And Another Thing….by Marjorie Kondrack
Link to comment from March 17, 2025
Even when our son was in graduate school and living on a stipend, he paid taxes. Not much, of course, but something. I saw an article this morning that our state is in the top 10 for property taxes. I do wish they were lower, now that we are retired, but we chose the house and area to live in. Our property taxes are one of our largest expenses now. Agree with the folks that said we need to educate the next generation. Chris
Post: Like it or not, we all need to pay taxes. Seniors are no exception. Everyone in the pool.
Link to comment from March 17, 2025
I have no idea who the newest billionaire is, nor have I ever heard of a car called a Maybac. LOL! Chris
Post: Care to join me on my yacht cruising the Mediterranean? Do you envy the super wealthy? RDQ
Link to comment from March 17, 2025
Good thoughts, everyone. Chris
Post: A Simple Way to Avoid Phone Scams
Link to comment from March 17, 2025
Yes, she has 3 children. Chris
Post: RDQ considers: A lump sum in lieu of a pension, withdrawal strategies, annuities and other mundane decisions – good luck.
Link to comment from March 16, 2025
You have to run the numbers. In our case, it didn’t make sense to do the lump sum. The pension folks have a vested interest in you taking the lump sum also, don’t they? It gets it off their books. Chris
Post: RDQ considers: A lump sum in lieu of a pension, withdrawal strategies, annuities and other mundane decisions – good luck.
Link to comment from March 15, 2025
I also wanted to answer the other part of your musings, Dick. We are mid 60s. We don’t have millions of dollars like some of the other HD folks, but are what I would consider regular Americans. In our case most of what we have is in 401k/IRA, both traditional and Roth. We also have a taxable account and a HSA. We had a couple of small pensions that we ended up taking b/c with those and our SS, it is enough for our regular expenses, at least for now. It made sense for our situation. We are starting to take a very conservative amount from our traditional IRAs instead of Roth conversions. Again, it makes sense for us, but maybe not for others. We are taking to the top of the 12% bracket in taxes. Last year we sold some appreciated stock since we wouldn’t have to pay capital gains for our extra money. So far things are going well. We have different pots we can draw from, depending on taxes. And trying to spend some of the traditional IRA first for now, before we have to take RMD. I am a good saver, like the WaPo writer, and think we will be ok. We live simply, and will use some of the IRA money for travel in our “go go” years. I like having the different pots, and we think of them in a similar way to the bucket strategy that Fritz Gilbert wrote about in The Retirement Manifesto, and Jonathan/others have talked about here at HD also. Chris
Post: RDQ considers: A lump sum in lieu of a pension, withdrawal strategies, annuities and other mundane decisions – good luck.
Link to comment from March 15, 2025