Bill Minter

Comments

• That will be interesting for someone who has a Treasury Direct personal account, an account in their business name, and an account owned by their trust.

  Post: TreasuryDirect changing login procedure to mandate ID.me later in 2026

  Link to comment from August 15, 2026

• So, based on your response to what I shared, I shouldn't even receive an invoice from Medicare for Oct.- Dec. On my SSA account webpage, it states that my application has been approved, but I will not receive a letter until closer to my claiming month.

  Post: Preparing for SS at Age 70….. How Do I Transition to Monthly Part B Premium Deduction?

  Link to comment from August 15, 2026

• There is are the iShares iBonds Defined Maturity TIPS ETFs that have allowed us to easily build a 10-year rolling TIPS ladder (currently offering IBIC through IBIM) that we plan to use to supplement our SS benefits. It makes up 25% of our bond sleeve and are in our tax deferred accounts.

  Post: Better Alternatives to Buying an Annuity

  Link to comment from June 10, 2026

• As I prepare to begin withdrawals to meet my RMD requirements in about three years, I have turned off the "reinvest dividends and capital gains" and now have those flowing into my Fidelity core cash account. In about a year I will have those available for QCD's, if I choose, or continue to allow that cash account to accumulate from which I will take my RMDs (for expenses or QCDs). For me, it provides psychological comfort knowing I will not need to decide what assets to sell to meet my annual RMDs.

  Post: Slow on the Draw

  Link to comment from May 9, 2026

• My understanding is that this non-itemizer charity deduction really functions as a "below the line" (does not affect AGI) deduction. AI seems to affirm that understanding... "However, this new deduction is somewhat unusual: it is widely described as “above the line”, but under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act it does not reduce AGI itself; it reduces taxable income after AGI is calculated, functioning like a universal charitable deduction layered on top of the standard deduction. So in practice for 2026:

  • Traditional charitable deductions for itemizers are below the line.
  • The new non‑itemizer charitable deduction is labeled “above the line”, but technically operates after AGI in the computation of taxable income."

  Post: 2026 Charitable Contributions

  Link to comment from February 9, 2026

• Bill P., I have been given check writing privileges on my Fidelity tIRA which I will be using to make my QCDs when eligible >4/27/27. They also can be used for RMDs when I turn 73, but I will not likely use them for that purpose. My concern is that Fidelity will have no idea when they clear the check whether it is for a QCD, or whether it is a normal taxable distribution. So the question arises for me.... If Fidelity sends me a 1099-R with no code Y, but I tell FreeTaxUSA that it does have a Y code, will I run into trouble with the IRS? Bill M.

  Post: Checks and Balances

  Link to comment from January 27, 2026

• Maybe that's why my immigrant Grandfather Forsythe would claim that he was proud to be a Scot because of his country of origin, and he was proud to have been a successful businessman because he was so "scotch".

  Post: Financial Wisdom from the Scottish Bard

  Link to comment from January 26, 2026

• Having recently retired from full time employment in my chosen profession, I continue to enjoy doing consulting work in my field of expertise. For me, there have been two advantages: 1) Continuing to be engaged in work (1-2 day/week) that I still find fulfilling-- but choosing to do so when it fits my interest and schedule; 2) Earning just enough income from my consulting to enable me to write-off all our household's ACA, Medicare, Medigap, LTCI, dental, and vision premium expenses as "above the line" deductions so I can effectively make larger Roth conversions prior to my SS at age 70. I use some of that income to pay Roth conversion taxes.

  Post: Business and Side Hustle Tax Tips

  Link to comment from December 20, 2025

• In preparations for utilizing QCD's from my tIRA in 16 months (at 701/2), and RMDs (at 73) I have begun directing all my bond fund's dividends and stock fund dividend/capital gains to my "core holding" (SPAXX) in that account. My intention is to always have the needed cash on hand in my tIRA to meet my more immediate QCD needs, and later RMD requirements, without ever having to decide what and how much to sell a position. If I find I am overshooting my annual needs I can always turn on some of the DRIPs.

  Post: You DRIP?

  Link to comment from December 8, 2025

• In preparation for executing QCD's from my Fidelity Rollover IRA when I soon reach 70 1/2 years old, I have just applied for check writing privileges. They offer this only for tIRA's and HSAs. My intent is to better control the timing and assurance that the charity has received my QCD. Check's can also be written for RMDs (when I turn 73) but the tax liability tracking implications seem more fraught using checks for this purpose. I will just let Fidelity process those through their normal on-line system. The question that arises for me is that, beginning 2025, the 1099-R's will now have an additional code ("Y") that Fidelity is supposed to indicate if the distribution was intended as a QCD. That would provide more verification when filing my taxes if I were to request Fidelity send the distribution directly to the charity-- as typically is done. But when I write a check on my tIRA account and provide it to a charity intending that it applies as a QCD, there is no paper trail with Fidelity that informs them that this distribution was used as a QCD. They can just as well assume it is a regular taxable distribution and not add the "Y" code to my 1099-R. William Perry... any perspective about this new dynamic starting in 2025?

  Post: 10 Ways to Give—Without Writing a Check

  Link to comment from November 8, 2025