Dan Malone

Comments

• Indeed it is, Dan. Sometimes those who "unhumbly" cast judgment are blind to their conduct and tone. Quite unfortunate when that happens on HD. My first email exchange with Jonathan was in April of 2021, by the way. That was the start of a treasured semi-professional, semi-personal relationship.

  Post: HD Reader’s Demographics

  Link to comment from June 18, 2026

• Jonathan published an article, The Other Half, in 2018 that said this: “Indeed, HumbleDollar’s audience tends to be more affluent and more financially self-disciplined than the broad population. A recent survey of the site’s readership found that 74% of you have annual incomes of $100,000 and above.” Today's equivalent value is $132,555.

  Post: HD Reader’s Demographics

  Link to comment from June 17, 2026

• David, .3% on $1.7 million is still over $5,000/year, and some may have to double or triple that amount. Why not recommend a flat fee financial advisor like a Facet or Range at less than $3,000 annnually?

  Post: What’s in your portfolio ?

  Link to comment from June 16, 2026

• For those wondering, here are the relative contributions of Dick's choices. I'm not sure why the Total below does not equal the sum of the percentages, but it is listed just as it appears on the CRFB site. I think it exceeds 100% to build the reserve needed to actuarially accrue the amount necessary to fund future benefits beyond the 75th year. Feel free to correct my misunderstanding(s). Summary: Congratulations! Under your plan Social Security will be sustainably solvent for the next 75 years and beyond. Your Policy Selections/% of gap closed

  • Cap COLAs for Top Half of Beneficiaries/25%
  • Increase Payroll Tax by 2%/52%
  • Eliminate Tax Max with Benefit Credit for Additional Payments/50%
  • Apply Payroll Tax to Employer Health Insurance Contributions/23%
  Total: 148% In 2050, your plan would reduce total scheduled benefits by 3% and increase payable benefits by 25%. Your plan would increase taxes by 43%.

  Post: Fixing Social Security is not that hard, here’s how

  Link to comment from June 16, 2026

• Straightforward - yes. Easy - no. Question: On the possibility of putting “future changes to the tax rate on automatic so that the Social Security actuary would set the rate each year to assure the 75 year solvency goal is always achieved,” does that mean annually changing your suggested payroll percentage of 17.65%? That would make employer budgeting very difficult.

  Post: Fixing Social Security is not that hard, here’s how

  Link to comment from June 14, 2026

• James, please help us understand how your ex-wife will benefit if you delay until age 70. Vanguard says: "An ex-spouse's Social Security spousal benefit never depends on when the higher-earning ex-spouse claims their own benefits. Your benefit amount is calculated based only on their Full Retirement Age (FRA) amount, regardless of whether they claim early, delay until age 70, or never claim at all."

  Post: Rethinking the “Right” Time for Social Security

  Link to comment from May 29, 2026

• Excellent!

  Post: The World’s Least Useful Financial Adviser

  Link to comment from May 29, 2026

• Excellent perspective, and it works on the other side of the allocation transaction, too. I gifted some of a highly concentrated, low basis stock after it had grown significantly to $300 - $350. And then sold most of the remainder at $450 - $520 . . . . only to see it surpass $600. Like you, no regrets on the "derisking" rationale for the decision, but hard not to notice what you missed out on, too. I have ~20% left, though, which will likely go to my heirs with a stepped-up basis.

  Post: The 34% Return I’m Glad I Missed

  Link to comment from February 14, 2026

• Love your pithy KIBS slogan and the academic research that backs it up.

  Post: No Such Thing as Easy Money

  Link to comment from January 9, 2026

• Sounds like QCDs (Qualified Charitable Distributions) are a perfect match for you, Richard!

  Post: If You Could Rewind 5 Years Before Retirement… What Would You Change?

  Link to comment from December 28, 2025