FREE NEWSLETTER
Hidden Surcharge
11 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 4/21/2026
FIRST: Nick Politakis on 4/21 | RECENT: DAN SMITH on 4/27
Tax Free Income Trap, Dealing With MAGI
21 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 4/21/2026
FIRST: Ormode on 4/21 | RECENT: urbie53ca4a2392 on 4/26
Penny Wise, Pound Foolish
66 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 4/12/2026
FIRST: kristinehayes2014 on 4/12 | RECENT: DAN SMITH on 4/21
How do I scam thee? Let me count the ways
47 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 7/20/2025
FIRST: Jonathan Clements on 7/21/2025 | RECENT: Susan Farke on 3/6
2026 Charitable Contributions
10 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 2/9/2026
FIRST: R Quinn on 2/9 | RECENT: Randy Dobkin on 2/10
Planning a Trip
21 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 1/30/2026
FIRST: Mark Crothers on 1/30 | RECENT: normr60189 on 2/4
Less Paper, More Fraud
11 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 2/2/2026
FIRST: R Quinn on 2/2 | RECENT: Randy Dobkin on 2/3
Smart Watch
8 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 1/22/2026
FIRST: normr60189 on 1/22 | RECENT: Jeff Bond on 1/23
Private Equity Investing
8 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 1/21/2026
FIRST: Mark Crothers on 1/21 | RECENT: DAN SMITH on 1/22
DIET, Did I Eat That
24 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 1/16/2026
FIRST: David Lancaster on 1/16 | RECENT: Randy Dobkin on 1/18
Plan for a Pay Cut
36 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 12/26/2025
FIRST: Mark Crothers on 12/26/2025 | RECENT: Lis7 on 1/13
Filing Status and IRMMA
4 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 12/28/2025
FIRST: Nick Politakis on 12/28/2025 | RECENT: David Lancaster on 12/31/2025
Humble Christmas and Holiday Message
6 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 12/20/2025
FIRST: OldITGuy on 12/20/2025 | RECENT: Nick Politakis on 12/22/2025
They Never Call
1 reply
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 12/19/2025
FIRST: greg_j_tomamichel on 12/19/2025 | RECENT: greg_j_tomamichel on 12/19/2025
27 Months
73 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 12/12/2025
FIRST: Mark Crothers on 12/12/2025 | RECENT: Andy Morrison on 12/19/2025
Enough Already
29 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 12/9/2025
FIRST: William Perry on 12/9/2025 | RECENT: DAN SMITH on 12/12/2025
The Point of Diminishing Returns
50 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 10/31/2025
FIRST: Gary Klotz on 11/1/2025 | RECENT: David Lancaster on 12/8/2025
Are the actuarial assumptions regarding benefit neutrality still accurate?
19 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 12/5/2025
FIRST: R Quinn on 12/5/2025 | RECENT: DAN SMITH on 12/8/2025
A Day In Philly
26 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 11/11/2025
FIRST: Jack Hannam on 11/11/2025 | RECENT: mytimetotravel on 11/12/2025
To Help, And To Be Helped
14 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 11/11/2025
FIRST: David Lancaster on 11/11/2025 | RECENT: Mark Crothers on 11/12/2025
Public Schools and Property Taxes
16 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 10/27/2025
FIRST: R Quinn on 10/28/2025 | RECENT: DAN SMITH on 10/30/2025
HumbleDollar Friend Request
8 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 10/27/2025
FIRST: DAN SMITH on 10/27/2025 | RECENT: Edmund Marsh on 10/28/2025
Don’t Give Up on the Wayward Kid
16 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 10/24/2025
FIRST: greg_j_tomamichel on 10/24/2025 | RECENT: Mom & Dad Schneider on 10/27/2025
Balance Transfers and Money Factors
6 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 10/21/2025
FIRST: Mark Crothers on 10/21/2025 | RECENT: youthbudget on 10/25/2025
Discarding the Negative
23 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 10/19/2025
FIRST: Andrew Forsythe on 10/19/2025 | RECENT: Mark Crothers on 10/21/2025
Drinking on the Job
10 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 10/16/2025
FIRST: Mark Crothers on 10/17/2025 | RECENT: DAN SMITH on 10/19/2025
The Wine Chronicles
24 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 10/10/2025
FIRST: Mark Crothers on 10/10/2025 | RECENT: Mark Crothers on 10/11/2025
Taxpayers Say the Darndest Things
30 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 10/2/2025
FIRST: Jeff Bond on 10/2/2025 | RECENT: David Lancaster on 10/8/2025
November 7 HumbleDollar Reader/Writer Meet Up
6 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 10/4/2025
FIRST: Dave Melick on 10/4/2025 | RECENT: S on 10/5/2025
Told Ya So Big Dummy
38 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 9/26/2025
FIRST: greg_j_tomamichel on 9/26/2025 | RECENT: greg_j_tomamichel on 9/28/2025
An Idea Every Week
12 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 9/6/2025
FIRST: R Quinn on 9/6/2025 | RECENT: Dan Smith on 9/7/2025
Shifting Gears
23 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 8/29/2025
FIRST: quan nguyen on 8/29/2025 | RECENT: Richard Hayman on 9/2/2025
Bad Trip
32 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 7/31/2025
FIRST: 1PF on 7/31/2025 | RECENT: David Shapiro on 8/2/2025
Breaking Up 2
25 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 7/1/2025
FIRST: Scott Dichter on 7/1/2025 | RECENT: Dan Smith on 7/5/2025
A Lesson in Accountability
15 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 5/29/2025
FIRST: Jonathan Clements on 5/29/2025 | RECENT: Michael1 on 6/1/2025
Can’t Figure Out This Darned Insomnia
16 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 5/16/2025
FIRST: R Quinn on 5/16/2025 | RECENT: DAN SMITH on 5/17/2025
Insomnia and the Back of an Envelope
19 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 4/21/2025
FIRST: Ken Cutler on 4/21/2025 | RECENT: DrLefty on 4/27/2025
Trying To Think Through the Bond Situation
15 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 4/14/2025
FIRST: Russ Paoletti on 4/15/2025 | RECENT: Randy Dobkin on 4/18/2025
Will Work For Food, Starting My Diet Soon
14 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 3/31/2025
FIRST: Jeff Bond on 3/31/2025 | RECENT: mytimetotravel on 4/1/2025
Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
41 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 3/6/2025
FIRST: R Quinn on 3/6/2025 | RECENT: Cheryl Low on 3/9/2025
Things That Don’t Much Interest Me No More
33 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 12/5/2024
FIRST: bbbobbins on 12/5/2024 | RECENT: DrLefty on 12/10/2024
After It's Over
11 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 11/21/2024
FIRST: mytimetotravel on 11/21/2024 | RECENT: mytimetotravel on 11/22/2024
Good Old Days?
19 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 11/18/2024
FIRST: Jeff Bond on 11/18/2024 | RECENT: H S on 11/19/2024
How Much is Too Much
5 replies
AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 6/27/2024
FIRST: Jonathan Clements on 6/28/2024 | RECENT: Ed Wong on 6/29/2024
Comments
A year or so ago, I analyzed whether or not I could have done better than Social Security if I had been able to invest my payroll taxes in the S&P. The simple answer was yes, but the real (and more accurate) answer was much more complicated. What if I had become disabled, what if I died leaving behind a wife and a housefull of kids, what about spousal and survivor benefits? Finally, the question most pertinent to both my and your post is if it’s realistic to expect (most) people to follow through with saving over a period of 40 years. The math is simple and correct, the reality, sadly, is not.
Post: Is saving really that hard? Nope, not for the great majority of Americans.
Link to comment from April 28, 2026
Rick, I’m sad to hear about the loss of your friend. Thanks for the history of the Vanguard 500 Index Fund. I wish I knew then, what I know now.
Post: Happy 50th!
Link to comment from April 27, 2026
Ormode, yes, a $900K RMD is certainly a first world problem.
Post: Hidden Surcharge
Link to comment from April 27, 2026
Dick, yes, when income rises to a certain level, and when the types of income are such that there is no way to lie and cheat your way out of paying tax, MAGI can become irrelevant. MAGI has much more meaning to someone with lower income. And to be clear, I am not suggesting that you would ever file a fraudulent tax return. All of your income is reported on things like 1099Rs and DIVs. Like an $1,000,000 per year employee whose income is reported on a W2, you are going to pay your fair share of taxes.
Post: Hidden Surcharge
Link to comment from April 27, 2026
MAGI has an impact on low wage earners. It affects Affordable Care Act subsidies, Medicaid and Chip, the Earned Income Tax Credit, education credits, child tax credits, the deductibility of student loan interest, and probably some others that are escaping my old brain right now. It helps determine if someone can afford a doctor's visit, and if a struggling family is eligible for refundable tax credits that help put food on the table. It’s important for everyone to understand how these things affect their own situation. I helped many clients to make full use of tax credits and deductions that were available to them. Your politics and mine are pretty much the same, Joe, but this ain’t the place for those discussions.
Post: Hidden Surcharge
Link to comment from April 27, 2026
Rick, you were one of the first commenters on my very first HD article. Thanks for your kind words. Off topic. I wonder how Marjorie Kondrack is doing?
Post: Around the Obstacles
Link to comment from April 26, 2026
Bob, what a great post!
Post: Lonely Island (Correct Edit)
Link to comment from April 26, 2026
Dana, many non-profits would sure love to have you.
Post: Around the Obstacles
Link to comment from April 26, 2026
I was grateful to be able to pay 12.4% of my self-employed income in order to not only accumulate additional SS credits for myself, but also to help support those who relied on SSDI after sickness or disability prevented them from working.
Post: Around the Obstacles
Link to comment from April 26, 2026
LOL, Gary. Chrissy would never allow me to sneak popcorn into a theater, instead, forcing me to buy a five gallon bucket of the stuff. Unhealthy butter soaked popcorn is apparently an important food group that I was unaware of🍿
Post: Live a little
Link to comment from April 26, 2026