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DAN SMITH

    Forum Posts

    Growing Up In A Big House

    27 replies

    AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 9/9/2026
    FIRST: Mark Crothers on 9/10   |   RECENT: Nick Politakis on 9/15

    Looking Back On My Hard Luck Days

    27 replies

    AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 8/7/2026
    FIRST: Jack Hannam on 8/7   |   RECENT: DAN SMITH on 8/15

    Too Good to be True

    20 replies

    AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 7/22/2026
    FIRST: Mark Crothers on 7/23   |   RECENT: DAN SMITH on 7/23

    Tax Free Income Trap, Dealing With MAGI

    24 replies

    AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 4/21/2026
    FIRST: Ormode on 4/21   |   RECENT: Andy Morrison on 5/4

    Hidden Surcharge

    11 replies

    AUTHOR: DAN SMITH on 4/21/2026
    FIRST: Nick Politakis on 4/21   |   RECENT: DAN SMITH on 4/27

    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

    • Good man, Dick! Yes, I'd help in a heartbeat. I hope that your DIL has a good outcome.

      Post: What would you do if you received this text from your child as I did this morning? 

      Link to comment from September 16, 2026

    • Thanks, John, very informative.

      Post: The Silent Committee

      Link to comment from September 14, 2026

    • Yes, I see that it's mostly used by institutional investors.

      Post: Total portfolio approach?

      Link to comment from September 14, 2026

    • .... and that's what it's all about!

      Post: Growing Up In A Big House

      Link to comment from September 14, 2026

    • Chris, that’s a great question, and one that this dumb investor has no readily available answer. Following  your lead, I also turned to AI for some clarification. I still can’t explain it clearly, but my impression is that it’s a term invented by active managers trying to get us to  pay them old fashioned management fees by promising market-beating mutual funds.  Please, someone correct me if I’m wrong.

      Post: Total portfolio approach?

      Link to comment from September 14, 2026

    • Andy, your comment really gets to the heart of my post. My parents were extraordinary people. Two long lost friends from my childhood who were frequent guests at the ‘big house’, have found me on social media, both commented on how great they were treated by my folks. My wife said the same shortly after we got together. Their kindness was a gift that couldn’t be measured with dollar signs.

      Post: Growing Up In A Big House

      Link to comment from September 13, 2026

    • Great post, John. This would be an excellent topic to include in the notes and instruction section of one's final documents.

      Post: Widow’s IRA Choice

      Link to comment from September 13, 2026

    • I think Morgan Housel is correct; going back into the 50s would almost feel like living off the grid to me.

      Post: Growing Up In A Big House

      Link to comment from September 12, 2026

    • I'm with you, William!

      Post: Growing Up In A Big House

      Link to comment from September 12, 2026

    • John, when we contracted to build in 2002, interest rates were around 3%, and we were prepared to borrow at those rates. By the time the house was ready for us, rates rose to about 7%, so we paid cash. I think the only plus to paying off your loan would be the warm and fuzzy feeling of being loan free. I don't think it makes financial sense though. Thanks for posting.

      Post: Growing Up In A Big House

      Link to comment from September 12, 2026

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