Mark Gardner

Comments

• It’s absolutely worth celebrating success—discipline and long-term investing are things to be proud of, and sharing that can genuinely encourage others to improve their own habits. Sadly, social media platforms engineered for engagement inevitably tilt toward spectacle, envy, and even exploitation. I am glad you chose to be very circumspect about this. About a decade ago, once I understood how those algorithms actually work, the trade-offs became clear and I stepped away—not because I reject technology or judge anyone who uses it, but because I prefer places like HumbleDollar that invite real conversation. Of course, real human conversations with close friends or family trumps anything online!

  Post: Say It Forward

  Link to comment from February 23, 2026

• It depends on the amount you wish to donate to charity. Large donations require more thought about the giving and typically correlate with high income years. That's been my experience.

  Post: Why I use a Donor-Advised Fund

  Link to comment from February 21, 2026

• Yes, very smart, and I hope you considered inflation in your planning? Advisors typically say 3-5 years of spending needs should be sheltered from the volatility of the stock market. But, from March 2000 (tech bubble burst) to March 2010, the S&P returned an annualized return of ~ negative 2.5% per year. Our minds cannot accept it but it happened! Bill Bernstein's thesis of building a decade+ liability matching portfolio appeals to me.

  Post: How Far Back Would a 40% Drop Take Us?

  Link to comment from February 21, 2026

• This presumes you have cash that can pay the tax liabilities for the conversion yes? Otherwise, you are market timing assuming the market will bounce back by the time taxes are due.

  Post: How Far Back Would a 40% Drop Take Us?

  Link to comment from February 21, 2026

• We can eagerly look forward a 66.67% gain in the future as the market gradually recovers and climbs the wall of worry. But, we all listened to Bill Bernstein and established some sort of guaranteed income buffer to weather the inevitable storm yes? It’s also a great opportunity to remind your family members, especially the younger ones, about the risks and rewards of investing in stocks since many haven’t even experienced a bear market and got educated by influencers on social media! I stopped counting the number of time I get asked about crypto! I begin with, "let's talk about standard deviation" :)

  Post: How Far Back Would a 40% Drop Take Us?

  Link to comment from February 21, 2026

• One tip for those working and considering a DAF. If your employer matches your donations to the charity of your choosing from the DAF, please make sure all listed donors apply with their individual employers for the multiplier effect! So, a $1000 donation from the DAF can be amplified dramatically.

  Post: Why I use a Donor-Advised Fund

  Link to comment from February 21, 2026

• We created a DAF to bunch chartiable deductions and itemize for the tax year. To my happy surprise, more than the tax benefits, it turned out to be a fantastic way for the extended family to get together every year and discuss how we want to distribute our giving from the DAF. All the working adults in the extended family now contribute to the one family DAF, but the kids get to join in on the fun by nominating charities for consideration. It’s a joyous event filled with gratitude and togetherness..

  Post: Why I use a Donor-Advised Fund

  Link to comment from February 21, 2026

• Please trust your doctor who is trained despite all the human frailties of any profession. But please stay away from YouTube videos on the topic of statins: they use anecdotes as evidence and amplify side effects without any context. And definitely focus more on data-driven prevention strategies and less on popular media perceptions around big pharma, etc. No different than the noisy nonsense about investing and retirement :) Two decades on statins and low-dose beta blockers. My mom and her family didn't live to see 70 due to poor cardiovascular health. My doc assures me, it's 33% genetics and 67% diet/lifestyle :)

  Post: Joining the Club, Maybe?

  Link to comment from February 20, 2026

• I focus more on dividend yield when it comes to asset location than foreign taxes. I simply consider foreign taxes a cost of owning those funds, and it's not double taxing in a US tax-sheltered account since one is not paying US taxes twice.

  Post: Taxes on foreign stocks

  Link to comment from February 20, 2026

• My grandmother would always share this advice with her grandchildren: Always look up to the man who is more educated than you and don’t pay attention to the man who has more wealth than you. And always be grateful for whatever luck life brings you.

  Post: If you have done well, be proud.

  Link to comment from February 17, 2026