FREE NEWSLETTER
Mike is a former naval officer and 20-year veteran of the oil and gas industry. Born on Long Island and trained as a nuclear engineer, he tries to write with a little New York skepticism, an engineer's sense of logic and hopefully some humor. Now retired, he enjoys traveling, blogging and spreadsheets.
Comments
If this keeps up you may want to get some embossed tissues for yourself.
Post: A Wedding Too Far
Link to comment from September 7, 2026
Nick, XOM used to match the first 6% of 401(k) contributions with a 7% match, if the employee took the 7% in XOM stock. That's what I did for many years. After Enron, it was changed to allow a 7% match no matter how an employee took it. At that point I started taking the match in various index funds (where I was putting the balance of my contributions). I never sold my XOM shares to allow for a future NUA. Now that I realized that NUA is not very useful, I'm (very) slowly selling my XOM shares.
Post: Blood Money
Link to comment from September 1, 2026
Nick Politakis, Thanks for your comments but I need to clarify things: XOM supplies the world with a much needed product that is required by all aspects of civilization--a product that starts off in some of the most dangerous and unfriendly places on the face of the earth. A product that costs at most $4.00 a gallon. KO on the other hand manufactures a product that is completely unneeded by civilization and costs over $7.00 a gallon.
Post: Blood Money
Link to comment from August 28, 2026
William Perry, All the Canadians I met along the way were quite polite about it but I could tell they were more than a little upset. A young couple I met in Banff mentioned the desire to travel to the US, though they were going to hold off for the near future.
Post: You Heel!
Link to comment from August 26, 2026
macropundit, You may be on to something: we're thinking of selling our condo, but before we do I need to hire a commercial contractor which will be a whole nother article.
Post: On the Road to Home
Link to comment from August 25, 2026
On July 17, 2026 (with WTI closing at $83.43/bbl.), I sold 18 shares at $148.00--all the shares that were my last dividend payment. As XOM shares are currently at $160.64 (WTI at $83), I'm wondering if I should sell a little more or just wait and see. I've made this comment to provide a 401(k) update but also in a Quinnian effort to have as many of my posts as possible appear on the Humble Dollar homepage.
Post: Blood Money
Link to comment from August 25, 2026
You buried the lead on this one, you visit Mar-a-lago and wind up telling us about a conversation with a deckhand? Though it makes me realize there is little politician in you, as when pressed about specifics you mention you were “a guest of some company. I can’t recall which one though.”
Post: Quinns visit to Mar-a-Lago
Link to comment from May 18, 2026
Michael2, Good point, though what I really mean is that after an investor sells his 1000 shares of GE in 2020 that he bought in 2000, he can look forward to 86 years of tax losses carried forward.
Post: There is no such thing as a tax loophole, but here they are anyway
Link to comment from May 18, 2026
I think you make a valid argument that most tax loopholes come with a (potential) downside. Therefore I'm more concerned about antiloopholes such as the Foreign Tax Credit, IRMAA and that only $3,000 of tax losses can be carried forward.
Post: There is no such thing as a tax loophole, but here they are anyway
Link to comment from May 17, 2026
David Lancaster, a very good example of the idea that "as often when it comes to home repair doing nothing is preferable to getting screwed." An additional thought: buy a couple of ice trays?
Post: The Rent is Too Damn High!
Link to comment from May 17, 2026