I tried the same thing (modifying your input text slightly). I'd be very careful with this. The spreadsheet Claude gave me had at least one error. It used the pension income cell (B5 in the spreadsheet Claude gave me) when it was calculating how much of the social security income (actually in cell B6) was taxable (calculation in cell B20). I didn't look for any further problems.
Be aware that at least one congress person is proposing to change HSAs in a way that limits their usefulness. https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases/republicans-plot-latest-health-rollback-rep-doggett-introduces-hsa-consumer One "feature" of the proposed legislation: Limit the window for reimbursement to two years from when a qualified medical expense was paid. Currently, accountholders can reimburse themselves for expenses incurred decades before—so long as they had an HSA at the time of the expense.
He probably doesn't need a budget. He just needs to write down expenditures (or download them into a spreadsheet :) ). If there is a problem you need to track spending. I remember back when "quality" was the big initiative. W Edwards Demming was the god of quality initiatives and was famous for saying "how do you know" when people presented problems. You need to know your spending.
off topic (as usual for me) but your civil engineering mention made me think of one of my favorite old computer science quips: "Weinberg's Law:If Builders Built Buildings the Way Programmers Wrote Programs, Then the First Woodpecker That Came Along Would Destroy Civilization"
I know you asked about Schwab vs Vanguard but one thing I like about Fidelity is they have a security feature where you can restrict money transfers from your accounts to any other Fidelity account or external institution. If you need to do a transfer you go to their online security center and unlock.
Comments
I tried the same thing (modifying your input text slightly). I'd be very careful with this. The spreadsheet Claude gave me had at least one error. It used the pension income cell (B5 in the spreadsheet Claude gave me) when it was calculating how much of the social security income (actually in cell B6) was taxable (calculation in cell B20). I didn't look for any further problems.
Post: Tools/calculators for monthly retirement cash flow and tax estimation
Link to comment from April 9, 2026
Be aware that at least one congress person is proposing to change HSAs in a way that limits their usefulness. https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases/republicans-plot-latest-health-rollback-rep-doggett-introduces-hsa-consumer One "feature" of the proposed legislation: Limit the window for reimbursement to two years from when a qualified medical expense was paid. Currently, accountholders can reimburse themselves for expenses incurred decades before—so long as they had an HSA at the time of the expense.
Post: HSA Tips
Link to comment from March 1, 2026
He probably doesn't need a budget. He just needs to write down expenditures (or download them into a spreadsheet :) ). If there is a problem you need to track spending. I remember back when "quality" was the big initiative. W Edwards Demming was the god of quality initiatives and was famous for saying "how do you know" when people presented problems. You need to know your spending.
Post: The Monthly Mystery of the Vanishing Paycheck
Link to comment from February 10, 2026
off topic (as usual for me) but your civil engineering mention made me think of one of my favorite old computer science quips: "Weinberg's Law:If Builders Built Buildings the Way Programmers Wrote Programs, Then the First Woodpecker That Came Along Would Destroy Civilization"
Post: Are you an investor?
Link to comment from January 19, 2026
I know you asked about Schwab vs Vanguard but one thing I like about Fidelity is they have a security feature where you can restrict money transfers from your accounts to any other Fidelity account or external institution. If you need to do a transfer you go to their online security center and unlock.
Post: Schwab or Vanguard?
Link to comment from January 12, 2026
maybe everyone knows this but Elder Beermen was a department store at/near Franklin Park Mall (now called something different) in Toledo.
Post: The “Mean Girls”/Junior High Bullies at HumbleDollar
Link to comment from January 9, 2026