Almost all of our Amazon purchases are through Subscribe & Save. We get delivery once a month and save up to 15% on top of the 5% for the credit card. Even if you only buy an item once, sometimes you can subscribe and get a discount for quick delivery, and then cancel the subscription.
Andrew, you might consider selling your recent reinvestment purchases since the basis will be higher on those shares. Be sure to use the specific ID basis method to identify the particular shares you're selling. This will also simplify things by cutting down the number of tax lots to track as Bill mentioned.
Same here. My mother changed her account number at Chase due to a scam, and it's Chase policy not to guarantee a signature on the TreasuryDirect bank change form. TD then told me they would accept a notary from the bank. I mailed it today and have my fingers crossed. If it goes through I'm cashing her out.
Yes, as far as doing Roth conversions, you may want to stop short of the top of the 12% bracket if you have qualified dividends and/or long term capital gains that would get pushed up into the 15% bracket, as that makes your marginal rate for conversions 27%.
Some folks feel better getting dividends. I do not in my taxable account because it forces me to pay taxes rather than me deciding to sell for a capital gain at the time of my choosing.
I assume you refer to APOE4 as the marker for Alzheimer's. There are actual blood markers for it such as beta amyloid 42 & 40, p-tau217, neurofilament light chain (NFL), and glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP). Well worth the cost with insurance.
I've had both CAC tests and a carotid ultrasound, inexpensive even without insurance. The latter may be a better indicator of cardiovascular health. And I've gotten free Lp(a) tests since LabCorp doesn't charge me for tests insurance won't cover.
My calculations say married filing jointly in 2024 with MAGI of $250k would be in the 1.4x IRMAA bracket. Part B would be about $974 more per person per year in 2026 ($202.90*12*0.4).
I've avoided those same media, Mark. I wish my wife's phone wasn't always making noises from Instagram. Does everything have to be a video? Too bad she's not addicted to something quieter like HD.
Comments
Almost all of our Amazon purchases are through Subscribe & Save. We get delivery once a month and save up to 15% on top of the 5% for the credit card. Even if you only buy an item once, sometimes you can subscribe and get a discount for quick delivery, and then cancel the subscription.
Post: Little luxuries
Link to comment from September 20, 2026
Andrew, you might consider selling your recent reinvestment purchases since the basis will be higher on those shares. Be sure to use the specific ID basis method to identify the particular shares you're selling. This will also simplify things by cutting down the number of tax lots to track as Bill mentioned.
Post: Flipping the Script on Asset Allocation?
Link to comment from September 18, 2026
Same here. My mother changed her account number at Chase due to a scam, and it's Chase policy not to guarantee a signature on the TreasuryDirect bank change form. TD then told me they would accept a notary from the bank. I mailed it today and have my fingers crossed. If it goes through I'm cashing her out.
Post: What to do about the new ID.me login requirement at TreasuryDirect
Link to comment from September 15, 2026
Yes, as far as doing Roth conversions, you may want to stop short of the top of the 12% bracket if you have qualified dividends and/or long term capital gains that would get pushed up into the 15% bracket, as that makes your marginal rate for conversions 27%.
Post: Financial Choices
Link to comment from September 12, 2026
Some folks feel better getting dividends. I do not in my taxable account because it forces me to pay taxes rather than me deciding to sell for a capital gain at the time of my choosing.
Post: I will still take the dividends
Link to comment from September 12, 2026
I assume you refer to APOE4 as the marker for Alzheimer's. There are actual blood markers for it such as beta amyloid 42 & 40, p-tau217, neurofilament light chain (NFL), and glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP). Well worth the cost with insurance.
Post: On Being a “Healthy” Person
Link to comment from September 12, 2026
I've had both CAC tests and a carotid ultrasound, inexpensive even without insurance. The latter may be a better indicator of cardiovascular health. And I've gotten free Lp(a) tests since LabCorp doesn't charge me for tests insurance won't cover.
Post: On Being a “Healthy” Person
Link to comment from September 10, 2026
My calculations say married filing jointly in 2024 with MAGI of $250k would be in the 1.4x IRMAA bracket. Part B would be about $974 more per person per year in 2026 ($202.90*12*0.4).
Post: A bleak picture for retirement in the future?
Link to comment from September 7, 2026
I've avoided those same media, Mark. I wish my wife's phone wasn't always making noises from Instagram. Does everything have to be a video? Too bad she's not addicted to something quieter like HD.
Post: The Economy of Expectations
Link to comment from September 6, 2026
State Farm stopped insuring our house (in Florida) for hurricanes decades ago and I haven't looked back since.
Post: State Farm Dividend
Link to comment from September 6, 2026