stelea99

Comments

• In terms of the definition, the use of the word relates to someone's evaluation of whether or not they can afford to buy something. The answer is binary; they either have the means or they do not. The term is strictly financial and no judgement of anything else is implied.

  Post: What does ”means” mean?

  Link to comment from February 12, 2026

• I don't think that there are many people who think that there is not an affordability problem.

  Post: Home Prices and Affordability

  Link to comment from February 12, 2026

• The rise of MBS is entirely the fault of the FASB which establishes GAAP rules for reporting by businesses. Prior to the Savings and Loan crisis of the early 1980's S&Ls could originate and retain on their books loans for personal home mortgages. They were allowed to retain these assets and value them at their amortized value. Then, the FASB decided that they must value them at market value reflecting changes in value due to changes in interest rates. Instantly one third of S&Ls were insolvent. And, they could no longer hold these long term loans on their books. The FNMA was then created to buy these loans from the originators allowing them to be re-marketed as MBS. England, Canada and other countries avoid this problem by not financing 30 year home loans.

  Post: Home Prices and Affordability

  Link to comment from February 12, 2026

• I am not sure that a national view of this topic will be that helpful. Regional differences are so huge that trying to think about affordability in San Francisco and Omaha at the same time is impossible.

  Post: Home Prices and Affordability

  Link to comment from February 11, 2026

• Means means money or financial resources. AS: I have the means to buy a Bentley or I will have the means to buy a house next year.

  Post: What does ”means” mean?

  Link to comment from February 11, 2026

• My oldest son, who is a physician in the Midwest, often tells me about the time he has to spend trying to get FDA approved drugs paid for by employer health insurance plans. There are many health care provider websites that explain this in detail. Here is one "https://wellsmedicine.com/the-difference-between-fda-approval-and-insurance-coverage/" Weight control meds are the latest large scale example of this program. Obesity is a huge health issue. Yet many health plans do not cover the expense. There are many other situations where there are several FDA approved drugs which may be used to treat a given condition. A health plan may only cover the least expensive drug. Even though, that particular drug doesn't work for all patients. I invite you to provide some evidence that employer paid for health insurance covers "ALL" FDA approved drugs.

  Post: When $2100 is not what it appears. The Medicare Part D trap

  Link to comment from February 7, 2026

• A single plan design that covers all FDA drugs would likely be much more expensive with many companies choosing not to participate. And, if they did, the premiums and co-pays and deductibles would be much higher for many participants who take only one or two generic drugs. You have written many posts about the unrealistic coverage expectations of health care insurance consumers. Does any commercial health plan cover "ALL" FDA drugs? I think not. A plan that covers all, including some which cost hundreds of thousands per year, would not be commercially insurable. The present Part D plan lets the government limit its financial exposure and than of the participating companies. This also limits the premiums and costs of the vast majority of participants.

  Post: When $2100 is not what it appears. The Medicare Part D trap

  Link to comment from February 6, 2026

• One of the nice things about Part D plans, is that you are only stuck in your plan for the rest of this year. 2026 is my 15th year in Medicare, I have had 14 different Part D plans over those years. All of us who use Part D roll the dice each year looking for the best combination of coverage for our needed prescription drugs at the lowest total cost. As our health situation evolves our annual choice of plan can prove to be good or bad; but the damage if we didn't correctly predict the future is limited to one year. And, since you are wealthy, a $6000 negative surprise ain't the end of the world financially. That is what your emergency fund is designed to handle.

  Post: When $2100 is not what it appears. The Medicare Part D trap

  Link to comment from February 5, 2026

• This is one topic where I think you are spot on. If you are paying IRMAA, take a look at your SSA 1099 for 2025. You will find the IRMAA surcharges showing as part of the premiums you paid in Box 3. Therefore, like the Part B premium, if you are able to itemize deductions, and have medical expenses high enough to get over the 7.5% of AGI hurdle, you can deduct them from your taxable income.

  Post: Your effective tax rate

  Link to comment from February 3, 2026

• Like many other discussion on HD, we have wandered into the badlands of word definitions. I think anyone who pays FICA would clearly think of it as a tax on income. However, it is not an Income Tax nor part of its calculation. Likewise, anyone who received muni bond interest, or dividends on a ROTH account, (just to name a couple of examples) enjoyed collecting these items, while knowing that they were not going to be taxed. Perhaps the entire financial system in the US, is a kind of electronic game which only the well off can win.

  Post: Your effective tax rate

  Link to comment from February 1, 2026