I admit mine comes more or less from JL Collins. Most of my investments were in S&P 500 till last year's end, with full year expenses in Vanguard cash plus account to "ride out the storms." Those are expenses not covered by my SSB. This year, I cashed significant portion in my IRA and moved to Vanguard Money Market fund and have no intention of putting them back into S&P. Bottom line (for me):
a. I can safely do what I have done without drastically changing my expectations and outlook.
b. I think the market is overvalued, downside risks are high and I expect steep drops just like what we saw back in April.
c. I equate my SSB as my bond stabilizer. Also admit JLC had a point of giving up on bonds, or so I recall. Over the last ten years, VTSAX performance has been ~935% vs VBTLX at ~ 200%. So my money market move is not for stability, but personal plans for larger expenditures. So, learn from everyone, but do what fits your needs is my take. And of course, due to moving funds to MM recently, I have lost some steep returns in the mean time. Comes with the territory.
So...
I went back to my dental policy and determined that it is worth paying the premiums. For now. Your experience may vary, but I am giving some details so you may compare. The premiums cost me around $600 per year. The max benefits are $1500 per year. If you meet a deductible of $100 your total cost is $700 of course. If you end up having dental treatments such as root canal, crown etc that exceed the max benefits, that would be worth it, right? In my case, for the last couple of years, it has been. There are still out of pocket costs on top, despite recovering max. benefits. The thing to note in the fine print are- the policy covers only "usual and customary" charges and only 70-80% of those amounts.
Very nice post containing a lot of wisdom in preparing and living in retirement. First and foremost, nothing matters more than your physical health. Without it, nothing matters! Having a good relationship with your spouse is crucial to your mental health. It is as important as physical health for your well being. Avoiding unforced errors applies to both- in matters of physical activities, exploration and adventures and having an exciting life; and avoiding situations in social relationships that can disturb a peaceful and happy day!
"financial decision-making isn’t just about the math and doesn’t require perfect precision. More than anything, he says, it requires the ability to make judgments in the face of incomplete information."Best summary!! Judgments come from maturity, not calculations or emotions.
Thanks for pointing that out! I dabbled in stocks for a while and believe I learnt my lesson (a few times, the same lesson) when I found what I needed in reading JLC; his book and his blog. I bought a couple of copies for my kids. Hope they read and learn in a timely fashion so they don't have to do the harder way. I have not gone back and read the book.. No need :)
Aetna had ramped up the premium this year. That was the primary reason. Agreed that Plan G from any insurer is the same with regard to coverage- they make up what is Medicare approved. My understanding is that some insurers may introduce plans to get into the market and then pull out when things don't gel; the usual stuff. I hope my broker does his due diligence when he recommends what to do next, not just based on premium.
Your summary matches my understanding fully. I went for Medigap Part G after I listened to my colleagues when I retired in 2020. It was with Aetna earlier, but Physicians Mutual now upon recommendations by my broker (Medigap Seminars.) I have wondered about if dental insurance has been worth the premiums- I have Manhattan Life. I will look into the details and may end up canceling the same. Thank you for an excellent recap!
Comments
I like "disciplined approach to harvesting gains." That way, your risk is contained as well.
Post: Why Bitcoin?
Link to comment from October 1, 2025
I am sorry. JLC strands for JL Collins and SSB for Social Security Benefits.
Post: Not Staying the Course
Link to comment from September 22, 2025
I admit mine comes more or less from JL Collins. Most of my investments were in S&P 500 till last year's end, with full year expenses in Vanguard cash plus account to "ride out the storms." Those are expenses not covered by my SSB. This year, I cashed significant portion in my IRA and moved to Vanguard Money Market fund and have no intention of putting them back into S&P. Bottom line (for me): a. I can safely do what I have done without drastically changing my expectations and outlook. b. I think the market is overvalued, downside risks are high and I expect steep drops just like what we saw back in April. c. I equate my SSB as my bond stabilizer. Also admit JLC had a point of giving up on bonds, or so I recall. Over the last ten years, VTSAX performance has been ~935% vs VBTLX at ~ 200%. So my money market move is not for stability, but personal plans for larger expenditures. So, learn from everyone, but do what fits your needs is my take. And of course, due to moving funds to MM recently, I have lost some steep returns in the mean time. Comes with the territory.
Post: Not Staying the Course
Link to comment from September 19, 2025
So... I went back to my dental policy and determined that it is worth paying the premiums. For now. Your experience may vary, but I am giving some details so you may compare. The premiums cost me around $600 per year. The max benefits are $1500 per year. If you meet a deductible of $100 your total cost is $700 of course. If you end up having dental treatments such as root canal, crown etc that exceed the max benefits, that would be worth it, right? In my case, for the last couple of years, it has been. There are still out of pocket costs on top, despite recovering max. benefits. The thing to note in the fine print are- the policy covers only "usual and customary" charges and only 70-80% of those amounts.
Post: Healthcare spending and premiums during a post age-65 retirement- facts and ideas.
Link to comment from September 15, 2025
Very nice post containing a lot of wisdom in preparing and living in retirement. First and foremost, nothing matters more than your physical health. Without it, nothing matters! Having a good relationship with your spouse is crucial to your mental health. It is as important as physical health for your well being. Avoiding unforced errors applies to both- in matters of physical activities, exploration and adventures and having an exciting life; and avoiding situations in social relationships that can disturb a peaceful and happy day!
Post: Retirement Begins Long Before You Retire
Link to comment from September 15, 2025
"financial decision-making isn’t just about the math and doesn’t require perfect precision. More than anything, he says, it requires the ability to make judgments in the face of incomplete information." Best summary!! Judgments come from maturity, not calculations or emotions.
Post: Navigating the Unknowns of Financial Decisions
Link to comment from September 13, 2025
Thanks for pointing that out! I dabbled in stocks for a while and believe I learnt my lesson (a few times, the same lesson) when I found what I needed in reading JLC; his book and his blog. I bought a couple of copies for my kids. Hope they read and learn in a timely fashion so they don't have to do the harder way. I have not gone back and read the book.. No need :)
Post: The Main Thing … and the scourge of complexity
Link to comment from September 6, 2025
Aetna had ramped up the premium this year. That was the primary reason. Agreed that Plan G from any insurer is the same with regard to coverage- they make up what is Medicare approved. My understanding is that some insurers may introduce plans to get into the market and then pull out when things don't gel; the usual stuff. I hope my broker does his due diligence when he recommends what to do next, not just based on premium.
Post: Healthcare spending and premiums during a post age-65 retirement- facts and ideas.
Link to comment from September 6, 2025
Your summary matches my understanding fully. I went for Medigap Part G after I listened to my colleagues when I retired in 2020. It was with Aetna earlier, but Physicians Mutual now upon recommendations by my broker (Medigap Seminars.) I have wondered about if dental insurance has been worth the premiums- I have Manhattan Life. I will look into the details and may end up canceling the same. Thank you for an excellent recap!
Post: Healthcare spending and premiums during a post age-65 retirement- facts and ideas.
Link to comment from September 6, 2025
Thanks David!
Post: Inventing Problems
Link to comment from September 6, 2025