FREE NEWSLETTER
I am a retired Physical Therapist and Certified Athletic Trainer. I obtained my BS in Physical Therapy at the University of Vermont, and Masters in Physical Education with a specialization in Athletic Training. I retired in 2019, and my wife retired in 2020, and we have spent the majority of our lives living in New Hampshire. I have managed my own portfolio for the past twenty years and have utilized a fee only Certified Financial Advisor on occasion to provide input to my financial plan on a few occasions, especially deciding if my assets were sufficient to retire. My financial guidance has come from years of following the principles of John Bogle and being an avid fan of Vanguard. My other resources for decision making are Christine Benz/Morningstar, and of course Jonathan Clements!
Wait Until We’e 70
48 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 10/22/2025
FIRST: Mark Crothers on 10/22 | RECENT: Brian White on 10/26
Information on Jonathan’s Memorial Service
30 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 10/2/2025
FIRST: David Powell on 10/2 | RECENT: David Powell on 10/25
Are You an Entirely Dividend Investor in Retirement?
9 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 10/15/2025
FIRST: OldITGuy on 10/15 | RECENT: Ormode on 10/15
Are You Invested in International Markets?
17 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 10/9/2025
FIRST: Mark Crothers on 10/9 | RECENT: youthbudget on 10/13
Are You a Dividend Investor? If so Read This!
6 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 10/9/2025
FIRST: Jack Hannam on 10/9 | RECENT: quan nguyen on 10/9
Are You a Trader or an Investor?
32 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 10/6/2025
FIRST: David Powell on 10/6 | RECENT: normr60189 on 10/8
USA Senior Care Network
3 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 9/9/2025
FIRST: William Perry on 9/10 | RECENT: William Perry on 9/10
How Are You Planning to Pay for Potential Long Term Care Expenses?
84 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 2/4/2025
FIRST: R Quinn on 2/4 | RECENT: stelea99 on 9/6
Sequence of Return Risk
48 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 9/27/2024
FIRST: Dave Melick on 9/27/2024 | RECENT: Ormode on 8/28
An Excellent Morningstar Article on CCRCs
3 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 8/7/2025
FIRST: mytimetotravel on 8/7 | RECENT: parkslope on 8/8
Bond Conundrum
24 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 7/7/2025
FIRST: Jim Burrows on 7/7 | RECENT: S on 7/26
How Was I to Know?
12 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 7/23/2025
FIRST: Mark Crothers on 7/23 | RECENT: S on 7/26
Selling Your House and Reaping Tax Free Capital Gains May be in Jeopardy
7 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 7/24/2025
FIRST: bbbobbins on 7/24 | RECENT: stelea99 on 7/25
Are You Going to Get the Social Security Benefits You First Started Paying For?
8 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 7/18/2025
FIRST: R Quinn on 7/18 | RECENT: DAN SMITH on 7/18
Morningstar’s Historical Review of the Benefits of the 60/40 Portfolios During Market Downturns
1 reply
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 7/14/2025
FIRST: normr60189 on 7/14 | RECENT: normr60189 on 7/14
Securing Lower Taxes
13 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 7/10/2025
FIRST: stelea99 on 7/10 | RECENT: Nick Politakis on 7/11
Increased Deduction for Seniors
43 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 7/4/2025
FIRST: eludom on 7/5 | RECENT: Randy Dobkin on 7/7
Does a Happy Country lead to Happy Individuals?
31 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 6/20/2025
FIRST: bbbobbins on 6/20 | RECENT: R Quinn on 6/24
Interesting White Coat Investor on Lessons Learned Dealing with a LTC Company
6 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 6/17/2025
FIRST: 1PF on 6/17 | RECENT: smr1082 on 6/20
Let’s Stir Up the Bee’s Nest Again- Another Way of Calculating Net Worth
76 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 6/13/2025
FIRST: David Mulligan on 6/14 | RECENT: bbbobbins on 6/19
Medicare Advantage with No Premiums vs Traditional Medicare with Plan G Deductible
32 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 6/14/2025
FIRST: R Quinn on 6/14 | RECENT: DrLefty on 6/15
“Most Revealing Question in Personal Finance”
22 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 6/4/2025
FIRST: Jo Bo on 6/4 | RECENT: normr60189 on 6/8
Jonathan Is Everywhere on the Internet
1 reply
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 6/4/2025
FIRST: Andrew Forsythe on 6/6 | RECENT: Andrew Forsythe on 6/6
Lesson Four From Taking Care of a 102 yo in Her Last Year of Life- The Final Hours of Life Can be Beautiful
13 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 4/12/2025
FIRST: Edmund Marsh on 4/13 | RECENT: David Lancaster on 5/29
Another Great Post by Mike Piper
7 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 5/6/2025
FIRST: luvtoride44afe9eb1e on 5/6 | RECENT: Rick Connor on 5/7
Lesson Five From Taking Care of a 102 yo in Her Last Year of Life- Politics and the News Has the Potential to Ruin Relationships
14 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 4/19/2025
FIRST: DAN SMITH on 4/19 | RECENT: David Lancaster on 4/20
What to do as the Bear Approaches
15 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 4/8/2025
FIRST: DAN SMITH on 4/8 | RECENT: Michael1 on 4/13
Lesson Three From Taking Care of a 102 yo in Her Last Year of Life- The Role of Faith in Dying
8 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 4/6/2025
FIRST: Jonathan Clements on 4/6 | RECENT: David Lancaster on 4/7
Lesson Two From Taking Care of a 102 yo in Her Last Year of Life- Preparing Oneself for Death
2 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 4/4/2025
FIRST: mytimetotravel on 4/4 | RECENT: DAN SMITH on 4/4
Lesson One From Taking Care of a 102 yo in Her Last Year of Life- Be Grateful
6 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 3/30/2025
FIRST: Edmund Marsh on 3/30 | RECENT: David Lancaster on 4/3
Lessons Learned from Taking Care of a 102 Year Old in Her Final Year
10 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 3/28/2025
FIRST: Rick Connor on 3/28 | RECENT: Dan Wick on 3/30
How Do Allocate the Bond Portion of Your Portfolio?
20 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 3/20/2025
FIRST: R Quinn on 3/20 | RECENT: Casey Campbell on 3/23
Great Ideas from Ed Slott for Estate Planning Using Roth Savings
12 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 3/20/2025
FIRST: William Housley on 3/20 | RECENT: William Perry on 3/22
The Status of Inherited IRAs in 2025
13 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 3/17/2025
FIRST: William Perry on 3/18 | RECENT: David Lancaster on 3/20
A Simple Way to avoid Phone Scams
11 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 3/17/2025
FIRST: DAN SMITH on 3/17 | RECENT: mytimetotravel on 3/18
Morningstar’s Report on Comparing 10 Year Returns on Active vs Passive Funds
8 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 3/12/2025
FIRST: Jonathan Clements on 3/12 | RECENT: Edmund Marsh on 3/12
Acorns
9 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 2/23/2025
FIRST: David Powell on 2/23 | RECENT: bbbobbins on 2/25
Is There a Change Coming in the Direction of the Markets’ Winds?
20 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 1/14/2025
FIRST: normr60189 on 1/14 | RECENT: normr60189 on 1/18
Costs Matter
28 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 11/30/2024
FIRST: Rick Connor on 11/30/2024 | RECENT: Jack Hannam on 12/31/2024
How Often Do You Calculate Your Net Worth And Why
57 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 11/29/2024
FIRST: Patrick Murphy on 11/29/2024 | RECENT: Will Schenk on 12/5/2024
What is The 10 Year Return on Your Portfolio?
22 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 11/26/2024
FIRST: stelea99 on 11/26/2024 | RECENT: Steve Spinella on 12/2/2024
What Was in Your Portfolio?
4 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 11/23/2024
FIRST: R Quinn on 11/23/2024 | RECENT: evan rayers on 11/24/2024
HELP, I Want My Money Back!
10 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 11/16/2024
FIRST: DAN SMITH on 11/16/2024 | RECENT: David Lancaster on 11/18/2024
Who’s Comments Do You Look Forward to Most?
30 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 11/14/2024
FIRST: Randy Dobkin on 11/14/2024 | RECENT: mytimetotravel on 11/15/2024
Two to Follow
6 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 11/14/2024
FIRST: R Quinn on 11/14/2024 | RECENT: Ken Shelley on 11/15/2024
T Rowe Frequent Trading Policy
11 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 11/11/2024
FIRST: 1PF on 11/11/2024 | RECENT: David Lancaster on 11/12/2024
Who is on Your Personal Investing Mount Rushmore, and Why?
11 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 11/8/2024
FIRST: luvtoride44afe9eb1e on 11/8/2024 | RECENT: Steven Duncan on 11/10/2024
IRAs in a Trust
3 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 8/29/2024
FIRST: William Perry on 8/29/2024 | RECENT: David Lancaster on 8/29/2024
Comments
That’s interesting. A few years ago we looked into solar panels on or roof. The companies were shocked at how low our usage was as when we built the house nine years ago we installed all LED lights and purchased new appliances. We did not end up making the plunge as we could not get a return on investment within 10 years which was my goal.
Post: AI and my electric bill
Link to comment from October 31, 2025
I agree with the following Dan, “but the fact that we have no long term care insurance creates some uncertainty, and caution.” We gave both children a fair sum for Christmas after we received an inheritance from my parents (we considered it a last Christmas present from them). As for further significant gifts that won’t happen until we are gone. As I have read from many the best gift you can give to your children is living in a CCRC so they don’t have to rush over to take care of you in your homelike we had to do for my parents. We also won’t know for about another 10 years if we will qualify health wise for the CCRC when the time comes so need the money to fund potential LTC.
Post: There are two financial related issues I think about a lot- even more so as we age.
Link to comment from October 31, 2025
Hi Brian, Why not have your wife’s Roth all in equities and have her bonds in her traditional account? The reason we have this arrangement is equities over the long haul vastly exceed bonds in their returns. Also generally Roths are the last funds to be tapped and are not subject to federal income tax, nor RMDs. With all her bonds in her traditional account it will have a lower return and thus lower RMDs. In this scenario the Roth will have a higher return and be tax free and the traditional will have a lower return and again result in lower RMDs/taxes. Just food for thought.
Post: How do Couples Rebalance with Multiple Accounts
Link to comment from October 31, 2025
👏👏👏
Post: A Nightmare on Destitution Street
Link to comment from October 31, 2025
We do the same. In other words we go for two weeks at a time to see more when we travel in order to not have to fly twice to see all we want to. In other words we flew to Italy and traveled from Pompeii to Rome, Florence, Pisa, Cinque Terra, Modena, and finally Venice all in one trip rather than breaking all those locations into two trips/flights from the US.
Post: What does your daily schedule look like?
Link to comment from October 30, 2025
Ken, The compulsory superannuation system in Australia is their Social Security-like system. However my understanding it is much better financial condition than our SS system.
Post: The rules we didn’t follow
Link to comment from October 30, 2025
In six years my schedule hasn’t changed at all. In the am hours of reading (investing, news, sports). The gym for weights or home stationary bicycling) before lunch, then hours of pleasure reading. Modifications are sometimes yard work or cutting the lawn as substitutes for exercise. This is interrupted several times per year for domestic and international travel of varying times frames, but generally international travel is for two weeks at a time to limit flight expenses.
Post: What does your daily schedule look like?
Link to comment from October 30, 2025
Since my wife has no interest in the management of our retirement accounts I perform all of the changes and review with her both our investment and total net worth when calculated quarterly. I view our retirement accounts as two parts of an overall account. My retirement account is about 2/3 of the total funds. We have both Roths and traditional accounts. I am trying to convert all of her traditional IRA into a Roth so I only have to manage RMDs from my traditional account thus decreasing the dollar amount of my future RMDs. As a result her Roth will eventually be 100% VT (Vanguard Total World Stock ETF) as there is a good chance it will never be touched and inherited tax free by our children. This will also allow my much larger traditional account to be solely utilized for living expenses. As a result a large portion of my portfolio is in bonds (45% of our total portfolio) and cash (@10%). When we claim Social Security at 70 in two years it, along with a small pension, will most likely cover all of our essential expenses. At 73 I will only have to take RMDs from my account. Also at that time I will institute a pure bucket portfolio approach which should mean that nearly all of my portfolio will revert to stocks as all of our expenses will be met with SS, pension, and RMDs.
Post: How do Couples Rebalance with Multiple Accounts
Link to comment from October 30, 2025
“It’s not surprising that trawling the world of seniors on facebook on personal financial matters nets a lot of complaints. The people still living full rich lives aren’t hanging out there or are probably avoiding “boasting” how they are just fine.” Amen to that!
Post: Seniors are a frustrating lot. Here’s why…IMO
Link to comment from October 30, 2025
On occasion I compare my 45/45/10 portfolio of index funds to both Vanguard and Fidelity’s target date 2020 (the year we were both retired) portfolio those how we would have done compared to these funds. We consistently exceed their returns, but only by a small percentage.
Post: I don’t know. Or care. But I will at the end of April.
Link to comment from October 30, 2025