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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!
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: Norman Retzke on 7/14 | RECENT: Norman Retzke 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: Norman Retzke 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
How Are You Planning to Pay for Potential Long Term Care Expenses?
82 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 2/4/2025
FIRST: R Quinn on 2/4 | RECENT: Scott A. Olson, CLTC on 2/14
Is There a Change Coming in the Direction of the Markets’ Winds?
20 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 1/14/2025
FIRST: Norman Retzke on 1/14 | RECENT: Norman Retzke 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
I was thinking of you as well when I posted my thoughts.
Post: re RDQ’s “down arrows” —> My 1 cent :
Link to comment from August 29, 2025
Jonathan, I’m sorry if my comments offended you in any way. That was not my intent. You are DEFINITELY NOT wasting your dying days. My main reason I posted what I did is I have recently seen a negative vote total on the most innocuous points that some people make. As I stated I have never participated, nor commented on any social media sites, as from what I have heard, is that people seem to feel that their anonymity gives them the license to attack people when they wouldn’t do so if they were face to face with that person. I was hoping that pointing out readers who seem to target the commenter, not the comment, would reflect on what they are doing. I have been reading this site for years, and have loved the give and take of ideas, it’s just that I’m starting to feel uncomfortable with some of what I have been seeing. Again, my apologies if I offended you.
Post: re RDQ’s “down arrows” —> My 1 cent :
Link to comment from August 29, 2025
I type all my requests. My wife tries to use Siri but she always seems to be confused. Siri, not my wife.😂
Post: My thoughts on technology- can’t get enough
Link to comment from August 28, 2025
Before we bought our latest new vehicle (a Toyota Crown Signia) I really had my heart set on a Mercedes sedan. Years ago Consumer Reports synopsis was if you want one buy one because they were so reliable. I knew they have always been expensive to repair, turned off when I recently read that their owners’ low score when asked was their purchase was a good value.
Post: My thoughts on technology- can’t get enough
Link to comment from August 28, 2025
Despite your down votes, I agree 100%. This site seems to be headed in the wrong direction. This site is the closest I get to social media. I have always enjoyed the comments, and the fact that, whether I agree with them or not, they are directed at the topic, not an attack on the writer’s personality. I keep away from social media because it has become the cesspool of the internet. I truly hope that this site does not become one that I feel I can no longer feel comfortable interacting with due to the tenor of the commenting, and increasing number of down votes for innocuous comments on certain writers’ posts that seem like they are negative just because of who they are.
Post: What If You Don’t Want to See the World?
Link to comment from August 28, 2025
Again, why a down vote?
Post: What If You Don’t Want to See the World?
Link to comment from August 28, 2025
“There are a number of ways of squeezing the benefits, including the alteration of the approach to COLA adjustments.” There was previously a squeeze when they change to utilizing the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). The purpose was to decrease the increases going forward. The Bureau of Labor Statistics in the past has the calculated the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly (CPI-E) which would more correctly reflect the increased expenses for those receiving benefits. However a large portion of this index is healthcare which the elderly utilize more than the general public. Since typically these increase faster than general inflation it would provide higher, but more appropriate increases. Who knows if these calculations will continue in the future due to the administration cuts.
Post: Dealing with a reduction in Social Security benefits. Is there a backup plan?
Link to comment from August 28, 2025
The reason that the “feeling” regarding pain won’t work is because different people interpret a certain level of pain differently. An example I used to give my patients is if someone experiences a severe laceration a person who the worst pain they have experienced is a blister will likely rate the pain significantly higher than someone who has experienced the pain of an amputation.
Post: My thoughts on technology- can’t get enough
Link to comment from August 28, 2025
Two ways we mitigate some of your travel complaints is we only travel in the shoulder seasons (here before our Memorial Day and after our Labor Day. Also when we travel internationally we always go for two weeks. This mitigates the jet lag and makes the airport hassles more tolerable
Post: What If You Don’t Want to See the World?
Link to comment from August 28, 2025
Dick, again I am appalled at the down votes for such an innocuous post. Come on people let’s have some common decency.
Post: What If You Don’t Want to See the World?
Link to comment from August 28, 2025