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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!
Calculating the Maximum Income While Staying in the 12% Tax Bracket
28 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 12/7/2025
FIRST: Humble Reader on 12/7 | RECENT: Randy Dobkin on 12/15
How Has Living in a CCRC Affected Your Monthly Bills?
39 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 11/12/2025
FIRST: Bill C on 11/12 | RECENT: smr1082 on 12/9
Another Data Breach
11 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 12/5/2025
FIRST: stelea99 on 12/5 | RECENT: parkslope on 12/7
IRS Adds New Reporting Code for Charitable IRA Gifts
8 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 11/13/2025
FIRST: baldscreen on 11/14 | RECENT: DrLefty on 11/15
Information on Jonathan’s Memorial Service
35 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 10/2/2025
FIRST: David Powell on 10/2 | RECENT: David Lancaster on 11/4
Medicare Open Enrollment Information
3 replies
AUTHOR: David Lancaster on 11/2/2025
FIRST: R Quinn on 11/3 | RECENT: David Lancaster on 11/3
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
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
Re: Toyotas- the last two vehicles I bought were a Tacoma in spring 2020 (at the very start of COVID) went to multiple dealers and only one had the any in stock. The dealer said you can choose between these three. Luckily I loved the integrated color of body and wheels on one. The other vehicle was a Toyota Crown Signia in November 2025. I could find only one in our state (no sales tax) as they were a new model that fall. We love it. We’ve had it for a year and just completed a 2K trip and have yet to see another anywhere. Didn’t try to negotiate the price of either vehicle because I knew it was a waste of time. Did negotiate trade in as I never bring in the car the day I find a car. Nor do I ever buy on the day viewed. I always come home and analyze if I want to pull the trigger on buying the next day.
Post: The Monthly Payment Trap: How Car Dealerships Hide the Real Cost
Link to comment from December 16, 2025
Thanks for the Kudos Regan. One big advantage we over 65 have is the 6K per person additional deduction. For me and my wife it allows an additional 12K to be converted. This deduction is available through 2028 and will help tremendously with my attempt to completely convert all my wife’s traditional IRA to a Roth before we collect our maximum Social Security benefits. With the increase in the markets in the past 2 years it has been hard to get the traditional balance down. Certainly a fortuitous first world problem. But there is the caveat that the additional senior deduction is certainly adding to the budget deficit.
Post: Calculating the Maximum Income While Staying in the 12% Tax Bracket
Link to comment from December 14, 2025
FYI I once read that during tornados you should not stop under an overpass as it concentrates the wind. Then I checked Gemini which writes: …it's extremely dangerous because the structure acts like a wind tunnel, intensifying winds and creating a deadly trap for flying debris, making a ditch or low-lying area much safer if you're caught outside.
Post: 27 Months
Link to comment from December 13, 2025
You are right Liz I am not close to the IRMAA income, but close to the income limit for the full newly created enhanced senior deduction of 150K. I think staying in the 12% maximum tax rate results in the full deduction. In retrospect I’m thinking that is how they determined the maximum income for the full deduction, but not sure.
Post: Calculating the Maximum Income While Staying in the 12% Tax Bracket
Link to comment from December 13, 2025
Hey Chris, When we drive from NH to NC to visit we stop for an overnight at different places (usually civil war battle fields and their local towns in VA/PA) and check out the area for a short time before heading on. Are there areas you can explore on your way or crack from visiting your parents. It could be a one day mini vacation to relieve some of the monotony of a longer trip.
Post: 27 Months
Link to comment from December 12, 2025
Same thing happened to me last year when I googled the customer service number for Frontier Airlines. As soon as I hung up I had the feeling I was scammed. Called credit card company to cancel charge. You can’t trust Google’s results for phone numbers.
Post: Scams
Link to comment from December 12, 2025
The state of NH where we lived used to declare fireworks illegal because they were dangerous. Then they realized the could increase revenue by allowing the sales and then taxing them (there is no income nor sales tax). I guess that made fireworks no longer dangerous.
Post: Black Friday blues come February
Link to comment from December 10, 2025
Just yesterday as a result of your post I changed my reinvest settings to cash in my traditional IRA. I realized that this is a way that I can free up cash as I progress through my retirement journey. Previously I had been tapping into some inherited IRAs to fund our retirement expenses but these will be emptied earlier next year and my traditional IRA will be the primary source of our income along with a small pension. Additional cash (up to one year of expenses) will come from quarterly rebalancing.
Post: You DRIP?
Link to comment from December 10, 2025
Aye, that it is!
Post: Enough Already
Link to comment from December 10, 2025
I generally only use Amazon if I need something specific such as the right air filter for my lawn mower and don’t want to go to multiple stores to try and find it. Will use it for presents for my daughter in California as I can have them delivered directly to her. Also I buy used books through them as I don’t like to have the pressure of getting a book back to the library on their schedule. Ebooks are a non starter. I like to hold a real book.
Post: An Uncomfortable Retail Truth
Link to comment from December 10, 2025