I’m sure we could swap stories about working particularly hard at some point in our life. Feeling exhausted, worn out, temperamental and not performing at our best. In an ideal world we would avoid such stresses and strains, but in reality going “above and beyond” seems to be part of securing some financial stability, raising a family, buying a house, funding retirement, or whatever your financial goals might be.
But a recent local news article got me thinking about where each of us draws the line and says “enough”.

This is a thought exercise…
Suppose you are the son or daughter of a reasonably tech competent older person. They have asked you to step in to act on their behalf should they be unable to do so on their own. The would name you as primary on their Durable Power of Attorney. You have agreed and are in the process of trying to understand how your parent deals with their finances now.
In your research you have discovered the following information:
1) Your parent uses a variety of tech equipment to deal with finances.

IN APRIL 2005, art dealers Robert Simon and Alex Parish traveled to New Orleans to attend an auction. They were particularly interested in a work titled Salvator Mundi. The painting was in bad shape, having been neglected for years. But Simon and Parish ended up bidding on it and taking it home for $10,000.
After some restoration work, the pair succeeded in having it authenticated as a work of Leonardo da Vinci.

SECTION 415(D) OF the IRC requires the Secretary of the Treasury (IRS) to annually adjust limitations for cost-of-living increases. So, let’s dive into some of the changes:
 
401(k), 403(b), and Most 457 Plans:

For 2026, the 401(k)/403(b)/457(b) amount you can contribute is increasing from $23,500 to $24,500. If you are in a 24% marginal tax rate, that’s an additional $240 of federal taxes you can defer. If you are over age 50, the catch-up contributions are also increasing by $500,

Have I got a job for you.
As a boy I was into tropical fish. I had several tanks, I raised fish and tried to sell them – anything to make money.  At one point I had eight large tanks of fish. 
At 13 I wangled my way into a job after school and Saturday at a pet store for $5.00 a week and the occasional free fish.
After all these years I finally learned the money in tropical fish is not in the fish,

About  a year and half ago I posted the following article. (It benefited from the wonderful editing of Clements.)  Given investors will soon start receiving distributions from mutual funds, I thought I would repost it. The original post and comments can be found here.
I SOLD A MUTUAL FUND in my taxable account that was up an average 6% a year over the past 10 years—and ended up with a tax loss. That’s right,

I read this Morningstar article this morning. I thought I had posted it then. Although is not pertinent to me I know it is to other HD readers.
Until now, however, QCDs came with a thorny reporting headache. They were reported on IRS Form 1099-R as a regular distribution from an IRA, with no indication that the amount was a QCD.
Effective 2025, an IRA custodian may enter Code Y in Box 7 of Form 1099-R to show that the amount represents a QCD.

In my short time in this forum, I’ve noticed that we spend considerable time discussing both commendable and questionable decisions—our own and others’. Exploring these decisions humbly and methodically can be quite helpful. Models of behavior are one of the fundamental ways we learn ethics and good decision-making, and I’ve certainly gained wisdom from the stories many of you have shared.
This past Tuesday, while driving to CrossFit, I listened to a stimulating conversation on “The Rational Reminder Podcast”

I’ve decided my outer extremities have made the giant leap to sentience. I think it’s a distributed system. Over the last nearly sixty years, my only internal monologue was the one happening between my ears. Thankfully it’s always been a single voice and not a baker’s dozen whispering peculiar thoughts.
Retirement seems to have been the breakthrough point. I’ll be sitting in a quiet room, minding my own business, when the rebellious parts of my anatomy decide to join the party.

EVERY FEW MONTHS, I come across yet another article claiming that delaying Social Security is like earning an 8% guaranteed return. It’s a comforting phrase—clean, simple, and easy to repeat. Unfortunately, it isn’t true.
Yes, the Social Security Administration awards an 8% delayed retirement credit for each year you postpone benefits beyond full retirement age. But that 8% is simple interest, not compound. And no matter how attractive the credit looks on the surface, it ignores an uncomfortable fact: You’re giving up three full years of monthly checks to earn it.

As I have written recently we have begun investigating CCRCs. I am curious as to what other bills that you paid when you owned a house are eliminated or reduced, and if reduced by what percentage. Also what additional charges/bills might be incurred from the CCRC other than the obvious monthly fee.
Ideas I’m thinking may be eliminated are expenses such as property taxes, fuel for heating/cooking etc. is electricity included in the monthly charge. How many meals etc.

Guys, this site is valuable to all. I assume hundreds who, like me, have not made a contribution still benefit greatly by reading posts from the gentle, informed folks who comment here.
Those of us on the west coast were delighted to see the video of his service and it is good to see the good work continue. I am certain Jonathan would be pleased.
All the best,
Dennis McGillis

A post on X (was Twitter) offers an interesting twist –
“A guy just used @AnthropicAI Claude to turn a $195,000 hospital bill into $33,000. Not with a lawyer. Not with a hospital admin insider. With a $20/month Claude Plus subscription. He uploaded the itemized bill. Claude spotted duplicate procedure codes, illegal “double billing,” and charges that Medicare rules explicitly forbid. Then it helped him write a letter citing every violation. The hospital dropped their demand by 83%.

I think on occasion it’s nice to highlight a simple little pleasure of retirement—nothing earth-shattering, you understand, just something the gift of retirement time has allowed you to accomplish.
Late yesterday morning I found myself standing on a mile-long sandy beach, the Atlantic breakers sounding like a jet engine and the wind trying its playful best to knock me over. I was accompanied by eight other retired individuals as we marshalled ourselves to conduct a voluntary beach and sand dune clean-up.

Managing money may be simple, but it isn’t easy. Most of us struggle to save diligently, invest intelligently and figure out what will make us happy. HumbleDollar aims to help readers make rational financial decisions, especially when it comes to retirement. But we’re also acutely aware of the human side of money.
Those are Jonathan’s words. They are as close to HumbleDollars mission statement as I can find. This forum is Jonathan’s plan to perpetuate his dream.