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Now I have a non-linkable "proof" based on checking numbers on our OWN tax returns and what was mentioned in our SSA "DETERMINATION letters" (received typically in November/December) that it is like the 1st FORMULA. So, the SSA takes the AGI from th…
There is confusion on this.
One definition from reading the SSA brochures is,
MAGI = AGI + tax-exempt interest
https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/medicare/medicare-premiums.html
But another is,
MAGI = AGI + untaxed Social Security payment + tax-exempt …
@rabockma1, thanks for noting that.
On 2nd look, I see that both WABAX (ER 0.46%) and WATFX (ER 0.83%) are no-load/NTF at Schwab, but the former is indicated as restricted. May be this was a recent change.
At Fido, only WABAX is no-load/NTF and WA…
If Kiplinger is talking about tax-loss harvesting or tax-swaps, everyone probably knows about it. Trick is to find something reasonably similar for a while or forever. As they say, "if you got lemon, make lemonade", or as Chicago "philosopher" Rahm …
Different classes of the SAME fund.
http://financials.morningstar.com/fund/purchase-info.html?t=WACSX®ion=usa&culture=en-US
Edit/Add: Higher ER WABAX is no-load/NTF at Fido and Schwab.
@BaluBalu, I will fix my previous post - that was for Schwab, not Fido.
I just checked my Fido a/c and it does allow me to enter TIPS order at Auction (but I didn't go through with that).
Note that orders for Treasury Auctions can only be placed …
@BaluBalu, for TIPS in the secondary market, Fido Schwab also asks to give them call (no online order entry). But it is OK to enter online order for TIPS at Auctions. May be the same to buy 2-yr FRNs (next FRN Auction on 4/27/22). https://home.trea…
Closing TREMX reminds me of the saying, "Closing the barn door after the horses are already out".
https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/TREMX?p=TREMX
https://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui?s=TREMX&p=D&b=5&g=0&id=p89457242693
@Observant1, keep in mind the following.
1. As mentioned elsewhere, 5-yr TIPS now are 2nd best to I-Bonds. So, it for those who had their max fill for I-Bonds or who won't buy I-Bonds.
2. Individual TIPS do tap into month-over-month changes in CPI…
@CecilJK, that should be a useful series here (I think you used to post them here before). But you may want to link to your latest in the series, like this LINK.
IMO, serial features are important for websites. In fact, I have sampled 5 of series h…
@BaluBalu, I do like the original idea of EV/EBITDA as a business valuation measure with the aspects financing, taxes, accounting (depreciation, amortization) removed. It is really relevant to a cash-buyer of the entire business but to me it provide…
She will need her own Treasury Direct account. In the meantime, you can buy gift I-Bond for her and hold them in your account. You can even buy more than $10K to be distributed slowly later into her Treasury Direct account. See details here, https:…
M* puts hedge-fund like strategies in mutual fund wrapper under liquid-alts and says that despite renewed interest (and inflows), these funds haven't delivered. https://www.morningstar.com/articles/1087561/liquid-alternatives-funds-belong-on-most-i…
@hank makes a good point. Frank Holmes runs several natural resources funds and his writings tend to be tilted by commodity angles. This also applies to Jim Rogers, Jeremy Grantham (re-timber, etc) and others. But thematic/big picture-investing ofte…
Many foreign funds have the PFIC issues and IDV is no exception, https://www.ishares.com/us/literature/tax-information/pfic-2021.pdf
Basically, rules for the US funds to hold physical assets (real estate/property, bullion, etc) are different from …
@BaluBalu, 2-yr FRNs float in a different way (-:), not directly with inflation. So, FRNs rate is 13-wk T-Bill rate + a spread that doesn't change (but is fixed at issue). So, the floating is from 3-mo T-Bill rates (really, discounts) and those will…
Franklin Income (FKIQX /FKINX /FRIAX) is one of those misclassified funds as conservative-allocation/30-50%. But when its equities and bonds (including HY, convertibles) are accounted for, it acts more like moderate-allocation/50-70%. When properly …
Inflation-linked bonds are relatively new to the US, TIPS 1997- , I-Bonds 1998- . I read once (no link now) that in Treasury Secretary Rubin's era, Chinese were getting concerned about their large and growing US Treasury holdings and pushed for TIPS…
@BaluBalu, I mentioned only 52-wk T-Bills and 5-yr TIPS for the upcoming auctions NEXT week. Also being auctioned NEXT week (but I didn't mention) are 4-wk, 8-wk, 13-wk, 26-wk T-Bills and 20-yr T-Bonds. So, you can say that among all those being auc…
A very bearish AAII Sentiment, as now, may mean 2 things: 1) Market is ready for the next bull leg (but that seems unlikely to me in the face of current news), or 2) Investors are too bearish already and the market may not go down much (and I can su…
@hank: 3) In the case of Roths one might invest 100% in I-Bonds without fretting over tax consequences.
That is a nonstarter. Treasury Direct doesn't allow IRAs, and electronic I-Bonds can be only held at Treasury Direct.
But I-Bonds are tax-defer…
Years ago, I almost bought FAIRX but its $10K min put me off. I thought the guy had some nerve to set the min at $10 K when prevailing min were $1K-3K. Well, the guy did have steel nerves, but to me, he could do whatever without me.
For people who are sitting on the fence for I-Bonds, I have started a nearby thread on 5-yr TIPS. These get monthly inflation-adjustments, not at 6-month intervals, so the news may not be as dramatic for them. 5-yr real rates have inched up to -0.59…
@Blitzer, individual TIPS held to maturity will also get CPI-U adjustments. There is monthly index of values that Treasury publishes. But they do trade, and if sell before maturity, then the market valve depends on several factors. Specific details …
While technically correct, Fido shows monthly distributions for FIPDX at $0.000000001-0.000000002/shr and M* just calls it $0/shr (it tracks dividends to 4 decimal places only). There is a noticeable yearend distribution (from tiny coupon and inflat…
Both M* & Yahoo Finance show it as long-short fund with net long.
Although not mkt-neutral, caution applies as those are 50-50 L-S & things can be bad on both sides.
Aren't Vanguard's "digital financial planning", "VG Personal Advisor Services (older/original)", "VG Digital Advisor (newer)" different versions of its robo-advisor?
@Derf, it shouldn't matter for funds, so you can sell/exchange VG TDF 2015 whenever you wish.
Individually held TIPS "pay" interest every 6 month from the issue date, like all Treasury bonds. However, the TIPS interest is not actually paid out but …
I-Bonds are available ONLY from Treasury Direct and one exception is getting $5K extra as paper I-Bonds in IRS refund.
On the other hand, TIPS are tradable securities and those you can buy from Treasury Direct, brokerages, and as ETFs and mutual f…
Fido shows FAIRX AUMs since 2013. It seems that anyone who wanted to sell did that by 2018. https://fundresearch.fidelity.com/mutual-funds/performance-and-risk/304871106?type=o-NavBar
@BaluBAlu, buying T-Bills now at brokerages or Treasury Direct is better than m-mkt funds. https://home.treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/TextView?type=daily_treasury_yield_curve&field_tdr_date_value_month=202204
In its 5/24/21 issue, Barron's noted that value had been down for so long that many older value managers died, retired, quit or became GARP managers. But it identified a handful of the "next generation" of value managers who had at least 10+ years o…
There has never been an out-of-stock situation for the US Savings Bonds. Limits are per account. So sales of I-Bonds have ballooned to about 10x, but that is still only low double-digit billions, but Uncle Sam needs/borrows trillions (-:).
It is no…
