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by sophie
Sun Mar 03, 2024 8:26 pm
Forum: Cash
Topic: Placement of cash (vs other PP assets)
Replies: 17
Views: 993

Re: Placement of cash (vs other PP assets)

Some interesting ideas, responses here: I bond swapping: One piece of sage advice for those of you who are POA's for elderly family members: be very careful about making creative financial moves with the person's money. POA's can and often are sued by other heirs if they suspect you might have playe...
by sophie
Wed Feb 28, 2024 4:59 pm
Forum: Cash
Topic: Placement of cash (vs other PP assets)
Replies: 17
Views: 993

Re: Placement of cash (vs other PP assets)

Cash: looks like these high interest rates aren’t going to last anyway. You may be right - but it's so thorny trying to predict the future. Actually you ARE right given a long enough time horizon. How long? Who knows! It's probably a good idea to make sure anything you do is reversible in case we e...
by sophie
Wed Feb 28, 2024 10:25 am
Forum: Gold
Topic: Gold Storage
Replies: 6
Views: 242

Re: Placement of cash (vs other PP assets)

I got out of Perth Mint. Too many red flags going up. Could you please elaborate on this? Is this because of FATCA/other US tax problems or a more fundamental issue? two issues. One was their stated policy on cyberattacks, which is that if a thief broke into your account and claimed part or all of ...
by sophie
Sun Feb 25, 2024 6:14 pm
Forum: Cash
Topic: Placement of cash (vs other PP assets)
Replies: 17
Views: 993

Re: Placement of cash (vs other PP assets)

Oh well - first world problems eh dualstow???

I got out of Perth Mint. Too many red flags going up. The TBD is working out beautifully and I don't need to deal with FATCA. Cost is minimal and I get to buy gold bars instead of coins.
by sophie
Sun Feb 25, 2024 11:11 am
Forum: Cash
Topic: Placement of cash (vs other PP assets)
Replies: 17
Views: 993

Placement of cash (vs other PP assets)

Hey all, I got an interesting question from one of the forum members and thought I'd answer it with a new thread. If only because I don't necessary have the best answers and it's certainly a topic ripe for discussion. Like everyone else, I loaded up on cash in my taxable accounts and my Roth account...
by sophie
Fri Nov 17, 2023 3:00 pm
Forum: Cash
Topic: I-Bond fixed rate rises to 1.3%, highest in more than 16 years
Replies: 24
Views: 31110

Re: I-Bond fixed rate rises to 1.3%, highest in more than 16 years

The writer of Tipswatch usually makes a prediction after the CPI figures are released - about 2 weeks in advance of the official announcement date of November or May 1. The variable rate is completely determined by the CPI so that figure will be precisely known, but the fixed rate is only an educate...
by sophie
Thu Nov 16, 2023 11:24 am
Forum: Cash
Topic: I-Bond fixed rate rises to 1.3%, highest in more than 16 years
Replies: 24
Views: 31110

Re: I-Bond fixed rate rises to 1.3%, highest in more than 16 years

Yeah, good idea....if the fixed rate is going up in April it would be worth waiting.
by sophie
Thu Nov 16, 2023 11:21 am
Forum: Gold
Topic: High cost gold depositories are you giving your gold away
Replies: 13
Views: 14426

Re: High cost gold depositories are you giving your gold away

What's wrong with 0.5% storage fee for segregated gold storage? That's a great price, as usually segregated storage is more like 1% or even more. And remember it includes insurance. Coincidentally that's what Texas Bullion Depository charges. There's only 2 ways to beat this price. One is to invest ...
by sophie
Sat Nov 04, 2023 11:35 am
Forum: Cash
Topic: I-Bond fixed rate rises to 1.3%, highest in more than 16 years
Replies: 24
Views: 31110

Re: I-Bond fixed rate rises to 1.3%, highest in more than 16 years

1.3% fixed? Nice! Should be higher though....I thought it was supposed to be tied to the 5 year treasury yield, which is 5%-ish. I'll be buying my annual $10K aliquot in January. (and yes...I basically regard the savings bonds as a non-deductible IRA equivalent, holding only cash. Neat.) The fun dec...
by sophie
Mon Oct 16, 2023 10:53 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: tax-loss harvesting question
Replies: 16
Views: 21484

Re: tax-loss harvesting question

Not sure I understand your question. Yes there is a bid-ask spread when you buy individual bonds, but if you do it infrequently enough, that cost is less than the expenses you would pay for owning shares in a bond fund. If you're selling bonds to tax loss harvest you will either want to immediately ...
by sophie
Thu Oct 12, 2023 11:47 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: tax-loss harvesting question
Replies: 16
Views: 21484

Re: tax-loss harvesting question

I had looked that info up the last time I tax loss harvested long bonds. As long as the years are different (e.g. sell a bond maturing in 25 years and replacing with a bond maturing at 30 years) those are considered different investments. If you're selling a bond FUND though, and intend to buy bonds...
by sophie
Sun Sep 17, 2023 10:11 am
Forum: Bonds
Topic: What happens to I-bonds if rates plummet again
Replies: 46
Views: 40040

Re: What happens to I-bonds if rates plummet again

Boglerdude, can I quote you on that??? I'm writing an op-ed to submit to the NY Times about this. I've had it. No more Ms. Nice Guy. I've got other places to send it if the NY Times refuses. I had come to that same realization. One of my statements in the op-ed piece is that the term "memory disorde...
by sophie
Wed Sep 13, 2023 4:15 pm
Forum: Bonds
Topic: What happens to I-bonds if rates plummet again
Replies: 46
Views: 40040

Re: What happens to I-bonds if rates plummet again

Thanks for those insights, Seajay! I will say that the finances of placing a dementia patient in the UK are FAR nicer than what we've got here, which is a big fat goose egg from the government, and prices that will make your eyes bug out. I researched care facilities in my area, because I finally hi...
by sophie
Wed Aug 30, 2023 12:37 pm
Forum: Bonds
Topic: What happens to I-bonds if rates plummet again
Replies: 46
Views: 40040

Re: What happens to I-bonds if rates plummet again

Thank you Seajay that's very kind!! My sister and I were wondering who will take care of us in our old age. The next generation just doesn't have that same sense of responsibility and dedication to family that was imbued into us when we were growing up. My point about the ladders wasn't about yield,...
by sophie
Wed Aug 23, 2023 11:14 am
Forum: Bonds
Topic: What happens to I-bonds if rates plummet again
Replies: 46
Views: 40040

Re: What happens to I-bonds if rates plummet again

I guess when you're retired, buying T bills yourself could be a form of useful entertainment! I'm too busy right now though. I had a long talk with my sister last night about another aunt in her 80s who (oddly enough) doesn't have dementia, but still needs a lot of help managing her finances & medic...
by sophie
Wed Aug 16, 2023 10:21 am
Forum: Bonds
Topic: What happens to I-bonds if rates plummet again
Replies: 46
Views: 40040

Re: What happens to I-bonds if rates plummet again

Sounds good Barrett! Letting the ladders run down is a good escape hatch. And...sounds like you have a fee-only advisor already - ask if they'd be willing to handle financial management & transactions? If so, your wife could always arrange for that if needed when the time comes. An aside - I've note...
by sophie
Fri Aug 11, 2023 9:46 am
Forum: Bonds
Topic: What happens to I-bonds if rates plummet again
Replies: 46
Views: 40040

Re: What happens to I-bonds if rates plummet again

Still think the ladders are too complicated, Barrett - what you said about your wife not being able to handle it without you kinda says it all. I can tell you that being a DPOA means you are managing TWO sets of finances and taxes, yours and the person you're caring for. I consider myself pretty inv...
by sophie
Sat Aug 05, 2023 10:32 am
Forum: Bonds
Topic: What happens to I-bonds if rates plummet again
Replies: 46
Views: 40040

Re: What happens to I-bonds if rates plummet again

There's nothing wrong with simplification, especially if it means your DPOA will have an easier time managing your finances after you're no longer able to do so. This is a different issue from the idea of maximizing interest though. Keep in mind that T bills will also require some managing, so you m...
by sophie
Mon Jul 17, 2023 3:00 pm
Forum: Bonds
Topic: What to do with a Low-Yielding 30-Year Bond
Replies: 31
Views: 19153

Re: What to do with a Low-Yielding 30-Year Bond

FWIW...I've been struggling with a similar problem. I know intellectually that when the stock market tanks, long bonds will shoot up due to a "flight to safety". The problem is...I'm not sure that's happening anymore. That whole idea depended on the US being the sole world reserve currency, which is...
by sophie
Mon Jul 17, 2023 2:33 pm
Forum: Cash
Topic: New I-Bond Rate for 5/1/23 to 10/31/23
Replies: 33
Views: 14222

Re: New I-Bond Rate for 5/1/23 to 10/31/23

I Bonds are like the tiger you keep in a cage for those times when they give you an enormous payback - like the past couple of years. Because, it takes years to build up a good stash of them. Prior to that though, they were quite competitive with T Bills or even bank savings accounts. I don't know i...
by sophie
Wed Jul 05, 2023 12:31 pm
Forum: Gold
Topic: Gold ETF Placement
Replies: 9
Views: 3382

Re: Gold ETF Placement

No right answer to this one, but I keep the majority of my gold in the after-tax space, in physical form. Gold ETFs make me nervous for a whole lot of reasons. I own those in tax-advantaged accounts where physical gold isn't really an option. The idea was to make for convenient and tax-free rebalanc...
by sophie
Sun Apr 30, 2023 11:13 am
Forum: Cash
Topic: New I-Bond Rate for 5/1/23 to 10/31/23
Replies: 33
Views: 14222

Re: New I-Bond Rate for 5/1/23 to 10/31/23

Thanks Barrett! That is a good rate to grab if you can!

Hope that rate will remain the same in November....my next buying opportunity is January 2024.
by sophie
Sun Apr 30, 2023 9:41 am
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Home Freeze Drying
Replies: 46
Views: 53346

Re: Home Freeze Drying

I'm too lazy to post pictures, but I took advantage of the rainy/stormy weather yesterday to stay home and cook my favorite beef stew. Adapted from Julia Child's Zinfandel of Beef recipe. 2 lbs stew meat (all I had or I would have gone with 4 lbs and doubled this recipe) Saved beef, pork, duck or ba...
by sophie
Sun Apr 30, 2023 9:25 am
Forum: Cash
Topic: Good piece on cash by Cullen Roche
Replies: 11
Views: 5562

Re: Good piece on cash by Cullen Roche

If the US defaults on its Treasury debt, I think you can comfortably assume that the stock market will drop precipitously. Presumably, interest rates will also rise and more banks will fail. So that means that the following asset classes will all be devastated: stocks, bonds, and cash. That leaves g...
by sophie
Tue Apr 25, 2023 8:45 am
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Home Freeze Drying
Replies: 46
Views: 53346

Re: Home Freeze Drying

That is a perfectly valid use of your freeze-dried treasure trove Maddy! I've always cooked in large batches, then I freeze some to pull out later. It's very little extra work to make a large pot of something than 1 or 2 servings, like you get with meal kits. I also would find it annoying to have to...