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by sophie
Wed Oct 30, 2024 12:11 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Fidelity Investments having issues
Replies: 10
Views: 1628

Re: Fidelity Investments having issues

Fidelity's platform has been subject to glitches and inefficiencies for years. But, they're still the best game in town as an investment bank. I haven't tried Schwab, but I've seen plenty of complaints about their services on various forums including this one. Mostly about key things you can't do th...
by sophie
Sat Apr 20, 2024 10:01 am
Forum: Stocks
Topic: Fidelity direct indexing and small cap value
Replies: 12
Views: 13142

Re: Fidelity direct indexing and small cap value

Huh, I just looked it up - and Fidelity does have a robo-investing service! The catch is that the fee is 0.35% except the first $25,000. That's pretty stiff for a DIY stock fund. I think I'll pass.
by sophie
Sat Apr 20, 2024 9:58 am
Forum: Stocks
Topic: Fidelity direct indexing and small cap value
Replies: 12
Views: 13142

Re: Fidelity direct indexing and small cap value

Buying and managing a basket of stocks to keep them balanced is definitely a hassle. There are certainly benefits especially if you're high income, because you can selectively tax loss harvest and better control when you take capital gains. But, you need to buy at least 20 stocks if you want to trac...
by sophie
Tue Apr 16, 2024 6:27 pm
Forum: Stocks
Topic: Fidelity direct indexing and small cap value
Replies: 12
Views: 13142

Re: Fidelity direct indexing and small cap value

Hey I didn't know about AVUV, thanks for mentioning! It looks like FISVX (Fidelity's small cap value mutual fund) is lagging it quite significantly, and it gets worse and worse over time.

What is everyone's favorite small cap value investment???
by sophie
Tue Apr 02, 2024 7:59 pm
Forum: Gold
Topic: Why the big move in gold?
Replies: 95
Views: 115436

Re: Why the big move in gold?

Whoah!! Almost 2300. I have the same question as the title of this thread....is this because people think the Middle East situation is spinning out of control? Or that some kind of economic apocalypse is being predicted and I just haven't noticed? Or, do we indeed have inflation, it's just not refle...
by sophie
Sun Mar 03, 2024 8:26 pm
Forum: Cash
Topic: Placement of cash (vs other PP assets)
Replies: 17
Views: 11687

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: 11687

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: 4986

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: 11687

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: 11687

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: 53197

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: 53197

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: 23526

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: 53197

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: 34470

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: 34470

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: 60525

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 di...
by sophie
Wed Sep 13, 2023 4:15 pm
Forum: Bonds
Topic: What happens to I-bonds if rates plummet again
Replies: 46
Views: 60525

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: 60525

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: 60525

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 & m...
by sophie
Wed Aug 16, 2023 10:21 am
Forum: Bonds
Topic: What happens to I-bonds if rates plummet again
Replies: 46
Views: 60525

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 ...
by sophie
Fri Aug 11, 2023 9:46 am
Forum: Bonds
Topic: What happens to I-bonds if rates plummet again
Replies: 46
Views: 60525

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: 60525

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: 38457

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...
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: 31132

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...