Search found 2007 matches

by barrett
Sun Oct 27, 2024 9:10 am
Forum: Bonds
Topic: The Bond Dream Room
Replies: 564
Views: 400653

Re: The Bond Dream Room

dualstow wrote: Sun Oct 27, 2024 7:30 am Is she reading wenxuecity?
No, not reading wenxuecity. Just listening to commentators online but, as I mentioned, we have also gotten some info from recent visitors to the mainland that corroborates what she has been hearing online.

BTW, do you recommend wenxuecity as a reliable source?
by barrett
Sun Oct 27, 2024 6:40 am
Forum: Bonds
Topic: The Bond Dream Room
Replies: 564
Views: 400653

Re: The Bond Dream Room

They both print like crazy, why is china 2% 10-year rate and russia 16% 10-year? I have no idea on Russia but I believe that China has been in a deflationary spiral since they locked everything down after the 2022 Winter Olympics and kept everyone essentially shut inside their homes for 9-10 months...
by barrett
Sat Oct 26, 2024 12:30 pm
Forum: Cash
Topic: iBonds / TreasuryDirect
Replies: 39
Views: 21315

Re: iBonds / TreasuryDirect

I moved my money from Vanguard to bank so it will be there on Monday. What is the final thought here on buying in October or November? What I think I've seen predicted is that the calculated inflation rate will be lower and the fixed rate will likely be slightly lower Which sounds reasonable I boug...
by barrett
Sat Oct 26, 2024 9:12 am
Forum: Cash
Topic: iBonds / TreasuryDirect
Replies: 39
Views: 21315

Re: iBonds / TreasuryDirect

I don't spend a lot of time learning details of things that don't apply to me, which means that somewhere along the line I had prior known (but, obviously forgot) that the gift box concept does not apply to a single person in terms of increasing the annual limit for a single person. Same for me. Fo...
by barrett
Sat Oct 26, 2024 7:10 am
Forum: Cash
Topic: iBonds / TreasuryDirect
Replies: 39
Views: 21315

Re: iBonds / TreasuryDirect

"I am assuming that there has to be more than one person involved to do a gift box? But I'm also seeming to remember that gift boxing does not give you an additional amount in invest in iBonds? That is it is shifting limits around one year to another?" Correct on both accounts, Vinny, with...
by barrett
Fri Oct 25, 2024 3:28 am
Forum: Cash
Topic: iBonds / TreasuryDirect
Replies: 39
Views: 21315

Re: iBonds / TreasuryDirect

Thank you so much, I've actually never used that calculator before, it's good to know about it. Yeah, the March 2021 cohort of bonds has a fixed rate of 0%, I need to at least sell them and buy with a higher fixed rate... while we have it. Again, using TD the calculator, it looks like a $1,000 Marc...
by barrett
Thu Oct 24, 2024 10:24 am
Forum: Cash
Topic: iBonds / TreasuryDirect
Replies: 39
Views: 21315

Re: iBonds / TreasuryDirect

I have a I-Bonds redemption question... I think I know the answer, but I wanted to make sure... I have I-Bonds purchased in April 2020. If I sell them in April 2025 do I avoid the holding-less-than-five-year penalty even if the exact calendar dates of holding are less than five years? (bought 4/30/...
by barrett
Wed Sep 25, 2024 6:18 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: New Here - What are folks investing in
Replies: 18
Views: 8713

Re: New Here - What are folks investing in

Seemed like enough of a push to get me to check. Currently: 37% Stocks 27% T-Bills 18% Gold 10% I-Bonds 7% TIPS 1% Cash Supposed to add up to roughly 50% in high-quality USG debt and the remaining 50% split up into 2/3 Stocks & 1/3 Gold. Alas, the latter two have done so well in 2024 that they a...
by barrett
Fri Jul 12, 2024 4:39 pm
Forum: Politics
Topic: If
Replies: 43
Views: 23380

Re: If

The reason I asked is because I have a relative who was very anti-Bush but who voted for Ralph Nader in the 2000 election. And I always think, How did that work out for you . But how it works out really depends on what state one lives in, right? I was a resident of New York State from 1987 to 2018 ...
by barrett
Fri Jun 21, 2024 7:41 am
Forum: Gold
Topic: Good experience selling to JM Bullion
Replies: 17
Views: 9489

Re: Good experience selling to JM Bullion

I don't sell often, but when I do, I have always sold to a local coin shop. I've been hesitant to try selling via the mail with a dealer. It's nice to hear that some folks have had positive experiences with it. If you sent 5 coins and the dealer said you only sent 4 how would that ever get resolved...
by barrett
Tue Jun 18, 2024 1:55 pm
Forum: Gold
Topic: Good experience selling to JM Bullion
Replies: 17
Views: 9489

Good experience selling to JM Bullion

Just an FYI that I had a good experience selling 20 coins to JM Bullion last week. Their price was about $600 higher ($30 per coin) than what Apmex was offering. About 1% above spot for Eagles, 1% below for Maple Leafs and 1.3% below for Krugs. Dropped my package off at 5:00PM last Wednesday and had...
by barrett
Sat Jun 08, 2024 5:51 am
Forum: Gold
Topic: Why the big move in gold?
Replies: 95
Views: 112128

Re: Why the big move in gold?

I am curious if any on here have updated their personal narrative about what drives gold prices. Seems like the price of gold is responding to economic data more or less in lockstep with stocks. For example, a weaker jobs report gives people the hope that Fed rate cuts may happen sooner rather than...
by barrett
Wed May 22, 2024 6:26 am
Forum: Gold
Topic: Why the big move in gold?
Replies: 95
Views: 112128

Re: Why the big move in gold?

I am curious if any on here have updated their personal narrative about what drives gold prices. Seems like the price of gold is responding to economic data more or less in lockstep with stocks. For example, a weaker jobs report gives people the hope that Fed rate cuts may happen sooner rather than ...
by barrett
Wed May 22, 2024 6:13 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: 2023 Returns
Replies: 31
Views: 169307

Re: 2023 Returns

Of course, I made the mistake of going to inflationCalculator and looking at purchasing power. Not..quite…what it once was. Well, damn, that site provides a valuable - if somewhat sobering - point of view. Feels like we are doing great, but if not for savings from continued work, it looks like we w...
by barrett
Fri Apr 26, 2024 3:35 am
Forum: Gold
Topic: Why the big move in gold?
Replies: 95
Views: 112128

Re: Why the big move in gold?

https://www.businessinsider.com/gold-price-china-consumers-central-bank-pboc-economy-concerns-dedollarization-2024-4 ECONOMY People in China are so spooked about the economy that even the weak yuan isn't stopping them from buying more gold Huileng Tan Apr 22, 2024, 2:33 AM EDT Didn't want to create...
by barrett
Tue Apr 23, 2024 7:47 am
Forum: Politics
Topic: Taxes
Replies: 28
Views: 15376

Re: Taxes

Hi, Welcome to the United States of America. You're free here, but you'll need some money. Go get a job. ...Two weeks go by. Here's your pay, but you only get half of it because you gotta do your part. We live in a society that pays for tons of shit on our behalf that we like to forget about when i...
by barrett
Mon Apr 15, 2024 4:23 pm
Forum: Politics
Topic: Taxes
Replies: 28
Views: 15376

Re: Taxes

There is a term for this as you can see from the below article. I assume you are somewhat unaware of this because you are not yet collecting Social Security. I was also oblivious to it until it became a reality for me. Ah, right, the dreaded SS tax torpedo that I see discussed on Bogleheads and for...
by barrett
Mon Apr 15, 2024 4:37 am
Forum: Politics
Topic: Taxes
Replies: 28
Views: 15376

Re: Taxes

Vinny, You seem to be saying that if you have $10,000 taxed at 22% and another $10,000 also taxed at 22% that you now have $20,000 being taxed at 44%. The tax on that $20,000 is $4,400, not $8,800. Remember that you have $11,600 that is only taxed at 10% and that the next $35,550 is only taxed at 12...
by barrett
Sun Apr 14, 2024 11:40 am
Forum: Politics
Topic: Taxes
Replies: 28
Views: 15376

Re: Taxes

The whole Social Security thing is a double tax as not only will those Require Minimum Distributions push me well into the 22% marginal tax bracket ... it will also result in more Social Security being taxed (at that 22% marginal tax bracket). Seems like that could be viewed as a 44% federal tax ra...
by barrett
Sun Apr 14, 2024 6:27 am
Forum: Politics
Topic: Taxes
Replies: 28
Views: 15376

Re: Taxes

You are correct about effective tax rate ...which is different from marginal tax rate, which is the tax rate on your next $$$ earned. For my 2023 tax return I am in the 22% federal tax bracket. State is 5%. Therefore, 27% total for the next $$$ earned. But then there is Social Security / Medicare, ...
by barrett
Fri Apr 12, 2024 8:27 am
Forum: Cash
Topic: iBonds / TreasuryDirect
Replies: 39
Views: 21315

Re: iBonds / TreasuryDirect

The new variable rate on I-bonds issued 5/1/24 to 10/31/24 is 2.96%. Article by David Enna is here:

https://tipswatch.com/2024/04/10/march- ... e-at-2-96/

He is also forecasting a fixed rate of 1.2% or 1.3%. So a 4.26% composite rate more or less.
by barrett
Tue Apr 09, 2024 7:26 am
Forum: Cash
Topic: iBonds / TreasuryDirect
Replies: 39
Views: 21315

Re: iBonds / TreasuryDirect

I just sold some 0% fixed rate I-Bonds and bought new ones at 1.3% (Fixed rate at 1.3% through the end of April) Per one YouTube video I say, the fixed rate likely to be slightly lower May 1 And, figured 1.3% is better than my 0%, even with the 3 month interest penalty for selling before 5 years ar...
by barrett
Sat Apr 06, 2024 9:35 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Investments Versus Liquidity
Replies: 3
Views: 3238

Re: Investments Versus Liquidity

Lets consider investments to be money we give to other people in the hope that it grows, and liquidity to be the money we set aside to ensure we can meet our day to day obligations “whatever the future brings”. From this lens, stocks are investments and bonds, cash, and gold are about liquidity, ri...
by barrett
Sat Apr 06, 2024 9:15 am
Forum: Gold
Topic: Why the big move in gold?
Replies: 95
Views: 112128

Re: Why the big move in gold?

Should have checked before I posted that, Vinny. Yes, it works in reverse. This is the Investopedia link: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/ruleof72.asp#:~:text=The%20rule%20can%20also%20be,72%20%2F%206%20%3D%2012). But back to my main point. Looking for a reliable site for the "real" r...
by barrett
Sat Apr 06, 2024 8:01 am
Forum: Gold
Topic: Why the big move in gold?
Replies: 95
Views: 112128

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 refl...