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Here's a statement of the obvious: The opinions expressed here are those of the participants, not those of the Mutual Fund Observer. We cannot vouch for the accuracy or appropriateness of any of it, though we do encourage civility and good humor.
  • PRWCX vs. ITRIX
    PRWCX vs (TCAF+PRCFX)
    If you can't own PRWCX, maybe consider owning a combination of TCAF/PRCFX.
    Using a percentage of the eft TCAF in combination with a percentage of PRCFX one can approximate the same portfolio as PRWCX.
    PRWCX allocation changes dynamically so this is an imprecise science.
    Using PV, you can back test these three funds over the short lifespan of TCAF and PRCFX (1 Year). I found that a combination of approximately (1/3) TCAF and (2/3) PRCFX achieved a slightly better return that PRWCX with similar risk profiles. Maybe, in large part to a lower ER than PRWCX.
    Here's the PV link:
    https://portfoliovisualizer.com/backtest-portfolio?s=y&sl=3fHSaFUgvCF0hNyOy10GSc
  • Retirees Spend Lifetime Income, Not Savings - Working Paper - Blanchett & Finke
    Question: How many have turned to annuities or "annuity - like" strategies to increase your income spending?
    When I retired 13 years ago, I attempted to project my future spending needs. Over these years I have meet my spending needs with a combination of pension income (with a COLA), an Annuity Income (Savings that I converted to an Annuity), and some part time work. Since retirement, I have continue to contribute to my HSA and my IRA with contributions from part time work income. Recently I began managing one of my properties as a seasonal rental for additional income. I will work part time spending some of that work income and saving some into an IRA until age 73. My RMDs will then become a forced taxable event that may turn into an income source if needed or taxable savings if not needed.
    What type of a portfolio would you design as an "Annuity - like" strategy for yourself? Maybe a combinations of Balanced mutual funds/EFTs that distribute periodically? Am I describing the 4% rule?
    Shifting from a mindset of saving for retirement to a mindset of confidently spending in retirement is a huge challenge we all face.
    Sourced through Ron Berger's Weekly email Newsletter:
    https://robberger.com/newsletter/
    Working Paper:
    Retirre's Spend Lifetime Income, Not Savings
    Abstract: The shift to defined contribution savings plans means that more retirees must fund spending
    from savings. Prior studies find that there appears to be a behavioral resistance to spending down
    savings after retirement in a manner that is consistent with life cycle models. We explore how lifetime
    income, wage income, capital income, qualified savings, and nonqualified savings are used to fund
    retirement spending. We find that retirees spend far more from lifetime income than other categories of
    wealth. Approximately 80% of lifetime income is consumed, on average, versus only approximately half or
    other available savings and income sources. Overall, the analysis suggests that converting savings into
    lifetime income could increase retirement consumption significantly, especially for married households.
  • Medicare Costs For 2025
    If you have an Health Saving Account, Medicare Part B Premiums and deductibles are eligible for HSA reimbursement.
    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services just announced that monthly costs for Medicare Part B premiums, annual deductible and IRMAA surcharges will rise by a much higher amount, about 5.9%, for 2025.
    https://tipswatch.com/2024/11/15/medicare-costs-for-2025-once-again-are-rising-faster-than-inflation/
    image
  • Tax Rates for 2025 - IRS
    Thanks @yogibearbull.
    I'd like to add (since I just turned 65):
    2025 standard deduction over 65
    There's an additional standard deduction for taxpayers 65 and older and those who are blind. For 2025 that additional amount is $1,600 ($2,000 if unmarried and not a surviving spouse).
    Those eligible can add the extra standard deduction to the regular amount for their filing status. So, a single taxpayer 65 or older (or who is blind) can claim a total standard deduction of $17,000 on their 2025 federal tax return.
    Source:
    https://kiplinger.com/taxes/the-new-standard-deduction-is-here
    Also, found these contribution limits for 2025:
    "Remember there are catch-up provisions that increase some of these limits"
    -I noticed they missed the $1K catch-up provision for HSA
    image
  • Why Stay in Medigap Plan F?
    Zero or low costs for all our meds too (Optum, Costco, CVS)
    The good news is that starting in 2025, drug costs will be capped at $2,000, so exposure isn't unlimited.
    I am learning (first year of Medicare) that there are payment phases with Part D.
    The Premium - (in my case, it is embedded in my Medicare Advantage Premium)
    The Deductible - (Full out of pocket Cost of the RX up to a specific $...in my case $200)
    The Co-payment - (A percentage of the RX cost based on the tier of the drug up to a $ Amount... in my case, $2000).
    I assume my deductible and my copay are additive ($200 +$1800 = $2000). At that point the cost of meds are fully coverage by my plan...whoopie!
    For 2025:
    All must pay for:
    Medicare Part B - which looks like it will be about $185/M (plus IRMAA adjustments)
    Next select between:
    - A Supplemental Plan (Some may include benefits for hearing, eye care... maybe even dental?) or
    - Medicare Advantage Plan (Hearing, Eye care , Dental or Part D may be included)
    Select a Part D Plan (Costs = Premium + as much as $2K of deductibles and co-pays)
    Some Non - required Coverage I plan on having:
    - Dental (My local Dentist offers an in house care plan) - $280 - Covers basic Care - 2 cleanings, x-rays, exams
    - Hearing (Hearing Tests and Hearing aid allowances) - I found that Costco or Easter Seals in our area offered affordable services
    - Eyecare (Eye Tests and Eye glass allowances) - I found that Costco offered affordable services
    Snapshot of maximum Health care costs for 2025:

    Part B= ($185*12) = $2,220
    Medicare Advantage = $1200 (Includes Part D Premium) + Max $2000 Medical Deductible + Part D Potential out of Pocket Max cost of $2000
    Dental Plan - $280 (50% discount of other procedures)
    All of the above costs are close to $7700
    In years where I have mostly Wellness visits I would have costs close to $3700
    Most of this is HSA eligible for reimbursement so I will have decisions to make on how I manage that account going forward.
    Lots to continue to learn and do.
  • Fidelity Medicare Services
    Fidelity has gotten into the Medicare brokerage business. I just sent them a note because, as I conclude in the note, it doesn't yet seem ready for prime time.
    My note to Fidelity:
    I ran across this service at:
    https://medicare.fidelity.com/home/
    I don't need help but wanted to give you some feedback. First, it isn't clear to me what the value-add above Medicare.gov is, unless one speaks to a Fidelity agent.
    More importantly it omits several providers, notably HealthFirst in NYC. According to its website, HealthFirst has more Medicare Advantage customers in the NY metropolitan area than any other insurer. FWIW, it's a good insurer - I used one of its ACA plans.
    It looks like the only companies that Fidelity is listing are national (as opposed to regional) insurers: United Healthcare, Aetna, Cigna, Wellcare (Centene), Anthem. That may make sense from Fidelity's perspective, but it can steer people away from other plans that might suit them better.
    A note advising that this is not a complete list of available plans might help.
    In New York, Fidelity only shows two companies for Medigap plans, Humana and Mutual of Omaha. It omits even some national carriers like United Healthcare and Globe
    Also problematic is omission of information. For example, Cigna True Choice Medicare PPO (Plan H7849-082-000) has a $25 copay for PCP out of network. Fidelity doesn't show this. Likewise, there is a $60 copay for specialists out of network that Fidelity doesn't show. And so on.
    I like Fidelity for one stop shopping (e.g. HSAs). But this particular service does not yet seem ready for prime time.
  • Treacherous September is Leaving Traders Everywhere on Edge - Bloomberg Market Analysis
    BF,
    You won't have to don your Huggies.
    Hussman's funds are up today.
    HSGFX - 2.36%
    HSAFX - 0.32%
    Can't say the same for PHEFX.
    PHEFX - (-1.29%)
  • Follow up to my Schwab discussion
    @larry
    Ty for sharing your experience. I hear you -- Schwab and Fidelity both have their upsides and downsides. Here is how I see them.
    Schwab: Reps are polite, broader selection of mutual funds, real bank, ATM fee rebate does not require a new account. Lower system reliability, customer svc is less efficient, no HSA accounts, high yield MMF cannot be default option
    Fidelity: Reps are efficient, high yield MMF is the default option, free wires, better system reliability, has HSA accounts. Wire form UI to other brokerages is a mess, free ATM fee rebate requires CMA account, not a real bank - a facade to PNC.
  • BLNDX On Fire This Year
    Empower is the former Personal Capital. I use their free wealth tracker dashboard, not any of their paid FA services. I tried to do the same with Fidelity's Full View but did not find it convenient or useful.
    Empower is convenient because it can automatically pull(like Yodlee) and aggregate from various accounts -- brokerages, banks, credit cards, etc. to give you a complete picture of net worth and allocations. It has other useful tools like Retirement Planner, Cash Flow, etc..
    Below link has a visual on Investment Checkup feature
    https://www.empower.com/personal-investors/investment-checkup
    Reddit
    https://www.reddit.com/r/PersonalCapital/
    I primarily use Empower for the Allocation view and as a quick check on how much of a particular asset I am holding in aggregate across brokerages vs. having to login to Fidelity, Schwab and HSA to manually figure it out.
  • How many funds is the right number?
    i've got a bit of hodgepodge as I only have so many options in various accounts.
    HSA - its at one place and use ETF's (I use an IShares allocation etf)
    Roths - these are 7 funds in total (my FIL opened my wifes first IRA a long time ago and there are 2 funds (VWUSX and OAKIX) that i've just left in there. the rest are vanguard index, avantis (were DFA at where I had access to them)
    401k - 3 funds (2 are a mutual fund version of 2 of the IRA funds)
    I have a traditional IRA as well that largely consists of 2 PIMCO stocksplus funds.
  • UMB HSA Saver Account
    Anyone that transferred HSA to Fidelity,
    I would like to gather your personal experience which I recognize may vary and could be different from my eventual experience:
    Did Fidelity reimburse any fees charged by your HSA provider for partial or full account transfers? (Irrespective of your experience, I will ask Fidelity if they would reimburse before I submit the transfer request.)
    How long did it take to complete the transfer from the time you submitted the completed forms with Fidelity? (Fidelity website says 2-5 weeks.)
    https://www.fidelity.com/go/hsa/transfer
    Thanks
  • UMB HSA Saver Account
    @yogibearbull,
    "BTW, a search 'UMB HSA Complaints' brought up some links including BBB - UMB seems to respond promptly to those."
    Thanks for the tip!
  • UMB HSA Saver Account
    Federal and state tax laws are different and not always in sync. HSA isn't the only area. 529s have similar issues when some federal-qualified expenses aren't state-qualified expenses.
    A huge example is that SECURE 2.0 allows rollover of some excess 529 funds into Roth IRA. But such 529 withdrawals aren't qualified withdrawals for many states. Illinois 529 is just fixing this problem by making these rollovers qualified.
    BTW, a search "UMB HSA Complaints" brought up some links including BBB - UMB seems to respond promptly to those.
  • UMB HSA Saver Account
    Interesting!
    I didn't realize that New Jersey and California laws do not conform to federal HSA provisions.
    This is unfortunate for Garden State and Golden State residents with HSAs.
  • UMB HSA Saver Account
    New Jersey and California do not conform to federal law regarding HSAs. Plain and simple, they just don't recognize them. From the states' perspective these are simply taxable accounts.
    https://thefinancebuff.com/california-new-jersey-hsa-tax-return.html
    FWIW, I had an HSA account with The HSA Authority (acquired by UMB in 2022). It didn't take me long after Fidelity opened its HSA to retail customers to move my account there.
  • UMB HSA Saver Account
    @BaluBalu,
    It really stinks that your state does not recognize the HealthEquity HSA
    and you need to pay state taxes to liquidate and move the HSA.
  • UMB HSA Saver Account
    @Observant1,
    I am with HealthEquity and they do not allow in kind transfers either and my State does not recognize HSA which means State taxes to liquidate and move. I may still do it if the market crashes in 2025.
    But you may have leverage I do not. UMB has a relationship with Fidelity and see if you are able to use that to your advantage.
  • UMB HSA Saver Account
    Thank you all for the Fidelity HSA suggestions.
    Morningstar rated the Fidelity HSA as the best HSA for spending
    and the best HSA for investing in 2022 and 2023.
    I've read other favorable reviews as well.
    I have multiple accounts with Fidelity and plan to open a Fidelity HSA in the future.
    I'm currently still employed and contributing to the UMB HSA.
    UMB does not allow in-kind transfers for HSAs so I've delayed transferring this account to Fidelity.
    My recent experience may provide the impetus...
  • UMB HSA Saver Account
    @Observant1,
    I have a non-Fidelity HSA and can not transfer out but based on everything I read and researched, I can vouch for Fidelity HSA.
  • UMB HSA Saver Account
    i use fidelity hsa very happy with it