Tag Archives: personal finance

Defining Early Retirement

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What exactly is an early retirement? After twenty years serving in the military retirement is an option. Most who take it quickly pursue a civilian career. Many believe a retirement before age 62, the birthday at which reduced Social Security benefits are available is early. Retiring on only the age 62 Social Security benefit without a pension or substantial savings would likely be living below the poverty level. Others believe retiring before Medicare eligibility at age 65 is early. Anything prior to age 65 leaves most with an unaffordable bill for private health insurance; granted, there are folks who are disabled or fortunate enough to have their employer continue health insurance for their families but in general most pre-65 retirees are stuck with the bill.

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My Best Investmen Ever Part II

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In the last installment I discussed what a terrific investment Microsoft ended up being for my family during a 20 year, and counting, holding period.  I really do attribute much of that success to the risky behavior of youth and pure luck.  But as has been said in the past, “I’d rather be lucky than smart.”

 In this post I will describe some income tax strategies I have used for my family in the past.  As a CPA and retired Certified Financial Planner I have more expertise than most in these areas; however, this post is not income tax advice which should be sought by you from an expert prior to trying any of these techniques. Continue reading →

Super Savers and Too Big IRAs

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Can you save too much in your tax deferred retirement accounts?  The short answer is, yes.  The longer answer is perhaps, but most Boomers will never have to worry about it.  The press is full of stories detailing the sad state of retirement funding for the Boomer generation and how they are woefully unprepared for what once was a distant retirement and is now upon them.  Only recently have I started picking up on articles dealing with the equally serious problem of families who have saved too much, or at least too much in tax deferred accounts. Continue reading →

My Best Investment Ever

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As a CPA and former Certified Financial Planner people often ask me for investment advice.  Please understand any advice given on my blog should be run by your investment and tax advisors prior to implementation.  Goes without saying, but I said it anyway.  My favorite question centers on what the best investment I ever made was.   My usual answer is Mr. Softy – Microsoft (msft).  It’s my favorite because my wife and I made a substantial investment in the company early in our marriage and held on for over twenty years.  This investment allows me to demonstrate risk and patience with the same investment.

In the early 90s not every desk had a computer on it and certainly most families had not yet purchased a home computer.  Though unless you were living in a cave you knew something of the Bill Gates story and recognized that personal computers were being purchased for office workers like crazy.  The reason I took the plunge was an article I read in a business periodical on hot Texas afternoon, more of a biography of Bill Gates really.  In the article he described how he had no intentions of getting into the pc business but rather wanted all of the pc manufacturers to use his software.  With every pc sold Microsoft would receive a royalty for its operating system.  As he explained it, there might be a dozen companies that fight it out in the pc marketplace, but it really didn’t matter to Microsoft who the winners were because they would win with every sale.  I bought his argument and a few days later purchased 100 shares of msft. Continue reading →

Problems with Simple Financial Planning

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monkey

My previous post demonstrated how a young guy named Rich got out of school, worked 40 years and saved enough to retire with an income equal to his final year salary from actually working.  The key assumptions I discussed were that he would need to save 21% of his income for all 40 years and get a modest salary increase every year.  What I did not discuss was the probability that he would be able to earn a steady 8% rate-of-return (ROR) on his 401k year in and year out.

 I should note that his discussion is for your entertainment and designed to get you thinking about the future.  Implementation of any concepts described should be reviewed with a professional financial planner beforehand.

 As any student of personal finance, you should readily ascertain, the actual ROR you earn may jump around considerably.  I’ve been an active investor for over thirty years and I have had years with double digit gains and years with double digit losses.  On balance, I am far ahead for having been in the market of stocks and bonds since the early ‘80s. Continue reading →

Saving For Retirement – an example

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save-money1

As a CPA and a former financial advisor, it seems people are always asking me one of two questions: 1) how much should I be saving and 2) what do you think my number is?  My usual answer is 15 to 20 percent and more than you think!  The people asking the questions are usually looking for free advice and, after I give them the advice they seek, I add the simple disclaimer, “It’s worth every penny you paid.”  All kidding aside, the financial discussions on this blog are to entertain and to get you thinking.  When it comes time that you actually want to take action you should meet face to face with a qualified advisor, who should take the time to understand your individual situation. Continue reading →

Paper Boy? Why?

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paperboy

Think back to when you were a kid in elementary school and there was something you really wanted. You might have asked for it on your birthday, had it on your list to Santa or some other special occasion. It could have been a special trip, an activity or a thing you were just dying to have. For me it was a Schwinn Varsity Sport ten speed bicycle.  The year was 1967, I was 12, and had just moved across the country from Washington DC to Spokane Washington the previous summer. I wanted that bike more than anything. The bike was about $75 and I had no money and no real means to earn money. These days, Baby Boom parents would have bought their son the bike just for having made the move with the family. Not so my dad. As a Navy Commander and combat pilot he expected discipline in his troops and his children. No amount of pleading, begging or similar tactics would sway the Commander. His only suggestion was that I find a way to earn some money. Continue reading →

Hot Water Fund

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hot water heater
You’ve heard I’m sure the old adage that ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’?  I gained a new appreciation for the phrase Sunday when our hot water tank gave up the fight.  In the summer you might be able to get along for a few days without hot water.  Not in Idaho.  Not in the winter.   I managed to find a plumber Sunday willing to commit to getting the job done Monday.  He hedged at first, but I wasn’t messing around and told him the job was his if he could come in the morning, otherwise I would have to go somewhere else.  He caved, showed up at 9 and was on the way to his next job by 11 or so. Continue reading →

Social Security – the coming debate

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Now that fewer than 50% of the population is actually paying federal income taxes and well over 50% are receiving entitlements in one form or another, it won’t be long until the receivers of entitlements figure out they can vote themselves more of the money pot.  Take for example social security (SS).  Already there are two active debates; 1) should the wealthy pay the SS tax on all income rather than the current cap just north of 100 grand and 2) should the wealthy collect a SS check in retirement.  Regarding the first point, I have no problem with taxing all income or even raising the rate a bit, so long as it all gets applied to making the program solvent.  Point 2 however is a dangerous step onto a very slippery slope. Continue reading →

Molly

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1997-Mercury-Mountaineer
We first met her on a crisp Colorado fall day in 1999, around the time when golf clubs are being stored for the winter and skis are being readied for the season.  From the moment we met, there was never a doubt we would be taking her home that afternoon.  And it wasn’t long until she found her place in our family.  It has been over fourteen years and our girls are now in their twenties, yet the memories of them with Molly when they were younger are still fresh.  When she first joined our lives, the girls were in second and fifth grade.  That first Christmas we purchased a permit to go into the forest to a cut a tree.  And of course Molly went with us.  I still smile when I see the pictures we took with the girls and Molly next to our fresh cut tree.  She has accompanied us on countless ski trips, softball tournaments and birthday parties.  She even spent a semester with my younger daughter at the University of Colorado!  Later in life Molly visited a number of western states with us, with the family’s favorite being trips to the shores of Priest Lake in northern Idaho.  Continue reading →