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Some Holiday Thoughts on Effort, Results, and Control

Happy Holidays! I hope that everyone reading this is enjoying time with family and friends in their own tradition. This is a time for reflection, but my interest in diving deeply into financial topics has been low recently. As I sit amongst a pile … [Read the rest]

Equifax Data Breach Settlement Payouts Being Sent (Check Your Junk Folder) + Ongoing Benefits Reminder

Update December 2022: You may not even remember that you filed a cash claim in the 2017 Equifax Data Breach Settlement, but the payments are finally being sent out. I nearly deleted the email as it ended up in my Junk Folder. The settlement … [Read the rest]

Current Fintech App Review: $50 Bonus, 4.00% APY on $6k (Direct Deposit Now Required)

Current is part of the new wave of fintech apps that partner with a traditional bank. In this case, banking services are provided by Choice Financial Group, member FDIC. Current reminds me a lot of the Chime app, with its quick sign-up process, … [Read the rest]

Lower Stock Valuations + Higher Interest Rates = Higher 3.8% Base Safe Withdrawal Rate

Investing for the long run is easier if you temper your emotions with the knowledge that lower stock and bond prices today suggest higher future returns (and vice versa). Morningstar has just released the 2022 edition of their research paper The … [Read the rest]

Fixed Index Annuities: What’s Behind “Market Upside with No Downside”?

My inbox has been seeing an uptick about structured products and fixed indexed annuities that offer "market-linked performance" or "market upside" with "downside protection". While below is my usual take on these products, I wanted to provide some … [Read the rest]

SkyOne FCU Savings / Checking $400 Bonus w/ Direct Deposit

SkyOne Federal Credit Union has a $100 savings + $300 checking account promotion with qualifying direct deposits. New members only. There is also a separate $300 credit card bonus. Based in Hawthorne, California, membership is open nationwide … [Read the rest]

Retirement Income and Inflation: 30-Year TIPS Ladder vs. SPIA Annuity + Excess Account

This is inadvertently turning into a multi-part series, mostly revolving about taking advantage of long-term TIPS to build guaranteed inflation-adjusted income. Are the current real TIPS yields worthy of locking in? The previous parts: 4% … [Read the rest]

Robinhood IRA: 1% Bonus Match on Retirement Contributions

I have to hand it to Robinhood, they are good at marketing. It took years, but Robinhood is finally offering Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) with the unique feature of giving you an extra 1% on every dollar you contribute, every year. … [Read the rest]

Sustainable Portfolio Withdrawal Rates During High-Inflation Periods

As a follow-up to my previous post on historical inflation (10-year rolling averages), how do periods of high inflation affect safe withdrawal rates for retirement portfolios? I reference a paper about Sustainable Portfolio Withdrawal Rates During … [Read the rest]

Best Interest Rates on Cash – December 2022 Update

Here's my monthly roundup of the best interest rates on cash as of December 2022, roughly sorted from shortest to longest maturities. We all need some safe assets for cash reserves or portfolio stability, and there are often lesser-known … [Read the rest]

Historical Inflation Chart: 10-Year Rolling Average 1872-2022

Advisor Perspectives has a nice chart of 150 years of historical inflation (1872-2022). I appreciate that it includes both the short-term monthly inflation numbers as well as the 10-year rolling average over this long period of time. A few … [Read the rest]

The Best Health Savings Accounts (HSA) Providers: Fidelity and Lively/Schwab

Updated for 2022. It's open enrollment season, and there is better than a 50/50 chance that you will enroll in a high-deductible health plan. That means that you are also eligible to contribute to a Health Savings Account (HSA), which has … [Read the rest]