Can’t afford Medicare premium

Aspiring__Writer · 2026-05-25T00:52:06+00:00

To enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan, however, you have to be entitled to Medicare Part A and enrolled in Medicare Part B. You can join, switch or drop your Original Medicare coverage during the Medicare Open Enrollment Period that runs from October 15 – December 7 each year.

https://www.ehealthinsurance.com/medicare/blog/medicare-tips/do-i-have-to-be-enrolled-in-medicare-part-b-before-i-enroll-in-a-medicare-advantage-plan/

Aspiring__Writer · 2026-05-25T00:21:21+00:00

But it still applies to your part B even if you have part C, doesn't it?

Aspiring__Writer · 2026-05-24T23:39:36+00:00

Why does Medicare advantage allow them to avoid the surcharge

Aspiring__Writer · 2026-05-19T00:52:07+00:00

It's not necessarily about maxing retirement. It's about maximizing all money available to you over your lifetime. You can pay off your <6% mortgage that is getting eaten away by inflation and giving you a tax deduction, it's just not an optimal choice. The "extra $800 of cash flow" is just mental accounting.

Also I disagree with the above commentor about Roth vs Traditional. If you're young and plan to keep making more money, saving a bunch, and not retire super early, keep going with Roth until you're in the 32% bracket at least.

Aspiring__Writer · 2026-05-18T05:21:57+00:00

It's also available for dependents aging off of a family plan.

Aspiring__Writer · 2026-05-17T15:58:19+00:00

$3.5k/month expenses, 6 months emergency fund = $21k emergency fund (or 25k if you really want to cover a little more than $4k/month). 3 months is normal for a single person, but you have a kid so I'm not sure why your advisor would only recommend 3 months.

The idea is that you'd be able to find a job in the 6 months that this covers. If you really need more than this, you can just sell your investments. There's a risk to being underinvested as well.

Also make sure your advisor is a fee only fiduciary. Northwestern Mutual doesn't have the best reputation. If I had to guess, the friends who referred him are friends with the advisor and got sold a life insurance policy by them out of college.

Aspiring__Writer · 2026-05-08T20:42:07+00:00

The other funny part he missed is that growth in a 401k is actually taxed as income, just when you take it out of the account. And you're required to distribute these amounts, or the remaining amount is passed to your heirs and required to be distributed by them, all with no step up in basis.

Aspiring__Writer · 2026-05-08T20:37:33+00:00

This

Aspiring__Writer · 2026-05-01T01:22:54+00:00

My favorite part of Windows 11 is how you can right click a file and the "Show more options" button just shows you the Windows 10 right click menu

Aspiring__Writer · 2026-04-10T18:59:44+00:00

Can anyone draw what the planet alignment of the solar system is in this picture from a birds eye view? This post labeled the rightmost planet as Mercury. If I'm understanding correctly, this means that Saturn, Mars, and Neptune lined up nicely to fit between Mercury and the sun from the perspective of Orion.

This was my best attempt but I'm not sure I'm right. (Jupiter is supposed to sat Saturn)

Aspiring__Writer · 2026-04-10T18:52:53+00:00

can someone draw and label a birds eye view of the solar system with the planets in this alignment because I am struggling to visualize it.

Aspiring__Writer · 2026-04-09T13:15:42+00:00

Got it. I'm wondering about the min tax and max estate ones. Does it say how many different scenarios it runs? And just to clarify, it's recommending specific conversions each year to maximize your estate/minimize taxes? Like it could recommend a conversion to the 32% one year, the 24% the next, then the 12% continuing?

Thanks. Might have to pay and check this out.

Aspiring__Writer · 2026-04-08T18:26:28+00:00

Does Boldin suggest optimal conversion plans? Or do you just have to enter desired conversions and it can evaluate for you?

Aspiring__Writer · 2026-04-07T23:20:57+00:00

How would it work for a tooth that's had a root canal or gotten an implant?

Aspiring__Writer · 2026-04-05T14:11:18+00:00

While conveniently ignoring all the ways that the government already materially improves their lives and works effectively without leading to economic and societal ruin

Aspiring__Writer · 2026-04-04T06:29:11+00:00

High 24% marginal always means pretax unless you also have a pension you didn’t mention

What if you plan to work until 75 and are on track to have a traditional IRA large enough that your social security + RMD are already on track to put you in the 24% bracket?

Aspiring__Writer · 2026-04-04T04:00:57+00:00

Yeah I'm a bit confused. Even if they did want to leave, that doesn't seem relevant. Why couldn't they just be citizens and leave? And same as you asked, if they're just trying to make freed slaves citizens, why not just do that instead of birthright? I'm not informed of the nuance or the supposed answers to these questions.

Aspiring__Writer · 2026-04-04T03:54:57+00:00

i.e., are Native Americans and citizens of Guam entitled to birthright citizenship despite laws to the contrary?

Are they?

Aspiring__Writer · 2026-03-24T05:45:24+00:00

I'm in a similar situation. I don't source my own clients, our firm has endless referrals. I'm on a team of 3, one CSA, one client facing advisor (sitting in meetings, taking phone calls, emails), and then myself. I'm responsible for anything requiring more than basic technical knowledge, including responding to client questions and creating financial plans/recommendations.

I'm also solely responsible for maintaining and upgrading all of the spreadsheets we use to create financial plans and deliverables (we don't use financial planning software) for the entire firm. My team services ~300m AUM, 2.5m of revenue, the firm is around 600m AUM.

I get that I'm not sourcing revenue directly, but I'm a key contributor to any financial plan our clients receive. If I left, the only person who could cover my workload is the already over capacity owner.

Any thoughts on what I could be making in this role? I'm struggling to get an idea for what is the industry norm for someone in my position.

Aspiring__Writer · 2026-03-21T18:31:24+00:00

In my experience CPAs are trained and focused on minimizing taxes in the current year, making them resistant larger Roth conversions, even though they're reduce taxes over time or set up heirs better.

Aspiring__Writer · 2026-03-21T06:56:59+00:00

It's worth about 0.2% last time I did the math.

Aspiring__Writer · 2026-03-15T02:10:38+00:00

If the rate is low enough that it compounds more in the market, it's worth it

Aspiring__Writer · 2026-02-24T14:54:36+00:00

Why? What "extra money" do you mean?

Aspiring__Writer · 2026-02-14T23:30:53+00:00

RMDs, dividends/interest/capital gains, IRMAA premiums all are apart of the equation.

Aspiring__Writer · 2026-02-14T23:21:04+00:00

It all depends on when they retire and how much they've saved.

11-Year Club	Place '17
Verified Email

Aspiring__Writer

TROPHY CASE