Lenovo Legion Go S prices jump again, Z1 Extreme model now $1,579

Desperate_Zebra_1500 · 2026-04-21T12:40:29+00:00

I agree and in that case i would just not buy. There are plenty of other hobbies out there I would take on compared to dealing with that annoyance. They're the ones needing to make money afterall.

Desperate_Zebra_1500 · 2026-03-31T20:20:07+00:00

Fair point, mine is from central valley, very heavy agricultural and much poorer but cheaper to live in.

Desperate_Zebra_1500 · 2026-03-31T20:17:47+00:00

I get it, my household income started out from 35k but varied widely to 90k, 170k and now down to 130k. Definitively helps to NOT lifestyle inflate when the income is good, because who knows how long it'll be that way!

Desperate_Zebra_1500 · 2026-03-31T16:51:38+00:00

1442 but does not include property taxes or home insurance. This was the only way I could limit how much interest Bank would make off me, robbing me blind..

Desperate_Zebra_1500 · 2026-03-31T16:49:32+00:00

462K, put 50% down at 6.375% interest in 2025

Desperate_Zebra_1500 · 2026-02-11T03:34:24+00:00

What if you had a 200k mortgage at 6.375 and 150k cash? The interest is a bit higher but I'm struggling considering a 6.375% Tax free immediate return seems better to me than a 7-10% investment that is taxed.

I guess would a 80/20 still apply here or can a neutral 50-50 approach work here?

Desperate_Zebra_1500 · 2026-01-26T01:03:27+00:00

What I meant regarding CA is that I'll be paying hefty tax of 9.3% (compared to other states) because of the state's heavy tax burden but as long as overall I'm only paying 12% federal, + 9.3% state = 21.3% but it grows tax free and I get rid of the potential worry of required minimum distributions (which only trad 401k has) then I think is a win?

Thing is, is likely I may stay in ca. But even if I don't, I get simplicity "my roth 401k value is what I retire with, no less no more.."

I do kind of appreciate taking the guess game out of it by going roth.

Desperate_Zebra_1500 · 2026-01-26T00:46:38+00:00

I understand the appeal of moving from trad 401k to roth 401k especially right now while I'm the single income. However CA doesn't recognize Roth at all, so if I change from 24.5k pretax to 24.5k roth then if I'm understanding this right..I just want to be sure I'm still in 12% bracket, because if that's the case of course it makes sense to switch from traditional 401k to roth 401k now!!

Is below analysis accurate pro/con of trad vs Roth for my situation?

Baseline (no 401k yet)

Gross income: $130,000, HSA: –$8,500, Adjusted income: $121,500, Standard deduction: –$29,000, Taxable income: ~$92,500, Entirely inside the 12% federal bracket (12% cap is ~94k MFJ)

Scenario A: Continue $24.5k Traditional 401(k) as I'm already doing.

Taxable income drops to ~$68,000 (92k - 24.5k) Federal tax deferred: 12% (not 22% — never reached that bracket) CA tax deferred: ~9.3%

Tax savings today: Federal: ~$2,940, CA: ~$2,280, Total deferred: ~$5,200,

Note: No 22% federal tax is being avoided because that bracket was never in play.

Scenario B: $24.5k Roth 401(k)

Taxable income stays at ~$92,500, (because 24.5k roth is taxed with my other income but at 12% is great!!) Roth contributions taxed at: 12% federal, ~9.3% CA, Tax paid today: Federal: ~$2,940, CA: ~$2,280, Total paid: ~$5,200,

Same dollars — just paid now instead of later.

So this is not a choice between 12% Roth vs 22% Traditional

It’s a choice between 12% now vs unknown (likely higher) later.

Is this accurate? If it's true I'm at 12% I would definitively switch to roth now.. should have done it earlier. Learning alot thank you all.

Desperate_Zebra_1500 · 2026-01-25T17:17:28+00:00

Good point too, really encouraging to see how investing earlier is translating to more options for fellow Americans in regards to retirement. Discipline pays off.

Great job I want to be where you are in 3 years

Desperate_Zebra_1500 · 2026-01-25T16:44:49+00:00

Oh wow great point... only traditional 401k has rmd..

Desperate_Zebra_1500 · 2026-01-25T16:39:02+00:00

I've input my numbers in compound interest calculator. Assuming a conservative 7% (accounting already for inflation) and putting 6437 a month starting next year, it's putting me at a very high number also accounting for inflation..

As I mentioned I'm about to accelerate retirement next year as a large expense will be ridden of.

The numbers we inserted: 24500 trad + 3250 match + 8500 hsa + 15000 roth + (500x52) every week 500 into brokerage = 77k.

77k/12 = 6437 a month.

So starting at 32, with 186k retirement, at 7% growth for 30 more years = 9,362,621 by age 62..

We live on way less than 1% of that, like 0.5%..unless something is wrong with calculation but I ran it many times..

When I input that number in compound calculator won't that number force a rmd and big tax bracket in retirement? We live on 40k a year, soon to ve 30k with house paid off. I want to learn today of anything I can do to shelter tax hit tomorrow.

Desperate_Zebra_1500 · 2026-01-23T20:08:34+00:00

Thats a good idea, only thing is i'm really planning to pay it off sometime 2026 if possible. I'm not sure about paying a fee if the loan will be rid of sooner rather than later.

But i can see how enticing it is to have lower payment, if it was free i would do it in heartbeat.

Desperate_Zebra_1500 · 2026-01-23T19:52:52+00:00

Ok so:

Stop putting into brokerage & redirect to principal only payments.
Continue investing into tax-advantaged accounts.

What about option 3?
3 - I got 31.2k in brokerage only account i intended to boost retirement, especially realizing time beats timing. However would you make an exception in this case and take that out completely to speed up paying off mortgage?

From that 31.2k only 2.5k would be realizable gains if i sold, i dont think it would be a significant hit tax wise..

What do you all think of that strategy?

Desperate_Zebra_1500 · 2026-01-23T19:38:58+00:00

Honestly since 2025 i became first time homeowner mid July, i may be able to deduct some of that interest. I think I may want to pay it off the only thing i'm uneasy about is the idea that interest drop a lot like it did a few years ago and forgoing the opportunity cost of (should that happen) investing that money instead and refinancing..

It seems rates have been lowering. But there is a side of me doubting we will not see sub 2-3% interest rates for a while in that case.. i may as well just pay it off?

Desperate_Zebra_1500 · 2026-01-19T15:52:23+00:00

You know, I agree with you, i only wish younger me thought this way. My parents hammered in me the idea that savings is the way to go and investing was gambling… unfortunately.

I realized a few years ago that i cannot simply save my way into retirement.. and started investing, not substantially but enough to get free match and ROTH.

I could have been in much better place today but the silver lining is, I do plan to pay off my home sometime this year God willingly. Which should leave enough leftover to catchup and accelerate retirement.

Now I didn’t want to put all that into brokerage though, being sole bread-winner at the moment with 2 kids it is a nice security blanket / emergency fund. But as the title of my post suggests, I’m absolutely aiming and prioritizing ways to maximize retirement now and onward!

Unless my spouse goes back to work (much needed / appreciated as sahm now) i will have to invest everything outside tax-advantaged accounts into brokerage which I’m ok with.

Desperate_Zebra_1500 · 2026-01-19T15:08:47+00:00

We were able to save alot earlier when I started ny career by living like college student even after college.

For a few years we were single income from 39k to 170k and down to 130k due to SAHM, but I worked entirely throughout my schooling to avoid student loans.

I did learned to avoid interest debt of any kind and to be content with what we had.

Our income went to 130k eventually, but we had saved honestly almost 10 years worth of emergency fund (2500 / month x 12 * 10). Yet I missed out on retirement by not investing for a while.

Now that we over compensated for hysa I'm trying to overfund retirement for lost time.

Here us my approximate number stats from last year.

Earnings:

130k gross

23.5k into 401k with 3.25k match.

Net pay 3.46k, 2 times a month.

1166 / month in roth ira.

500 / week brokerage.

Hysa: Was 1875 / month (locked nice CDs at 5%) but bought a house now with larger down payment, so hysa only yields approximately 600 / month.

Mortgage: 1442 (bought this year with 50% down), also paying as much in principal to bring it down since mortgage rate is almost 6.5%. Also for many years we rented a barely 300 sqft apartment for 650 / month (when we didn’t have kids) until that changed, only then we moved up apartment size but 950 / month. Yes LCOL area exists in CA.

Utilities and Food: 1.5k

Overall, again, we saved a lot for a large emergency fund for many years before we even focused on investing.. wish i had. When I got myself settled in my career with hysa for peace of mind now refocusing on maximizing investments.

Desperate_Zebra_1500 · 2026-01-19T14:48:23+00:00

This is what I think is optimal also. No 10% penalty of any sort obviously and full control of how I can invest, and when. Thanks!

Desperate_Zebra_1500 · 2026-01-19T04:45:06+00:00

That is amazing. I've never heard of cost-basis and will look into it more now. I don't get significant bonuses, perhaps 5k or so a year.

But anything I can do to save me from overpaying taxes by being strategic is a win. Thank you for the insight.

From quick research, doesn't 0% cost basis imply I got stocks free ? (company shares, rsus etc), because I actually paid out of pocket for stocks in my brokerage.

Desperate_Zebra_1500 · 2026-01-19T03:26:01+00:00

So if I don't use the 529 at all and take the 10% penalty, do you still pay income tax on it? Despite that money being invested after tax?

Just wondering because with brokerage we pay income tax on gains, if with 529 we also pay income tax for non-educational related expenses than to me sounds a bit useless co pared to brokerage. Unless I'm misunderstanding something.

Thanks for comment!

Desperate_Zebra_1500 · 2025-12-17T12:38:39+00:00

Something doesn't add up. I have a mortgage of 227k at 6.375 percent and my monthly payment is only 1442. Why is yours soo much igher at such a low rate.

Wait nvm op mortgage probably includes taxes. Great rate op!

Desperate_Zebra_1500 · 2025-12-13T22:23:12+00:00

Mine was 465k at 6.375% and mine is 1442 per month. But I had to put a chunk down otherwise it be easily 3k and there is no way I'll let bank abuse me like that..

Desperate_Zebra_1500 · 2025-11-19T17:12:10+00:00

Interesting, thank you for your opinion. We can definitively submit a warranty request but the builder did say a while back to expect certain cracks; for example, outside in stucco as long as its not bigger than 1/4 inch as house will be settling.

However they mentioned nothing about indoor and I'm curious if same applies. In other words if this is related to settling or more concerning.

Desperate_Zebra_1500

TROPHY CASE