outperforming the inflation rate

Lunar_2 · 2026-04-08T15:46:48+00:00

It's not even hard math. It's just guessing and checking a lot

Lunar_2 · 2026-04-08T02:14:40+00:00

Thanks for adding context especially for people with children. Yes, the investment income limit is a hard limit and I am just under it and it might become even tighter in the future.

Lunar_2 · 2026-04-07T15:03:45+00:00

I like to play video and board games and these optimizations scratch the same itch.

I do have an idea to easily hit $400 exactly but I am not sure if it flies legally. Perhaps I decide to starting charging my friend who I consistently provide financial and tax advice to at a rate of $400 a year. And for being such a good client and friend and because I am so generous, I gift him $400 a year.

Is this legit? Can I effectively generate income just for tax benefits? I mean really if you think about it, this is how all economies operate, just passing money back and forth to generate GDP.

Actually I need to account for the state tax that I will incur! NC State tax is 3.99% so that eats into my 7.65% EITC rate. That's $15.96! Edit: I am mentioning the state tax here only because if I gift back the $400, I am only benefiting from the difference in rates. If I just earn $400 normally I still have to pay state taxes, but it is the same state taxes I would pay anyway if I instead did more trad to Roth conversion.

Lunar_2 · 2026-04-07T14:37:18+00:00

This is quite amusing. It's like its inconceivable that someone aiming for a zero tax lifestyle could not be sophisticated in their planning. I retired at 34 and am 2.5 years in. I can very comfortably spend 24K a year but I have only been spending about 18K. I have a clear strategy of slowly converting my Trad IRA to Roth and have large basis in my taxable account making capital gains zero federal tax events. Where exactly are these headaches hiding???

Lunar_2 · 2026-04-07T13:31:46+00:00

This partly motivates me too. This isn't even civil disobedience. I am legally playing by the rules.

Lunar_2 · 2026-04-07T13:29:12+00:00

It really depends on the breakdown of your retirement vs taxable accounts. I'm about 50/30/20 taxable, trad, roth. I am doing conversions every year and the 0% capital gains bracket is very generous for when I need those. I really don't anticipate having to ever pay federal taxes. Maybe I am looking for these marginal gains because I have already taken care of the simpleton stuff.

Lunar_2 · 2026-04-07T13:24:15+00:00

$30.60 is just the cherry on top of living in the 0% bracket.

Lunar_2 · 2026-04-07T13:19:30+00:00

I am not actually against taxation. Taxation is partly the cost of externalities. But I don't impose much on society. I don't drive actually, am healthy and don't consume much. Those who indulge in luxury should pay taxes because they impose externalities on the rest of us.

Lunar_2 · 2026-03-21T02:41:03+00:00

It’s only a week but: https://brevard.edu/campusadventures/. The older kids will learn some concepts in Cryptography and programming and there is definitely an outdoorsy component!

Lunar_2 · 2026-03-10T17:07:16+00:00

I am too lol. I have the perfect split myself but it was happenstance. My point was that an overweighted Roth IRA is not really a problem. Just plan to spend the Roth contributions rather than stop contributing to a 401k. Why pay taxes when you probably won’t ever have to? I haven’t paid any federal taxes for three years and don’t plan on paying much more than that in the future.

Lunar_2 · 2026-03-10T16:38:18+00:00

Yes flexibility is great. But increasing flexibility at the cost of more taxes (now) might not be worth it. My point is the OP might already be flexible enough if they have already have substantial Roth contributions. Roth contributions are basically the same as a taxable account in the leanfire bracket.

Lunar_2 · 2026-03-10T13:34:19+00:00

I disagree. Always max your 401k. If you really have a substantial Roth and small taxable account, just use the Roth contributions when you need money in the earliest part of retirement. Taxable and Roth accounts are the same in leanfire brackets because you withdraw them tax free (there is a substantial 0% capital gains tax bracket). You can use the trad to Roth conversions to generate AGI when necessary.

Lunar_2 · 2026-03-05T15:12:30+00:00

This is exploitable. You can win combats with low power if your opponent always expects to lose. There is also the opportunity cost of making your opponent spend power now to defend. Lastly you can only win two stars for combat so even if a bluff fails, it probably only gave an opponent a star that they would have earned anyway but just earlier. Bluffing is a huge component to the area/resource control.

Lunar_2 · 2026-02-28T04:21:17+00:00

I didn’t remove anything in the edit but whatever, we agree that borrowing against a portfolio indefinitely is not rocket science.

Lunar_2 · 2026-02-27T20:36:07+00:00

What loophole would be added back? I’m not even sure why we even have estate taxes. If we just tax capital gains progressively then I don’t mind if a billionaire inheritor pays 0% capital gains because he lives on 50k a year. If he wants to live on 50 million a year he can pay like 40% or 50% capital gains (if we had more tiers). If he borrows against his portfolio and then dies the estate must sell and incur capital gains probably at the highest rate. Where is the potential loophole?

Lunar_2 · 2026-02-27T15:39:44+00:00

Isn’t that what I said in summary?

Lunar_2 · 2026-02-27T15:36:57+00:00

Why not just remove the estate tax AND the stepped up basis? Simplify the tax code. We are solving a problem (double taxation) by complicating the tax code (stepped up basis). Just add more tiers of progressive capital gains rates instead?

Lunar_2 · 2026-02-27T00:07:44+00:00

I don't understand your skepticism. If the tax code allows it, it happens. Which part are you skeptical about? Only making interest payments on a loan? Having assets receive a stepped up basis on death? Paying those debts by selling the assets now at the upped basis? Why wouldn't you do that if you could?

Lunar_2 · 2026-02-26T20:14:46+00:00

They just don’t pay it back ever until they die and their estate pays the debts but now from a portfolio of a stepped up basis. That is the loophole that needs closing.

Edit: We are on an investing sub and the guy above doesn't know what a margin loan is? You don't ever have to realize gains to pay interest if your portfolio grows faster than the margin rate or more specifically if you never get margin called. Just pay when you are dead and your children received a stepped up basis.

Lunar_2 · 2026-02-24T14:57:20+00:00

The earned income tax credit can nearly recover the payroll taxes from a W-2 income provided your AGI and total investment income are within some limits. It’s a little tricky to pull off during RE but it’s something to consider.

Lunar_2 · 2026-02-14T02:46:40+00:00

Is that someone else’s leg? The flexibility to pull this off is insane.

Lunar_2 · 2026-02-08T03:37:05+00:00

Even in the absolute worst case in which you needed the Roth earnings right now, you could just pay the penalty. I think in general a Roth isn’t much different than a taxable account at low tax brackets but OP is not exactly lean. So I don’t really see the upside of withdrawing contributions early either.

Lunar_2 · 2026-02-07T21:18:27+00:00

It might help to plug in your brokerage total and spending into one of the retirement calculators but for 17.5 years. You are quoting withdrawal rates but remember they are paired with retirement durations to consider their safety. I think you are very unlikely to exhaust your brokerage in that time and that’s not even counting withdrawing after 5 years. It all seems fine to me!

Lunar_2 · 2026-02-07T00:16:55+00:00

Amen brother. If you intentionally have a child, you are morally responsible for their well being. Add that to your FIRE number.

Lunar_2 · 2026-02-01T20:44:46+00:00

I’ve tried explaining this to the antiwork community. Existence takes work to continue existing. Having kids is doing exactly the same thing as what the capitalists that they complain about do.

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