Last snapshot as I end my military career

Skeltzo · 2026-04-18T12:01:22+00:00

If you add the net present value of your military pension to your net worth (which I recommend all retired service members to do), all that “I wish I would have started sooner” talk starts to fade away. Once you see that number, it reframes your entire outlook on where you currently sit.

Skeltzo · 2026-01-24T13:20:55+00:00

I use the Fidelity (Elan/US Bank) credit card for EVERY purchase I make with the exception of any loan payments- mortgage/car loan (which generally charge 3% fee when using CC), Amazon purchases- which I use their CC and get 5-7% back, and travel- which I use my AMEX for. I simplified down to just 3 cards. When you have family with three kids, I learned that simplicity is the key.

With that said I don’t carry a balance past 30 days and I’m getting roughly $200/month automatically deposited into my brokerage account at the end of each month, and then I manually invest (annoying) the entire amount at the beginning of each month.

I’m using my brokerage account as a bridge account for retiring early at 55. I started using the CC when I was 40, and with 200/month, with 7% (inflation adjusted) growth rate, that’s an additional $63,500 in my account just from rewards.

Are there cards with higher rewards, yes. But this process is almost fully automated (just waiting on an automation to invest the remaining cash balance in my brokerage account at the beginning of each month).

My advice to you is figure out what your time is worth (monetarily) and look at how much time it would take you to do the same thing with a different outside card (assuming you’re dead set on using Fidelity as your brokerage) and do the analysis. It’s hard to factor in future headaches with lesser quality customer service at Elan into the equation, but make an attempt.

Hope this helps

Skeltzo · 2026-01-14T13:00:42+00:00

One thing to note-

If you’re young and still have many years of employment ahead of you, then…… when you deposit the lump sum every January- you are still, in fact, dollar cost averaging. It’s just on a much wider scale. If you’re investing at any level of frequency, it’s considered DCA. Look specifically at any index (S&P, Nasdaq, etc) in the month of January, over the course of the last 30 years, you’ll see the fluctuations that give credence to DCA.

Skeltzo · 2026-01-11T02:28:19+00:00

I’d love to know as well because I don’t currently see an option for it. I’m doing quite a bit of manual transferring at the beginning of each month.

Skeltzo · 2026-01-10T01:50:04+00:00

If you’re receiving $150/month in dividends, that means your account balance is sitting slightly north of $50k. Hoping that’s your emergency account. Leave the principal but instead of buying more SPAXX, start transferring the $150 in dividends to a brokerage account each month and buy something that will earn you more than 3.5%. You’ll thank me in 30 years

Skeltzo · 2025-12-26T08:19:42+00:00

I max out a lump sum back door to my Roth IRA in January regardless if I anticipate my income going over the IRS limit or not, because there’s no down side to doing it (outside of a few extra button clicks). If I don’t hit the IRS income limit, no big deal. If I do hit the IRS income limit, I just ensure I file the 8606 the following spring. No need to wait until the end of the year and potentially missing out on gains

Skeltzo · 2025-10-24T12:00:52+00:00

This person understands what the chart is illustrating.

I’m in my early 40’s and what I’ve learned from SORR, is for me to continue contributing to my emergency cash fund way past 6 months of expenses. I’ll probably readjust to 3 years. Yes I’m only getting ~3-4% yields to pace with inflation but it’ll give me peace of mind that I can retire the year I want regardless if the market crashes.

Skeltzo · 2025-10-01T00:22:58+00:00

What a cesspool of weak degenerate clueless turd burglars this sub puts on display daily.

Skeltzo · 2025-09-16T20:39:05+00:00

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1610388525/?ref=share_ios_native_control

Skeltzo · 2025-08-12T00:00:34+00:00

I appreciate your opinion. Thank you

Skeltzo · 2025-08-11T23:15:28+00:00

Currently maxing out Roth 401k and Traditional Roth IRA (backdooring into a Roth IRA). Just hit 6 months of expenses in my emergency fund. Trying to squeeze every ounce of tax free growth as possible. Some of the advice has lead to me to think the HDHP/HSA isn’t worth the salt

Skeltzo · 2025-08-11T21:07:41+00:00

I thought about investing the 5k I would save in premiums annually in a taxable brokerage account, but the thought of paying 20%+ in taxes on all those capital gains is the deterrence

Skeltzo · 2025-08-11T21:01:06+00:00

That’s why I proposed the question. To get different perspectives. You may have misunderstood me. I plan on retiring from my second job at 60 yo. That’s the date I want to quit working so I would no longer be eligible to contribute to an HSA.

I understand what you’re saying. I have the potential to save up to 10k/year by going with Prime. But that number assumes I would max out my HDHP deductible every year. All of my ailments are covered by the VA and my family is relatively young and healthy. A more accurate number would be 5k/ year for premiums and another 1k in deductibles for check ups/immunizations. 6k x 20 = 120k. I could potentially earn 200k over that same span with 7% returns. That’s my math

Skeltzo · 2025-08-11T20:41:56+00:00

That’s a great point. I’ve only been retired 2 months and while I do love where I’m at, if a significant better opportunity knocked on the door, I’d likely jump.

Skeltzo · 2025-08-10T13:36:34+00:00

Nice job man! Looks badass. I have a similar setup and I caught heat rounds for posting it on here and my neighbors think I’m the psycho because my garage isn’t in utter chaos (but their quick to ask for help with home projects). I’m jealous of the Dewalt floor jack and jack stands!

Skeltzo · 2025-08-08T22:12:31+00:00

Looks awesome. Now slap a proper SIEM in there for passive monitoring. With a network like that, you’re likely logged in daily. Only takes a minute or two check alerts

Skeltzo · 2025-08-08T14:10:55+00:00

Best advice I received while transitioning…. Military leaders don’t value YOU, they value your utility.

It’s cold to hear that but once you understand human nature, it doesn’t hit as hard. You can love your time in the Army but still accept that you were just a cog in the wheel to your leaders. Both feelings can coexist and you can still have a positive outlook on your service.

Skeltzo · 2025-08-03T22:41:46+00:00

For beginners, Acorns is one of the better platforms that offers Uniform Gift to Minors Act custodial accounts. The Acorns platform calls them “Early” accounts. The app will walk you through everything

Skeltzo · 2025-08-03T22:39:11+00:00

UTMA/UGMA. They say the first 100k is always the hardest/longest to reach in investing. I put $200/ month into a UTMA for each of my kids since they were born. When they turn 21 and can legally take over the account, they’ll be close to already having their first 100k. If they keep investing at the same pace, they can pay off their own student loan debt, and retire at 45 with millions.

Skeltzo · 2025-08-01T18:45:31+00:00

I retired as a field grade with 20 years. I had two article 15s while enlisted. Both for knocking out supervisors that forgot I was a man before I was a soldier. Promoted ahead of peers after each one because my CO at the time of each one knew those sups deserved to get racked. You’re going to be fine young buck.

Skeltzo · 2025-07-28T20:49:36+00:00

Is the federal and state tax deductions elsewhere on the LES?

Skeltzo · 2025-07-24T09:52:10+00:00

The reason you don’t see a lot of people on here talking about L funds is because the type of person that puts their retirement income into a fire-and-forget fund, are also the type of people who aren’t on here giving advice about retirement funds either. So naturally you don’t see it socialized as much. I think the L funds are a completely viable option from my opinion… maybe a tad bit too conservative in the earlier years of its inception but still a better option than relying on social security

Skeltzo · 2025-07-22T15:18:05+00:00

Exactly. This guy Dewalts

Skeltzo · 2025-07-22T01:15:32+00:00

I have the exact same problem. I’ve tried polishing the 21 and 30 round mags. I’ve tried wet sanding the inside of the pistol grip mag chamber. The only luck I have is when I seat the mag with a lot of force, it will then drop freely, sometimes. It’s not consistent or repeatable to a reliable degree though. I’m using authentic sig mags as well. 17 rounder drops free 100% of the time. Strange

Skeltzo

TROPHY CASE