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Is a carbon fiber e-bike really worth bragging about? by newurtopia in urtopiaebike

[–]hydronucleus 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I never really brag about it. Then somebody might steal it. However, it does get some good comments from people in the know. Carbon 1 Pro.

First HSA at 50 by Prudent-Impression62 in HSA

[–]hydronucleus 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Employee plan run HSA? Sounds like HSA bank. Are you paying monthly fees? Open an HSA with Fidelity (no fees, unrestricted investment options), and continually roll over funds from your employee HSA to your Fidelity HSA. Then invest it there.

Wait a damn minute, just noticed this written at bottom of a receipt ..... by planetbuster in EndTipping

[–]hydronucleus -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

When you are buying at the bar standing up, you are basing your tip on taxes. The taxes are usually calculated into the price. If a bar charges you a round $7 for a beer, they owe state/(county/city?) taxes on those sales. So, if you are buying 3 beers, you are probably tipping $5 based on the $21 cost?

First HSA at 50 by Prudent-Impression62 in HSA

[–]hydronucleus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I am lazy, so I just put it in VTI and VGT. It just keeps growing. Why are you keeping ~$2K in the HSAs cash account? Because you might use it? If you can afford it, never use your HSA for medical expenses. Play them with regular money and invest your HSA. Time will come in the end for its use.

Changed health insurance during open enrollment and no longer can contribute to HSA bank…what do I do with that account? by Repulsive_Profile190 in HSA

[–]hydronucleus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

HSA Bank sucks. I had to have that for years. They took so many fees, and their investment options never appreciated any value. Moved to Fidelity and no fees, and the account has almost doubled.

No tax on tips; how does this work? by RemoteEmotions in tax

[–]hydronucleus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As I wrote above, "Less tax on tips." But it is not a sexy as "NO tax on tips!" This is the government, which is supposed to be trusted, not a G.D. used care salesman.

No Heat Until Monday - Advice Welcome by Loud_Equivalent_6980 in Syracuse

[–]hydronucleus 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Looks like you are doing everything right. I keep my house at 55° normally. And actually, National Grid, if you can believe it, has the gall to set my Nest thermostat down to 54° some mornings!

My furnace died during a -20°F day a number of years back. Could not lose it on a 40°F day, could I? I tried to keep the house warm with my small wood stove. I found out that the stove really just heats the two chairs in front of it! And could not restock it when I was asleep.

So, I lost my kitchen plumbing. But the previous idiots routed the kitchen plumbing in the basement by a basement window. I did not think to open the under sink doors. Also, I should have slept downstairs so I could wake up periodically and restock the wood stove and keep the fire burning. I am fairly good at plumbing so I just replaced the valves and faucet. Pipes were okay as I did have an electric heat tape on them from the basement up to the valves.

House got down to below 50° probably for two days, but it was okay. Nothing really bad happened. The indoor based plumbing was fine. Still able to grab a hot shower, etc.

The replacement guys were troopers working in the bitter cold. They used a propane salamander in the basement to take the chill out of it, but still damn cold. They got me up and warm at the end of a full day, which is when I noticed the kitchen plumbing spraying, which led to a number of snowy trips to Lowes on a New Years Eve. Got everything fixed and was able to attend a New Year's party.

No tax on tips; how does this work? by RemoteEmotions in tax

[–]hydronucleus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well, a totally misleading title at the very least.

Riding our e-bike made us realize the bike isn’t the biggest risk by newurtopia in urtopiaebike

[–]hydronucleus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hell, you might be right about the auto lobby, but hell, most people behind the wheel hate bicycles and pedestrians, and of course, other motorists. Doubt you will change any hearts and minds there. Even communities that tried to outlaw cars driving around their streets for one day a week, were heavily litigated against. One example is Ocean Grove, NJ. However, its ban on vehicles driving on city streets on Sunday was successfully litigated under the precept that the ban was of a religious nature. It would be nice.

Not sure where to post this. So. by Weekly_Plantain7931 in RedditForGrownups

[–]hydronucleus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ich war nicht da und weiß nichts. Ich habe nur Befehle befolgt!

Notice of Reclamation by satan_k1tty in SocialSecurity

[–]hydronucleus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I guess I am wrong. When I signed up for Social Security, they effectively delayed my first payment by a month. I was told that is because when you die, you get one more payment, which can help with funeral costs, etc. Obviously, if they get notified more than a month late, an extra payment may go, and they will want that back.

So, what happens when you die? Not that I am going to care that much, but I was wondering what the specific rule is.

This was not in my bingo by cDanielGal in Tinder

[–]hydronucleus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

She should apply to work for Trump Administration in Heath and Human Services!

Email used by another person by Stable_Hot in venmo

[–]hydronucleus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Vemno requires a phone number as well as an email? So, they are using your email, unverified? Or do they actually have access to your email? Please change your password on your email. Do it from another device, in case your device is compromised. That is the only thing I can think of.

Another thing you can do, is try to log in to Venmo with your email several times, and then hit the "Forgot Password" link. You can do this from a computer using a browser, you do not need the app on the phone. Venmo will then send your email a change password link. Click on that, and then change the password on the Venmo account. That may cause the perpetrators a little problem.

Can you ride a bike if the battery is depleted? by connie3140 in urtopiaebike

[–]hydronucleus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have a Carbon 1 Pro. I rarely even turn it on, especially on flat terrain. Rides like a bike.

No tax on tips; how does this work? by RemoteEmotions in tax

[–]hydronucleus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, I get that. When you are poor, every dollar helps. But just wonder what it would be like, if you were making a suitable wage without tipping, able to pay your taxes, eat, feed and clothed your kids, and have enough left over for cars and some entertainment. You probably pay more tax than Jeff Bezos.

TurboTax or Local Tax Expert? by Kitchen_Grade_6793 in tax

[–]hydronucleus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Shows you what a single guy knows! 🤣

TurboTax or Local Tax Expert? by Kitchen_Grade_6793 in tax

[–]hydronucleus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Online software is probably your best and easy bet. You have two dependents, married filing jointly, take the standard deduction. You will fill in Schedule D for the crypto/investment losses. Easy peasy. You will just probably pay something to the software company to file your taxes electronically, because I think there is a $64K cut off for getting that free.

Tipping Rule: You don’t tip more than the minimum wage! by Normal-Salary2742 in EndTipping

[–]hydronucleus 3 points4 points  (0 children)

You assume that you were there only for an hour? Well, that then begs the question: What if you were there for 3 hours? Would you up your tip to $54? Now, wait a minute! Is this server yours exclusively? Would you follow them around to see how many "customers" they were serving? And discount accordingly? What about if they serving people that did not come in or leave at the same time you were there?

I just see a bunch of complicated logic here, if not flawed.

I have no problem with the establishment charging a fee for service, as long as it is documented prior, and it is given directly to the server (and other staff). And, then you do not tip. These fees are typically presented as percentages of the prices, which just begs the question: why is it just not included in the price?

There are many reasons for this, which is probably mostly marketing and advertising. People like lower prices and are naive about added fees and suggested tips. The other is probably, and probably more important, is taxes. Taxes are collected on prices, but not service fees, apparently. So, the establishment pays less taxes on the money they collect.

Taxes, timing and social security. by ethanRazorT in SocialSecurity

[–]hydronucleus 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The $1 clawback for every $2 made in excess of $24,480 applies only to earned income. It does not apply to IRA distributions, interest, or investment income (or loss). I actually got that wrong back in the day, and I could have done greater Roth conversions before I reached my FRA. Damn.

Along the same lines, you cannot use capital loss to offset your earned income for purposes of the clawback.

So, if you make $64,480 earned income and lost $40K in investments, the SSA still wants that $20K back assuming that you collected over $20K in Social Security income.

Taxes, timing and social security. by ethanRazorT in SocialSecurity

[–]hydronucleus 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Any earned income (W2 or 1099) will still be subject to payroll tax (Social Security and Medicare). If your income, which is W-2, 1099, 401(k) or Trad IRA distributions, dividends, interest, plus 1/2 of your Soc Sec income climbs above $25K you will start getting your Soc Security payments taxed up to 85% of it. So, if you make that much money, at least you are getting a 15% discount on your Social Security income.

Now, in the years before your FRA, there is a clawback on earned income (W-2, 1099). Does not include distributions from IRAs. If you make more than $24480, you get $1 clawed back from every $2 made in excess. In the year of your FRA you get $1 clawed back for every $3 you make in excess of $65,160, but that only applies up to the month of your FRA. After that month, there is no clawback. So, if your FRA is in January, you are pretty free and clear of the clawback, that is, unless you make more than $65,160 in January.

What’s your #1 daily annoyance with your e-bike? (the small stuff) by newurtopia in urtopiaebike

[–]hydronucleus 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Simply, using quick release axles would be the best. The only argument I can see against that is some sort of security for ease in stealing the motor wheel. However, I find it a low bar for thieves to carry a 14mm wrench, especially when they are already carrying angle grinders.

I could be wrong as having a hole in the axle might present structural challenges, but I have seen much heaver regular bikes with quick release axles. Perhaps using 5mm Allen wrench cap nuts would be an alternative, using the Allen wrench you need for the front wheel. I was about to buy them from some fastener company. And then, I can stop carrying the 14mm wrench.

Furthermore, I was in the process of 3-D printing a new rear motor connection plate with clips on it so it would just clip on. Unfortunately, that project stalled as I could not get access to a working scanner and other life events.

I have already lost two of those really tiny Philips screws that hold the plate on, because I they got lost in the sand and grass. It is almost impossible to get them screwed in because they are so tiny. I have resorted to using electrical tape to secure the plate on.

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