Search found 133 matches

by [KenM]
Sun Sep 21, 2003 4:38 pm
Forum: FIRE Board
Topic: Tossing coins
Replies: 79
Views: 55653

petey If it were me I would want to research the history of the markets (and other asset classes besides) to determine how they operate, what the returns have been and see how they are valued at present. I have meant to mention this in response to some of your posts in other threads, but I suggest t...
by [KenM]
Sun Sep 21, 2003 4:23 pm
Forum: FIRE Board
Topic: Tossing coins
Replies: 79
Views: 55653

raddr This is why diversification is so critical. You can sustain a big loss in later years of retirement if you had good gains early on. However, a big loss right off the the bat can have devastating consequences to a retirement portfolio. If you make a big bet on a single asset class at the beginn...
by [KenM]
Sun Sep 21, 2003 1:58 am
Forum: FIRE Board
Topic: Tossing coins
Replies: 79
Views: 55653

In terms of how retirees consider big "losses" I suggest that there are two different scenarios. The first is similar to Chips Here are my actual, year-end results in my IRA since I retired in 1993 -- with no trading, no market timing, no hassle, no worry, no personal effort on my part, an...
by [KenM]
Sat Sep 13, 2003 10:54 am
Forum: FIRE Board
Topic: SWR definition for FAQ
Replies: 11
Views: 8890

It's the "safe" word that I always consider is very misleading and I personally consider it absurd to say that there is ever likely to be a fixed, precise "safe" rate that applies throughout a retirement period of 30 years or so. Unfortunately "S" in SWR is always trans...
by [KenM]
Fri Sep 12, 2003 12:44 am
Forum: FIRE Board
Topic: Book reviews/comments sought for Asset Allocation books
Replies: 10
Views: 8390

petey IMO, Gibson is too detailed for an average "intelligent investor". I agree with ataloss that Bernstein's Intelligent Asset Allocator is more focussed than 4 Pillars and it is very readable for someone with sufficient interest in the subject - no obscure math formulae - only comonsens...
by [KenM]
Mon Sep 08, 2003 11:33 am
Forum: FIRE Board
Topic: 'retirees' flood job mkt to make ends meet
Replies: 13
Views: 11529

It is a real shame when people retired and then lost as much as half of their retirements assets in the bubble ...but I suggest that the majority did not suddenly invest a big lump sum at the top and then lose 30% to 50%. Most saw meagre savings soar in the bubble from the mid-nineties - congratula...
by [KenM]
Tue Sep 02, 2003 4:08 pm
Forum: FIRE Board
Topic: Wharton: How Much Money Will You Need for Retirement?
Replies: 47
Views: 34236

We were served eggs with a side of two hot dogs.
That's what makes life interesting :lol: It took me a while to get used to it, but I look forward to curry for breakfast these days - try nasi lemak in Malaysia
by [KenM]
Tue Sep 02, 2003 12:06 am
Forum: FIRE Board
Topic: Wharton: How Much Money Will You Need for Retirement?
Replies: 47
Views: 34236

wanderer It's now called the "Malaysia My Second Home" programme but used to be called the Silverhair programme. You can check with Google but basics are at http://www.expat.com.my/silverhair.htm . I haven't applied myself but know people who have - seems to have been slightly more complic...
by [KenM]
Mon Sep 01, 2003 11:53 pm
Forum: FIRE Board
Topic: Wharton: How Much Money Will You Need for Retirement?
Replies: 47
Views: 34236

for some reason, you dismiss really cheap, great quality housing and access to high quality, cheap health care. as a prospective oldster, those are real appealing to moi. I definitely don't dismiss it but take it as a given - all I'm trying to say is that IMO you won't get all that plus the "g...
by [KenM]
Mon Sep 01, 2003 6:55 pm
Forum: FIRE Board
Topic: Wharton: How Much Money Will You Need for Retirement?
Replies: 47
Views: 34236

mjlijewski I really liked Thailand & would be interested in knowing how to stay there long-term Have a look at Malaysia. Similar climate and costs to Thailand. Multi-cultural Malay/Chinese/Indian. Wide range of locations to stay. Common language is English including Government forms, business et...
by [KenM]
Mon Sep 01, 2003 5:18 pm
Forum: FIRE Board
Topic: Wharton: How Much Money Will You Need for Retirement?
Replies: 47
Views: 34236

we just hired a filipina maid; also against kenm's better judgment I feel very much misunderstood :lol: I seem to recall saying something that, as with everything else, with Filipia maids you get what you pay for. We employed Filipina maids for 20 years when our kids were growing up and both of us ...
by [KenM]
Mon Sep 01, 2003 5:05 pm
Forum: FIRE Board
Topic: Wharton: How Much Money Will You Need for Retirement?
Replies: 47
Views: 34236

actually I get $915/month for the 37,500 bhat monthly cost From the website Housing = THB 15,000 = US$370 Food, transport, entertainment etc etc = THB 22,500 = US$550 Total= THB 37,500 = US$920 Note that medical costs, trips to home country, alcohol (even beer can be expensive) etc etc are not incl...
by [KenM]
Mon Sep 01, 2003 5:04 am
Forum: FIRE Board
Topic: Wharton: How Much Money Will You Need for Retirement?
Replies: 47
Views: 34236

Excluding shelter, taxes and health care costs in comparing COL sounds like the equity wonks' exclusion of imputed rental income in coparing RE returns to the currently favored asset class My original point (I think) was that http://www.chiangmaimall.com/expats/retirement3.shtml implies you can liv...
by [KenM]
Sun Aug 31, 2003 5:22 pm
Forum: FIRE Board
Topic: Wharton: How Much Money Will You Need for Retirement?
Replies: 47
Views: 34236

American citizens do not (officially) escape US income taxes wherever in the known universe they reside ........ but I thought there was an allowance (is it $80,000 a year?) before which overseas resident US citizens started to become liable? Maybe I'm wrong - I've always meant to ask. As a Brit, a...
by [KenM]
Sun Aug 31, 2003 5:13 pm
Forum: FIRE Board
Topic: Wharton: How Much Money Will You Need for Retirement?
Replies: 47
Views: 34236

Chips I think the cheapest place to live like an American is the USA. .... but the US is such a big country and Americans have such a wide range of choice - from mountains to desert to sub-tropical, from rural to small town to cosmopolitan city - that living like an American can mean almost whatever...
by [KenM]
Sun Aug 31, 2003 4:37 pm
Forum: FIRE Board
Topic: Wharton: How Much Money Will You Need for Retirement?
Replies: 47
Views: 34236

In thinking about cheap countries for RE I find the quote from Chips in the "Best states for retirement thread" interesting..... A salary of $30,000 in Los Angeles has the same buying power that a salary of $13,448 has in Tucson. For Las Vegas the figure is $13,241.....New Yorkers' third-f...
by [KenM]
Sun Aug 31, 2003 4:01 am
Forum: FIRE Board
Topic: Wharton: How Much Money Will You Need for Retirement?
Replies: 47
Views: 34236

I try and avoid the old fogey expat stuff, but I still think my description as "semi-backpacker' of the lifestyle at http://www.chiangmaimall.com/expats/retirement3.shtml is about right...... see lors/mopeds/cheap Tshirts and shorts/cheap local food. Real estate can be a reasonable price (but p...
by [KenM]
Sun Aug 31, 2003 1:20 am
Forum: FIRE Board
Topic: Asset Allocation: Small, Med & Lrg Cap. Value vs Growth
Replies: 27
Views: 19815

petey ........ and are about to increase taxes by removing £250k inheritance tax allowance aaaaggghh....... where does it say that? I've got investments in the UK and rely on that allowance. I know the UK Govt have talked about it in the past but I haven't seen anything lately.
by [KenM]
Thu Aug 28, 2003 11:46 pm
Forum: FIRE Board
Topic: Asset Allocation: Small, Med & Lrg Cap. Value vs Growth
Replies: 27
Views: 19815

petey I know it is difficult but possible to get a broker account in US$ and trade US stocks. Therefore if ETFs are bought and sold as indicated in that manner I see no logical reason why I shouldn't be able to buy some of the US iShares. I have to really hunt for a US broker that allows trading tho...
by [KenM]
Thu Aug 28, 2003 6:52 pm
Forum: FIRE Board
Topic: Wharton: How Much Money Will You Need for Retirement?
Replies: 47
Views: 34236

Those are actually estimates for some good living ......not sure about that ..... looks a bit like semi-backpacker type living to me ..... possibly idyllic for a vacation ...... but only US$6 a month on transport????? Generally, I would reckon that most places in the world are going to cost roughly...