Author Topic: financial simplification steps I took  (Read 3289 times)

FirePaddle

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financial simplification steps I took
« on: August 27, 2014, 07:43:21 PM »
I figured I'd share some of the steps I took to make things simpler and run on autopilot. It's a abbreviated and shorthand list, but hopefully it helps people think about what is possible. Most of the steps listed are consolidating accounts as much as possible while still attached to specific employers, and also putting things on autopilot.  It took several months to get all this done, but it's well worth the effort.

1   move T's Scottrade assets to Vanguard
2   move T's TIAA assets to Fidelity
3   move DW Scottrade assets to Vanguard
4   Request U TDA Vanguard plan #
5   Determine TDA and DCP funding levels
6   Fill out U salary reduction agreement to max out the TDA @$17,500
7   Open Vanguard TDA account
8   Determine best F DCP vendor
9   Ask ICMARC about all fees
10   Open F DCP with best vendor
11   Fill out F salaray reduction agreement to max out DCP to $4000 for 2014
12   Fill out U HSA change form to max out HSA
13   simplify asset allocation with a few index funds
14   invest HSA money into VFINX, 500 index
15   rollover SBS plans to Vanguard accounts to avoid higher fees
16   transfer DW WI teacher retirement account to Vanguard
17   Obtain both original Disney stock certificates
18   biweekly mortgage payments, start in Jan 2014 at a second payment of $500 on the 15th, if cashflow warrants
19   set up automatic Roth IRA deposits in Jan 2014
20   set up after tax account at Vanguard
21   set up automatic after tax account deposits
22   prosper vs lending tree?
23   where to invest extra $ after car paid off ($1500/mo, $18k annually)
24   where to invest salary increases?
25   automatic investment into T's money market account of $1000/month ($500 2x/month)
26   once above reaches $3000, invest in VTSMX from MM or bank account and set up automatic investment from bank acct
27   Increase DW 457/DCP to max at $9000 for 2014
28   Increase DW 457/DCP to max at $17,500 for 2015
« Last Edit: March 27, 2015, 03:39:31 PM by FirePaddle »

nordlead

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Re: financial simplification steps I took
« Reply #1 on: August 28, 2014, 01:44:53 PM »
17   Obtain both original Disney stock certificates

I'm confused about how this simplifies things. Selling them is one thing, getting your hands on the piece of paper is totally different.

FirePaddle

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Re: financial simplification steps I took
« Reply #2 on: August 28, 2014, 01:50:14 PM »
17   Obtain both original Disney stock certificates

I'm confused about how this simplifies things. Selling them is one thing, getting your hands on the piece of paper is totally different.

yeah, sorry, it's shorthand and a brief explanation.  DW had random disney stock purchased for her when she was a kid, we always got the dividends in the mail, but it was not under any investment group, just Disney itself, so we tracked down the original certificates in a family's basement, and eventually got them transferred to be managed under Vanguard online. That was a pain to get done, as there are very specific instructions as to how to transfer hand copy stock certificates.

tkurk

Jack

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Re: financial simplification steps I took
« Reply #3 on: August 28, 2014, 02:30:45 PM »
I'm amused that your list of things you did to simplify is itself so complicated.

FirePaddle

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Re: financial simplification steps I took
« Reply #4 on: August 28, 2014, 02:55:12 PM »
Yeah, maybe I should rethink the title, perhaps "all the boring and complicated financial things I did to allow us to track our wealth"

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!