Search found 22 matches

by KodoCastle
Sat May 06, 2023 3:22 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: How to craft a PP in Germany?
Replies: 0
Views: 1060

How to craft a PP in Germany?

Hey all! I'm an American who just started putting down roots in Germany, and so I'd like to transfer my portfolio to my new home country. Problem is, I don't have a good sense of the German (or European) markets/assets at all. And before I dove headlong into my own research, I thought I should first...
by KodoCastle
Wed Sep 11, 2019 1:34 am
Forum: Gold
Topic: How do you invest the gold portion?
Replies: 42
Views: 32113

Re: How do you invest the gold portion?

The book advises that the best way to invest in gold is to own it. However, initially, that would take some time to fully implement. Sorry to be a nag, but can I ask why? Are there no gold dealers around you? Because there are some good online sellers as well. And if you're worried about storage, s...
by KodoCastle
Wed Sep 11, 2019 1:29 am
Forum: Stocks
Topic: How do you invest the stock portion?
Replies: 7
Views: 10380

Re: How do you invest the stock portion?

I use Vangaurd's total US stock market index fund, VSTAX. You can also get this as an ETF, VTI. Still in the beginning of my PP journey, so I'm happy to keep things simple and stay with the US for now. My first branch out will be to another total US stock market fund at another institution. After th...
by KodoCastle
Wed Sep 11, 2019 1:16 am
Forum: Bonds
Topic: How do you invest the bond portion?
Replies: 3
Views: 6627

Re: How do you invest the bond portion?

At auction from the treasury through the brokerage service at Vanguard. It's free and overall simpler IMO than going through Treasury Direct. A lot of other places also have free brokerage service for treasuries, such as Fidelity.
by KodoCastle
Tue Sep 10, 2019 4:44 pm
Forum: Bonds
Topic: Bonds and IRAs
Replies: 15
Views: 14681

Re: Bonds and IRAs

For me it depends on how much space I'll have in my IRA. I definitely try to use all $6000 for bonds if I can, but if I can't I don't see the issue in keeping some cash in there for a bit and protecting the interest from taxation. That's all with the plan to use the cash in the IRA to eventually fun...
by KodoCastle
Thu Sep 05, 2019 6:07 am
Forum: Bonds
Topic: Oversea Interest Avoidance
Replies: 3
Views: 6129

Re: Oversea Interest Avoidance

So are you going to be filing and paying German taxes? Yes, I'll have to. I'll be working for a German company. Luckily, Germany only taxes the disbursements from US savings plans, not income/interest gained within them. Also, taxes are higher here, so my foreign tax credits will ensure I don't nee...
by KodoCastle
Wed Sep 04, 2019 7:12 am
Forum: Bonds
Topic: Oversea Interest Avoidance
Replies: 3
Views: 6129

Oversea Interest Avoidance

Hello all, I'll be living and working in Germany for the next few years, but I doubt it will be a long term thing. Unfortunately, Germany does not recognize IRAs as a tax preferred account, or any other US accounts. Given I won't be able to avoid/lessen my German taxes, I'm guessing the best way to ...
by KodoCastle
Sat Jan 19, 2019 10:31 pm
Forum: Cash
Topic: Increased Liquidity when buying at Treasury Direct?
Replies: 14
Views: 19591

Re: Increased Liquidity when buying at Treasury Direct?

1. There is no cost to transfer funds from maturing T bills in a TreasuryDirect account into a linked bank or brokerage account. https://www.treasurydirect.gov/indiv/products/prod_tbills_glance.htm 2. There is no cost to buy/sell/hold T bills held in major brokerage accounts like Fidelity. 3. Unlik...
by KodoCastle
Sat Jan 19, 2019 7:30 pm
Forum: Cash
Topic: Increased Liquidity when buying at Treasury Direct?
Replies: 14
Views: 19591

Re: Increased Liquidity when buying at Treasury Direct?

Hmmmm, okay. I guess you could also transfer T-bills out of TD to a brokerage and try to sell them, but that'd likely incur costs that cut into any marginal profits I'd make off of them. But if the difference in yield is 0.2% between 4-week T-bills @ 2.37% and my HSY account @ 2.17%, I'm not sure if...
by KodoCastle
Sat Jan 19, 2019 3:47 pm
Forum: Variable Portfolio Discussion
Topic: A novice's VP: requesting feedback
Replies: 14
Views: 6556

Re: A novice's VP: requesting feedback

Thanks for the ideas Kriegsspiel. And that's a good point about educated speculation , I'm very much not educated in this area. Perhaps I'll just pour everything into the PP until something jumps out at me. Thanks for all the advice! Will look into target date funds and stock funds including world a...
by KodoCastle
Sat Jan 19, 2019 3:37 pm
Forum: Cash
Topic: Increased Liquidity when buying at Treasury Direct?
Replies: 14
Views: 19591

Increased Liquidity when buying at Treasury Direct?

Hello, does anyone know if buying/selling T-bills through Treasury Direct provides more liquidity, in terms of the speed one can convert T-bills into money in a linked account, when compared to buying through the brokerages at Vanguard or Fidelity? If it doesn't provide more liquidity, what are some...
by KodoCastle
Fri Jan 18, 2019 10:09 pm
Forum: Gold
Topic: ?Ettiquete? when Buying Gold
Replies: 4
Views: 3019

Re: ?Ettiquete? when Buying Gold

Understood. Thanks again for the insight. Currently only considering buying 1-troy oz coins per the HBPP recommendation, but it's nice to know what sort of items would be more of an "ask" for me to handle and check myself.
by KodoCastle
Fri Jan 18, 2019 7:55 pm
Forum: Gold
Topic: ?Ettiquete? when Buying Gold
Replies: 4
Views: 3019

Re: ?Ettiquete? when Buying Gold

Thanks Mark, that makes sense. So there's no reason to buy a gold coin balance device if I'm buying in good shops then? The PP suggested it for private dealers, but I'm guessing that means 1-1 deals outside of a dedicated shop.
by KodoCastle
Fri Jan 18, 2019 1:24 pm
Forum: Gold
Topic: ?Ettiquete? when Buying Gold
Replies: 4
Views: 3019

?Ettiquete? when Buying Gold

Hello all, Getting into the PP, and there's a few gold sellers nearby, so I thought of buying directly from them as long as the price is as reasonable as online sites. My question is, is it rude and/or unnecessary to test the gold coins if it's a reputable dealer? If that's the case, is there anythi...
by KodoCastle
Fri Jan 18, 2019 10:27 am
Forum: Variable Portfolio Discussion
Topic: A novice's VP: requesting feedback
Replies: 14
Views: 6556

Re: A novice's VP: requesting feedback

Sounds like you're not really asking about a VP, but about an alternative buy and hold portfolio that may provide greater returns over time than the PP. Completely reasonable, at your age. Actually, I like the PP a lot and I'm smart enough to know I'm not smart enough to modify the PP ;D , just wan...
by KodoCastle
Fri Jan 18, 2019 10:22 am
Forum: Variable Portfolio Discussion
Topic: A novice's VP: requesting feedback
Replies: 14
Views: 6556

Re: A novice's VP: requesting feedback

I thought the same thing. If you want to have a buy and hold VP, why hedge it like that, with LTTs and cash? LTTs and cash are there to smooth out the ups and downs of stocks and cash, and vice versa. It implies you aren't really willing to lose that money. Why not, instead, just slightly increase ...
by KodoCastle
Thu Jan 17, 2019 6:16 pm
Forum: Variable Portfolio Discussion
Topic: A novice's VP: requesting feedback
Replies: 14
Views: 6556

Re: A novice's VP: requesting feedback

Picking SCB only based on both simplicity, and the idea that since my PP has TSM, I'd already have a lot of LCB exposure. After I thought about it more (before your post buddtholomew), I was considering having my VP be purely SCB & MCB.... The main reason I had other assets in my first proposal was ...
by KodoCastle
Thu Jan 17, 2019 3:42 pm
Forum: Variable Portfolio Discussion
Topic: A novice's VP: requesting feedback
Replies: 14
Views: 6556

A novice's VP: requesting feedback

Hey all, Getting into investing and I really like the PP. However, as I am relatively young (27) and the PP provides steady-but-not-great CAGR, the idea of a VP interests me. Trying to apply some PP principles, I created what I think to be a simple portfolio that leans into growth and prosperity but...
by KodoCastle
Tue Jan 15, 2019 4:50 pm
Forum: Bonds
Topic: Bonds and IRAs
Replies: 15
Views: 14681

Re: Bonds and IRAs

If you have room to do Roth at 12% or lower taxes now, I would jump all over that. Odds seem high that tax rates will be headed up at some point. Even if that turns out to be incorrect, you will have lost little or nothing by doing Roth at 12% taxes. The only caveat would be if you are in a high-ta...
by KodoCastle
Tue Jan 15, 2019 3:32 pm
Forum: Bonds
Topic: Bonds and IRAs
Replies: 15
Views: 14681

Re: Bonds and IRAs

... From a PP perspective, the big debate is whether to do one big PP which spans all your accounts, or whether to do smaller, individual PPs inside each tax treatment. Broadly, there are three tax treatments: * taxable * Roth IRA * traditional IRA Personally, I prefer to have a separate PP in each...
by KodoCastle
Tue Jan 15, 2019 9:29 am
Forum: Bonds
Topic: Bonds and IRAs
Replies: 15
Views: 14681

Re: Bonds and IRAs

From sophie's proper prodding for me to do more research, here are the answers I found. Would appreciate if people could confirm or correct my answers to give me some more confidence in my understanding. For proper tax shelter from the interest payments, I'm I right in thinking I want a Roth IRA as ...
by KodoCastle
Tue Jan 15, 2019 1:36 am
Forum: Bonds
Topic: Bonds and IRAs
Replies: 15
Views: 14681

Bonds and IRAs

Hello all, I'm new to investing and am trying to get my head around how to use IRAs with PP. I have a plan of opening a Roth IRA account at Vanguard, and use their free service to buy US Treasuries (30-year bonds and 52-week T-bills). For proper tax shelter from the interest payments, I'm I right in...