Proxy Voting and The Worst Job I Ever Had
Prior to a company’s annual meeting, shareholders receive a package in the mail or via email. It contains an invitation and some documents known as proxy voting materials. The proxy voting package outlines upcoming proceedings that will take place at the annual meeting. Usually this includes voting on the Board of Directors, confirmation of the […]
Utilize the Roth IRA for Early Retirement
Are you interested in learning about using the Roth IRA for early retirement? Anyone seeking financial independence must understand how to utilize the Roth IRA for early retirement in the context of their own retirement plan. Its usage will not be the same for everyone. Government incentives and laws consequently shape and complicate all of our […]
The Details of My Rental Property
Every month I update the Investment Income page to show how my passive income streams are fairing. Included is the amount of money I make on my rental property. In this post I’m going to give you some background and crunch the numbers to show you exactly how I calculate my cash flow. The property […]
Aqua America DRIP Investment Initiated
Update – Still buying $100 per month in the Aqua America DRIP. Check out my most recent Investment Income Update for the latest buys. Or click here to see my entire investment portfolio. I’m now using M1 Finance instead of opening new DRIPs. It’s a more intuitive platform for beginner to intermediate investors. Highly recommended. On January […]
Sector Weighting – Developing a Game Plan
Update: I’m now using Personal Capital for complete asset allocation analysis, net worth calculation, sector weighting and retirement fee analysis. Personal Capital is a 100% free tool. Highly recommended. I have recently done some sector weighting analysis on my portfolio. By evaluating my portfolio, I can see where I am overweight and underweight large sectors […]
10 Years In The Verizon DRIP
Update: I’ve since transferred my Verizon DRIP shares out of Computershare and into TD Ameritrade. Click here to read about the transfer process. Instead of opening new DRIPs, I prefer a more flexible platform called M1 Finance. M1 Finance gives you all the benefits of dollar cost averaging and fractional shares but at a lower […]
A Lending Club Filter For Solid Returns
After using LendingRobot for automated purchases for a while instead of this Lending Club Filter, I’m back to selecting notes manually and this filter again. Read about my latest Lending Club investing returns here. On May 2nd, 2013, Google bought a stake in Lending Club at a $1.55 billion valuation. This headline was the first time I […]
The Best 529 Plan For My Daughter Is Not As Perfect As She Is
I recently opened a new 529 account for my daughter’s college savings. After a lot of thought, and without much fanfare, I have decided to use the Virginia 529 inVest Plan, the same plan I use for my son. From my research, it’s the best 529 plan available for our family. I have written an […]
Patience Pays – 16 Years of Buying and Holding Coca-Cola
As of late 2017, I still hold all of my Coca-Cola shares in the Coca-Cola DRIP. However, I’m no longer reinvesting the dividends. In addition, I do not start any new DRIPs these days. I prefer a more modern online broker called M1 Finance that gives you the power of dollar cost averaging and fractional […]
Learning From Your Coworkers Who Cannot Retire
At my forty hour a week job, I work with a lot of people who are nearing, at, or even past traditional retirement age. In my late 30’s, I am one of the youngest in the office. When the opportunity arises, I try to ask my coworkers questions about their retirement dates and plans, without […]
CSX DRIP Investment Initiated
Update 11/16/2015: I recently transferred my shares out of the CSX DRIP and into TD Ameritrade. I found the Broadridge CSX DRIP to be a complication on my finances, and they charged fees. Now I’m tracking my investments through TD Ameritrade, Loyal3, and Personal Capital (a free and powerful investment tracker). For a guide on […]
Why I Don’t Read Travel Blogs
While this blog is relatively new, my goal to retire a year before my Dad retired is not. The goal has been around since October 2002, shortly after he stopped working. Back then at age 27, I had a lot of time to start getting serious about saving for retirement. But I was not serious […]
Chevron and How to Get Started Dividend Investing
Please read my latest update, 20 Years In The Chevron DRIP. I have been dividend investing as a core investment strategy since May of 1995. That year on my birthday, my uncle gifted me one single share of Chevron stock, symbol CHV at the time, now CVX. He was an employee for the company and he […]
A Brief History of My Debt
As a general rule, I am against using debt to buy things. Long ago my Dad explained that it is best to pay off credit cards every month. He told me this before I even understood what carrying a balance meant. The one exception I hold for debt usage in personal finance is real estate. […]