Post Your Wins

[Nutria]

I decided to buy some I-bonds after reading a recent thread on bonds here. I tried to open a new account on the Treasury Direct website but found I already have an account with over $11k in I-bonds that I purchased in 2011

How much are they worth now?

and forgot about. I started keeping records of all my assets 5 years ago and just missed this one so I'm pretty happy for the reminder!

You're not the only one who has been lax in record keeping...

[Forumfan]

How much are they worth now?



You're not the only one who has been lax in record keeping...

Current value is $11,590. I had put in $10k which works out to around 1.5% growth. Not shocking with the very low inflation rate over the past decade.

[Nutria]

Current value is $11,590. I had put in $10k

My mistaken interpretation.

which works out to around 1.5% growth. Not shocking with the very low inflation rate over the past decade.

Technically, a semi-annual compound interest rate of 1.35%.

It would be interesting to know what the money would be worth if it had been invested in high-rate 12-month CDs.

[disneysteve]

Our synagogue has made some changes to the dues structure. Dues for our category were decreased by $500/year. That's a nice savings - almost $42/month.

Why are they doing this? I'm not involved in leadership but my assumption is that it is a retention effort. Traditionally, many families leave after their child has their bar/bat mitzvah. Hopefully this will address some of that.

Either way, it's a win for us.

[Nutria]

Why are they doing this? I'm not involved in leadership but my assumption is that it is a retention effort. Traditionally, many families leave after their child has their bar/bat mitzvah. Hopefully this will address some of that.

It's hard to keep continuity of tradition when people leave at age 40, and take their children with them. When do the children return to synagogue?

[disneysteve]

It's hard to keep continuity of tradition when people leave at age 40, and take their children with them. When do the children return to synagogue?

When they get married and start having kids of their own.

It's an age old problem for religious institutions. People use them for day care, pre-school, and religious education, but then drift away once the kids are educated. It's not a problem unique to our congregation or even just to Judaism. How to engage young single people in their 20s and 30s is a constant puzzle we're all trying to solve. And how to get parents to see the value of belonging to a community beyond just to educate their kids.

[disneysteve]

My cousin had a very well regarded antique car that he took to hundreds of car shows over the years. He had a room filled with trophies he had won. Generally speaking trophies are only of any value to the person who won them and are otherwise worthless. We were afraid we’d have to have some junk disposal place take them away but we connected with a guy who runs a youth sports ministry program for underprivileged kids and takes donated trophies to use for the kids.

He came by today and we packed his van with about 80 trophies. He was thrilled and we are thrilled that they are going to a great cause and not into a dumpster. That’s definitely a win in my book.

[QuarterMillionMan]

What would be your rough estimate of everything you'll inherit from your late cousin if you don't mind me asking, including the property, cars, investments, etc. What was your cousin's occupation, again if you don't mind me asking. No need to reply if it's too personal. All I remember was that he was single with no kids, much like myself (my 2 brothers are my successor trustees). Your cousin was lucky to have you as his executor/successor. If your cousin hadn't chosen yourself, do you speculate who his 2nd choice might have been if you weren't there for him? I have a female cousin who is a pharmacist, no kids, estranged from her siblings but has a BFF female in another state who I suspect is my cousin's successor but I have no idea.

[disneysteve]

What would be your rough estimate of everything you'll inherit from your late cousin if you don't mind me asking, including the property, cars, investments, etc. What was your cousin's occupation, again if you don't mind me asking.

If your cousin hadn't chosen yourself, do you speculate who his 2nd choice might have been if you weren't there for him?

I don't mind the questions at all. I've already shared that info elsewhere in the forums and my blog.

All totaled, the inheritance will come to somewhere in the $1.2M range. The final number will depend on what the house and the remaining car sell for.

My cousin was a bank officer in compliance at his last position prior to retiring in 2010. He started many years ago as a teller and worked his way up the ladder. Never made a huge income but being single and childless he was able to build a nice life for himself and retire comfortably at 55.

I have no idea who he would have chosen as executor if not for me. Maybe one of his friends from the banking world. I'm really not sure.

[QuarterMillionMan]

It looks like we can expect to see a lot more wins from you in this thread, thanks to your late cousin. I like those success stories where your cousin worked his way up the corporate ladder starting from bank teller. Hard work reaps its rewards. That is a win right there in itself for your late cousin which I'll acknowledge in this "post your wins" thread on my behalf for your late cousin.

[disneysteve]

It looks like we can expect to see a lot more wins from you in this thread, thanks to your late cousin. I like those success stories where your cousin worked his way up the corporate ladder starting from bank teller. Hard work reaps its rewards. That is a win right there in itself for your late cousin which I'll acknowledge in this "post your wins" thread on my behalf for your late cousin.

For sure. Lived below his means, saved regularly from day one, got to retire at 55 and enjoy 10 great years in a brand new home in Florida, had a 50K every day car and 2 antique cars, and left behind $1M+ estate, unfortunately at only 66 years old. Had he lived another 20 years, that probably would have grown to quite a bit more as even though he was drawing from it regularly, it was growing faster than he was spending it, especially once he started collecting SS. Definitely a win.

[QuarterMillionMan]

With all the liquidating that you're preoccupied with at the time being one thing that may not have crossed your mind is to notify the 3 credit bureaus of his death to close out his accounts to avoid possible fraud in the future but that might be a task towards the end of all the other odds and ends to take care of.

[QuarterMillionMan]

DS another question for you, did your cousin and you discuss a funeral for him? Or was he like me being a loner and no funeral? I can relate on so many levels.

[disneysteve]

With all the liquidating that you're preoccupied with at the time being one thing that may not have crossed your mind is to notify the 3 credit bureaus of his death to close out his accounts to avoid possible fraud in the future but that might be a task towards the end of all the other odds and ends to take care of.

Great idea. I have closed a bunch of his accounts but I will do this also.

Today's win: I just got back from taking what I think was the 9th carload of donations to the thrift shop. It is a ministry that runs a drug and alcohol addiction recovery program. We're happy to support a great cause and I'm sure the houseful of stuff we donated will help out a lot. Today I also brought over a carton of food donations and toiletries which will be used by those in the program.

QMM - I don't want to get too off topic but yes, we had discussed funeral arrangements and he had a nice service in NJ and burial in PA near the rest of the family. When this is all done, I'll probably start a thread about what I've learned going through the whole estate process.

[james.hendrickson]

Found a penny on the street earlier this week...that's a very small win, but I'll take it.