shareholders approve $1tn pay package

So if you sold US government bonds, where would you put the proceeds (after taxes!!!). My bond fund is full of car loans. My S&P fund is at an all time high. People are struggling and that has to trickle down to everyone. I do own some international fund that has been doing well as money flees. Though some of those indebted countries scare me.

 

you're asking financial advice from prius chatters?

 

No I'm interested to see what others think. Ya know...the open mind thing also know as I don't know it all.

 

I'm still an ex-street rat turned millionaire...having never bought one share of Tesla.

 

Having come a long way from poverty/parents that struggled, it's pretty depressing to see how a million dollars during youth (pre 1974) now has the purchasing power of a measly $160,000. That's not even ½ of what's needed to live in many bay area California neighborhoods - to the shame of both parties. Nixon for taking us off the gold standard & dems for ramping up vietnam, causing the deaths of ~1,000,000 people - not to mention the huge cost of dropping over 7 million tons of ordinance. We crumble, just like rome.

 

Yeah sure wish it worked that way

 

reverse mortgages are interesting, sorry kids

 

Even 15 years ago, a reverse mortgage cost was well into the 5 figures, just to acquire the loan. And even if your property was worth 20 million, there were limits on the cap of how much you could draw against that equity. They're greatfor many (just ask Tom Selleck ) but you have to be willing to take that huge up front hit.

 

How did you pay 30% capital gains tax on your TSLA sale, when the top capital gains rate is only 20% (**), and even then not on the first half million of gains?

(**) plus 3.8% Net Investment Income tax after a lower threshold, which still doesn't add up to 30%.

= = = =
Oops! Now I remember: it was short gains, not long term, so taxed at the higher rate of regular income.

 

According to various news articles, it is a loss-leader. And they have made changes over the years. With vertical integration, the hotdogs are now manufactured in-house, not purchased from outside. Other sourcing changes have lowered the cost of other elements of this menu item, bought in great bulk. Condiment choice has shrunk. And yes, other higher-margin items and membership fees also offset the cost.

 

What other national currencies have done any better? From using various local currencies during my travels the past few years, it seems the Euro (which didn't exist in the 1970s) is about the only one maintaining similar strength. The CDN / AUS / NZ slightly worse, plenty of others have suffered much worse inflation than we have.

 

And no more combo pizza option.

 

Long term Capital Gains tax rates vary depending on your other income. Just computed mine at 32% for this current year using last year's TurboTax. Ouch. Sold for down payment on house.

 

Now I remember more of Bob's situation last year. It was short term capital gains, not long term, so was taxable at the higher ordinary income rate.

It is possible for capital gains to push some other income into a higher marginal bracket, such that long term cap gains themselves are taxed at the proper lower rate, but some regular income gets boosted across a boundary into a higher bracket. The net is that the gain appears to be taxed at both its own rate plus the difference between rates that the other income gets pushed across. BTDT.