Striper_WSO

w/ Nav wings?

Not being dead > Not flying.

CC is definitely not closed as the wife calls from there every night. She is an O-3 doctor type and was put in the CC and not the dorms. Not sure what the threshold for staying in the dorms will be now that there is greater capacity.

Call the VA and ask about your educational benefits. They can look up your information by SSN and determine what you'll get. They've always been very helpful when I've called. As for the full-time job, it really depends on what you want to do. Do you want to work on Wall Street? Reserve job is probably incompatible. Do you want to work at a CPG company in middle America? They might be more accomodating. But getting the right location, right job, close to reserve job, flexible time for reserve duty - lining those up might be very tough.

You can do it. Not a reservist, but did go full-time to a top 20 program with a couple reservists/folks in the guard. Couple things to remember: 1. Most programs don't have class on Friday, which is helpful if you have to travel to your unit. 2. You get the standard long academic break over Christmas. 3. You have to do an internship between the two years, but you still should have 4-5 weeks off during that time. 4. You have to go to class. So Monday-Thursday during the academic year is pretty much non-negotiable, meaning you have to be in the seat attending. 5. Lots of shit to do outside class: organizations, interviews, projects, drinking, socializing, but if you make your reserve duty a priority, you can do it. Best of luck to you!

LOL.

I'm still amazed that there are guys that want to do this. It's extremely difficult to beat the market. There are professionals managing mutual funds making millions per year that do not beat the market. 85% of managed mutual funds did not beat the broader market this year. You've admitted that you know nothing about the market, so why not just take that money and put it on black? Cause that sounds like what you are doing. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/20/your-money/who-routinely-trounces-the-stock-market-try-2-out-of-2862-funds.html?_r=0

Many active duty docs also moonlight while they are on active duty. I know one that makes the same amount in three days in the civilian sector moonlighting as she does during a month on active duty. Add in the annual retention bonus and free healthcare for the family and the pay differential is not that big.

Can you post one or two here?

What career is this?

I see your point. My complaint is more with the USAF restricting flybys at these types of events. What better showcase then the Indy 500? It seems to me that the USAF restricted flybys to thumb its nose at Congress during sequester. Restricting these does not save money and seems to be more about the optics. Caveat: I've been a civilian for two years, so what do I know.

Czech aircraft did the flyby at the Indy 500 today? WTF. http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?185675-2014-Indy-500-Flyover-Black-Diamond-Jet-Team

JASSM.

Are nuclear weapons flammable? Is that their biggest worry if something goes wrong?

Also this from this morning's WSJ. A big STS on the whole article. Going through the back door can pay off for high-income retirement savers. We're talking about the backdoor route into popular Roth individual retirement accounts, which offer tax-free income in later life. The front door into Roths is shut for many investors. Married couples earning $191,000 or more and singles earning $129,000 or more in 2014 are barred from contributing directly to Roth IRAs. But there's a simple detour that works for many of them. They can put money into a traditional IRA—and then roll that into a Roth IRA, getting all the benefits. More than 40% of the Silicon Valley executives working with adviser Bijan Golkar of FPC Investment Advisory Inc. in Petaluma, Calif., do this year after year, he says. Roth IRAs are "a great tool" for these clients, who are likely to be in high tax brackets even in retirement because of hefty 401(k) accounts, he says. With a Roth IRA, contributions are made with after-tax dollars, but earnings compound without tax and can be withdrawn tax-free in retirement. With a traditional IRA, in contrast, qualifying savers get an upfront tax deduction but owe tax when money is withdrawn. Most high earners who can't contribute directly to a Roth also can't make a deductible IRA contribution. For instance, there's no deduction if you are covered by a retirement plan at work and have 2014 income of at least $116,000 on a joint return or $70,000 as a single filer. So for those investors, a traditional IRA is ho-hum. But high earners are still allowed to contribute to a traditional IRA, and that's the first step in the indirect route to a Roth IRA. The next step, which might occur as soon as a few days later: Convert that traditional IRA to a Roth, which is a move available to all. There's one big caveat: This strategy works best for people who don't already have money in traditional IRAs. That's because in conversions, earnings and previously untaxed contributions in traditional IRAs are taxed—and that tax is figured based on allyour traditional IRAs, even ones you aren't converting. For an investor who doesn't already hold traditional IRAs, creating one and then quickly converting it into a Roth IRA will cost little or nothing in tax, because after a short holding period there's likely to be little or no appreciation in the account. But if you already have money in traditional IRAs, particularly ones for which you took a deduction, you could face a far higher tax bill on the conversion. "That is definitely a trap that people fall into," says Jeffrey Levine, a CPA with Ed Slott & Co. in Rockville Centre, N.Y. One possible workaround, he says, is to roll older traditional IRAs into your 401(k) plan, if the plan allows. Then converting a new IRA into a Roth will cost you taxes on only the earnings, if any, of the new account.

I think you are saying that you are over the $191K income limit (married filing jointly) for contributing to a Roth IRA. You should be able to recategorize your contributions into a traditional IRA. This may involve withdrawing the funds from your Roth to put into a traditional IRA. Call your brokerage and ask if this is available. You will lose the tax-deferred growth of these contributions obviously. There is no income limit for contributing to a traditional IRA. There are deduction limits on a traditional IRA though. But, Congrats! You are into the neighborhood of (relatively) high earners…and the Roth wasn't intended for these folks.

That's disappointing.

Are all flyovers still not allowed? Or since sequestration is over and a budget has been passed, can we expect to see flyovers and military jets at air shows again?

You sound like an awful, miserable person.

Oskee Wow-Wow

I've had an IRA with Vanguard for about 10 years. My wife has had one with them for about 8. Very satisfied customers. Expense ratios are the lowest in the industry. Website is easy to use. Once you get over a certain dollar amount (think it is 50K) that do not charge an annual maintenance fee. One potential downside may be the number of options for funds, ETFs, and stocks for your IRA. I have only put money in Vanguard Index funds with Vanguard. Not sure what the fees are if you wanted to do something different than that. Probably worth looking into if you want to do that and are going to put your money with Vanguard.

Yes, you can put it in whatever type of vehicle you want (mutual fund, ETF, stock, etc.) v. the funds run by the states. Your expense ratios will likely be less if you use an index fund v. the state accounts. I like the ability to spend the funds for K-12 too. The rest of your points are fair.

My advice is to max out a Coverdell Savings Account before putting money in a 529. The contribution limit is only $2000, but the account functions much like a Roth IRA (after-tax contributions). You also get to choose what type of investment to put the money into. The money can be used before college for private schools too.

They drank alcohol in a debrief? The horror!

I'm sure April is Heterosexual Pride Month.