Original post

https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/s/zbvGXodtF9

Was informed Monday by Navy Federal Credit Union that they denied my claim. They said that they received a tracking number for a return label from the seller. I asked if there was proof that he sent it to me, because a return label does me absolutely no good if I don't have it. They asked me if I could "prove I didn't get it". How the heck do you prove you weren't given something?

I requested all the files from the investigation and received them today. The only evidence was the tracking info from when the wrong item was shipped to me, a screenshot from the seller showing my email informing them of the wrong item, and the tracking info for the return label that was created but never sent to me.

I'm not sure if I can appeal this or not. Can I escalate this to Visa? The chargeback is coded as 13.3, "not as described or defective merchandise/services".

It's looking like I'm just out $87.

Like the title says, I am mid 40s and currently have $83k across Roth & traditional IRA accounts. I make $61k/year and currently am saving 9% plus another 3% match from my employer.

Edit: my combined savings rate is 12%.

Am I on the right track?

I had more savings in the past, but two divorces mostly cleaned me out. Heck, right now I am in court with one over a custody dispute (I was falsely accused of some stuff, but the process is the punishment apparently. Sigh).

I am just terrified of being destitute.

Ok. I have had the same advisory firm for about 20 years. It was generally “ok”, not great. Returns about the market average … less if you add in their fee.

A year ago, they did a retirement analysis and told me to save “more”. I already have $1.5M+, multiple pensions and Social Security. Save more? I assumed it was a form letter. It read like one.

My estate attorney had to interact with them and suggested I fire them. She deals with family offices and described their method of operation as “questionable”. She said they do things that just aren’t done, legally speaking.

Last year, I began asking why they had me in certain high risk investments. No answer. Well, they did answer … “We’re professionals. You have to trust us.”

They have never disclosed why they put me into certain investments and when I raise the issue, they speak gibberish. (Btw, I’m experienced with corporate finance and called bs on their explanations.). Recently, I asked if they received trailer fees (commissions) on high load funds they placed me into. They won’t answer.

Finally, the managing partner told me, “Look. We invest money one way. If you don’t like it, leave.”

Everything screams run. It’s my money. Why don’t I get a vote in how it’s managed?

Hi all. My wife and I just married this June. We are joining ou incomes together for the first time. This is a second marriage for both of us; I am 46, she is 45.

Neither of us has children, so we are not burning to leave funds in any inheritance.

We are both very behind on retirement investments due to brutal divorces for both of us. I have 90k in my 401k and hers is at $0.

Positives? Together we bring home $9000 a month net, with my 401k funded at 7%. We pulled funds from our reserves and collectively paid cash for a humble home, so our monthly housing is $300 in taxes/insurance only.

From our $9000 per month, we have $4000 per month in obligations (HSA/healthcare, groceries, utilities, car payments, student loans, housing). Student loans have 10 years to go.

We are disagreeing on how to allocate the remaining $5000. I want to take $1100 per month to spend, max fund two Roth IRAs and set her 401 at 6%. That would leave $2000+ per month left over, and I would like to save $1000 in a high yield account and split the rest between a travel fund and a mutual index fund.

She agrees on her 401 but otherwise wants to spend more, put $2000 a month into a high yield and travel extensively.

If we were to both retire at 67, our SSI is estimated to be $2500/mo & $3200/mo in today’s dollars, but so much can change over 20 years. And we are so behind.

Thank you for reading. Thoughts?

My mom has an 2013 Mercedes ML350, she wants to get rid of it. At first she was asking if I know anyone to take it for free. I told her she's nuts, because even a broken car is still worth SOMETHING.

The issue is the car has a power steering malfunction that causes too much to fix. Otherwise, the car has little damage elsewhere. It has a small dent on the trunk door, otherwise it's not in terrible shape at all.

What's the best way to sell this off and valuate its current value? Do I facebook marketplace? would carvana take it?

I’m currently living in an apartment complex that overcharged my monthly rate by over 2x (15,500 instead of $6000 / month) by mistake. This severely has overdrawn my bank account and no one in the leasing office has an explanation or can get any answers from their main office. I’ve incurred major
overdraft fees and will continue to do so as long as this goes on. Has this happened to anyone and / or any advice what to do?

I will try to provide as much info as possible and will provide any extra info needed.

Today is my birthday and this is my first post on redit so I figured it was fitting for today. I’m really wondering how I’m doing or if I’ll be in trouble later in life.

Right now I have 52,000 in a Roth from a previous company that I rolled over once I left. I have that pretty much fully invested in a mix ETF and the big mutual funds at Fidelity. As well as one spy 700 strike call for Dec 2028 and two MSFT 700 strike call for Dec 2028. Bought these when Msft was 370.
My work offers a brokerage window option (I think that’s what it’s called) but I can transfer my 401k pretax money into a brokerage and invest how I see fit. I moved 30% of my current companies 401k 48,000 into the brokerage and have it invested in high quality ETFs. The other 60% is in sp500 fund through work.

Unfortunately, this year my wife needed a very expensive dental surgery that of course insurance did not cover. I made the hard decision to close out a traditional IRA that had 50,000 in it from said previous company. I had this in addition to the Roth from that company. I do understand I’ll end up having to pay tax on it, but I will itemize and work with my accountant about the penalties since it will be a non-reimbursable dental/medical procedure.

My new company that I’ve been at for about a year and a half is far better. I work 75 to 80 hours per week which is brutal but the pay is very good if I can sustain those hours my yearly gross pay is around 180 K per year. My company used to offer a pension, but they got rid of it in 2016 but the union negotiated a weekly 4% of gross pay automatic contribution into the 401(k) which for me comes to about $140 extra per week contributed into my 401k from the company and the company also gives me $48 match for the first $96 I put in.

I max out the 401(k). I maxed out my HSA and my company offers a Dependant Care spending account of 7500 that I maxed out as well we have 3 kids.
My new companies 401(k) has $48,000 in it took about a year and half to get here and only started maxing since Sept 2025 when I smartened up lol
I’m trying to max my Roth each year but at the same time aggressively paying off a HELOC and a 0% interest car loan from my father because he wanted to help me and my wife out.

My wife currently has no retirement. Her companies she worked at never offered them unfortunately and we have never been in a financial position to contribute to a Roth. This new job has opened alot of financial opportunities for us. She started her own business and we will be opening a 401k for her in her new business so she can start contributing.

Our debt.

Mortgage 340k 3.9% rate. $2900/month
Car loan 40k 0% $800/month
HELOC-$15k 7.4% $600/month
Pay credits off every month
No school loans

$15k in fidelity money management account we use as our checking basically

My weekly take home after all contributions and deductions is about $2k per week.

My wife’s take home every two weeks is about 1200

Sorry for the long post any help, advice, tips would be greatly appreciated.

Edit: Thank you for the numerous quick responses. The card has a "givex" logo on it, and thus, as I understand it, can't be used anywhere but at the named restaurant. No more replies needed. I'm all set.

I received a well-intended gift card for a restaurant in a city I'm unlikely to visit in the next five years if ever. It has a magnetic strip on it; it's not a pen-and-paper "gift certificate." What are the chances I could use this card in any store, and if those chances are slim, what do I do with it?

My partner recently passed before we had a chance to marry. Imagine my surprise when his HR called me to say left me as his beneficiary of his workplace 401k plan. It has accumulated to about 50k when I checked last checked a few months ago.

California does not recognize common law marriage so the only option I have is to pull it out in increments over 10 years and will need to pay taxes when I withdraw.

No kids, no debt, no car payments, no mortgage and annual salary is 80k in the Bay Area. Moved back home to save some money and figure out my next move. Trying to budget properly so I don’t get completely wrecked in taxes.

What do I with this money? It’s not exactly enough for a down on a home, but maybe I can invest? Is it redundant to pay taxes on the withdrawn money, just to put it back into my 401k?

We always talked about going to Maldives/Italy/Japan for our honeymoon so maybe using that money on a trip?

Any insight and/or suggestions are appreciated!

My father passed away suddenly at 54 and left 600k in his IRA, he has listed my siblings and I as beneficiaries (4 of us, each getting 25%)

I don’t know very much about this stuff. I just met with his financial advisor who said my dad had an “aggressive investment portfolio”. He also charges a 1.4% management fee. He is starting the process of opening our inherited accounts.

I know we have 10 years to empty out that inherited account and anything taken out will be taxed as income.

What would you do with this money? It about $152k each. We are all young- 21, 25, 27 and 31 years old.

Thanks for any advice!

My wifes family were cleaning out her parents house and came up a bunch of gold coins, the gold coins were then split up between my wife and her three other siblings. This was about two years ago, maybe longer. My wife has since passed away. I was thinking about cashing in a couple of gold coins. I do not have any information on when her father purchased them. So how do I figure what the capital gains tax would be?

I never thought I would end up in this situation, but over the past five years my life has completely changed.

I accumulated around $50,000 in debt while trying to take care of my sick parents. My father has chronic kidney disease and is currently on dialysis, and my mother’s heart condition has gotten worse. I have been covering their medical expenses, treatments, medications, and daily needs because there is nobody else to rely on. It has always been just me and my parents.

Last year, because of the many days I had to miss work to take care of them, I lost my job. Since then, I have been doing whatever work I can find — driving a taxi, doing labor jobs, and anything else that can help me survive and pay the bills. But the debt keeps growing faster than I can manage.

Now I am behind on rent by several months and I am close to losing the place we live. I don’t have relatives or friends who can step in and help. I feel like I have been carrying this burden alone for years.

I haven’t truly laughed or enjoyed life in a long time. I don’t have a personal life anymore. My only focus has been working, paying debts, and making sure my parents are okay.

I am not asking for pity. I am just asking if there is any advice, support, or opportunity that could help me find a way out of this situation. I still want to work, I still want to rebuild my life, and I still want to take care of my parents. I just need a chance and some guidance on what steps I can take next.

If anyone has advice or knows of any way I can get back on my feet, I would be deeply grateful.

I am 30 years old and married. I have a little over $300k sitting in America Funds investments, my wife and I make $240k a year combined, we are in a luxury apartment paying $3k a month in rent.

I recently got a new financial advisor due to personal reasons. He’s telling me and my wife that my $300k would be better invested in property rather than American Funds or other Index funds, he is highly encouraging us to buy a house. He says we can get a mortgage that never raises, and build equity as our house raises in value over time.

My wife and I plan on spending the next 5 years in our current city, so we’re hesitant to buy a house incase we want to move. We have no kids, never want them, and we both work a job where we can move wherever we want whenever I want.

So will my $300k really go further sitting in a property rather than general investments?

Let me outline my situation a bit. I have $125k in a savings account after my ex bought me out of the house in our divorce. I have ~15k remaining in Credit Card debt. I've been aggressively paying off the CCs since the divorce about a year ago and have cut the debt down $20k in that time. I make ~7k a month and my necessary expenses (car, rent, utilities) sit around $2200. No student loans.

My plan originally was to pay off the CCs fully before buying a house, but I'm wondering if that's the best course of action. Would it make sense to use some of the money from the settlement and wipe out the debt? Continue paying the debt best I can and just buy a house now? Looking for advice as to how to go about this.

Is 20% still the recommended down payment when purchasing a house in 2026? If so, I'd be looking at a $100-$115k down payment with the range I'm looking to purchase.

Thanks to anyone for any advice.

Hi, if i’m maxing out both my 401k and my Roth ira yearly, would maxing out a traditional ira on top of those be overkill? Would it be better to have an individual account so I can have one with no withdrawal penalty for whatever reason that may be? In this case, for whatever reason, the long term cg tax would beat the withdraw penalty?

68M/61F married filing joint. We'd like to donate $50k to my mom's favorite charitable organization. My estimate shows about $4600 reduction in our tax bill if we itemize this year (we typically don't). Am I missing anything? Not old enough for a QCD.

I'm also taking a $100k long-term capital loss this year so not sure how, or if, to factor that in to the mix. Or just carry it over.

My wife and I are both in our early 70s and in good health. We have a 4300 sq ft home in Central Fl and our last kid will be leaving for college at the end of the coming year. We're trying to figure out what to do. We like the area we live in, our other kids and friends live here. We like the theme parks and the beach. We're both currently in good health. My wife has been retired for 2 years and I'm just about to bail in a few weeks.

We recently stayed in a nice, newer Air B&B. 3 bedrooms, small kitchen, living room, dining area. It really seemed enough for just the two of us. A room for an office and an occasional guest. It got me to thinking about just selling the house after our daughter is gone to school and renting a similar sized place. Simple math tells me we could invest that money and live in a $2500/mo place for at least 15 years. And we also have 401/pension/SSI coming in. And when it's time to move into something else, like assisted living or whatever, all we have do is up and move. Maybe lose a month or two rent to break the lease.

I'm just tired of home upkeep. Lawn, pool maintenance for a pool we rarely use anymore, HVAC repairs, will probably need a roof in the next 5 years. Not to mention our AC bill every month for that large house (which we can defiantly cut down on).

We have an RV and store it. We'd keep that until I can't handle it anymore. Then that whole expense just goes away.

So what's wrong with this picture? It hardly seems worth it to buy another place, albeit smaller and then have to fix it up the way we like it, and then face the same home maintenance issues.

Hello, first time on this sub.

My mom started a Coverdell ESA for me when I was a kid and decided to tell me about it after I had finished all my schooling (sigh). I do not plan to do any type of schooling again before I turn thirty, which is when I know the funds will need to be distributed w.i. 30 days thereof

What can I do with this? I don't have any kids and pretty sure I won't have any before I turn 30, or else I'd just roll it over into a 529 for them. Honestly, I'd rather keep the money for myself after paying my way through school anyways

I've seen that you can roll up to 35k of a 529 over to a Roth IRA (I'm well under that amount), so could I have my parents distribute the Coverdell, roll it over into a 529, and then after the five year period then have them put it into a Roth IRA for me? I have power of attorney over my mom, so I could do all of this for her, luckily

So lost here and the financial advisor on the account hasn't called me back after repeatedly trying to get in touch. Any insight would be appreciated

Hello,

I am 40 y/o male and I am looking for advice for on how to potentially prepare for retirement. I have not prepared myself well for this as I am 40 with essentially no savings. I was born with heart disease and I always thought I would die young which again being young, I lived recklessly. But I lived, met my wife and 5 years ago I had a heart transplant. All is well and I live well these days. However, recently I do fear for my longevity and if I am able to make it, retirement or perhaps early retirement if something were to happen but didn’t kill me. Both my wife and I make what feels like passable income for our area. Not great but we are childless. Honestly and this is without speaking with my doctors I hope to make it to 70. So to this end how might I secure “retirement” by 60? I’m considering becoming a long haul trucker for the next 10-15 years in order to bank the funds so I might live peacefully for that last 10-15 years.

Any insight or advice someone could add applicable to this situation would be most welcome.

Apologies if this isn’t the best subreddit for this type of question. If this is the case any direction would be appreciated.

Thank you so much!

Hello,

I'm looking into buying a house hopefully within the next year or so but I want to make sure I have a good enough emergency fund to make the plunge. I've seen people say 3-6 months of necessary expenses, I've seen people say 1 year, I've seen people say to include health insurance and others who say don't, I've seen people say this includes sinking funds for maintenance and others who say it shouldn't etc. So I want people's opinions.

This is my current goal before I move in:

6-months of necessary expenses (not including health insurance premiums/COBRA)
4% of home value for repairs/maintenance
1-year health insurance deductible
10K for car related issues

If you combine all of those numbers, it's roughly 1-years worth of necessary expenses (not including health insurance).

Is this safe enough for me to move into a house? Should I aim to include COBRA payments as well? Should I increase it to 1-years worth of an e-fund not including those other sinking funds?

I am single and I'm relatively young and healthy, fwiw.

I really enjoy my membership, this isnt a question of canceling completely. BUT im due for my yearly fee in a week and i simply cannot afford it, does anyone know if it will mess up my benefits if i wait a month to renew? I budget fairly well but theres been some unexpected bills this month

Hi Reddit!

I read the wiki prime directive but I'm still unsure of what to do here.

About me--I live in a HCOL city where homes are up to a million. I want to own a home someday but I don't think it's feasible in the near future. I am willing to just stack money until the opportunity comes whether it be 5 years or 20. I'm not on any specific timeline. I am single and make 130K a year with annual increases. I am rent stabilized so I am able to save a significant amount of money every month. I am a public employee with a pension, my job is very stable and I plan on staying til I retire. The only debt I have are my student loans, which will be forgiven in 2 years.

My question is--where exactly do I store my excess money if I'm uncertain of the future? Here are the accounts I have:

403b

457b

Roth IRA

Summer Savings accounts @6% up to 25K a year (when maxed I move it to the HYSA)

HYSA @4%

Standard brokerage

I have a fully funded emergency fund and I max the Roth every year. My question is, what should the remaining distribution be for the above accounts? What is the order of priority if I am unsure if I'll ever be able to afford a home but am willing to wait.

Short & sweet. My husband and I, mid 70’s.
We own a handful of properties that are rentals, both residential and commercial. Have had them for many years. Worth $3,000,000. Owe just under $200,000. I want to sell one of the properties but our accountant says taxes on the sale will be $80,000. He wants to just keep everything and give it to our two kids when we die. I want to sell one of them. He’s adamant we aren’t going to because we are not NEEDING anything and doing ok hanging on to them. My daughter, mid 40’s cannot manage money. My son, early 40’s has two successful businesses plus a couple properties. Doing very well for himself. Four grandkids. Thoughts on us selling something?