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CategoryDon’t pay for tax benefits you’re not using
I had a very interesting conversation today that got me thinking about a tax issue I had never given serious thought to before, and which I think is probably totally
Two interesting strategies for avoiding the SECURE Act’s revenue provisions
Become a Patron!One blog I keep an eye on is Michael Kitces’s website Nerd’s Eye View. The content is rarely very relevant to me personally, but they do a terrific
Episode 32: How to Salvage Travel Plans After AA Account Shutdown
We’ve not put out a free episode of the Milenomics² podcast since last year–The success of the paid show led us to focus on…
I knew everything about the ACA, lost my insurance, and got sick
Since I’ve been self-employed almost as long as the Affordable Care Act has been law, I’ve had lots of opportunities to learn the finer points of the law. At its
Wage replacement is an important measurement, whether or not it’s good policy
Become a Patron!I’ve written before about the FAMILY Act, the leading Democratic initiative in the House and Senate to create a nationwide system of paid family and medical leave..
Manufactured spend with and without promotions and bonuses
On my way to the store the other day I realized that we hadn’t seen a really good grocery store promotion in a while. The beginning of December featured a
The (weird) optionality of Series EE savings bonds
Become a Patron!There’s a cliche at least as old as I am, that while ATM’s were expected to reduce the demand for bank tellers, banks actually increased the number of
What you need to know about the idiotic “QBI deduction reduction” rule
Become a Patron!In the frenzy to pass the Smash-and-Grab Tax Act of 2017, a faction of Republican senators who, totally coincidentally, are the owners of passthrough businesses, ..
Smart people overestimate the difficulty of maximizing the interest earned on savings
I’ve been using high-interest rewards checking accounts and other “gimmick” accounts for so long, I had somehow convinced myself that everybody else was using them, too. So imagi..
Why even the perfect income tax can’t substitute for a wealth tax
Become a Patron!After they finish hemming and hawing about “constitutional” arguments, opponents of proposals for an American tax on very large fortunes typically make one of two..
Why a newsletter?
So, I’ve decided to try something out here at asthejoeflies. I’ve been “blogging” for almost eight years now, and I put that words in quotes because I’m actually not a
The Frequent Traveler University Returns to Washington DC March 7-8
The Frequent Traveler University (FTU) is returning to Washington, DC March 7-8 in teaming up with the Travel & Adventure Show!
Old and New Speakers with tons of experience and k..
Biden is wrong about Social Security, but so is everybody else
In a bit of a surprising turn in the lead-up to the Iowa caucuses, former Vice President and Delaware Senator Joe Biden has finally come under sustained criticism for his
Shop Talk: AA Locking/Shutting Down Accounts
American Airlines has been locking and/or terminating accounts, and cancelling upcoming award travel for some. The common thread seems to be people who have…
Travel hacking in weak periods of manufactured spend
Sometimes it feels like the travel hacking community only has two speeds: greed and panic. It’s always either the golden age of manufactured spend or its funeral. Worse yet, it’s
Direct indexing and shareholder democracy
The late Paul Volcker is famously said to have quipped that he hadn’t seen a worthwhile financial innovation since the ATM, which makes him slightly more cynical than even I
Prosperity, precarity, anxiety, and solidarity
Become a Patron!As we plunge into a second decade of economic and employment growth since the global financial crisis, I’ve noticed an interesting divide open between different m..
How to think about the Spousal IRA deduction gap
Become a Patron!With the end of the year in sight and tax season around the corner, I’ve been brushing up on the rules for IRA contributions and deductions. Remember IRA
The SECURE Act is headed into law; small employers get a few handouts
Become a Patron!I’ve written extensively about the hilariously-named SECURE Act, which sailed through the House but was frozen in the Senate while Ted Cruz extorted his colleague..
Donor-advised funds are in the news, here’s why it matters
Become a Patron!Attributing quotes to famous dead people is, as the great Greek poet Homer is said to have once remarked, one of mankind’s oldest storytelling traditions. In that..
Airline Portal Holiday Bonuses for December 2019
A new wave of airline portal holiday bonuses have appeared. AA and Southwest look to be the most compelling of the bunch this time, but they can all be worth
Strategies to pay for an early retirement
Become a Patron!Last month I got to spend some time with a relation who recently left a high-powered tech job, and who asked for some advice about financing a more
Cool – Instant retro mileage credit at United
Hello and happy Thanksgiving to those in/from the US. It’s the day to reflect on how lucky many of us are to have what we have – be it loved ones, stockpiled mileage balances, o..