We haven't talked about goals in a long time

[Radar]

Originally Posted by euphoriatheory

Now.... Radar, you're right. That was too general a statement regarding private schools. Some are great and some suck. I just know that I didn't take too kindly to homeschooling, partially because my parents were ill-equipped to teach us, and partially because kids lose a lot of socialization that way, which is a necessary skill to get by professionally. It might not be a graded subject in public or private schools, but it's definitely something you learn there!

The social skills argument really holds no water. Home schooled kids don't live in a bubble. They still have friends. They join the scouts, little league, play in the neighborhood with other kids, some go to church, etc.

They have plenty of time to learn the intricacies of social interaction without going to a school where they are more likely to get a subpar public education and to be taught that government is the solution to every problem when in fact governments are usually the cause. I'd like my kids to have a better shot at succeeding in school and in the workplace when they get older.

As a father, this is one of the best things I can do for my daughter and her future brother. I'd truly love to be able to stay at home with my daughter to give her a great education. I'm fully confident in my ability to teach math, science (biology, physics, etc), grammar, geography, political science, history, literature, civics, and linguistics at least to college levels. The only areas where I'd probably be weak are sociology, theater <i>(I work for a movie company and know a lot of actors so I'm sure I could get help here...plus I live near a million acting schools)</i>, P.E. <i>(I could cover this by enrolling her in swimming or karate or another such class and by playing with her inthe park)</i>, etc.

I might have to send her somewhere else to learn tact. I've been told I don't know much about it.

[Radar]

Originally Posted by lookout123

Short term? Stash enough cash away to implement my plan by August. The plan as it stands is move my practice to a bigger office even closer to home and bring on 2 employees in August and set for another in January. My goal in doing so is for a bit of motivation and a challenge. If they do their jobs well, their production should cover all their costs plus my office space bring me back to 100% payout on my own production. If that goes smoothly I'd like to have 2 more people on board by August '09. Their production should increase my income by 30%. January '10 I want to bring on the final piece of the puzzle. One more highly specialized person that only works with one product for our client base. That person's production should bring me to 200% of my current income (and they all make their cheese too.)

By 2012 my plan is for the practice to be generating enough recurring and passive income that I can found a new soccer club without concern for my own income.

That's the plan anyway.

This sounds interesting. What is your product and/or service?

[Radar]

Originally Posted by Sundae Girl

Good, glad you noticed. I was on disability benefit for just over 6 months because I was depressed. I'm sure many people would simply categorise that as being lazy, especially as my issues with alcohol exacerbated the problem. Not only did I get paid for being off work, most of my rent was paid and I got free counselling. Would I have swapped the (barely liveable) benefits to be well and back at work? Hell yes. I'm now working thanks to the free anti-depressants and counselling I received at the time.

But then I'm a socialist European so feel free to ignore me

My goals. Same old same old:

In May I am determined to sort my life out.
- Put a proper timetable in so I can go to the gym, work at the pub and here (EEA).
- Make time for my boys.
- Back on a healthy diet - also saves money.
- Start saving a regular monthly amount to come to the States.
- Reach agreement with ALL my creditors or go bankrupt (I prefer the former, they may not accept how much I can afford to pay).
- Only drink Sundays & Mondays (pub days/ eves).
- Lose weight almost as a consequence of all the rest!
- Be marvellous

Given your problems with alcohol and depression, you should only drink soda on Sundays & Mondays. It might make the other goals (particularly those involving your health) a bit easier.

[smoothmoniker]

Originally Posted by Radar

This sounds interesting. What is your product and/or service?

Dominatrix leather gear for furries.

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by Radar

Given your problems with alcohol and depression, you should only drink soda on Sundays & Mondays. It might make the other goals (particularly those involving your health) a bit easier.

Well given my past I should cut out alcohol altogether, eat more healthily, exercise more and not spend more money than I have. Then again I think that applies to 90% of the population?

I do appreciate this. But it's baby steps.
Trust me - not drinking every day is a big step.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Radar

I'm fully confident in my ability to teach math, science (biology, physics, etc), grammar, geography, political science, history, literature, civics, and linguistics at least to college levels.

[lookout123]

Originally Posted by Radar

This sounds interesting. What is your product and/or service?

Just ask TW. I'm the best damn shiny shoe sales whore this side of the mississippi. I still just prefer calling myself a Financial Consultant though. While I am full service, I specialize in retirement planning.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Radar
I'm fully confident in my ability to teach math, science (biology, physics, etc), grammar, geography, political science, history, literature, civics, and linguistics at least to college levels.

[Radar]

Originally Posted by lookout123

Just ask TW. I'm the best damn shiny shoe sales whore this side of the mississippi. I still just prefer calling myself a Financial Consultant though. While I am full service, I specialize in retirement planning.

Are shiny shoes a good investment strategy for retirement?

I'm kinda pissed right now about retirement. My old company is trying to screw me for about 15k from my 401k. This is after I saved them about 8 million dollars. Also, the accounting lady where I"m at now is in her 80s and it took all my efforts just to get direct deposit. When I told her I wanted 15% pre-tax money to go into my IRA, she told me "forget it".

I swear if we brought back those old adding machines with the handle you've got to pull back, she'd do cartwheels. She had a heart attack when I upgraded her office 97 to office 2003. I can't wait to upgrade her to office 2007.

[lookout123]

My old company is trying to screw me for about 15k from my 401k.

doesn't compute. 401K's don't allow for any subjectivity. Either you have $15K or you don't. Is it a vesting policy you are having an issue with? Sometimes those can be overly and neeedlessly complex.

separate issue - 15% pre-tax into your IRA? In addition to your 401K?

[Radar]

Yes, it is a vesting policy. What we were told in person in several meetings isn't what they are doing. I was on a 5 year vesting plan. I left a month before 3 years so they owe me 40%. They told us that we couldn't touch the money in our old 401k for a year, but on Jan 1, 2008 we'd become 100% vested in our old 401k and it would roll over into the new one. That didn't happen. Then they tried to say they told us "AFTER Jan 1, 2008". I've got a room full of witnesses who heard otherwise. I brought this up to an HR person and they basically said "off the record...if you don't touch the money it will become 100% vested and roll over into the 401k on April 1st."

Well, I guess I fell for that April Fool's joke because nothing has happened yet.

On the newer 401k and the older 401k, they show me as only vested for the exact amount of money I've put in. Not a penny more. I brought this up to their attention several times, but they've done nothing.

On the website, it did say, you have X amount of dollar in your 401k and you are vested in Y amount. Now it just says "you have Y amount" and it's the exact amount I contributed.

The old 401k still shows two amounts, and it says I'm only vested in the number of dollars I contributed and nothing more.

My new job doesn't have a 401k. This is why I want to put money into an IRA.

[breakingnews]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but you can't put pretax funds into an IRA (except a rollover IRA, whose funds originate from a 401k plan), right? I always thought IRAs (roth and otherwise) were strictly after-tax contributions, with the benefit being no tax on gains. I could be way off.

[Radar]

Roth IRA = Post Tax
Regular IRA = Pre-Tax

You can roll-over 401k money into either of them, but if you roll into a Roth IRA, you've got to pay taxes on the money before it goes in.

[lookout123]

Traditional IRA for most people is pretax money (Income tax to be paid upon withdrawal) because:
A) They don't have a 401K or other work sponsored retirement defined contribution plan. The money doesn't go straight from their check to the IRA though, it is listed as a deduction on your taxes.

B) Money rolled over from 401K, 403B, etc.

Roth IRA is aftertax money that gives you no tax benefit today, but has huge tax benefits in retirement - No taxes due whatsoever.

Radar- the whole vesting issue sounds wrong to me. I don't know what is happening there, but the best thing you can do is pull up the 401K contract/rules for your plan and go through it. Whatever you read in there is what the facts are. 401K's do not allow for any side agreements or special arrangements. Anyone who says, "keep it quiet, but we'll do XYZ" is either lying or stupid. The company can lose its ability to sponsor plans and be sued into oblivion if they don't follow the plan rules to the letter.

[Radar]

I never even signed anything for the newer 401k. They said we were "automatically enrolled" so I don't have a copy of the rules. I do know it was a 5 year vestment plan with us becoming 20% more vested each year. I was there just barely under 3 years (technically more than 3 years but my first 2 months were as a consultant). I left when I did because I was told by 3 different HR people that my old 401k would be 100% vested on January 1st 2008. After I left, they changed their story.