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    Monday, February 5, 2018

    Personal Finance Weekday Help Thread for the week of February 05, 2018

    Personal Finance Weekday Help Thread for the week of February 05, 2018


    Weekday Help Thread for the week of February 05, 2018

    Posted: 05 Feb 2018 05:09 AM PST

    If you need help, please check the PF Wiki to see if your question might be answered there.

    While we never remove posts just because a question is answered in the wiki, this thread is a low-key place to ask any question no matter how "moronic" you think it might be.

    Make a top-level comment if you want to ask a question! Also, please don't downvote "moronic" questions! If you have not received your answer within 24 hours, you can feel free to start a discussion.

    A big thank you to the many PFers who take time to answer other people's questions!

    For past help threads, please search the Weekly Archive.

    submitted by /u/AutoModerator
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    Entry level position. Just discovered my peers make 25% more than me despite similar experience level. Was lied to by a VP.

    Posted: 05 Feb 2018 01:07 AM PST

    So I started my first real job last summer, got an offer for a bit lower than I expected for the job and the city I would be working in (biotech start up) and when I tried to negotiate for more (because I knew I could be making just as much in a much cheaper city) I got a call from the VP of R&D who told me that he thought the offer was competitive. Additionally I was told by him that all entry level employees make the same but that evaluations would happen soon after my employment and that based on the quality of my work and based on my work ethic there was room for growth and improvement of pay. I was very interested in the work and decided it would be a very cool experience that could build up my experience in biotech and industry.

    Evaluations happened a month and a half ago with no foreseeable follow up and then 2 weeks ago they fired that VP for unrelated reasons (as far as I can tell). That being said, last week I found out all my peers make more than me, one of which makes 25% more than me despite only starting a few weeks before me (though they did intern with the company previously). The others started exactly when I did. And I know I have more experience in this field overall than all of them just based on CV's and that all of my experience is directly applicable to the current project (including a year of experience doing the same type of work but in academia).

    So I was blatantly lied to. And I am pissed.

    Advice on how to negotiate to fix this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

    *edit: a word

    submitted by /u/lli32
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    Please don't underestimate the effectiveness of the snowball method!

    Posted: 05 Feb 2018 08:27 AM PST

    Just thought I would make a quick post for all those people who, like me, kinda found the snowball method of paying down debt to be... frankly, below you. I know that sounds bad, but hear me out for a minute.

    When I started reading here and getting my financial house in order, I knew I'd go with the avalanche method. It makes the most logical sense, right? You save more money on interest, so it's the "smartest" choice, and I don't need that false sense of accomplishment that those other people need, anyway. It appealed to me in a clear cut, logical way, and I rejected the psychological benefits of the snowball method as something only weak people needed (yes, I am aware what a judgmental jerk I was and have since checked myself before I wrecked myself).

    After a couple months of the avalanche method I felt... deflated. I wasn't seeing any progress, I was getting discouraged, and my discipline was waning.

    In short, I was arrogant. I thought I was above needing that psychological boost. Moreover, I was afraid to consider I might need it because I perceived it as being weak. And if I'm really honest, that hard-headed stubbornness and straight up denial is part of the reason I ended up with the debt in the first place.

    After switching to the snowball method I am much happier and feel more accomplished. It's not bullshit, like I thought. I'm making real progress and have managed to keep my discipline and motivation levels much steadier than I was before. It works, and I am one of those people who needs the psychological boost. It doesn't make me or anyone else weak-- it makes us human.

    Anyway, I know there are might be people reading this who might be weighing their options and may identify with some of my thought processes in my journey to figuring my shit out. So to those people I will say: don't let arrogance and fear get in your way like it almost did for me. Don't automatically discount the snowball method. It's recommended for good reason!

    Edit to add: thank you everyone for your thoughts and suggestions on this post. I really enjoy being a part of this community and appreciate all the help and motivation you've given me in getting myself back of track.

    submitted by /u/drunkonmartinis
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    My progress paying off $70k debt self-employed, after layoff!

    Posted: 05 Feb 2018 01:02 PM PST

    Wanted to post a quick update - the last time I posted on r/personalfinance was right after I was laid off in September. Lots of good things have happened since then!

    Basics: I'm 35 and was laid off six weeks after starting a new job paying $100K. I was laid off with two weeks severance pay and compensation for 14 days unused vacation time. At time of layoff, I owed ~$40K credit card debt and ~$30K student loan debt.

    What's happened since then: After losing my job, I found myself in the hard position of owing a ton of debt + not having any income. I immediately got on unemployment, started living extremely frugally on my severance pay, doing whatever freelance work I could find, and looking aggressively for a full-time job.

    After having no luck finding a job right away in my field--I work in a city with relatively few job opportunities in my industry of experience--I decided to work self-employed and form a corporation for myself.

    The good news! I set a salary for myself, with the remainder of the money staying in the corporation (or taking it out in 2018). I aggressively started going after clients in my field for large projects paying over $10,000 apiece. This strategy scared the heck out of me, but it worked. I received a few referrals and after a difficult first month, my company had 3 paying customers starting in November 2017.

    Other concrete steps I took: 1. Spending money only on the bare essentials--rent, bills, and a rice/bean diet. Any extra money would go towards extra payments on my highest interest debts until I became financially stable. 2. Sticking to the salary I draw from my own corporation ONLY. Instead of spending additional earnings right away, I would keep them in my business bank account for a rainy day. 3. I took out a $25,000 loan from Lending Club for my highest-interest credit card debt on five year repayment plan w/ 11% APR. My credit score immediately jumped 30 points, which led one of my credit card issuers to raise my credit limit in response, which led to another 20 point credit score jump. 4. All my extra money went towards paying off my highest interest credit card debt.

    Stumbles: I had an unexpected dental emergency in November which required paying approximately $2000 out of pocket, with another $2000 due later in 2018. Boo!

    Results: 5 months after I was laid off, I actually have... LESS DEBT THAN WHEN I LOST MY JOB. In September 2017, I had $78,917 in total debt and $35,522 in assets. As of the end of January 2018, I have $78,200 in total debt and $33,716 in assets.

    Next Steps:

    1. Consolidating the remaining ~$8000 of credit card debt I have left onto a one-year zero APR consolidation card and aggressively paying it off by 12/18.

    2. Saving $2000 for an engagement ring now that I'm financially stable again.

    3. Building my current $1500 emergency fund into a $10,000 buffer for future hard times.

    Summary: This was a modest debt reduction, but one that was TOTALLY AWESOME AFTER LOSING MY JOB. Being able to reduce my debt and keep my head above financial water after losing my job--even after a health emergency--is something I'm really proud of.

    I wanted to post this because i know a lot of /r/personalfinance folks are out of work or having otherwise tough times. I hope this helps!

    submitted by /u/thatdarndebt
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    Coffee/Alcohol Spending/Eating Out = 50% of Salary?

    Posted: 05 Feb 2018 10:03 AM PST

    I'm normally a lurker, but this topic is killing me. I'm a few years out of college and no one in my family or friends ever offered budgeting advice to me. Also, yes, I never sought it out to be honest... I make an average college graduate salary, but when I graduated, it felt like so much because I was used to crappy college ramen and second hand furniture.

    Yesterday, there was a guy who posted about how he spent $1,500 on coffee every year.

    https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/comments/7v2k2b/spent_over_1500_on_coffee_in_2017_no_more/?st=jdairh0l&sh=0325e9e3

    Um, yeah my spending is close to that just for coffee. Plus alcohol and eating out, and I'm spending near 50% of my salary on things that I could cut back on and get out of debt with. This is pretty depressing the money I've pissed away, but hopefully I can get back on track now that I've realized this.

    Some person posted a link to a website that calculates how much your money will end up being if you had invested in it instead on his thread, and it made me even more depressed. $4 a day until I'm 65 will get me to half a million? http://birdsofafire.com/index.php/2017/12/02/how-a-22-year-old-can-easily-save-an-extra-500k-with-one-change/

    I'm glad this subreddit exists and hopefully this post will allow someone else to realize their spending is out of control on the small things. They do add up!

    EDIT: Thank you for everyone's advice! I've started tracking my money via Personal Capital/Mint (both free) and I'm considering YNAB that everyone recommends ($50/year). Definitely going to look for cheaper options for the things I spend most of my money on. To everyone out there, please read this and don't be like me. If you don't know how much money you're spending on random things, it adds up. Track the spending, and then do the math on how much you could have saved up if you had invested.

    submitted by /u/gudthrowaway
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    cut my Internet bill by almost half by calling anf asking for a better deal

    Posted: 05 Feb 2018 03:53 PM PST

    I was paying $71 a month for a 60Mbps Internet connection. My ISP was charging $39.99 for 100Mbps for new subscribers on a 2 year agreement. I called and asked if I could get the deal. The first rep said that the best he can give me is $81/month for the 100Mbps deal, since it was only only for new customers. I asked him to forward me to retention where I told the next rep that I've been a longtime loyal customer and the competitora were charging less than what I was getting offered. She right away set me up with the 2 year plan at $39.99/mo. That's great service right there! Make that call PF. :-)

    submitted by /u/XIIXOO
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    Minor, Parents will not pay medical bill. Well beyond means of current payment. What can I do?

    Posted: 05 Feb 2018 06:38 PM PST

    Admittedly, the reason for me visiting the emergency room was entirely my fault and my parents are completely justified in making me foot the bill. I am employed but only work part time as a minor, and only work 10-16 hours per week. I have about $500 saved up so far to pay, but the bill (which i only just received the invoice for) is due on the 13th and a total of $1,399.

    The reason for the emergency room visit will get me in trouble if it becomes a problem with law enforcement. Like I said, my parents are entirely justified in making me pay the bill, but I am currently not in the position to have the extra $900 in the next 8 days.

    This total is after the insurance company has paid for what they will cover ($2,321.20 of the total of $3,720.20). My parents have suggested creating a payment plan with the hospital over the course of the next few months to pay it off. While this is a good idea, is there anything further I can to meet the total? I have heard about writing hospitals for a certain amount of liability forgiveness, but am unsure about how well that works. Thanks for the help.

    submitted by /u/LowerEstablishment
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    Is the news misleading when it comes to how much people are saving?

    Posted: 05 Feb 2018 04:05 PM PST

    Just read this article https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2018/02/05/1-in-6-millennials-have-100000-heres-how-much-you-should-have-saved.html and am seriously scratching my head. I figured this reddit is the way to figure it out.

    I'm a millenials. I have a master's with student loans, a spouse, kids, cars and a house. I do not have 100k in the bank and couldn't imagine saving 25% of my income.

    When I think back into my first job outside of college which required a degree (marketing assistant) for $11.59, there was no way I could imagine living off 25%. It didn't include benefits either! It took years to be able to work my way up and save. Graduating during a recession and fighting for jobs with people with more experience then I was alive was tough. Many of my peers are still working to pay off loans and I should be free this year.

    So what do you think- 1 in 6 is likely or bull?

    Thanks!

    submitted by /u/Wanderlust62
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    Should I accept or counter offer?

    Posted: 05 Feb 2018 08:06 AM PST

    Little bit of background. At my current position for about 2.5 years. Underpaid and have been wanting to leave for the past couple months. Ended up finding a job that I would LOVE that is essentially my dream job and a perfect next step in my career (I'm in the data & analytics field). Well, I got my offer today.

    I make $69,565 where I'm at now, but getting a 2.7% raise starting 1 March. The offer for the new job is $83,000, which is amazing. The health insurance is much better (low premium, low deductible) and my commute is cut in half at the new job. I'd also get about 8 more days of PTO than my current job.

    The con is, I will have to walk away from about 9k of unvested money (from company match) in my 401k (I'm not fully vested at my current job until 3 years - which for me is October). However, I am vested fully at the new job from day 1 and have stock options as well.

    So my salary bump is awesome, but I'm wondering if I should ask for more, or be happy with what I've got?

    edit: thanks for the advice everyone! I ended up countering, and HR has been super fast in getting back to me. They couldn't flex on salary but I did secure a $2500 sign-on bonus!

    submitted by /u/juicyfizz
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    Is it normal for a potential employer to ask what you currently make at your job?

    Posted: 05 Feb 2018 10:33 AM PST

    So I recently began a job hunt. I am employed at a TV station where I am full time, hourly. I have a minimum amount I will take home at the end of the year, but depending on how much overtime I work I could make a potential $5000 more per year.

    Anyway, I received an email after I applied for a job asking a few questions like am I currently employed (even though I made this clear on my resume and cover letter) when can I start and a surprising how much do you currently make?

    Is this normal? Are they trying to underpay me or find out if they can afford me or not? I've never been asked this before

    submitted by /u/Tierasaurus
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    Denied for Amazon credit card due to "length of time accounts have been established"

    Posted: 05 Feb 2018 05:24 PM PST

    I am no expert with this stuff, but it does seem strange considering the following:

    1) I have owned and been making payments on a house for over a year now. Not to mention utilities and car payments... 2) I've had a credit card with both mine and my fathers name on it for at least 2 years

    At this point I'm a bit afraid to try again because I don't want my credit score to tank for requesting too often. Do I have to wait til I'm 30 to get a credit card on my own? Seems a bit ridiculous to me. What can I do to improve my situation /r/personalfinance?

    submitted by /u/morphling4
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    $29,000 left owed on a truck that is worth $21k to $24k trade in. Personal loan to cover difference?

    Posted: 05 Feb 2018 05:20 PM PST

    I owe $29,000 on a 2014 RAM 1500 that I bought last year. Interest rate is 6% and my monthly payment is $517. Take home after taxes each month is around $2300.

    I wanna get rid of this thing ASAP. It was a mistake. I am in a job now where I am fully reimbursed and encouraged to utilize public transportation, which I do daily. The truck literally just sits in my driveway, a daily reminder of a giant financial mistake.

    This truck is the only debt that I have (no CC debt or student loans etc.), but I do have some rather costly monthly expenses.

    Rent - $1100/mo

    Car Insurance - $180/mo

    Phone - $50/mo

    Groceries - $100/mo roughly

    Since it's pretty difficult for me to throw extra money at this truck each month without putting myself in a danger zone for the rest of the month, I am living paycheck to paycheck and I hate it.

    I have considered taking out a personal loan to cover the difference and selling it to CarMax.

    As far as privately selling it, I just gave up after 3 months of dealing with shitheads on Craigslist who completely wasted my time. I have decided I would rather just sell it to CarMax.

    CarMax has given me an offer of $23,000, but obviously I need to make up the other $6k somehow.

    I'm waiting on some loan application responses from a couple banks, but LC and Prosper have offered me loans with interest rates of 24% and 27%... Now, I'm not very financially savvy, but I'm pretty sure that is a bad idea... Right?

    Should I just ride it out and accept that I made a costly mistake? Really don't know what to do.

    Thanks in advance.

    submitted by /u/HotlineTony
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    My wife died in 2017 and I paid child care expenses later in the year. Turbotax is saying I don't qualify for the tax credit. Do I?

    Posted: 05 Feb 2018 06:04 PM PST

    The logic seems to be that since my wife didn't have earned income, was not a student, and was not disabled, she should have been able to take care of the kids, but she died earlier in the year, and the expenses were from later in the year (after school care).

    I'm 'Married Filing Jointly' for this year, and I did put into the system that she died.

    Logically, I should qualify for this, but I don't see a way to make it work. What am I missing?

    submitted by /u/Fazaman
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    Having major brain surgery in a few weeks. Need help understanding what this will cost me.

    Posted: 05 Feb 2018 11:58 AM PST

    Hi Reddit. I'm hoping for some help here - trying to figure out how much I'll be on the hook for for a much a much-need operation. To provide some context - I'm scheduled to have major brain surgery to remove a seizure-causing tumor (giant cell astrocytoma) that's currently sitting on my left frontal lobe. The operation will be done at North-Shore LIJ hospital in Manhasset, NY by Dr. Michael Schulder.

    I'm very much much overwhelmed by the possible cost of all of this, and the fact that I don't quite understand my insurance policy just compounds my anxiety about all of this. Here is what I know for sure:

    • All services rendered are in-network (I have a PPO)
    • I have been pre-certified by my insurance company for the procedure and hospital stay (3 days, 2 nights)
    • I have reached my overall deductible ($600)
    • My out of pocket maximum is $3,250
    • I am responsible for 20% of imaging costs
    • I am responsible for 20% of the surgeon/physician fees
    • I am responsible for 20% of hospital/facility fees

    A lot of my confusion comes from the out-of-pocket maximum. I'm assuming this means that I will be responsible to be pay no more than $3,250 for individual services/costs, as opposed to ONLY $3,250. Moreover, I have no idea how much a procedure of this magnitude can cost, especially when taking into account hospital fees, anesthesia, etc.

    Reddit, if you can help me figure this out, I'd be eternally grateful. Thank you.

    submitted by /u/ChasingTheCool
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    I spent $7,500 eating out last year

    Posted: 05 Feb 2018 03:53 PM PST

    So I just got my 2017 year end credit card summary statement (neat report) and apparently I spent $7,500 last year eating out - restaurants, coffee, and I have to look again however am pretty sure that number includes food shopping. If it doesn't include food shopping, I feel really dumb(er).

    Suffice to say it's time for me to shape up and stop the madness.

    submitted by /u/zer0gravityZ
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    [Follow Up]Trying to budget to get my life together and get my first car

    Posted: 05 Feb 2018 03:19 PM PST

    My intensive budgeting and financial habits, that I've gleaned from creeping on this page for the last 3 years, have literally paid off. I was iffy on getting a loan because I'm tired of having my student loan debt hanging above me, but as of today, it's working in my favor.

    I just got approved for my first car loan. I told the representative at my credit union I wanted 5k for a used car, and he turned around and was able to double that for better terms (60 months), 2.99% and that number will be reduced (as soon as my balance transfer from the god awful CareCredit Mastercard i have goes through) to 2.74%. The $380 I have on the CC mastercard goes from (get this) 27.99% to 1.9% for a year to make paying off the new pair of glasses i needed a few weeks ago even better. I get to close out the card I've hated and open one with my credit union WITH better rewards than that trash Synchrony has. The card will sit at 10%-ish after that with no yearly fee.

    I'm heading to look at a 2009 Prius in a few hours. My partner and I will be sharing the car and we'll be splitting that payment and the insurance right down the middle.

    I have no idea how I managed this. I have no idea whatsoever. Thank you for the tips and the real-world advice that this. This is the most adulting I've accomplished, through all the depressive episodes I've fought through to maintain myself and every bad event in the last year. Thank you!

    submitted by /u/brigidt
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    Promised a promotion but now my boss has resigned. Second time this has happened to me in the last 3 months! How do I make sure this goes through?

    Posted: 05 Feb 2018 05:50 PM PST

    I work in IT but was initially hired and am still a Project Manager due to IT not having a role for me at the time. I was eventually transferred to IT after establishing IT processes company wide and given a team of 4 people to run the day-to-day (only 2 of them actually report to me, another sore subject). I have been running this team for 9 months with great success. My VP told me that I would be made an AVP at the end of last year. Then he left. My SVP who I report to now gave me my yearly review and told me the same thing. He has now put in his resignation as well. Pay increases and promotions for 2017 don't go through until in April. Anyone have a suggestion that could increase my odds of this promotion actually happening? Also, part of the promotion is supposed to be having the extra two team members reporting to me. Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

    submitted by /u/zambine
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    Debit card fraud

    Posted: 05 Feb 2018 11:27 AM PST

    Last night I received a notification that a single large purchase had been made on Zara.com using my debit card. I still had my debit card with me. Knowing I hadn't bought anything, I called and cancelled the card. When I checked my online statement I saw four other pending purchases for amounts exceeding $300. This morning I went to my bank and reported the card compromised. They said any funds removed from my checking account would be returned and issued me a new card... but I'm still freaking out. I checked my other credit cards and haven't found anything out of order. But what else can I do to protect myself?

    submitted by /u/Vipersbowstring
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    Trouble with credit card debt after being held in jail for seven months while on trial. A penny (I do not have) for your thoughts!

    Posted: 04 Feb 2018 11:12 PM PST

    A little backstory: While recently on vacation in NY, I was charged with a crime (that I was later found not guilty of), and was held in county jail for 211 days. My bail was set at $50,000 because I didn't have any ties to the community, and no bail agency would issue me a bond, as I was from out of state and could not pay to live in NY while I fought my charges on trial, so planned to fly home if I bailed out, though I assured them I would have returned for court dates. So, bottom line I was stuck in jail for roughly seven months.

    Prior to going to jail, I had never missed a payment on any of my credit cards, and my credit score was just over 700. About 705. During this time, all three of my credit cards ran out of their introductory APRs, and all three went completely unpaid for 7 months. One account was closed, and the other two remain open. Upon my exoneration, I immediately took what little money I had and paid to bring the two accounts still open up to date. However, because I lost my job due to being in jail, I am about to miss my next months payments, even if I AM able to find employment quickly.

    My credit score after this fiasco was 494, and after the recent payments is at a 511. After 7 months of no payment fees and interest, all of my credit card debt combined totals about $9,500. I do not have any student loans, or debt of any kind outside of this. What I'd LIKE to do is take out a loan with a place like SoFi, to consolidate my debt and pay it off, so that I can stop paying the ridiculous interest rates I am now stuck with. However, as my credit score is now in the toilet, I have not even applied for any such loan, as I know I am 99% sure to be turned down, and a hard pull for such a likely unhelpful scenario would just further affect my credit, without any real benefit.

    Unfortunately, I can't think of a way out of this scenario that does not simply entail making minimum payments, essentially paying down interest, for the foreseeable future while I get back on my feet and get established in a decent paying job. And once I have a decent job again, I still live in CA and thus have a high cost of living — meaning that I likely won't be able to take very large chunks out of the debt any time soon, and therefore will be paying high interest on these cards for quite some time while I pay them down.

    Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated. If you are somehow unable to tell from the way I write, I am no expert in finance/interest rates/etc. I'm new to Reddit, and new to this sub, so I apologize in advance if I have not provided you adequate information to help, or have violated any posting standards/rules.

    Thank you all for any time you're able to spend giving me some advice.

    submitted by /u/l2yanlvl
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    30 vs 15 year Mortgage with double payments

    Posted: 05 Feb 2018 09:06 AM PST

    I plan on buying a house at some point within the next year. I will put down 20% for a fixed rate either way. I was wondering if i should do a 30 year and double my payments each month. My thought would be that i could have the flexibility if i ever fall on hard times to fall back on the lesser amount due. Your thoughts?

    EDIT: my double payments proposal is in reference to time, not $. I would have to do the math on what payment would align me with a 15 year alternative at a different rate.

    EDIT 2: I love this sub. Thanks for the replies I think a lot of us will be looking to invest in consumer debt in some fashion after reading u/abdada 's responses.

    submitted by /u/70Merc
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    Crohn's Patient And Cannot Work Advice

    Posted: 05 Feb 2018 04:09 PM PST

    Hi, I'll try and keep this brief. I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease when I was 17. I've had a really up and down past few years (22 now) and have worked the family business since I was 18. Doing mainly back end stuff like keeping logs, sending emails, answering calls etc. But was paid under the table. Now I am 22 and stopped working for my dad since my Crohn's has gotten very very bad recently. I need advice on what to do. I physically cannot work since 1. I am currently on Medical Marijuana in NJ and most places drug test. And 2. I go to the bathroom (number 2) pretty much every 30 minutes - an hour and i am in there for a while. Since I never "technically" worked on the books I cannot apply for any sort of government income whether it's Disability or SSI. I am trying to get better but with this disease it comes and goes and can last months or even years where I am bed ridden and stuck at home worrying about even going out for a few hours at a time. Any advice would be extremely appreciated. Thank you.

    submitted by /u/imComatose
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    spent the bank's money in error

    Posted: 05 Feb 2018 04:03 PM PST

    Here's what happened. Was in a bad accident and about 8 weeks later deposits started showing up in my account. Went to the bank a couple of times and they weren't able to tell me where they were coming from. After a few months I thought it must be either my brother (it wasn't) or a gofundme. Anyways after about 7 months I spent a lot of the money. After almost a year the bank called to tell me it was a mistake. I feel sick. What is my liability here. Don't want to go to jail or lose my house (CAN)

    submitted by /u/throwawaycanadian3
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    Making a major cross country move for cost of living

    Posted: 05 Feb 2018 06:36 PM PST

    I'm interested in hearing from people who have made big moves for cost of living purposes. Was it worth it? Do you have regrets?

    Currently I live in a high cost of living coastal city which I love but find it hard to imagine being able to own a nice home in, give my (currently nonexistent) kids the lifestyle I'd like, etc.

    In my industry I'd be able to make the exact same amount of money in a much lower cost of living city (think Houston or Chicago) and am considering the tradeoffs.

    My wife and I both have family in or near our current (expensive) city so there is that as a consideration too.

    submitted by /u/Lucas-Davenport
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    Roth IRA Over Contribution (vanguard)

    Posted: 05 Feb 2018 04:12 PM PST

    My cousin was filling his taxes when he realized that he used his "Medicare wages" section on his paystubs to calculate his maximum contribution for his Roth IRA. When he got his W2 he noticed that "Gross wages" was less than his "Medicare wages" by about $150, so he over contributed to his IRA during 2017 (still under $5500 of course though).

    He called vanguard, but they just told him to talk to a tax professional, which wasn't much help. We found a form on vanguard's site to remove excess contributions but I'm not sure if this is the way we are supposed to go about this.

    Also, will he have to hold off filling his 2017 tax return until this is sorted out?

    submitted by /u/ryryryreddit
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