was 2015 a prosperous year gor you?

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

It was very prosperous for me I made large gains in equity on my properties and found love, how about you?

I've had better years, but I accomplished some good things, improved my life with hearing aids and my cpap machine, gained some much needed perspective on things. Hopefully 2016 will be better.

[MonkeyMama]

2015 was a phenomenal year for us.

The local economy has started to improve drastically, which was positive for us in many ways.

We surpassed a net worth high that we hit about a decade ago. Very happy to move forward and up! This year was more "average" kind of forward movement while most the last decade has been more "drastic swings in either direction." Since all our investments were pretty flat, it was nice that we had a great savings year. Probably the best we have done since having kids.

[disneysteve]

I've gotten all of the final numbers tallied.

2015 wasn't great as far as finances are concerned. For the year, our portfolio is up 3.14%. Not awful but certainly not fantastic either.

I do know that we had a particularly expensive year, some out of necessity, some by choice. We replaced our heater, air conditioner, and refrigerator, for example. But we also did an unusual amount of travel and spent a fair amount doing so.

[97guns]

Just glanced at my property values and they jumped 20% in 2015, averaging 240k each up from 200k in 2014, not too bad for my 80-90k investments per house in 2009

[corn18]

From an ROI perspective, 2015 was flat. My investments returned less than 3% for the year. I was extremely pleased to finally read the boglehead wiki and stop stock picking and just go with a simple 3 fund portfolio. Much less exciting, much more relaxing.

But it was a great year for savings. Fully funded our EF, new car fund, college through 2018. Discovered the backdoor Roth and mega backdoor Roth and fully funded those. Net worth increased $200k over 2014. Set up nicely to save a boatload in 2016 (40% of gross income).

We underspent our budget. Cash flowed all emergency expenses. No big surprises.

Taxes: I thought I would owe a bit but the initial feedback from TurboTax is a small refund.

So, a good year financially even with the disappointing ROI.

Tom

[disneysteve]

Just glanced at my property values and they jumped 20% in 2015

I'm curious what source you are using for that. Are you looking at comps? Zillow? Something else?

[97guns]

Looking at Zillow but if I look at the comparables its even higher! I see 4/2's selling in my market for around 270k cheapest 4/2 listing right now is 260k

[tripods68]

Its been a prosperous year for us indeed!

DW and I both loss weight :-) I'm running more - 964.34 total miles to be exact--burned calories 134,830

Combined contributions to Retirement/Savings $52K - Original goal beginning of the year was only $30K but we were able to increased this--thanks Dave Ramsey FPU principle.

YTD gain 7.2%

Net Worth increased to $92K or 24%

Paid off $14K in debt/mortgage (5K were consumer debt paid off in March). We are debt free except mortgage.

Completed a REFI from 30 year to 15 Year fixed October.

Home value increased from 2014 to 2015 about 15%

[disneysteve]

I'm running more - 964.34 total miles to be exact

Awesome. I don't think I knew you were a runner. That's some serious mileage. I did somewhere north of 200 miles myself, not as many as 2014 but I didn't really run for the first 4 months because I was having heel trouble.

Keep it up!

[tripods68]

Awesome. I don't think I knew you were a runner. That's some serious mileage. I did somewhere north of 200 miles myself, not as many as 2014 but I didn't really run for the first 4 months because I was having heel trouble.

Keep it up!

Thanks Steve!
I started 5 years ago actually.

I tried to do 15-25 miles a week (mostly by waking up early 5 am before i go to work) and long run on Saturday. Spring and Summer is more.

We were active more this year with our dogs including some trail runs. When we got another dog (max) in June became my running partner FT.

[rennigade]

Not a bad year for us considering market was flat...between retirement, taxable and cash accounts...we increased by $68k.

Our investment accounts only grew by just shy of 1%. Pretty much straight savings and employer contributions.

[Singuy]

Decent year here. My wife's business increased her earnings by 10%. Paid 100k toward our mortgage and got that paid off. Wife paid 22k off her car. Managed to "save" about 100k for the year(but most of these savings went into paying off home equity debt for my parents..so basically it's a place holder).

Hoping they can finally sell this house this year and give us back all the money that's tied in.

Goals for 2016.

Sell parent's house
Finally put in this 85k pool
Have 200k in total liquid savings up by year end
Net worth of 1mil by June

Happy New Years!

[FLA]

hardest financial year ever. Remained ill, am now getting long term disability with a shaky company that my lawyers said is unlikely to pay out for too awful long, so that's hanging over my head as it is my only source of income. Took a 20k pay cut when I finally had to give up my job at a company I worked for and loved for 23 yrs.

Through the help of my parents paying things like the tax bill, I've been able to get my EF up to 18k. But it will be going fast as ex sued me for custody of DD. Even though when she asked to go because it was too much dealing with my illness (it was really bad around the time she asked) and living with her terminally ill grandmother, I told ex that I understood her wish, let's talk to our lawyers. Instead, he initiated a 10 month custody battle that did nothing but make my DD think I was holding her back from going. I've paid that legal bill off. He just made a move for child support, which I will pay the NYS mandated amount or he will get $450 a month when I get SSDI, going back to the day I applied, so this one really doesn't have to go to court but I know him and it will. We've had the same judge since 2004 and she's on to how he operates but things always drag on and chew up money.

I will make 5k less this year than last. Knowing the rug could be pulled out from under me with LTD is nerve wracking. And $1900 of the payment I get from them a month is a sort of loan until I get SSDI. When I get it, I have to pay LTD back $1900 a month for every month I had it. Basically, they get the settlement, but the SSDI lawyer gets 25% of the settlement, too so my head is in the sand about how that will turn out.

I have a large amt (to me, for someone who did not have a high paying job, I was a nurse) in an aggressively invested Vanguard retirement portfolio, I need that money to last 40 yrs now. Ironically, just before getting sick I had a free financial planning session with Vanguard and then I met with the rep for my employer's plan. Both said I could totally retire at 55, a thought that never crossed my mind. So instead of 55, I'm "retiring" at 45 is how I'm trying to see it. Supposedly I can take money out when disabled and the planners told me how I could do so without touching the principal ever. But I don't remember the details, just reassured I have a back-up plan even if I hope to never use it.

my biggest fear besides being dropped from LTD, is that a judge will make me use retirement funds for child support or college. I agreed to pay half of a state school in my divorce, the only way I can do that now is by using retirement assets. And that scares me.

I am expected to go before an SSDI judge next Dec and get a ruling the following Feb. I just want it over or to be well and go back to a job I loved. I'm a planner and for once I cannot make sound financial plans with so many "what ifs" so I am trying to spend as close to zero as I can while paying my share here and every extra dollar goes in the EF.

[Singuy]

Yikes! When it rains, it pours! Hopefully 2016 will be a much better year for you! Hang in there!

[FLA]

Yikes! When it rains, it pours! Hopefully 2016 will be a much better year for you! Hang in there!

thanks, sorry to go on and on. I'm happy to turn to a new year, that's for sure