The smartest play, if you are retired and need an ACA policy, is to get your income under 4x of the poverty rate. Being even $1 over can cost you over $15,000 in missed ACA subsidies.
For two people that’s a little under $66,000.
I pay close attention to the markets + manage all our assets + IRA’s. Since neither of us have a 401 or pension, I have alternated between very aggressive i.e. FANGS/ technology and safe/ on the side lines. Bought Apple in march 2009 when few other were. 
I have not lost $$ since 2000, and as we are 4 yrs from full retirement, I’m happy to wait out this rough patch to see which way the wind is likely to blow .
@HImom I get 2.12 percent here:
https://www.citizensaccess.com/home.html
$5k minimum, FDIC insured.
I like having a branch in our state–we do have two PenFed brick & mortar branches in our state.
Amex 1.9% and some CDs are 3%. How exciting! 
But better than the alternative.
Art said that if the market tanked today, there will be a huge turmoil down the road. Every little rebound will be selling opportunity
this is an interesting article that partially explains the recent volatility/market drops.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/11/business/stock-market-buybacks.html
That explains some of it. The ugliness this time was worse than in January because world economy outlook has shifted a bit and so on…
That’s what I do as well.
I’ve been taking some profits lately but I am never completely out of the market. I’ve held on to a few quality stocks for decades.I bought MSFT a day after Black Monday in 1987 and have held on even though Ballmer did nothing for the stock for 10 years. Since he left the stock has increased more than 400%.
A couple can actually earn up to $8900 more than that and keep the subsidy if they contribute to an HSA account and purchase a high deductible ACA plan.
another cliff to watch out for is the IRMMA fee for Medicare; just a dollar of income over the limit could result in $1k in more Part B premiums for 12 months.
Great advice, but since all of our retirement will be taxable income, we hope to be well over these levels.
US Treasury Bills, even 1 month, now yield 2.00% or more. They are my go-to short term investment. Couple of years ago it wasn’t worth it when yields were .1% or .2% but now it does make sense and I would sure hate to have to deal with the FDIC if my bank went bust, and you have no idea what kind of garbage your money market fund is invested in.
We had a subsidized ACA policy for 2 years. It worked extremely well for us but I felt bad about it for several reasons: 1. People making LESS than us received no subsidy and no insurance in our state (no Medicaid expansion in NC) 2. Friends who made more than us were paying $1500/month or more for the same policy. We were subsidized down to zero. 3 .We had savings to pay several thousand dollars of medical expenses, which were more than offset by paying zero monthly. Many families receiving subsidies qualify for “free” insurance, but can’t afford to pay their deductible which can mean paying for the first $7500 in medical expenses. It’s actually a relief to be on Medicare even though our monthly premiums are higher.
Good for you for feeling guilty, NJres, you ought to!
Yet, I know what you mean. It sounds like a loophole that really wasn’t meant for people like you. However, you have paid your taxes for umpteen years, and if there’s a subsidy that you are eligible for, why should you not apply for it? But I get it. You aren’t used to getting freebies, you’re used to paying for everybody else. If going on Medicare relieves your guilt, then I’m glad that you’re on it now.
Anything that is legal is not a loophole.
Hmm, so if it’s legal, it’s not a loophole…then does that mean loopholes are illegal? I probably used the wrong terminology… should have said it was a subsidy that they didn’t actually intend for people like him. Or maybe they did, I don’t know what they were thinking.
Hey, pot is legal in this state, but if I used it, I would be fired and possibly even arrested. So I don’t put much stock in “legal”. Just staying out of trouble!
Loopholes typically refer to things that are legal or allowed, even though they may not be within the spirit of the broad intent of the law or rule. Sometimes, they are there due to an oversight or sloppiness when writing the law or rule; sometimes they are intentionally left in there as a political favor to someone.
Well, pot is still illegal on the federal level.
People use the term “loophole” to mean that someone found a shady and shameful orkaround… well, too bad for the law if it does not account for such “misuse.”
We have friends who have gotten the subsidy for the last three or so years as they were starting their business. My understanding is that whether one is subsidized or not is solely driven by income, not assets. They had plenty of assets but weren’t “making” enough money. Their business is profitable now, and the husband knows that they will no longer be eligible for the subsidies starting next year. They enjoyed (for lack of a better word) being subsidized while it lasted.
Some people have the ability to manipulate their income, some don’t.
I manage all of our assets. I pay attention to the markets (because family works in the markets), but I don’t pay attention to explanations of market behavior. Why? Because Nobody Knows Nothing.
I don’t think it’s a matter of manipulation. Just like filling out the FAFSA and CSS Profile, it can be arbitrary: you fill in in the boxes on the form, and if you fit into the category that receives a subsidy or need-based grant, you get it, and if you don’t, you don’t.