I have a portfolio that includes FBALX, FCNTX, and FUSVX- in that order of size. So far this year I have made 29,000 in div/cap gains that I always have been reinventing- and will continue to do so until I am 60-65. (am 55)

Question #1: Is it safe to assume that this amount will continue to grow each year  and when I turn off reinvestment, I can make 30,000 a year? Or could I run into a problem with counting on that, and say I make next to nothing in div/cap gains?

Question #2: When you take div/cap gains directly, the share price drops but can still grow right? Then I pay 15% on long term cap gains- but do I again pay tax as a part of my salary?
 
As you can see, I don't know much- hence the dumb questions! Thanks in advance.

I am 59.  I never bought gold.  I want to buy it as a safe investment.  Any advice on how and is it really safe?

This is probably a dumb question: When I take social security I understand that the Medicare Part A is deducted from my monthly benefit. Does the Federal Gov't taxing of S/S consider the full benefit or the net benefit after the medicare deduction? Based on my projected income it is my understanding that 85% of my benefit is taxable.

I am a married man age 48. Saved $2.5M. Approximately $700K in 401K. How long should I continue to work

We've have been 80/20 for years now waiting for Ben and Janet to figure out what's what.  I'm less than 3 and 1/2 years from mandatory retirement if it medically doesn't happen sooner.
 
I keep having this gnawing feeling I should be closer to 60/40...but....
 
Our current equities are 67% US Dividend growth Stocks,15% US Growth,15% International, 3% Emerging.   Most of those US Div Stocks did not cut their dividends during the 2007-9 crash.
 
Too risky?   We are 61.5 and 60 and I have to retire at 65...no if and or buts...(can't wait!)
 
Thanks!!

I'm in the process of selling my home and moving to another state.  The timing is tricky, in that I will not have my current home sold and closed, before I have to put down money on a new home.  I also have pay cash for the new home (combo of HELO and cash,) since I will not yet have a job in the new state, and therefore cannot get a mortgage.  Unfortunately the "cash" will be a combo of a HELO, and retirement money drawn from my Roth and Rollover 401k.  I am 60 and so there will be no penalty - but tax implications on the 401k withdrawal. 
 
So my question is this - if I take a distribution from my 401k in August,  but then when I start a new job in Sept - max out 401k deductions for Sept, Oct, November, December (the company I will join has 401k plan starting Day 1) - will I be taxed on the "Net" distribution number at the end of the year?  The goal is to minimize the tax liability from the August withdrawal?  And also, does the MAGI number only show the net 401k amount as taxable?  Thanks!

Just saw a squib about an interview with the new Goldman CEO on CNBC.com.  He pointed out that some post-08-Credit Crisis market innovations and strong product trends --- untested through a full market cycle --- MIGHT result (or actually may have already resulted!) in unexpected market behavior....in particular volatility under stress.  These innovations and product popularity trends include some obvious stuff -- some of which we generally wouldn't think of as potentially dangerous:
 
1. High frequency trading / algo trading / program trading (obviously these have been flagged as potentially dangerous)
2. The rapid growth and daily trading volume predominance of index funds and Index ETFs.
 
Although I can't cite the source, I recall reading/hearing several times recently that trading in ETFs, program executions for "passive" index funds, and HFT/Algos total on average 70% of all trading volumes.  If correct, it's pretty clear that (say) equity index products like SPY, QQQ, DIA, etc. aren't really so diversified any longer --- at least not the way we used to think of diversification.  I mean, arguably, ETF and passive fund index trading likely drives individual equity issue prices more often than vice-versa...right?  And the Goldy CEO fails to mention the algo trading now permitted in large liquid financial futures markets -- like Treasury 10s and 30s and Eurodollar deposit/LIBOR!  And how about feedback loops between algos (say) driving rates higher AND "hopping aboard"/accelerating related consequent equity plunges?
 
So....what do you think?  If the sea-change that starts to reverse the glorious since-09 equity rally hasn't already started, we are surely closer to it than at any time in the past decade.  Is there a real danger that once the everything's-groovy-stay-the-course-keep-buying-talking-heads sooner or later run out of gas, the resulting market action looks more like a train wreck than an orderly decline?   Might it make sense to ALWAYS hold some way-way-out-of-the-money "lottery ticket" puts?   Thoughts about any part of this?

I usually go through things in November, looking for tax losses. Are the bottoms in, or almost in? I don't know. Anyway, look for losing tax lots to sell. You can...
 

1. Sell, and buy back 31 or more days later
   
   
2. Buy in preparation for selling a losing tax lot 31 or more days later
   
   
3. Say goodbye to a loser.
   
   
4. Move to a similar investment. e.g., sell some  GOOG you bought at 1270 and buy GOOGL. Sell SPY that you bought at $291  and buy IVV.
   

I have my investments with Edward Jones and have received poor results, I am looking for the best way to grow my investments.

There are some reasonably good Social Security Optimizers available online (e.g., https://opensocialsecurity.com/[/url]  (free) or [url=maximizemysocialsecurity.com]When Should I Take Social Security to Maximize My Benefits? | Maximize My Social Security (paid)), but I thought it might be useful to look at how long it takes to break-even if you claim at one point versus another under several assumptions regarding the value of money.  The calculations can be a bit complex and the and the answer is not as good as you might get from an optmizer that might consider additional factors.  Nevertheless, it might be of interest.
The general rules for claiming early or late from social security are given by Social Security which has a calculator to determine the impact at various ages.  The earliest you can generally claim is one month after turning 62 and the latest that makes any sense is Age 70 (because you just lose benefits if you claim after that date). This link reads in part:
 
QUOTE
In the case of early retirement, a benefit is reduced 5/9 of one percent for each month before normal retirement age, up to 36 months. If the number of months exceeds 36, then the benefit is further reduced 5/12 of one percent per month.
UNQUOTE
 
For anyone born after 1942, claiming later than normal/full retirement age increases benefits by 8% per year until Age 70.
 
The normal (or full) retirement age varies by year of birth .For someone born in 1960+, their FRA is 67 and they can claim as early as 62 years and one month or 59 months before Full Retirement Age, FRA.  For someone born in 1943-1954, their FRA is 66 and they can claim as early as 47 months before FRA.
 
Likewise, someone born in 1943-1954 can claim as late as Age 70, or 48 months after FRA, while someone born in 1960 should claim no later than 36 months after FRA to get maximum monthly benefits. (For those born in 1955 - 1959, the months are in-between).
 
You can set up an account with Social Security here: my Social Security | Social Security Administration and see your earnings history and
estimated benefits. (If you have years with multiple W-2's they often make mistakes and omit one of the two. It is worth checking)
With the above as background/reference, I looked at the break-even dates for various claiming strategies for those born in 1943 and later. In these cases, I am looking at REAL dollars net of inflation.  It is easier to look at things that way.  So, when thinking about the results, the time value of money is based on REAL returns net of inflation. For example, if the time value of money is based on fixed income, perhaps the interest rate is 3% and inflation is 2%, for a real return of 1%. Or, if the time value money is based on equities returning 8% (through dividends and growth) and inflation is again 2%, the the real return is 6%. Most experts recommend using a low number like 1% or 2%, although some people feel that the social security income allows them to keep invested in equities and therefore warrants a higher rate.
 
Following are the results, first for a 0% real rate of return:
   
A 2% Return Case (Remember Natural Logarithms?):
   

A 4% Return Case:
   

A 6% Return Case:
   

Note that there may be other factors than expected longevity in making a decision as to when to claim.  The above may look complicated, but it really provides a simplistic answer.