Do I even need a brick and mortar bank anymore?

[Rogar]

I think Vangard is a decent place to store a person's investments because of their low fees, and when I was using them they really never pushed anything. I've looked into their 'Digital Adviser", where you answer some questions about risk, needed income, and other objectives and then basically a computer program or AI manages your investments, possibly in low fee index funds. It costs a little, but is cheaper than a in person adviser, plus their customer service is reasonable.

I suspect now or in the near future AI analysis will outperform personal financial managers, although it doesn't account for the dartboard randomness of the markets.

[SiouzQ.]

Iris Lillies, I think my brother said he was going to check and see if there is an exit fee for the annuity account. I've had that one for quite awhile and he said it may not have one but we'll see. As far as the IRA, I don't *think* there is but we will check on it - thanks for a good question to ask!

My goal in the next few weeks is at least get started with a Vanguard cash account with some of that extra money. We also found out last night we are going to be getting quite a large tax refund for 2025, which was a helluva year financially with the K's layoff, unemployment, my SSDI coming through, the remnants of our Solar Tax Credit, K. being over 65 and getting the extra $6,000 deduction. When I got the windfall of the backpay from SSDI, I ended up making a $2000 estimated tax payment because we had NO IDEA how anything was going to work out. I'll be getting that back plus we are going to get quite a bit more!