Northwest living offers green landscapes, mountains, beaches, and plenty of outdoor fun. Living in Oregon or Washington, two of these beautiful northwest states, bring very different financial planning considerations. This financial guide to the northwest outlines some of the important factors that impact optimizing after tax investment returns, life transitions, and saving for college.
Tips for Life During a Pandemic
For many of us, the COVID-19 outbreak has drastically changed the way we live, work, and enjoy our free time. Perhaps we weren’t as prepared for an emergency as we thought we were or never expected the government would tell us to stay home. Restaurants, bars, parks, and beaches all closed? No way! A line to get into the grocery store? You’re kidding. Signs along the highway reminding us to stay home to stay safe? It feels more like an apocalypse movie than real life. Without access to our usual ways of socializing and entertaining, we’re having to get creative – virtual happy hour anyone?
Since we’re all in this together, let’s do what we can to make it as comfortable and tolerable of an experience as we can. Understand that life is different right now and it’s important to adjust our expectations for ourselves and others accordingly. And maybe the silver lining is that we’ll have a better idea of what we need in order to maintain our health, happiness, and overall well-being when life returns to normal.
How to Prepare for Healthcare Costs in Retirement
Healthcare is one of the biggest and most unpredictable line items to prepare for in retirement. Medicare kicks in when you turn 65 however there is a big gap in what Medicare covers vs. the coverage you’re used to from your employer’s group plan.
For a couple retiring in 2015, Fidelity Investments reports that they will need to have an additional $245,000 in savings to cover their healthcare costs in retirement.
Portland Financial Planner Tips: Preparing for a Natural Disaster
As financial planners, our job is to help our clients prepare for the expected but more importantly, the unexpected. This can include anything from losing a job, suffering a sudden, debilitating health event, and even a natural disaster. As Portland financial planner, we are increasingly aware of the potential for a major earthquake.
For this reason, we asked the Red Cross to come in to speak to us about the Cascadia Subduction Zone located off the Oregon coast and their tips regarding preparation for this potentially devastating event.
15 Things to Know About College Savings Plans (with special Oregon 529 Plan Tips)
Do you find saving for college a daunting task?
You are not alone. It’s important to know that you have options for tax-deferred education savings.
The 529 is the most popular college savings plan available. We’ve identified 15 things you should know in order to get the most out of a 529 Plan, with a focus on Oregon 529 Plans.
