Oregon PERS Benefit Estimate – How to Read Yours Your Oregon PERS Benefit Estimate – An Important but Confusing Document I recently attended a continuing education event where a representative from Oregon PERS spoke and walked us through a sample Oregon PERS Benefit Estimate. The room was filled with about 75 advisors. As we neared…
I enjoyed catching up with fellow advisor Josh St. Laurent on his podcast, Wealth in Yourself. Together, we discussed the opportunities and challenges for those approaching and entering retirement, what it means to align your money with what you care about, and more. You can listen in or read the transcript below: Josh: Welcome to…
When individuals set goals that are especially meaningful to them, they experience a sense of mission. They feel enthusiasm for the tasks that lie ahead and for what they intend to accomplish. At every stage of life, having a mission gives them a reason to get up in the morning, bounce back from setbacks, and…
An Estate Planning Checklist for Your Head and Heart Your estate plan isn’t just about distributing your assets; it’s also about ensuring your loved ones are taken care of, your wishes are honored, and potential complications are avoided. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk you through an essential estate planning checklist to help you make…
How to Read Your Oregon PERS Statement – A Step-by-Step Guide The Oregon Public Employee Retirement System (Oregon PERS) is the retirement program for all Oregon’s public service employees. Unlike other states, which have individual pension programs for various professions (one for nurses, one for teachers, one for police/fire, etc.), Oregon has just one pension…
The concept of retirement is undergoing a metamorphosis. Demographic, societal, and workplace trends have all converged to offer a stage of life that is much more fluid and flexible than what most of us previously imagined. In fact, retirement has become a matter of personal definition. If you prefer to listen to this post, click…
In our video “First Step Cash Management: Simplify and Automate Your Finances” you’ll learn about a cash flow plan called First Step, which aims to help individuals align their spending, saving, and investing with their values and goals. Why First Step Cash Management We start by emphasizing the importance of knowing where our money goes…
Second to income replacement, healthcare coverage is one of the more important planning opportunities to consider as you transition to retirement. Whether you’re working or already retired, this post is designed to give you a high-level overview of Medicare, what Original Medicare covers (and what it doesn’t), and your options around supplemental policies. What is…
Change is situational. Transition, on the other hand, is psychological. It is not those events but rather the inner reorientation or self-redefinition that you have to go through in order to incorporate any of those changes into your life. – William Bridges, PhD | Transitions: Making Sense of Life’s Changes If you prefer to listen…
Planning for Medicare and adequate healthcare coverage is central to retirement planning. Often, unknown Medicare surcharges lurk for those over certain income thresholds. This post discusses those fees, thresholds, and your options for reducing them. What is a Medicare Surcharge? Medicare surcharges (also known as income-related monthly adjustment amount or IRMAA) increase the premiums paid…