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Every year around this time I talk to my tax person about putting money into an IRA (Individual Retirement Account). He tells me whether to invest in my traditional IRA or my Roth. I thank him, put a note in my to-do list, then google “the difference between traditional and

Talking to an aging parent about their money can be fraught with pride, confusion, suspicion, and complicated family dynamics. But gentle and helpful money discussions should be part of a caring relationship. My Mom has been on her own now for five years, but she depends on me to help

When I started investing for retirement, I learned the fundamental principle of diversification—investing money across a wide variety of companies, industries, and regions to create a balanced portfolio that’s resilient to risk. So I chose funds for my IRA and 401k plans that aligned with my risk tolerance and let

We’re excited to share one of the principals here at Arrivity Financial Planning, Ted White, CFP®, was recently quoted in Kiplinger on the topic of making the most of the early years of retirement—when you’re healthy and active. We’re proud to see his expertise recognized in the broader financial community!

I’ve heard about people taking entire two-week vacations this summer and tuning out the news. How do they do it? There’s so much happening. Sure, some of it is very far away. But there’s a lot of news that affects us here and now. Health insurance is one of those

I just signed up for a free class at the community college to learn about Medicare. It can only mean one thing: I’m getting closer to “that age.” Time to get serious about how I’m going to live in retirement. Not that I’m planning to retire as soon as I

The news came as a shock. A husband, father, brother, and cornerstone of his community passed away unexpectedly last month. He was my younger cousin, on the eve of his 60th birthday. Messages of care and concern lit up our family chat. I know from experience that his wife and children

If you know the terms RSU, ISO, NQSO, and ESPP, then it’s likely that you’ve been offered – or you’re enrolled in – an equity compensation plan at work. If you’re the kind of person who looks at a list of financial acronyms and immediately tunes out, believe me you’re

Everyone knows it’s not just eggs that have increased in price. Persistent inflation – magnified by economic uncertainty – has us paying more in every part of our lives. Eggs, though, are a perfect symbol of what we’re collectively dealing with. Each individual egg is affordable, but adding up all

Greetings, As a rational person might have expected, the current administration’s “Liberation Day” news has gone over like a lead balloon with global investment markets today. At the time of this writing, the U.S. stock indices are down about 4-5% as of the morning of April 3, 2025. International stocks

On the first hometown visit after our daughter was born, we were told we’d better swing by and visit Emily – the retired school principal who was a long-time friend of the family. Emily lived in a modest house in an older Fairbanks neighborhood. She was delighted to see us

I didn’t make any resolutions for the new year. But I do have a big project in the works. And I mean big, as in clear-everything-out-of-the-lower-floor-of-the-house big. I’m finally going to finish that room in my basement. It’s funny that this house has been around for nearly 100 years and

I didn’t make any resolutions for the new year. But I do have a big project in the works. And I mean big, as in clear-everything-out-of-the-lower-floor-of-the-house big. I’m finally going to finish that room in my basement. It’s funny that this house has been around for nearly 100 years and

Nancy Dienes, CEO of Arrivity Financial Planning, has built a career around planning for the future. But lately she’s only been able to think about one day at a time. That is, ever since an enormous tree fell through her roof during Seattle’s mid-November ‘bomb cyclone.’ I talked to Nancy

In my opinion, one of the most over-used phrases from the pandemic was, “In these uncertain times…” I got pretty tired of companies and advertising reminding me about the uncertainty of the times. Thankfully, the mood eventually lifted as we adapted to a new version of normal life – albeit

I’m not a fan of rollercoasters. I don’t like that out-of-control feeling. But I’m not immune to peer pressure. In my mid-20s, my swim team headed to Magic Mountain after our morning workout. At first I vowed to stand firmly on solid ground while everyone else went on the loop-de-loop.

Everything seems to be a journey these days. Students don’t just attend college, they’re on an “educational journey.” Medical practices don’t just diagnose and treat, they promise a “healing journey.” And if you’ve ever considered buying a home of your own, a realtor will want to take you on a

The late night host, Jimmy Kimmel has a recurring bit where they assemble clips of local newscasters exclaiming about the extremely predictable change of the calendar, “Can you believe it’s March? Can you believe it’s already Summer? Can you believe it’s the New Year?” It always gets laughs from the audience,

When I landed a job at the phone company early in my career, my Dad was thrilled. He saw it as a stable place I could stay until retirement. One of the benefits was a generous retirement plan that included a hefty percentage of company stock. Well, I didn’t stay

I love a little DIY. It’s so satisfying to finish a project with my own elbow grease and creativity. I’ve painted rooms, finished furniture, installed shelves, made curtains, and hung new lighting. The other day I made a fancy three-tiered dessert stand with the help of a power drill, some

“Back in my day”…is not something you want to hear when you need to talk about student loan debt. On a lot of other issues you can get great free advice from wise family members. Like, how to turn off that red light on your car’s dashboard, how to take

My brother and I are having a disagreement. We’re both grown adults with grown children, so our disagreements look like discussions with the occasional pointed jab that recalls old childhood tensions. This disagreement started when the three of us – me, my brother, and our mom – were sitting around

Financial planning clients tend to fit a specific demographic – they’re usually retired or approaching retirement or thinking about financial independence. A few younger people (and I mean those in their 30s and 40s) might want a financial planner to help them make decisions about company stock, the sale of

I was preparing for a last-minute holiday get-together—making pasta salad, arranging cookies, setting the table—when I heard a beep. A minute or so later, I heard another beep. I stopped what I was doing to change the battery in the kitchen smoke detector. A minute or so later, there was

When I was in marketing management, my least favorite part of the job was organizing the end-of-year party for a thousand employees and their guests, a third of whom would sign up but never show up. Those who did attend seemed to be having a marvelous time, gobbling plates of

When I told my daughter I was doing noon workouts at the local pool, she was shocked. “What?” she said. She thought I had said, “nude workouts.” As a matter of fact, just about the only suit I put on these days is the one I wear lap swimming. I

My 85-year-old Mom got a call from Publisher’s Clearing House. The caller told her she’d won $3.7 million and a new Mercedes Benz. The car was going to be delivered to her house that afternoon. All she needed to do was go to the store right away and get a

It’s been a while since I’ve attended a wedding. This summer I was invited to three. There seems to have been an outbreak of post-pandemic pairing among the niece and nephew generation. Wedding ceremonies are all about love and commitment and the coming together of families. As I watched the

You don’t have to be superstitious to believe you can predict the future. In fact, if you think about it, you’re making predictions all day long. That doesn’t make you clairvoyant. For example, when I need to go somewhere, I assume that I can rely on my car to take

Last week my daughter called to ask about the best way to cook a salmon fillet. My mom called for help setting up a new app on her computer. And I called a friend to ask her advice on how to use ChatGPT in my writing. Isn’t it great to

There’s a place in Alaska that’s been in our family since 1939. A beautiful lake-front spot on the Kenai Peninsula. It’s eight acres of land originally purchased for $500. Not long ago the old miner’s cabin was torn down and replaced with a big log cabin. The cabin was a

I chuckle when I hear people talk about parenting as an eighteen-year responsibility. Eighteen? I passed that age more than a few decades ago and my Mom still takes care of me. Okay, and I take care of her, too. I also don’t expect to be turning off the tap

I like answering surveys. They’re kind of a professional curiosity for me, like a baker tasting chocolates. But lately, I’ve been stumped by one of the questions at the end of the survey. It’s the one that asks about employment status. The choices are: Employed full time, employed part time,

When my daughter was in elementary school, I got her a Moon jar – a foldable bank with three compartments labeled “Share, Spend, Save.” Moon jars were created to help kids learn about money and goal setting. I encouraged my daughter to sort her money – allowance, earnings from chores,

It seems that every Sunday when I visit my Mom for dinner, she shows me a pile of envelopes from charities asking for money. She regularly sends modest checks to several groups, but they always seem to want more. I remind Mom that giving tends to trigger more asks, and

When I went through a major layoff as a twenty-something, my Dad didn’t hide his concern about my career choice. Advertising, I told him, was simply not going to be as secure as his life as a tenured professor. When I went on to secure a job at the regional

It seems that part of parenting is imagining what your kid is going to do when they grow up. A child who enjoys tinkering may be destined to be an engineer. One who loves to put on a show might become a director one day. We’re always on the lookout for the spark that will

When my 20-year-old daughter looked over the wage summary for her summer job, she zeroed in on the money that was taken out before the paycheck even hit her account. She grudgingly acknowledged the income taxes, hoping she may get some back as a refund. But Social Security? From the buzz she’s hearing among her generation, Social Security will be

Remember when the pandemic was going to disrupt life for a few months – okay, maybe a year – and then everything was going to get back to normal? Just when it looked like we had a handle on the virus, the global supply chain falls apart. Then came the

It’s a crazy world out there, and it all seems to be happening in real time. Four decades after CNN brought us 24-hour news, we now carry an endless supply of news and information in our pockets. We can see world events unfolding before our eyes, and watch moment-by-moment as

When my dad was around 85 and dealing with health issues, I made some time for the two of us to have lunch together while Mom was off with friends. I told him I’d done some research that I wanted to share. “Dad,” I said, “A while ago you told

One recent weekend I painted my bedroom walls a dark cobalt blue. Then I sent a photo to my cousin who said, “That’s going to be hard to paint over when you decide to sell your house.” I know. And I don’t care. The color makes me happy. My home

Before the whole world was carrying a GPS around in their pockets, I loved planning weekend camping trips using detailed topographical maps. I’d unfold a section of the wilderness on my kitchen table, locate a starting point, then trace alternate routes into scenic high country, waterfalls, or alpine lakes. Using

Are you Bunny Slope or Black Diamond? I have to be honest, whenever I meet with my financial planner and we get to the questions about risk tolerance, I suddenly become extremely uncertain: Am I a low risk person? Highly risk tolerant? Or somewhere in between? Most of the time

Happy New Year from the Arrivity® Financial Planning team! We have much to celebrate at our firm as we head into 2022. We are pleased to announce two promotions this past year, introduce new additions to the team, and share our new address. Financial Planner Promotions: Jonathan Coleman, who joined Arrivity

Greetings from Arrivity® Financial Planning! We hope this finds you well as the year end approaches. It’s our mission to help our clients navigate their path in the financial world. We believe financial planning is not a one-time event. It should be ongoing throughout life’s many changes. We value our

Washington State recently passed the Long Term Care Trust Act. Starting January 1, 2022, all W-2 income in WA State will be taxed at 0.58% to fund this new program. Prompt attention may be required for those who are working and already have a private Long Term Care Insurance policy

Your financial plan is a roadmap for achieving your personal goals. As you follow your plan, making adjustments along the way, you may one day decide to head in an exciting new direction. That is all part of the journey. As a company, we have reached a similar intersection –

Goddard Financial Planning remains “open for business” albeit in new configurations with the team working remotely. We are busily working with clients who need help navigating the current landscape. Note that currently e mail is our preferred means of communication. While we strive to respond to client inquiries within 24

While most of the country was enjoying the holidays in late December, Congress was busy putting the final touches on the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act, better known by its acronym of the SECURE Act. After being signed into law, the new provisions went into effect January

We hope this email finds you well and enjoying these long summer days. Whether it is taking in Seafair, exploring the many great outdoor spots in our region, or simply sitting on your porch and enjoying a cold drink, summer is a busy time of year. While we have been

Greetings! We hope this email finds you well and looking forward to the holidays. For many of us in the Pacific Northwest, autumn can be a favorite time of year as we transition from the hot, dry end of summer to shorter days, cooler nights, and plenty of color in

Greetings, In light of the recent data breach at Equifax, we would like to share with you some of the information we have gathered to help protect yourself and your family from credit and identity theft. The decision of which lines of defense to take in preventing identity theft is

I’ve been retired for a bit more than a year now. I’m stunned to write this. Where did the time go? Time moves at the same pace, of course, but it seems to be zipping by faster now than in earlier stages of my life. I think becoming more sensitive

By Connie Thompson – Komo News “If you own a home in a popular community, buyers could be about to make you a cash offer- even if you have no plans to sell. The offers may sound good, but there can be a major downside. Demand for homes is so

By George Erb – Special to The Seattle Times “Like many young adults, Tacoma graduate student Taylor Reyes is pursuing her dreams of a career and a home while college debt piles up around her. She’s worried whether she can earn enough money as a school counselor to buy a

By Connie Thompson – Komo News The mere thought of sudden wealth triggers lofty visions. Virtually everyone has a plan. But whether it’s 1.5 Billion, or several hundred thousand- money experts say the first thing to do- is nothing. “Don’t quit your job right away.” , said Certified Financial Planner

By George Erb – Special to The Seattle Times “Jennifer Ferdinand and Todd Parker have steady jobs, pensions and retirement accounts. They keep their spending in check and expect to pay off their home mortgage after 15 years. In short, the Kenmore couple are well positioned for the future, with

Here’s my first official report on retirement: it’s great. I talked about retirement every day for years with planning clients who needed help in figuring out how to become financially prepared themselves. I knew I was ready to follow my own advice when the desire to shift into a slower