Decades ago, the “typical” retiree left work for good between age 60-65 and typically passed away at about 70-75. Retirement lasted 10-12 years for many Americans. Now the picture has changed: some of us will spend 30, 40, perhaps even 50 years in retirement. (Imagine retiring at 55 and living to be 105; it is possible.) We may live much longer than our parents, and if we do, we will need a lot more money. read more »

The Kitsap Humane Society announced it will host a free Investment, estate and tax planning seminar for Kitsap County and surrounding area residents. The seminar will feature speakers Brian George, a financial advisor at Edward Jones, Richard Shattuck, an estate planning attorney, and Brian Orser, CPA. The seminar topics will include: financial investments — legalities regarding charitable gifts, estate planning for you and your pets and tax deduction opportunities. read more »

The tens of thousands of owners of Washington family businesses know all too well the sacrifices required to build a successful enterprise that can reinvest in new jobs and expanded work opportunities for people in the community.

These business owners also know that their hard work, in the end, might be for naught, and that when they die their families may have to sell the business to pay federal and Washington state estate taxes. read more »

It’s not uncommon… Many well-educated, socially conscious, environmentally friendly investors wind up buying shares of companies whose beliefs and business practices are far removed from their own. Why? Most investors simply haven’t thought about merging their personal beliefs with their investment strategies. Some may not even be aware read more »

Is 70 the new 65? It may be. Many Americans are electing to postpone retirement as an effect of the recent volatility in the financial markets. If 70 is the new 65, some workplace changes are worth noting — these trends may be affecting you, your employer, and your financial future.

Retirement will increasingly be a process, not an event. In the years ahead, more and more people will probably leave the workplace gradually. For baby boomers that want to stay active and engaged read more »

When clients come to Richard Himmer for financial advice, they will not hear about stock investments and other wealth accumulation strategies. In fact, they will not experience many things one might expect from a financial adviser. Himmer, a financial coach who owns PyrBlu, Inc. (www.pyrblu.com) in Gig Harbor, uses a unique method to help people succeed by saving money rather than risking it through investments in the stock market. He doesn’t even use the term retirement planning: “I call it retirement preparation,” he says.

Himmer uses a quadrant method he created himself to teach people about how to manage their money. He feels that in a marriage, learning how to have cash flow is as important as communication read more »

Washington Federal Inc. announced a public offering of common stock that could raise about $330 million in total net proceeds for the Seattle-based thrift; a move that impressed analysts.

FBR Capital upgraded shares in the company from “underperform” to “outperform.” At McAdams Wright Ragen in Seattle, analysts reaffirmed the company’s “buy” rating. read more »

National bank rating firm Bauer Financial has just released its new bank and credit union star-ratings. The number of banks earning a recommended rating of four or five stars is virtually unchanged from last quarter at 55.7 percent.

That number indicates that the strongest banks in the nation are remaining strong and have likely done so by maintaining strong loan underwriting practices and avoiding bubbles and unconventional investment vehicles. read more »

If you invest for many years, you’ll eventually encounter both bull and bear markets. Although you obviously prefer seeing the bull, you may actually learn more from the bear — and when it’s “hibernating,” you can put these lessons to good use in making investment moves for the future.

Here are some of the key “bear market lessons” to consider: read more »