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Our blog has the latest from the Seasons Financial Group Team! Keep up-to-date with Ken and Stephanie's latest thoughts on the markets & finances, and discover travel spots, cooking tips, & life stories from all of us.

Thursday, November 4, 2021

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) rules are changing. One of the updates will significantly benefit grandparent owned 529 plans. Currently if a grandparent or others outside the immediate family help with college...

Thursday, October 21, 2021

What is Inflation? Inflation is the rising cost for goods and services. It measures the spending power of currency and often appears as a percentage. Rising costs hurt those confined to a fixed income since they have few options to...

Thursday, July 29, 2021

LPL released Midyear Outlook 2021: Picking Up Speed. Take a look at LPL Research's thoughts on the economy for the last half of 2021. In the first half of 2021, the U.S. economy powered forward faster than nearly anyone had expected....

Thursday, July 15, 2021

Recently we have seen stories in the news about a rise in mortgage wire fraud. Together with LPL, we have developed procedures to protect our clients from these types of schemeswhen we send 3rd party wires on your behalf to your...

Thursday, July 1, 2021

Seeing our clients of course! In person team meetings Office coffee & snacks Ken’s daily jokes Easy Costco trips (super bonus!)

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Thursday, June 3, 2021

LPL released a new version of Account View--Account View 2.0! What is Account View 2.0? Account View 2.0 is LPL's newest client portal. It can be used on your mobile devices in addition to your desktop. With the launch, LPL released a...

Thursday, May 20, 2021

It’s that time of year when high school seniors are determining their next steps after graduation: go straight into the workforce focus on learning a trade pursue a two or four year degree at a college or university For Oregon...

Thursday, May 6, 2021

The Oregon 529 college savings plan underwent significant changes at the start of 2020, based on 2019 state legislation. These changes include a switch from a tax rebate with a set maximum rebate per joint or single filer to a tax...

Thursday, April 22, 2021

April 22 marks the 51st Anniversary of Earth Day. Like many of you, the staff at Seasons try to do our part to be good stewards of the earth year round. Walking or biking instead of driving, planting a garden, recycling and composting,...

Thursday, April 8, 2021

Many clients ask me the question of whether they should pay off their mortgage or keep on making their monthly payments? There are at least two ways to answer the question. One way to answer the question is economically. The second way...

Thursday, March 25, 2021

We sometimes hear of the concept of “importing” or “exporting” inflation. The force behind this event is the rise or loss of value of the United States dollar against other currencies. The last ten years have...

Thursday, March 11, 2021

The markets today may seem to be illogical. On the short term, it’s a fair evaluation. However, there is a logical rhythm from an economic cycle perspective. The markets are like the tide, they rise and fall in a systematic...

Thursday, February 25, 2021

Keep Your Software Up to Date 1 Companies regularly release new software. They fix weaknesses in their systems so they are better protected. Most software can be enabled to update automatically. Both Windows and Mac provide resources...

Thursday, February 11, 2021

2020 was a year that changed many things in our lives and it affects how we prepare our taxes. A few legislative bills were passed to promote charitable giving and provide financial relief stemming from the coronavirus. As you prepare...

Thursday, January 28, 2021

LPL Research shares their insights in Outlook 2021: Powering Forward. They discuss the potential economic impacts of Covid-19 and policy on the economy and markets. OVERVIEW MORE THAN MOST YEARS, it’s hard to look ahead to the...

Thursday, January 14, 2021

When will I receive my 1099 Consolidated Reporting Statement? LPL will begin mailing 1099 Consolidated Reporting Statements on January 29, 2021. During the 2021 tax season, 1099 Consolidated Statements will be mailed in four phases in...

Thursday, December 24, 2020

There four major investment categories: stocks, bonds, alternatives and real estate. The simple answer for why they go up or down is more people are either buying or selling the category. If someone thinks a category is going to be...

Thursday, December 10, 2020

Americans have always been a generous people and many are looking for additional ways to give during these challenging times. According to the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) World Giving Index 10th edition, the United States has rated...

Thursday, November 26, 2020

One may think if you make 10%, then lose 10%, you’re even. However, when you do the math, you discover the mystery of percentages. For example: $100 X +10% = $110 Up Market$110 X -10% = $99 Down Market We can see how down market...

Thursday, November 12, 2020

Inflation is a term used for something getting bigger. Thanksgiving is a time for humans to expand with the consumption of a big meal. Hot air balloons inflate when warm air is added. The cost of goods and services also increase, but...

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Adjectives can really make a difference! A flower can be described as “pretty”, which brings different pictures to mind depending on where you live. People in the Midwest might think of sunflowers. Oregonians might think of...

Thursday, October 15, 2020

Debt is the ability to bring future earnings to the present to be used for consumption or investment. For the privilege of doing this magical wonder the borrower is charged an interest rate for using the money. Debt can make the...

Thursday, October 1, 2020

Neahkahnie Mountain offers incredible views of Nehalem Bay and the Pacific Ocean overlooking Manzanita Beach. Located in the Oswald West State Park, it’s a perfect pit stop along the coastal highway to get your hike on! Being...

Thursday, September 17, 2020

On a recent trip back to Rockaway Beach, I happily remembered family vacations spent there in my youth. My dad would plan our departure date, dependent on when the lowest tides promised prime clam digging at the beds in nearby...

Thursday, September 3, 2020

There is an expression in finance called “the ballpark number.” It means close but not exact. The rules of 72 and 115 are similar in that they give you a close answer but not exact. They are useful numbers for basic...

Thursday, September 3, 2020

In typical times, trips to the DMV are not exactly high on my list of fun things to do with my time. However, in these strange times, you will find that not only is a trip to the DMV not fun, it’s impossible without an...