Retirement Planning Strategies

Give us a call! 303-922-4304 www.AnnVanderslice.com Hours: 8-5 M-F

JUNE 2017

HEALTHY, WEALTHY,

&Wise

1 Denver Federal Center Building 45, Entrance E-9, Room 1050 Lakewood, CO 80225

N

90 Years of Inspiration L ast month I wrote about my mother, Judy, in honor of Mother’s Day. I figured I would devote this month to my father, Arvid. I

CELEBRATING MY FATHER, ARVID

recently returned from a trip to his tiny, unincorporated Iowa town of Weston to celebrate his 90th birthday. Even at his age, my dad still lives happily on his own and has no trouble living his days to the fullest. It’s always inspiring to me to see all the hobbies my dad keeps up with to this day. He is an avid reader, always telling me about the latest book he’s read. He tends a robust garden and even raises chickens. His social calendar is packed with more restaurant trips than most people a third of his age. Nearly every day of the week, he’s having breakfast or lunch with friends. Another thing my dad is tremendously passionate about is sports. Growing up in Weston, we obviously didn’t live near any major league teams, but there were plenty of local sports, and my dad took me to games whenever he could. In fact, some of my earliest memories involve going to see the local eight-man football team. I’m

still a big sports fan to this day, and that’s definitely something that got passed down from my father. I remember when the Rockies came to Colorado. I would listen to them on the radio, and people would always ask me, “How can you listen to baseball on the radio?” Well, it’s what I did all those years with my dad, and I still prefer it to watching games on TV. My dad’s team was always, and still is, the Kansas City Royals. Though he vividly remembers the 1985 World Series win, he was starting to think that he would never see another. That is, until, the 2015 season. Throughout the year, the Royals were notorious for late-inning comebacks, and my dad was notorious for falling asleep before the games ended. The day after they finished off the Mets, I called my dad asking if he managed to stay up to see the Royals win the big one. “I stayed up past midnight,” he said, “I watched the congratulatory champagne in the locker

room, the trophy presentation, everything. I didn’t miss a minute.”

www.AnnVanderslice.com | 1 – Ann Vanderslice years, and Father’s Day will be another opportunity. I wish everyone could have as good a relationship with their dad as I have with mine. This Father’s Day, don’t forget to call dad and say thanks. I know I won’t! His enthusiasm for the Royals is typical of how my dad approaches life. Growing up, neither of my parents ever limited what my brother or I could achieve. They always encouraged us to pursue our passions, and they instilled in us a belief that we could do anything. Whenever I hear about childhood challenges, I’m reminded of how lucky I am to have grown up with my parents. In short, I had the best childhood. My dad’s 90th birthday party was a chance for me to say thanks for everything he’s given me over the

Published by The Newsletter Pro . www.NewsletterPro.com

DIY FOODS THAT Save Money

can whip up in no time. To get started, try this French dressing: two parts olive oil, one part sherry vinegar, a teaspoon of Dijon mustard, and a clove of minced garlic. Even without preservatives, your concoctions will store in the refrigerator for weeks. Hummus Savings per tub: $3.50 Hummus goes great with everything, from bread and vegetables to grilled meats, but it often costs over $5 for a small tub. Canned chickpeas and tahini paste are a lot cheaper and making your own hummus couldn’t be easier. Blend one can of cooked chickpeas, the juice of one lemon, ¼ cup of tahini, and two tablespoons of olive oil. Mix until smooth and add salt and pepper to taste. Granola Savings per box: $5 It’s a great breakfast option, but one that comes with a steep markup. Combine oats, On the days Mary Beth isn’t helping clients, she cherishes being able to spend time with her three grandsons: Dominic, Alex, and Nolan. “Simply hanging out with them is enough to put a smile on my face,” Mary Beth remarks. “It’s amazing to see how quickly they grow up.” Mary Beth is also something of a world traveler and is always looking forward to her next adventure. Her upcoming voyage will take her to Spain and Italy. “My last trip, and one of my most memorable,” she notes, “was a vacation to Norway with my husband. It’s probably the most beautiful place I’ve ever been.” We’re very lucky that Mary Beth carves time out of her retirement to advise our clients. Her experience, expertise, and personality add a lot to our office. She may be a part-time employee, but she makes a full-time contribution.

dried fruit, and nuts, and you’re done. You can also add a little honey and bake the mixture. Shape into bars for lunch-time treats. Breadcrumbs and Croutons Savings per container: $2.50 The price of packaged breadcrumbs is simply outrageous. When your loaf of sourdough goes stale, don’t throw it out. Cube it, toss in some olive oil, and bake it on a flat pan for homemade croutons. Alternately, crush it up as breadcrumbs and use it to bread meats or make stuffing. This is a sure fire way to save money while reducing waste - a win-win solution. The next time you’re at the market, ask yourself which items in your basket can just as easily be made at home. Put in the effort to do it yourself, and your checkbook and taste buds will thank you.

Everyone has to eat, and food is one of the largest routine expenses for every family. While eating at home more often is a great way to save money, why not take things one step further? There are a lot of items that you probably buy packaged and premade that are just as easy, delicious, and more nutritious to make at home. Here are some of the biggest offenders when it comes to an inflated grocery bill. Salad Dressing Savings per bottle: $3 Not only is bottled dressing expensive, but it also comes with added salt and sugar you can easily cut out of your diet. Dressing is a simple formula: oil, acid (vinegar or lemon juice), plus added flavors. Once you get the ratios down, you’ll be shocked at the tasty creations you At Retirement Planning Strategies, we’ve helped scores of federal employees navigate retirement. One of those federal employees, Mary Beth Saldin, just so happens to work for us now. After spending 36 years working for the Department of Veteran Affairs, Mary Beth retired, and she now devotes some of her time to helping people who are in the same position as she once was. “I ended up working for Ann because I was a satisfied client,” Mary Beth says. “I really believe in what Ann does. I love the team here, and I’m proud to provide guidance to federal employees.” Mary Beth enjoys educating people on benefits they never knew were available, with the goal of making their lives easier as they approach retirement. “Another thing I enjoy about working here,” Mary Beth jokes, “is that I get to make my own schedule.”

Meet Mary Beth Saldin PART-TIME EMPLOYEE, FULL-TIME GRANDMOTHER

Published by The Newsletter Pro . www.NewsletterPro.com

2 | 303-922-4304

The 4 Elements of Money: How You Withdraw Money Part Four

IN OUR FINAL INSTALLMENT OF “FOUR ELEMENTS OF MONEY,” we are discussing withdrawing funds. Of all the topics we’ve covered, this one is the most overlooked aspect of successful financial management. Taking money out of investments and selling assets is not

as straightforward as a trip to the ATM. You need to put the same thought into withdrawing money as you do into making, saving, and investing it. In the simplest terms, withdrawal is when you remove funds from an account like a 401(k) or pension. The two most

tax status. If you are in a tax-deferred retirement plan, you pay taxes when you withdraw funds. The lower your tax bracket, the less you will pay, so you want to withdraw when your tax bracket is lower than when you invested. Tax- exempt accounts, like a Roth IRA, allow for withdrawal of principal with no tax payment because you’ve already paid the tax when you deposited the funds. Selling assets is another form of withdrawal, including real estate. Of course, you may choose to pass on your assets to future generations or make donations to nonprofits, but that decision is yours to make. You can’t approach financial planning exclusively from a front-end perspective. If you don’t consider how you will withdraw funds, you could end up losing hard earned gains. Withdrawal may be the last “Element of Money,” but it’s certainly not the least important.

important factors to consider when doing this are 1) minimum amounts, and 2) potential penalties. For some accounts, you need to be a certain age to withdraw money without incurring an additional tax penalty. For others, you will need to withdraw a minimum amount every year. This is known as a Required Minimum Distribution (RMD). RMDs should always be withdrawn before taking money from other accounts.

Another consideration when it comes to withdrawing funds is

Train Your

DAD’S WHISKEY BURGER

BRAIN!

Celebrate Dad all month long with a burger he’s sure to love!

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook bacon until crisp. Remove and cool. Reserve 2 tablespoons bacon fat. 2. In a large skillet, combine olive oil and bacon fat, then add onions. Cook over low heat. Add salt and turn onions often for 30–40 minutes until caramelized. 3. Place whiskey and chopped garlic in a shallow dish and add hamburger patties. Marinate for 15 minutes, then flip and marinate another 15 minutes. 4. Grill burgers over medium-high heat until cooked to desired doneness. 5. Add two slices of cheese to each burger in the last minute of grilling. 6. Put hamburgers on buns, then top with a large spoonful of caramelized onions. Top with bacon.

• 4 (6–6 ½ ounce) hamburger patties • ¼ cup whiskey • 3 garlic cloves, chopped • 4 strips bacon • 8 thick slices INGREDIENTS:

cut in half, and thinly sliced • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 2 tablespoons

reserved bacon fat

• 1 teaspoon salt • 4 hamburger buns

American cheese

• 2 large Vidalia onions, peeled,

www.AnnVanderslice.com | 3

Published by The Newsletter Pro . www.NewsletterPro.com

Give us a call! 303-922-4304 www.AnnVanderslice.com FAX: 303-416-4358 Hours: 8-5 M-F

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

303-922-4304 • www.annvanderslice.com

PO Box 260787 Lakewood, CO 80226-0787

issue INSIDE THIS 90 Years of Inspiration PAGE 1

DIY Foods That Save Money PAGE 2 Spotlight on Mary Beth Saldin PAGE 2 The 4th Element of Money PAGE 3

Dad’s Whiskey Burger PAGE 3

We’re Gonna Need a Bigger Theater PAGE 4

WE’RE GONNA NEED A BIGGER THEATER Jaws and the Rise of the Summer Blockbuster

For many, summer is a great time to get outside and enjoy the countryside. For others, summer is a season littered with bone-rattling explosions, labyrinthine superhero crossovers, and cute, catchphrase- spouting animated characters. All this is just to say that summer movie blockbusters are a really big deal, raking in billions of dollars each year. But it wasn’t always this way. Back in the early ’70s, ticket sales consistently fell during the summer months. After all, who wanted to sit inside on a beautiful day when you could be outside playing?

All that changed when Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws” hit the screen on June 20, 1975 and sent every beach- goer scrambling out of the water and into theaters. Many credit the movie’s enormous success — grossing $470 million worldwide — on its thrilling story, and certainly that was part of it. As “Financial Times” writer Nigel Andrews puts it, “Jaws” gave Spielberg “the template for the perfect blockbuster. Create a colossal baddie … and a colossal hero … [and] follow by natural law.”

main character. Before its release, Universal already smelled blood in the water, giving three times the usual number of interviews during filming. A preview at Long Beach, with executives Lew Wasserman and Sidney Sheinberg tape-recording the audience’s reaction turned into “an unprecedented $700,000 dollars’ worth of TV advertising,” according to Andrews. Nowadays, you can’t throw a beach ball in June without hitting some spandex- clad superhuman. But, even as the trailer for “Transformers 15” comes onto the big screen, we’re not complaining. We’re too enthralled by what’s happening at the movies.

But, in fact, “Jaws” is as indebted to timing and marketing as to its toothy

4 | 303-922-4304

Published by The Newsletter Pro . www.NewsletterPro.com