Community

Hello Neighbor!

HI, MY NAME IS... Jordan Moreno.

I’VE LIVED IN FIRESIDE AT DESERT RIDGE FOR

A FEW MONTHS AND I LOVE IT BECAUSE… This neighborhood is unlike any other that we’ve ever experienced! Neighbors are friendly and look out for one another. There is a true community feel. We love going to the park or community center as a family and meeting other families. We’ve already made so many friends.

A TYPICAL DAY IN MY LIFE INCLUDES… Waking up before the rest of the family to exercise, drink coffee while it’s still hot or have some quiet time to plan my day, get my husband and 3-year-old son out the door for work and school, and jumping on my computer to start my workday. I am the Vice President of Marketing and Development for a local charity named Homeward Bound. We serve families facing homelessness and I oversee all our marketing, media, events, fundraising campaigns, and donor engagement. I love fall in Arizona because we can take family walks around the neighborhood after dinner. Most of the evening is spent chasing around an energetic preschooler until bedtime and hopefully enjoying some wine and a book—if I am lucky! In our free time, my husband and I are active in the philanthropic community and love to travel to new places and try new restaurants.

MY FAMILY IS… Everything! I believe that a house is just a shelter, but the family inside makes it a home. My son Avery is super high energy and is always making us laugh. My husband Jose is the Chief Marketing Officer at Fiesta Bowl, so we are big into college football as a family. We seem to always be on the move. We love to be outdoors and travel together.

ONE THING I CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT IS… Sweets. Everything from ice cream to candy to cake.

MY FAVORITE MOVIE I COULD NEVER GET TIRED OF

WATCHING AND WHY… Really any Christmas movie, but my favorite is The Grinch. I think it brings a sense of nostalgia and tradition. I have probably memorized every word by now.

WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, I WANTED TO BE… A news anchor. I grew up in a media family in Denver and always thought news anchors were so prestigious and poised.

THE SONG I WOULD SING AT KARAOKE NIGHT IS…

“Livin La Vida Loca” by Ricky Martin. Dance moves included.

THE ONE PERSON WHO MOTIVATES ME IS…The person I was yesterday!

THE LAST THING THAT MADE ME LAUGH OUT LOUD

WAS… My son Avery playing the harmonica and guitar at the same time tapping his foot to the beat, singing some song I didn’t recognize. He looked wise beyond his years, and it made me laugh at how serious he was about it and how cute he was at the same time.

THE PERFECT DAY... Would start with plenty of coffee, spending time with family on some sort of adventure in the sun, followed by a relaxing dinner and drinks while enjoying the sunset. Probably on a beach! MY FAVORITE LOCAL NONPROFIT IS… Of course, Homeward Bound. I am inspired by the single moms that I see every day pick themselves up out of homelessness and grind for their children to make sure they break the cycle of poverty.

OTHER FAVORITES INCLUDE: My favorite restaurant is the Italian Daughter. The food is delicious, and the ambiance is fantastic. My favorite local hiking trail is Tom’s Thumb.

MY LIFE IS… Beautiful chaos! It’s always “go, go, go,” but I am grateful for every minute of it.

THE BEST GIFT I’VE EVER RECEIVED WAS… An Edwardian antique locket with a picture of my family in it. I wear It every day.

MY DREAM VACATION WOULD BE… A month traveling around European countries, taking our time and learning about each culture, and trying a lot of new foods.

THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE I’VE EVER RECEIVED...

Your thoughts become your reality.

Returning to School as an Adult? How to Fund Tuition

Renee A. Hanson, CFP® , ChFC®, CEP®, CDFA™ , CFS®, BFA®, APMA®

Millions of Americans in the workforce are heading back to school to further their education. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, college students over the age of 25 are projected to increase 11% by 2026. These adult learners are enrolling for a variety of reasons – to train for a new career, satisfy an urge to expand their knowledge base, or earn an MBA or master’s degree to improve their growth in their current job. If you decide additional education is the right option for you, be aware that tuition costs are on the rise. How will you pay for it? Here are some options to contemplate: • Your savings. Consider what savings you may have available to put toward tuition. If your return to school is still a semester or two away, start setting aside specific savings you can use for this purpose. Be sure to account for the cost of books, technology and other fees your school of choice may require. Resist the urge to tap into your retirement accounts. While it may be tempting, you have other sources of funds to pay for school that are not available to pay for your retirement. • 529 Plans. A tax-advantaged 529 college savings plan is typically used as a savings vehicle for future education needs of children or grandchildren. But you can also establish a 529 for your own education or tap unused assets you established in a child’s account for your own expenses. • Tuition reimbursement. Returning to school is particularly attractive if your employer offers a tuition reimbursement program. In practical terms, this means you could further your education and potentially improve your job and career prospects at a reduced cost to you. Important caveats may be tied to the reimbursement, such as only covering tuition for coursework in an area relevant to your current role or requiring you to remain with your employer for a period of time after completing your education. Check with your human resources department to see what benefits are available to you. • Grants and scholarships. There is no age limit to qualify for federal financial aid. Financial need dictates the ability to qualify for grants at the federal level, which

may limit your opportunities. However, you may also be able to find scholarships from other sources that apply specifically for older students. Your school’s financial aid office may be a helpful resource. • Loans. Adult students are eligible to take out traditional student loans. If you do, be thoughtful about the amount you borrow and diligent about repaying them quickly after graduation. You may be able to deduct a portion of the student loan interest from your gross income, subject to certain limitations. • Tax credits. There may be opportunities to reduce your tax bill if you qualify for education-related tax credits. For example, the Lifetime Learning Credit is a tax credit of up to $2,000 per tax return for qualifying higher education expenses (income limits apply). Which option – or combination of options – is right for you? Enrolling as a full-time student means higher upfront costs and a bigger time commitment. Yet, it can result in a degree or certification faster, which may be ideal if you are eligible for a higher-paying position afterward or if you are funding your schooling through scholarships and loans. If you choose to complete a class at a time, your education will take longer. Financially, this could allow you to absorb tuition and fees into your regular budget or pull the funds from a 529 account that is earning investment income in the meantime. Additionally, doing so may maximize your tax credit and reimbursement options. No matter how you fund higher education, consider how the cost fits within your overall financial strategy. A good place to start is to sit down with a financial advisor to discuss how you can prioritize school amid your other financial goals. Renee A. Hanson, CFP®, ChFC®, CEP®, CDFATM, CFS®, BFA®, APMA®, is a Private Wealth Advisor with Affinity Wealth Advisory Group, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. in Phoenix, Arizona. She specializes in fee-based financial planning and asset management strategies and has been in practice for 30 years. To contact her visit www.affinitywealthadvisor.com or call (602) 923-9800. Her office is located at 7010 E. Chauncey Lane, Suite #200, Phoenix, AZ 85054-3115. Investment advisory products and services are made available through Putting the needs of clients first is the approach I believe in. I’ll work with you to find Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC, a registered investment adviser. Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. Member FINRA and SIPC.the right financial solutions to help you plan for your unique goals. And together, we’ll © 2021 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved. track your progress over time, adjusting your plan along the way to help get you where you want to go.

Renee A. Hanson CFP®, CEP®, CDFA®, CFS®, ChFC®, APMA®

Private Wealth Advisor

Affinity Wealth Advisory Group

A private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

602.923.9800

7010 E. Chauncey Ln Ste 200 Phoenix, AZ 85054 renee.a.hanson@ampf.com affinitywealthadvisor.com

Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. Member FINRA and SIPC.

Community

The Best Gift Ever

By Lin Sue Cooney

The holidays are upon us… and so is the frenzied search for gifts to delight all the special people in our

lives.

But have you ever stopped to consider that you are the perfect gift? Not only to family and friends who’d enjoy spending more time with you, but also to people you’ve never met before. People in need of a warm smile and a tender touch.

In a few weeks, Hospice of the Valley’s innovative Dementia Care and Education Campus, at 44th Street and Indianola Avenue in Phoenix, will begin serving people and their family members who are living with all types of dementia. From the earliest stages to the most advanced, loved ones and their caregivers receive compassionate support and education to help ease what can be a lengthy and challenging journey.

A big component of this beautiful care comes from volunteers who visit with patients and families. We invite you to join our volunteer family and truly change lives with your companionship, conversation, and laughter.

Volunteer Gretchen Surridge fell in love with dementia patients after caring for her own father. “I love the sweetness I see in them. I enjoy the challenge of finding a way to break through and get to the person who is still there. They are not the same, but they are still there. It’s gratifying to unlock their happy memories. They have a whole life story, and I want to tap into that.”

There are many rewarding ways to volunteer — from storytelling, art, dance, games and reading to nature walks around the beautiful campus courtyard. Med student Jia Kai Pan enjoys soothing families with his violin. “It amazes me how music can open someone’s heart,” he says. “I see them perk up and turn toward me — and sometimes, even the ones who don’t really speak anymore start to sing.”

The Dementia Care and Education Campus has a special need for volunteers with professional talents — for example, licensed/certified hair stylists, nail artists and yoga instructors who enjoy pampering someone with a relaxing experience that lifts or calms the spirit.

Volunteer Debi Wineroth sees how people light up when she trims or styles their hair. “They sit taller in their wheelchairs or smile and stare at themselves in the mirror. There’s something special about putting caring hands on someone and taking them back to a time when life was more normal, and they felt beautiful. I’m so grateful to give them that bit of dignity.”

Lynn Tolmachoff is a longtime volunteer manager with Hospice of the Valley. “Our volunteers are so diverse, but they all provide that one-on-one support to our patients, meeting them where they are,” she says. “They help redirect someone who may be confused, they reassure someone who is distressed, and they bring indescribable joy to someone who only knows how to live in the present. They are a true gift.”

So, as we look toward the holiday season and into a new year, perhaps it’s the perfect time to ponder our own unique gifts. And even more, how to give those gifts away.

To volunteer at the Dementia Care and Education Campus or with Hospice of the Valley, contact Angela Hofler at ahofler@hov.org or 602-739-4717. It may be one of the most fulfilling things you ever do!

Lin Sue Cooney is Community Engagement director at Hospice of the Valley. To learn about programs and volunteer opportunities, visit hov.org.