Puzzles

ACROSS

1. Shout from a ship? 5. Shout from the bleachers 8. ____ and don’ts 11. Infamous Henry’s number 12. One with COVID, e.g. 13. Fighter jet button 15. Resting stops 16. Not guilty, e.g. 17. One of Singapore’s official languages 18. *Home of last year’s Super Bowl winners 20. Armor chest plate 21. *Given name of 2011 Super Bowl

MVP 22. African grazer 23. Greek woodland deities 26. Ramones’ hit “I Wanna Be ____” 30. Big fuss 31. Like certain Chili Peppers (2 words) 34. Cattle call goal 35. Scatterbrained 37. Bonehead 38. In a different direction 39. JetÈ in ballet 40. More so than eggy 42. Conducted 43. Christmas firewood (2 words) 45. Annotator and commentator 47. Soda-pop container 48. Unpleasant and offensive 50. SWAT attack, e.g. 52. *Super Bowl I and II winning coach 55. Pertaining to a pope 56. Cain’s unfortunate brother 57. Gives a hand 59. Anoint 60. BÈbÈ’s mother 61. Season to be jolly 62. *Most Super Bowl wins by one team 63. Snoop 64. Carhop’s load

DOWN

1. *Roman number of this year’s Super

Bowl 2. “___ Misbehavin’” 3. Santa Maria’s traveling partner 4. Despair in the face of obstacles 5. “The Hobbit” hobbit 6. “Caribbean Queen” singer 7. Colloquial approval 8. Cold cuts counter 9. South American tubers 10. Pig’s digs 12. Not dense 13. Make corrections 14. *Florida team with no Super Bowl appearances 19. Return punch 22. Come and ____ it 23. Lamentably 24. Bye, to Edith Piaf 25. Bottom line 26. *2022 Super Bowl stadium 27. Upholstery choice 28. *Archie to Super Bowl MVPs Peyton and Eli 29. Exploits 32. *Super Bowl Halftime show Snoops’s

“last name” 33. Hardly a beauty 36. *Like some teams 38. Oenophile’s concern 40. Many, many moons 41. Empower 44. Big Dipper’s visible shape 46. Oppressive ruler 48. On the wagon 49. Nail salon board 50. Feminine of raja 51. Mt. Everest to Earth 52. Aladdin’s light 53. Christian of fashion 54. Result of a brainstorm 55. Rudolf Nureyev’s step 58. Stallone’s nickname

SOLUTION ON PAGE 23. SOLUTION ON PAGE 23.

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SOLUTION ON PAGE 23.

Valentine’s Day HAPPY

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14

Should You Consider Your Home a Retirement Asset?

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

If you own a home, chances are your net worth has shot up in the last year. According to a new report, skyrocketing home prices caused by a pandemicfueled real estate frenzy have led to a scenario where homeowners in the U.S. are sitting on a record $22.7 trillion worth of home equity.1 Seeing the estimated value of your home increase on real estate sites can be exciting, especially if you’re counting on that money to one day help fund your lifestyle in retirement. But it’s important to remember that real estate is a more complicated asset than cash. Keep these factors in mind as you consider how the value of your home may be used to bankroll your retirement.

1. You need somewhere to live. Whether it is in your current house or somewhere else, you need a roof over your head, and that usually comes with a sizeable cost. Many people who downsize their homes underestimate how much they’ll end up spending on a smaller condo or to live in a retirement community. In fact, some come to realize that their new accommodations are on par with or even more expensive than their previous homes – especially considering that they may end up spending two or three decades there in retirement. Regardless of your situation, do the math so you know what you’re getting yourself into financially and how it will factor into your plans for retiring.

2. Selling your home might not be as easy as

you think. Given the strong demand and short supply of houses on the market, you may be seeing homes sell at lightning speed in your local community – but it’s important to remember there are no guarantees. In some areas of the country, hot housing markets are beginning to cool. As a result, you might be disappointed in the price you are able to generate when you sell your property.

Many people have been disappointed to discover that their home is not as valuable as they might

have expected. It’s important to keep a pulse on the housing market in your area to help determine what you may be able to get for your home. 3. Determining a home’s value can be difficult.

Compared with a stock, bond or mutual fund that can readily be priced in the market and bought or sold daily, a home is a different kind of investment.

The value can’t be precisely determined, and it is not considered to be as much of a liquid asset. If you’re serious about selling your home, it may be worthwhile to hire a professional appraiser to give you a realistic sense of how much you can expect to a buyer to pay you for it.

Keeping these factors in mind, it’s important to maintain a proper perspective about the value of your home in the context of your overall financial picture. Be careful not to overestimate a home’s contribution to your retirement security based on its current valuation, because those numbers can change. Even as your home is appreciating in value, remain diligent about saving for retirement in other ways, such as through a workplace savings plan or an IRA.

Talk with a financial advisor about your plans for retirement and your home’s potential value in your overall portfolio. A qualified financial advisor can recommend strategies for generating income in retirement and provide guidance on how to build equity regardless of your home’s value. Then, any funds you generate from your home will be an added retirement bonus. 1 2021 Home Equity Report, Real Estate Equity Exchange, Inc. 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 © 2022 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.