A Hike In The Gorge, 27 Point Home Purchase Checklist, and More

Enjoy this week's edition of the Planner's Beta

Beta (n) - climber's jargon that designates information about a climb This digest's purpose is to share observations, ideas, and treasures found this week which you may also find insightful. Sharing does not mean it's an endorsement. I am endorsing the pursuit of knowledge and exploration.

Something Fun

Becky and I made it out to the Columbia River Gorge this weekend for a hike up to Angel's Rest. It was the first time we made it up there since the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire. Although it was sad to see the Gorge burn, the land is recovering from the blaze. It is incredible witnessing the importance of fire for the forest's health.

Something From Nate

Buying a Home in 2020? (Pursuit Planning and Investments, LLC) - Are you thinking of buying a home this year? Whether it is your first home or second, you know that it is going to change your financial life. A house will likely be your largest purchase and single most significant asset. Yet, many American's regret buying a home. They become "house poor" because they fail to think through all the consequences of owning a home. What often happens is available resources get sucked into the home, at the expense of other essential, maybe more valuable, goals. Use this 27 point checklist to help organize your thoughts on your next house purchase. This list helps identify cash flow, mortgage, down payment, closing, tax, insurance, and estate items you should consider when purchasing a home. Know someone who is buying this year and will appreciate this checklist? Please share this with them! Don't become house poor; plan your pursuit.

Something About Financial Planning / Economics

The Great Affordability Crisis Breaking America (The Atlantic) - Are you feeling the Great Affordability Crisis? Working with Millennials and GenXer's, this piece hits home. More and more, families are struggling to cover a unforeseen emergency. The cost of healthcare, housing, childcare, and student debt constrains American household's spending dollars. From my experience, housing, childcare, and student debt are eroding Millennial budgets. For GenXer's, if they are fortunate to live in a home they can afford, it is healthcare and paying for their children's education. The need for having ongoing, proactive financial planning strategies is more significant than ever.

Something More About Financial Planning / Investments

Millennials Aren't Spending All Their Money on Avocado Toast, Actually (The New York Times) - Recent data shows Millennials possess more retirement assets than GenXer's at the same age. The available data helps compare the average retirement account balances between GenXer's in 2002 and Millennials in 2018 (when the generations were roughly at the same age). From the data, one can see Millennials had more in retirement assets than their counterparts. However, I would like to see more data before proclaiming Millennials are better in shape for retirement. One must remember, in 2002, the markets were coming off the dot com bubble burst and the 9-11 attacks. Millennials, if they were saving in their retirement accounts, benefited from the 10-year growth of the markets. So, is this even a fair comparison? (Yes, the data accounts for inflation, but it does not indicate if the information is right-sized for capital gains and losses). So, sure, Millennials are in better shape because they have a higher account balance (there is a win). But are Millennials contributing at a higher rate? Are they investing appropriately for their risk tolerance, horizon, and capacity? Or are we looking at two data points, at very different points in the market cycle, which illustrate a silver lining, but are hiding a more meaningful message? The data does show Gen Xer's had a higher net worth in 2002 vs. 2018. I think the net worth is a more comprehensive point to begin to assess financial health.

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