Lowering our flags to half-staff seems to be an all too familiar sight these days. It is a solemn act that recognizes our fallen heroes, whether they be men and women in our armed forces or a Vancouver police officer killed in the line of duty. It is a vivid...
It’s been more than a year since the Babb Road Fire scorched over 15,000 acres south of Spokane. The rebuilding process is underway, signaling hope for a bright future for those who still call that area home. In the wake of that devastating yet transformative event, they are creating a...
Manufacturing is a bedrock of the state’s economy. It accounts for more than 300,000 jobs and approximately 11% of the state’s total economic output.Those jobs tend to pay above average, too, with an average salary of $80,000.That’s good news, but imagine what it would mean for Washington’s economy if the...
Gov. Jay Inslee’s end run around the state Legislature banning natural gas in new homes and commercial buildings is a bad idea.Even though the Legislature adjourned last spring without passing his bill, he unveiled building codes which would accomplish the same thing by fiat.Inslee’s proposed regulations forbid the use of...
With the Tri-City housing market about as hot as it has ever been, why would an investor want to consider investing in the stock market?Let’s compare and contrast some of the common characteristics of investing, whether in real estate or the stock market, and see if the proposition of investing...
Back to school this year is, unfortunately, not a return to normal. As summer turns to fall, the Delta variant of the coronavirus means this remains a time of tremendous uncertainty for schools, teachers, students and families.It’s still a time of great uncertainty and unpredictability for employers, too, who are...
Many of us don’t think about or plan for long-term care until a crisis strikes or urgency forces our hand. Thankfully, a new benefit to help Washington families pay for care during a long-term illness, injury or disability is on the horizon. Seventy percent of Washingtonians 65 and older will require...
Starting Jan. 1, more of your paycheck will go missing if you are a W2 worker in Washington.The state will take 58 cents of every $100 you make, while claiming it is for your own good. But it isn’t really, even if you one day qualify for the measly $36,500...
Despite the challenges with the Covid-19 Delta variant, companies continue to add jobs – a good sign of economic stabilization.Unfortunately, we’re also facing the greatest disruption in the labor market in a century. Employers cannot find enough people to fill their open positions. One would think the math is easy...
When it comes to estate planning, there are many variables for retirees to consider, with one of the biggest being the effect of taxes on how much of their wealth they get to pass on.Between several years of accommodative monetary policy and massive federal spending to offset the economic damage...
