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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 13, 2017)
Wednesday, December 13, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon 9 Christmas comes early for Habitat families Christmas came early for families in Sisters last Sunday as Silvia Ayala and her three children broke ground at the site of their future Sisters Habitat for Humanity home and Sharyn Benson and Clara Eberius dedicated their homes. Nearly 100 friends, donors and volunteers who help make it possible for fami- lies to own affordable homes in Sisters attended the cel- ebration at Village Meadows, Sisters Habitat’s 17-lot neighborhood. The Ayala family home will be the seventh house built in the neighborhood and will be the second home to be built in partnership with Heart of Oregon Corps YouthBuild Program. Eberius’ home was the first home where Heart of Oregon Corps and Sisters Habitat worked together. When a family is selected for the homebuilding process, they are teamed them up with family partners. These are Habitat volunteers who help the family navigate the home- building road. Family part- ners for the Ayala’s are Judy Osborne and Suriana Iverson, who also assists as a translator for the family. “Silvia is such a hard worker, holding two jobs, caring for her family and still finding the time to do her sweat-equity for Habitat. It is an honor to take this journey with her,” Osborne said. While Silvia, son Jose and daughters Silvia and Destiny “This is truly a dream come true. In 10 years, I have lived in seven differ- ent places. I never thought I would have a home of my own,” Benson said. C l a r a Eberius shared her gratitude to her family partners Cathy Sewall and Malia Ladd PHOTO BY OUTLAWS PHOTOGRAPHY and the youth Sharyn Benson celebrated the dedication of her new from the Habitat for Humanity home in Sisters. Yo u t h B u i l d program. took turns with the golden shovel, they shared how Many of the YouthBuild stu- excited they are to get their dents who worked on her project started and thankful to house came to consider her those who have helped them as “Grandma Clara” over get this far toward the pur- the course of the build, said YouthBuild team lead, Andy chase of their first home. The groundbreaking was Walker. Eberius, who has immediately followed by two lived in Sisters for seven home dedications, the 63rd years, said she couldn’t sleep and 64th homes for Sisters the night after the celebra- Habitat. The first home was tion as she was so excited and built with Sharyn Benson, warmed by all the support. Heart of Oregon Corps who works at the Habitat Thrift Store and is absolutely is a nonprofit organization thrilled to be moving into her invested in inspiring and home. She was all smiles and empowering change in the laughter, thanking the many lives of Central Oregon youth volunteers, donors and lov- through jobs, education, and ing friends who have helped stewardship. Their program- her navigate the long process, ming creates pathways out especially her family part- of poverty while stimulating ners, Nan Daschel and Marcia regional economic growth. They apply a “work-earn- Lewis. learn” model that invests in local young people, many of whom come from disad- vantaged backgrounds, to prepare them for the work- force and to encourage their self-sufficiency. “I am sure Sharyn and Clara will both tell you that they worked hard for the opportunity to purchase these homes. Sharyn and Clara are not simply recipients but par- ticipants in this life-changing process,” Sisters Habitat’s PHOTO BY OUTLAWS PHOTOGRAPHY Executive Director Sharlene The Ayala family broke ground on their future home last weekend. Weed said. “In order to be Hope for a child. Change for a nation. $37 a month. All the difference in the world. Sponsor a child with a local organization at HopeAfricaKids.com Ad sponsored by The Nugget Newspaper. selected to pur- chase a home from Habitat a family must have the need for housing, the willingness to partner with Habitat and the ability to repay the costs of construction on terms they can afford over time and with no interest charged or profit made,” she added. The PHOTO BY OUTLAWS PHOTOGRAPHY families help Clara Eberius sliced the ribbon at her front door build their own during a dedication last weekend. home along with construc- life for themselves and their tion volunteers and the staff families,” said Weed. Those construction manager. interested in homeownership “Sisters Habitat for or the Sisters Habitat home Humanity is an option for repair program can visit www. many qualified families to sistershabitat.org and review achieve strength, stabil- the qualification guidelines, ity and the independence or call the Habitat office at they need to build a better 541-549-1193. Managing the Unknown of Surprise Medical Expenses Major medical expenses can carry a heavy fi nancial toll. If you experience an accident or injury, cost may be the least of your concerns initially. Yet, unexpected medical care has the potential to impact your fi nancial situation in a big way. Before it does, take the time to prepare your strategy for dealing with surprise medical expenses. Plan ahead with health insurance: Under today’s health insurance plans, you may face greater risk of sizable medical costs due to rising costs of healthcare, increasing deductibles and coverage changes year to year. Review your insurance coverage to ensure you understand what services or prescriptions are covered, and what medical bills you may be responsible for. It’s worth reviewing how these basic but important policy components may apply to you: • Deductible – Your deductible is the amount you’re expected to pay each year for medical services covered by your health insurance plan. You are responsible for all expenses until you meet your deductible. • Out-of-pocket maximum – Once your deductible is met, additional medical expenses will be applied to your out-of-pocket maximum. When you’ve incurred this amount, your insurance will pay all expenses covered by your plan for the rest of the year. Most insurance providers include your deductible in your out-of-pocket maximum. • In-network – In general, medical expenses must be in-network, or part of your insurance company’s system of providers, for the bill to be applied to your deductible or out-of-pocket maximum. If you require out-of-network services, check with your insurance provider to see how the bill will be handled. • Co-pay and co-insurance – A co-pay is a set amount you pay each time you receive a service, such as a primary care physician visit or receiving a new prescription. Co- insurance is a set percentage of the expense you pay at the time of service. Co-pays and co-insurance may or may not apply to your deductible and out-of-pocket maximum. Strategically use savings accounts: A key way to cope with unplanned medical costs is to have money already in the bank. Among the options to consider are: • Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) – These are tax-advantaged savings plans associated with high-deductible health insurance policies. In 2018, individuals can save up to $3,450 ($3,400 in 2017) in an HSA while families can set aside as much as $6,900 ($6,750 in 2017). These are funds that can be used to pay out-of-pocket medical expenses this year or in future years. • Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) – An FSA allows you to use pre-tax dollars to pay for certain medical expenses. Typically, you must spend these funds within the same calendar year. • Savings accounts – If you don’t participate in either type of plan or want to have a larger fi nancial cushion, make sure you have a suffi cient emergency fund. Set aside enough funds to cover your out-of-pocket maximum, or three to six months’ worth of living expenses, whichever is greater. Craft a bill-paying strategy: If you incur unexpected medical expenses, fi rst work with your insurance company to understand how each bill is applied to your deductible or out-of-pocket maximum, noting co-pays and co-insurance where appropriate. Before paying each bill, make sure the amount matches the number calculated by your insurance company. Next, consider using the money you have available in your HSA, FSA or savings accounts dedicated to healthcare expenses. If you still have a balance remaining on your medical expenses, try to fi t the costs into your budget. A medical expense may require you to trim spending in other areas in order to pay for these costs, either immediately or over a period of time. Consider a healthcare directive: Lastly, have a conversation with your spouse or another trusted family member about your healthcare wishes and consider a heathcare directive. Directives allow you to designate one or more people to make healthcare decisions on your behalf if you’re unable to make them yourself. Mark Greaney is a Financial Advisor with PacWest Wealth Partners, an advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. in Bend, Oregon. He specializes in fee-based fi nancial planning and asset management strategies and has been in practice for 17 years. Contact Mark at www.PacWestWealthPartners.com, or call him at 541-382-2354. Mark is located at 35 NW Hawthorne Avenue, Bend, OR. Ameriprise Financial and its affi liates do not offer tax or legal advice. Consumers should consult with their tax advisor or attorney regarding their specifi c situation. Investment advisory products and services are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., a registered investment adviser. Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC. © 2016 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved.
