Smart Financial Moves Keep the Focus on Family
Scaling back on household expenses has helped this family stay on the right financial path for more than a decade.
Then:
Raffi and Elaine Boloyan first appeared in the April 2006 issue of Kiplinger's, shortly after Elaine had left her job in human resources to be a stay-at-home mom. At the time, Ava was 2 and Roman was 5 months. To prepare, they had moved in 2002 from pricey Marin County, Calif., to American Canyon, in southern Napa County, which meant a longer commute to Raffi's job as a city planner in San Rafael but a much lower cost of living. Mortgage rates were dropping at the time, so they refinanced to reduce their payments even further. They had started contributing the maximum each year to a Roth IRA for Raffi and a spousal IRA for Elaine, and they had opened 529 college-savings plans for their kids.
Now:
The Boloyans' preparations paid off. Elaine, now 43, was able to stay home with the kids until they started school, doing HR consulting with her old firm to earn extra income. When Roman was 4 years old (he's now 12), she started making plans to return to work. "I thought about what I was interested in doing, and I went back to school and changed careers," she says. She earned her teaching credentials in English and social studies, and she was hired in 2012 to teach humanities at the local high school, where Ava, now almost 14, is about to start as a ninth-grader.
They still live in the same house in American Canyon, but they've built an addition for a home office and separate bedrooms for the kids. One downside is Raffi's 11/2-hour commute to his job in San Rafael, where he is now the chief city planner. He's vested in a pension and receives generous health care benefits that should continue through retirement. "We make good income, though it"s not tech money," says Raffi, 44. "The retirement side is really the benefit. In the long run, it will pay off. We've never been stressed about money."
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
In addition to their pensions, the couple have been saving the maximum in their IRAs every year, and they get advice from a financial planner they met when Elaine's mother passed away. Their top financial priority is saving for retirement, followed by paying off debt and building their emergency savings, and then saving in their kids' 529 plans. "Our financial planning goal is not to fund all of their college, but we’ll try to help with it as much as we can," says Raffi.
Family time is also a priority. Ava and Roman play travel softball and baseball, and Raffi is a coach. "We spend a lot of money on the kids with sports and vacations, and to do things as a family," says Elaine. "You want to be able to give them these experiences."
Get Kiplinger Today newsletter — free
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.
As the "Ask Kim" columnist for Kiplinger's Personal Finance, Lankford receives hundreds of personal finance questions from readers every month. She is the author of Rescue Your Financial Life (McGraw-Hill, 2003), The Insurance Maze: How You Can Save Money on Insurance -- and Still Get the Coverage You Need (Kaplan, 2006), Kiplinger's Ask Kim for Money Smart Solutions (Kaplan, 2007) and The Kiplinger/BBB Personal Finance Guide for Military Families. She is frequently featured as a financial expert on television and radio, including NBC's Today Show, CNN, CNBC and National Public Radio.
-
Election Could Reshape Opportunity Zones and 1031 Exchanges
Trump and Harris have divergent approaches to qualified opportunity zones and 1031 exchanges. See how each could fare under their administrations.
By Daniel Goodwin Published
-
Six Reasons to Have Life Insurance
The peace of mind from knowing your family is financially protected if something happens to you is invaluable, but there are other compelling reasons, too.
By Anthony Martin Published
-
403(b) Contribution Limits for 2024: Good News for Teachers
retirement plans Teachers and nonprofit workers can contribute more to a 403(b) retirement plan in 2024 than they could in 2023.
By Jackie Stewart Last updated
-
Roth IRA Contribution Limits for 2024
Roth IRAs Roth IRA contribution limits have gone up for 2024. Here's what you need to know.
By Jackie Stewart Last updated
-
Four Tips for Renting Out Your Home on Airbnb
real estate Here's what you should know before listing your home on Airbnb.
By Miriam Cross Published
-
Five Ways to a Cheap Last-Minute Vacation
Travel It is possible to pull off a cheap last-minute vacation. Here are some tips to make it happen.
By Vaishali Varu Last updated
-
How to Figure Out How Much Life Insurance You Need
insurance Instead of relying on rules of thumb, you’re better off taking a systematic approach to figuring your life insurance needs.
By Kimberly Lankford Last updated
-
Amazon Big Deal Days Is Coming! We’ve Got All the Details
Amazon Prime To kick off the holiday season with a bang, Amazon Big Deal Days runs Tuesday, October 8 and Wednesday, October 9. Here’s what to expect.
By Bob Niedt Last updated
-
How to Shop for Life Insurance in 3 Easy Steps
insurance Shopping for life insurance? You may be able to estimate how much you need online, but that's just the start of your search.
By Kaitlin Pitsker Published
-
Five Ways to Shop for a Low Mortgage Rate
Becoming a Homeowner Mortgage rates are high this year, but you can still find an affordable loan with these tips.
By Daniel Bortz Last updated