February 2019 by Minnesota Good Age

FEBRUARY 2019

The art of

Finding inner financial peace The 'best-loved' woman of our state

GIVING BACK

Tax tips for

2019

A place to land in Puerto Vallarta

SPIRE Credit Union CEO Dan Stoltz aims for a legacy of community building

Contents

FEBRUARY

PUERTO VALLARTA ‘Relax,’ say the locals, ‘You’re on the fun side of the wall.’

GOOD START FROM THE EDITOR 6 Seeing Dan Stoltz in his element was a true joy.

MY TURN 8 I’m letting go of financial angst this year and staying the course.

MEMORIES ⊳ Casa Velas’ oceanside club in Puerto Vallarta features a deck and pool where you can order drinks and food focused on Caribbean flavors.

ON THE COVER Dan Stoltz, the CEO of SPIRE Credit Union, proves that sometimes good guys do finish first. Photo by Tracy Walsh

10 We grew up learning firsthand the importance of frugality.

MINNESOTA HISTORY 12 Maria Sanford made her mark as a popular U of M professor.

GOOD HEALTH CAREGIVING 14 Dealing with Alzheimer’s? You’re definitely not alone.

WELLNESS 16 New software is helping patients get to the doctor.

GOOD LIVING FINANCE 22 You might be able to tweak your finances to save money on your taxes.

30 CAN’T-MISS CALENDAR BRAIN 32 TEASERS 4 / February 2019 / Minnesota Good Age

FROM THE EDITOR

Volume 38 / Issue 2

P NED AND O

PUBLISHER

Janis Hall / jhall@mngoodage.com

CO-PUBLISHER AND SALES MANAGER

Terry Gahan / tgahan@mngoodage.com

GENERAL MANAGER

Zoe Gahan / zgahan@mngoodage.com

EDITOR

Sarah Jackson / editor@mngoodage.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Ed Dykhuizen, Carol Hall, Skip Johnson Susan Jepson, Julie Kendrick, Jessica Kohen Dave Nimmer, Carla Waldemar Tracy Walsh, Jenny West

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Valerie Moe

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Micah Edel

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Brenda Taylor

CLIENT SERVICES

Delaney Patterson / 612-436-5070 dpatterson@mngoodage.com

CIRCULATION

Marlo Johnson / distribution@mngoodage.com

37,000 copies of Minnesota Good Age are distributed to homes and businesses metro-wide. Minnesota Good Age (ISSN 2333-3197) is published monthly by Minnesota Premier Publications. Minnesota Good Age, 1115 Hennepin Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55403 © 2019 Minnesota Premier Publications, Inc. To receive Good Age by mail, send a check for $18 with “Good Age subscription” in the memo.

6 / February 2019 / Minnesota Good Age

You get what you give BY SARAH JACKSON

have the best job. As part of my daily work, I get to discover — and often meet in person — some truly amazing people, including our monthly Cover Stars. This month, as part of our annual Finance Issue, I had the honor of spending an hour with Dan Stoltz, one of the most energetic and positive people you’ll ever meet. Stoltz, the super-star CEO and president of SPIRE Credit Union, just beamed joy and graciousness. His pride in his accomplishments was enthusiastic but not at all self-serving. Call me prejudiced, but he just wasn’t who I’d imagined would command a $1 billion financial institution. This month, I’m delighted to introduce you to Stolz: If you know him already from his TV commercials, I hope you’ll get an even deeper look into the life of the man who drives around Minnesota in Archie, the SPIRE truck pictured above. Stoltz is a St. Paul native who grew up working a paper route for the Pioneer Press and then went on to become the first college graduate of his family. And now he’s worked his way up to leading 300 employees. And yet, his mission doesn’t seem to be about acquiring more wealth or status. In fact, Stoltz seems to live by a mantra of spreading the wealth around right here in Minnesota with charity work inside the SPIRE organization and beyond. When he says, “To me, life is about giving, not getting,” he seems to really mean it. It’s proof enough for me that he would serve in two different year-long community ambassador roles — King Boreas of the St. Paul Winter Carnival in 2015, followed by a reign as Commodore with the Minneapolis Aquatennial in 2016. “I knighted 14,000 people,” he told me proudly of his time as king, noting that the previous record was less than 2,000. “I did a couple of mass knightings,” he admitted, “like at a Saints baseball game.” Stoltz also values humility. He didn’t rise from CFO to CEO at SPIRE without the support of the people around him. In fact, one of his top leadership mantras is: “Listen to others: No one is smarter than everyone.” And the truck? It was his idea to get a signature vehicle for the many parades SPIRE participates in every year. But it was his marketing staff ’s idea to run with the iconic vehicle for one of the most successful campaigns in the company’s history. “My goal always has been to surround myself with leaders that are smarter than me,” he said. “So trust and listen.” I couldn’t agree more.

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MY TURN

Making my peace with money BY DAVID NIMMER

n this month when Good Age is highlighting the topic of finance, I’m clearly out of touch and in need of help. I’ve changed jobs twice in my life, once cutting my salary in half. I’ve tried to pay cash for everything except my house. Once I buy a stock, I tend to hold it forever. This isn’t exactly a formula for wealth enhancement. But, like most everyone who reads this magazine, financial concerns are always looming. Do I have enough money to last as long as I do? Are there some changes I should make to my investing and spending strategies? I don’t have the answers, but I have come up with some comforting conclusions in the light of uncertainty. I will not obsess over the stock market — and its hundreds-of-points fluctuations. It’s beyond my control. With micro-second trading, buying and selling, I can’t predict what will happen. I can’t worry myself sick over it. Some of my retirement assets must be in the market if I want to keep pace with the cost of living. I’ve tried to diversify. I’ve tried to be cautious. Now I must try to be serene in the face of some uncertainty. Long-term experience indicates that what goes down comes back up — usually a little higher. That’s good enough for me right now. I will, and should, continue to give away some of my money to charities and nonprofits. No, I’m not a Mother Theresa wannabe; I'm a guy who realizes some

8 / February 2019 / Minnesota Good Age

obligation to help my less-fortunate sisters and brothers. That means giving to my church, to the Visitation Sisters, the Salvation Army, the American Cancer Society, the Nature Conservancy and, yes, the Minnesota Orchestra. Their music is at least as valuable a civic commodity as the football of the Minnesota Vikings. I ought to spend some of my money supporting the arts and the music that stirs my soul. I will not allow myself to secondguess choices I made years ago — stock I didn’t buy, a raise I didn’t ask for, a loan to a friend that I always knew would be

a gift. On one occasion, I told my wife that I should’ve paid more attention to making money. “David,” she said. “That’s so silly. You had no interest in making money. That wasn’t what turned you on.” She was right. I wanted to have a byline on Page 1, uncover a scandal, write a graceful profile, tell a gentle story. And, in my last working decade, be a memorable teacher. I will continue to spend some of my money on spur-of-the-moment opportunities. When Asleep at the Wheel (a Texas country band) is at

I’ve tried to diversify. I’ve tried to be cautious. Now I must try to be serene in the face of some uncertainty. The Dakota, I’ll buy the last tickets in the house even if I have to sit at the bar. I’ll buy Honeycrisp apples at $3 a pound, a buck more than the others, since I really do believe they’re crisper and sweeter. And I’m going to buy that lightweight, bait-casting rod at Cabela’s this spring because it will be easier to cast with my arthritic wrist. Finally, I will, when I’m in need of financial comfort, think of my Aunt Orma. Dying at the age of 101, she truly did outlive her money. For her last three years, she was a Medicaid patient in a nursing home. She’d spent every penny on her care, but had lived her life with great energy, enthusiasm and empathy. Even thought she was, in effect, a ward of the state, she was treated with devotion and dignity. The staff loved her. Old friends remembered her. And I visited her weekly. It was an honor. Dave Nimmer had a long career as a reporter, editor and professor. Now retired, he has no business card, but plenty to do. Send comments or questions to dnimmer@mngoodage.com.

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MEMORIES

Gratification deferred BY CAROL HALL

y mother’s Hoosier cabinet was in the pantry off the kitchen. I have many memories of her using its work space to beat up a cake (by hand) or to roll out lefsa dough to be baked on top of the old Monarch wood stove for our Norwegian Christmas gathering. Graduation pictures and a large portrait of the U.S.S. Oakland, the ship my brother served on in the Pacific during WWII, hung on the walls of our living room. It was a large square room, covered with figured wallpaper and furnished with an overstuffed, burgundy, velveteen davenport, matching easy chair (crocheted doilies on the back and arm rests) and a heavy dark wood rocking chair. A console radio stood in one corner. My mother’s sewing machine, which was

10 / February 2019 / Minnesota Good Age

folded inside a cabinet, was used as an end table. A rather elegant mahoganystained drop-leaf Duncan Phyfe table stood in the bay window cavity. The furniture had been purchased in the early 1940s from a local department store in our small town, or perhaps the Sears catalog, as were the lace curtains covering the bay windows. Come the 1950s, despite its shabbiness from years of use, the furniture stayed. My parents had no thoughts of upgrading. Couldn’t, actually. Having lived through the Depression, they had no money for improvements. Indeed, they were simply grateful for the items they had, and intended to make all of them last forever. Not me! This was the beginning of the prosperous and promising Atomic Age.

Having lived through the Depression, they had no money for improvements. Indeed, they were simply grateful for the items they had, and intended to make all of them last forever.

The world was becoming streamlined. Modern, appliance-filled kitchens — with nary a Hoosier Cabinet or Monarch range in sight — were showing up in magazines and movies. Living rooms displayed sleek sectional sofas and ottomans and coffee tables, balanced on thin “blond” tapered legs. The times were changing, and so was I. I longed for all of this shiny new stuff to be in our house, but could do nothing about it. Living there, among that shabby old furniture, I felt trapped in my parents’ world of that earlier bleak era, that time of scarcity and despair. I resented having to live that way. In my (somewhat bratty) teenage mind, I felt was being deprived — and not just of an up-to-date home. There were some beautiful clothing items in our J.C. Penney store — cashmere sweater sets, for one. Realizing if I were ever to own the many “nice things” I saw all around me in this new streamlined world, I knew I’d have to dig in. I’d have to work to earn the money to purchase them once I was on my own. So began a life of strict austerity. With every job I had, I saved money, pinched pennies, actually. Even today, until I have the cash to pay for a new item of any kind, I go without. And so do many other children of Depression-era parents. We all grew up learning firsthand the importance of frugality and deferred gratification. Today, the bratty kid that I once was can turn around and say "thank you" to my parents for showing me the way.

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MINNESOTA HISTORY

‘Best-known’ and ‘best-loved’ BY JESSICA KOHEN

Maria Sanford, the namesake of many buildings at the U of M today, in 1918. Photo by Lee Bros 12 / February 2019 / Minnesota Good Age

n Feb. 14, 1913, students at the University of Minnesota sent their English teacher, Maria Sanford, a Valentine calling her “the best-loved woman of the North Star State.” Though she’d retired from teaching three years earlier, her students remained devoted to her. Maria Sanford was born in 1836 in Saybrook, Connecticut, where she attended school and got her start in teaching. Sanford was one of the first female professors in the country when she took a position teaching history at Swarthmore College in 1869. In 1880, at age 43, she joined the University of Minnesota as a professor of rhetoric and elocution. Sanford taught at the U of M for nearly 30 years, retiring in 1909 at age 73. During that time, she championed religious, civic and social issues, especially ones that supported women’s education. But it was her teaching that set her apart. Her philosophy was that education could not only transform the individual, but also cure social ills — so it was her responsibility to shape the students’ character as well as their knowledge. She provided lively lectures that often included slideshows and impromptu poetry recitations. Her classes were always full. Outside of the classroom, she frequently worked with students in the evenings and opened her home, housing students and hosting parties for them.

LEARN MORE Want to know more about Minnesota women’s history? Be on the lookout for a new exhibit at the Minnesota History Center on the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote, set to open late 2020. Learn more about the Minnesota Historical Society’s current exhibits at mnhs.org.

Throughout her university career, Sanford also gave public lectures on composition, history, teaching and social issues, earning an additional salary along the way, and occasional criticism from colleagues and students about spreading herself too thin. Still, she took on more and more challenges, carrying a full teaching load, holding classes during summer and expanding her lecture circuit. She also oversaw the debate program at the U of M. Criticism soon gave way to increased admiration for her teaching. In 1899, she placed third in a favorite-teacher contest held by the Minneapolis Journal, but her students were so upset she didn’t win the grand prize that they raised the money to give her the winning prize anyway, a trip to Europe. Criticism returned, however. Sanford frequently charged students for instruction outside of class and for class

materials, which led to calls for her termination from the U of M. But again overwhelming support from students and civic leaders — many of whom she met while touring the state giving lectures — prevented the action, though for a while her university salary was cut. By the time she retired in 1909, all had been forgiven by the university. In her honor, the regents named her professor emeritus of rhetoric. Even in retirement, Sanford remained active in her lecture circuit, expanding her area of coverage nationwide and using her lectures as a fund-raising platform for religious and social causes. She also adopted the call for women’s suffrage, though she considered voting a privilege rather than a right. She gave patriotic lectures during World War I, well into her 80s. She died in her sleep on April 21, 1920, in Washington, D.C., after giving a lecture to the Daughters of the American Revolution. Sanford has been honored across the state. In 1910, the University of Minnesota named its first female student dormitory Sanford Hall, and several schools in the state are named for her. In 1958, Sanford was chosen to be one of two Minnesotans represented in Statuary Hall, a chamber in the U.S. Capitol devoted to prominent Americans. Her statue bears a similar inscription to her 1913 Valentine (pictured), “best-known and best-loved woman in Minnesota.” Jessica Kohen is the media relations manager for the Minnesota Historical Society.

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CAREGIVING

Facing dementia? You’re not alone. BY JENNY WEST

ore than 94,000 people are living with Alzheimer’s disease in Minnesota — and more than 254,000 of their family members and friends are providing care. Learning that you or a loved one has dementia can be scary, but you’re not alone. Receiving a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia opens the door to gaining understanding about the illness and what you’ve already been noticing and experiencing. Sometimes receiving the actual diagnosis makes it easier to initiate important

conversations about your values, hopes and plans as you and your circle of support live with dementia. Even though you may feel isolated and worried, there are services that can help and offer care and support.

The goals of the series are to provide participants with a safe environment to learn more; to create a place for sharing stories with others in similar situations; and to answer participants’ questions with help

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Breaking it down

Clubs through Navigating Dementia (formerly known as Memory Clubs) can be a great first step. It all starts with a 10-week Navigating Dementia series designed to meet the needs of the person with a diagnosis as well as a family member or friend.

Each session is two hours long, split into two halves. The first hour is devoted to weekly topics that provide education and address the entire group, including understanding memory loss; partnering with your doctor; telling others about the diagnosis; caring for your most important relationships; daily strategies for living with memory loss; coping with changes; communicating effectively; making decisions on legal and financial issues; maintaining independence; understanding and participating in research; and staying connected. The second hour of each session is spent in private peer groups — one for the people living with dementia and one for their care partners. This is an opportunity to discuss the education topic of the week, learn from others, share stories and realize you’re not alone.

from facilitators and guest speakers.

Creating friendships The Alzheimer’s Association developed Navigating Dementia clubs through an evidence-informed model based on proven positive outcomes for participants. An interview is required before the series begins to assure the series format will work well for everyone attending. 14 / February 2019 / Minnesota Good Age

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To see if a Navigating Dementia program is your area, contact the Alzheimer’s Association Minnesota-North Dakota Chapter at 800-272-3900. In the Twin Cities, you can also go to the Metropolitan Caregiver Services Collaborative calendar of events at caregivercollaborative.org. The following agencies host Navigating Dementia clubs in the Twin Cities:

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WELLNESS

Driving to better health A nnually, 5 billion dollars are spent on non-emergency medical transportation. And yet, 3.5 million patients in the U.S. still miss medical appointments. Why? Many patients face a lack of reliable transportation, which leads to high no-show rates at clinics. Clinics then lose revenue while also causing serious risks to patient health. This leads to more ER visits and hospital admissions. To address this gap, Hitch Health was founded to create a new innovative software that integrates health care appointment systems with ride services. The goal? To seamlessly and proactively remove transportation barriers and reduce no-show rates. How did we get here? We asked patients: “Why are you not showing up for appointments? How could we make it easier to get a ride? Do you prefer texting or calling?”

16 / February 2019 / Minnesota Good Age

Then we actively listened using a methodology called human-centered design, a creative approach to problem solving that consults the people you’re designing for — and ends with new solutions tailor-made to suit their needs. By engaging patients in the design process, we developed a service that could work for them. You might be surprised to learn that Hitch Health isn’t an app. In fact, an app is something our patients specifically said they didn’t want because they can’t afford mobile data plans. They also told us they didn’t want to schedule rides by phone, which results in wasted cell-phone minutes and time spent on hold. Finally, they told us they wanted to have timely and reliable rides after their appointments had been completed. Starting from the point of view of the patient led to a program that’s easy to use, simple to understand and calibrated to what our patients need and want.

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The goal? To seamlessly and proactively remove transportation barriers and reduce no-show rates. A simple system So here’s how it works: Hitch Health partners with health systems to determine who is having diﬃculty getting to appointments because of transportation issues. Using a variety of criteria (insurance, condition, treatment) and secure patient data, the software determines which scheduled appointments qualify for round-trip rides. Then the software proactively sends ride offers to patients via text so they can simply text “yes” if they need the ride — and text “ready” when they want to go home.

⊳ Hitch Health connects patients to ride services, such as Lyft and Uber.

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The Casa Velas resort in Puerto Vallarta oï¬&#x20AC;ers an inland paradise reserved for adults only.

18 / February 2019 / Minnesota Good Age

iblical scholars have long speculated on the actual location of the Garden of Eden. Clearly

they

haven’t

visited Casa Velas, or the quest would be over. It’s

arguably the prettiest resort in Mexico’s beach town of Puerto Vallarta — a 4½ hour direct ﬂight (Delta or Sun Country) from MSP. Coconut palms sway in the gentle breezes above a jungle landscape populated by the glossy houseplants you find at Bachman’s — except these reach past your knees. They border a lush golf course — where Casa guests are entitled to unlimited rounds (carts cost extra) — and creep up to the languid waters of its pool, where iridescent birds dip, the occasional iguana darts by and the resident peacock wanders. (Bonus: Casa Velas is only five minutes from the airport, which stretches your leisure time. It’s also five minutes from the beach — more on that later.) Another bonus about the real-life Garden of Eden? No children to clutter the pool.

Minnesota Good Age / February 2019 / 19

And no going over budget with food and drink costs either. The Casa, which is about 30 minutes up the coast from downtown PV, is an allinclusive, adults-only, hacienda-style resort of 80 rooms, including many with their own pools and/or hot tubs on their balconies/ patios. (Rates start at $560 a night in April.) And even though all meals, drinks and gratuities are included here, all the staff and attendants spoiled us like crazy with service anyway: “My pleasure” seems to be the most frequent English phrase. (Note: Most guests do tip 10 to 15 percent for good service, despite the all-inclusive deal.) Staff deliver complimentary snacks poolside (don’t miss the shrimp burrito) along with more offers of cocktails than it’s wise to accept. (However, when it comes to the potent margaritas, just say yes.) Feeling energetic? Stroll in the cool shade of the botanical garden. Or check out the espresso bar, which segues into a bar-bar, where a cocktail maestro named Benny conducts tequila tastings and classes in margarita making. Emiliano’s, the resort’s restaurant, features dining indoors and at patio tables near a pond where giant golden koi glide among the water lilies. And yes, you can drink the water here, although I’d rather peruse the wine list (allinclusive, after all) for a red to accompany my rack of lamb. Or something from the elaborate juice menu to wash down your morning huevos rancheros. The menu favors international recipes more than local ones and every plate is cautiously seasoned. ⊳⊳ Casa Velas of Puerto Vallarta isn’t located on the beach, but the resort offers a shuttle to its own private oceanside club (top) as well as haciendastyle rooms with pools (middle) and gorgeous common areas (bottom).

(I don’t think the kitchen owns as much as

starters, grilled tuna or shrimp with creamy

a head of garlic, never mind chilies.)

risotto for mains, followed by a mango

While we were dining alfresco in the evening — surprise! — in strutted a vivacious mariachi band. There’s also a

flan. A solo trumpeter added to the magic of the evening on our visit. Guests also may dine at the Casa’s sister

chanteuse crooning at the outdoor bar for

property a half-hour distant at its new

your after-dinner entertainment.

restaurant, Sen Lin, where the flavors

Dress code for dinner? Nothing formal.

this time are pan-Asian. In an intimate,

Just get out of your beachwear. And just

contemporary setting, I settled on pot

because you forgot to pack a pretty little

stickers, followed by Peking duck and a

handbag for every outfit, not to fret: The

bite of my companion’s chili crab. Again,

Casa offers a unique handbag-lending

the flavors have been hushed to please

program. From its ornate selections, I

(or not) American palates.

chose a silvery Michael Kors number. But you came to Puerto Vallarta to

Nearly half of the Casa’s guests are repeaters; one woman, completing her

stroll along the ocean? The Casa takes

20th visit, was busy making a reservation

care of that, too. Simply jump aboard the

for No. 21.

property’s shuttle for a five-minute jaunt to its private Ocean Club, with a deck and pool just inches away from the surging waves and jaunty pelicans. Order lunch and drinks while you’re at it, and linger to oversee the sunset while dining on a menu of Caribbean flavors, including crab cakes and fish tacos as

EXPLORE THE CITY

Want to start your own tradition? See hotelcasavelas.com. Carla Waldemar is an award-winning food/travel/arts writer. She edits the annual Zagat Survey of Twin Cities restaurants and writes food and travel articles for publications around the world. She lives in Uptown.

Puerta Vallarta—the town itself—is anything but tranquil, and that’s its vivid charm. A 30-minute taxi ride from Casa Velas leads to Puerto Vallarta's famous El Malecon, a mile-long oceanfront promenade punctuated by artsy sculptures, souvenir vendors and plenty of benches for watching the passing parade. It’s at its most vibrant on Saturday nights, when entire extended families join the dog walkers and tourists for a leisurely stroll in the balmy breeze. Food stands pop up to serve grilled shrimp on a stick, cups of corn kernels — doused with chile and mayo — and other local flavors. Open-air restaurants bordering the wide, wide sidewalk specialize in seafood. And margaritas. Midway into your stroll, you can spot Puerta Vallarta’s iconic city symbol, the charming Parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe, all sparkling white and gleaming gold inside, rising outside in red brick to a high steeple topped with a huge silver crown. Puerto Vallarta boasts the cleanest beaches in all of Mexico, including Playa Los Muertos with its newly revamped spiralstyle pier (pictured at left). Beaches also beckon right below the Malecon, or you can follow the paved path alongside the river that runs from the ocean into the hillside through lush jungle greenery. Along the way, pause at a taco truck for a treat ($1 each). Join the crowd, seated curbside on little plastic stools and layer on the salsa and garnish. Meander to the cluster of art galleries that line Calle Guadalupe Sanchez (art crawls Wednesday evenings) — or pick up a T-shirt that instructs, “Relax. You’re on the fun side of the wall.” That’s for sure — clean, safe, lively.

What’s not to like? Minnesota Good Age / February 2019 / 21

FINANCE

Be tax savvy in 2019 BY SKIP JOHNSON

ow that we’re in the second month of the New Year, I hope you’re still keeping up with your resolutions, whether they were for dieting, exercising, quitting bad habits or starting good ones. How many of you made a vow to be better prepared for your taxes? Few of us think of taxes while setting our resolutions in January, but that doesn’t mean you still don’t have time to set some goals for the 2019 tax year. By proactively planning now, you can help set yourself up for an easier time come next year’s tax season. Here are some basics that can help you as you set and keep your 2019 tax goals:

Know your brackets Do you know which tax brackets apply to your income? There are currently seven federal tax brackets. One or all of the brackets may apply to your income, depending on how much you make. As you make more money, more of your income will be taxed in increasingly higher brackets. This can be important to know, especially if your income begins to reach the minimum amount for the next bracket. For instance, if you’re single and earn $45,000 a year, all the income above $39,475 would fall into the 22 percent bracket. Knowing this, you could set yourself up to have money taken out pre-tax for your company’s 401(k). In this example, your last $5,525 would not need to be taxed at the higher 22 percent rate. 22 / February 2019 / Minnesota Good Age

It is a win-win for you as you avoid paying that higher marginal rate on those last dollars, and you save money for retirement. To learn more about brackets, see blog.taxact.com/how-tax-brackets-work.

Adjust your withholding

Getting a refund means you’ve loaned the government money and now it’s paying it back. The solution can be to adjust your withholding so you can have less taken out of your paycheck for taxes, which means you’ll get more take-home pay to use or invest as you choose.

Every employee fills out IRS Form W-4 to let their employer know how much tax to withhold from each paycheck. How you fill this form out can play a big role in how much you owe the IRS when you file. Withhold too little and you might owe when you file your tax return in April. Withhold too much and you might get a refund, but live on less of your paycheck. Have you been receiving large tax refunds? Getting a nice-sized check from the government may seem like a boon, but it can actually be a sign you’re withholding too much.

Federal Tax Bracket

If you’ve been thinking about buying an electric car or installing solar panels on your house, you can receive some fairly significant tax credits.

Single

Married, Filing Jointly

10%

$0 to $9,700

$0 to $19,400

12%

$9,701 to $39,475

$19,401 to $78,950

22%

$39,476 to $84,200

$78,951 to $168,400

24%

$84,201 to $160,725

$168,401 to $321,450

32%

$160,726 to $204,100

$321,451 to $408,200

35%

$204,101 to $510,300

$408,201 to $612,350

37%

$510,301 or more

$612,351 or more

Look for deductions, credits A tax deduction is a dollar amount you can subtract from your taxable income. The lower your taxable income, the lower your tax bill. Tax credits are even better and provide a dollar-for-dollar reduction in your actual tax bill. Some credits are even refundable, which means that if you owe $1,250 in taxes, but qualify for a $1,000 credit, your tax bill could be reduced to $250. Knowing the difference can help you decide on purchases you make throughout the year. If you’ve been thinking about buying an electric car or installing solar panels on your house, you can receive some fairly significant tax credits and reduce your tax bill substantially.

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Make quarterly payments If you’re self-employed, working as a freelancer or own a business, it’s important to understand your tax-filing options at the beginning of the year. Since taxes aren’t automatically deducted, take-home pay for the self-employed tends to be a bit higher than for wage earners throughout the year. It might be tempting to consider all that money yours. This can be a big oversight, however, as you’ll eventually have to pay taxes on the money. Making quarterly estimated tax payments can help you avoid a big tax bill come April.

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Get help If you don’t feel comfortable making tax decisions for yourself, it may be beneficial to hire a professional until you do. If you own a business, it’s especially important to do your taxes right the first time.

specialolympicsminnesota.org

Skip Johnson is an advisor and partner at Great Waters Financial, a local financial-planning firm and insurance agency. Johnson appears regularly on Fox 9’s morning news show. Learn more at greatwatersfinancial.com. Special Olympics GA 2013 S3 filler.indd 1

6/20/13 10:57 Minnesota Good Age / February 2019 / AM 23

Dan Stoltz poses in the lobby of SPIRE’s Falcon Heights headquarters next to a front-end replica of the company’s iconic 1952 Ford truck known as Archie. Photo by Tracy Walsh

The art of giving back SPIRE Credit Union President/CEO Dan Stoltz aims for a legacy of community building by Julie Kendrick

t’s not easy being in the financial services industry these days. Scandals and missteps, from around the world and right in our own Minnesota backyard, continue to create an atmosphere of mistrust and skepticism toward once-respected financial institutions. But even in such a fraught environment, there are always opportunities for hope from “good guys,” who insist on ethics, community-building and giving back. One of those shining stars is Dan Stoltz, the President and CEO of SPIRE Credit Union, a hometown institution that was founded in 1934 with a $50 loan under the name Twin City Co-ops Credit Union. Stoltz, a 58-year-old St. Paul native, may be best known for SPIRE’s TV commercials in which he visits Minnesotans while driving around in Archie, a restored 1952 Ford truck, an homage to SPIRE’s humble, hard-working founder, Edgar Archer. Stoltz’s candor, big grin and white goatee have become hallmarks of SPIRE’s image in more than 50 hometown videos. There’s even an animated version of the iconic Stoltz in SPIRE’s latest marketing campaign. And the best part? It’s not a schtick, said Casey Carlson, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Development for SPIRE. “Whether Dan is on TV, speaking to an audience or just talking one-on-one with people, he is the same great person,” said Carlson, who’s worked with Stoltz for almost 20 years. “Whoever said that nice guys finish last never met Dan Stoltz.”

Leading the way Stoltz, who describes himself as “a real hometown guy, Minnesotan thick and thin,” works out of a large office — proudly decorated with statewide memorabilia — in SPIRE’s Falcon Heights headquarters. SPIRE, which will grow to 300 employees this year, operates as a not-for-profit financial cooperative. Stoltz explains the concept like this: “Large banks are owned by shareholders and community banks are usually owned by family members or investment groups, but credit unions are owned by their customermembers. I always say I have more than 100,000 bosses, because that’s how many customer-members we have.” In an economic sector in which mergers and acquisitions are happening all the time, SPIRE remains independent, member-owned and driven by Midwestern values. SPIRE — in addition to winning awards for financial excellence and marketing achievements — is thriving with 18 branches throughout Minnesota, including a new Vadnais Heights location, which opened in December. “We’ve had significant growth over the last six years,” said Stoltz, who started at the credit union as CFO in 1999. Last year, SPIRE hit a huge milestone of assets of more than $1 billion. That’s nearly double what Stoltz found when he became CEO in 2010, during the Great Recession. Back then, SPIRE was struggling. Under Stoltz’s entrepreneurial leadership, without any layoffs or downsizing, SPIRE has grown to become one of the biggest in terms of brand recognition among 300-plus Minnesota financial institutions.

Minnesota Good Age / February 2019 / 25

Dan Stoltz and his wife of 34 years, Robin, live in Lino Lakes and have six grandchildren, plus one more due in March.

Starting with a paper route

A reachable role model

Stoltz grew up on the East Side of St. Paul and graduated from Johnson High School. Even as Whether Dan is on a youngster, he exhibited a remarkable work TV, speaking to an ethic and ability to keep his eyes on the prize. His first job was delivering the Pioneer Press. audience or just “Starting in junior high and continuing talking one-on-one through high school, I walked a 60-house with people, he is the morning and an afternoon route,” he said. “On weekdays, I would get up at 4:30 a.m. to deliver same great person. the morning papers, then do an afternoon — Casey Carlson, route after school, plus Saturdays and Sundays. Senior Vice President of Back then, you had to do your own collections, Marketing and Development at too, so I was handling money and keeping SPIRE Credit Union track of it at an early age.” Stoltz was the first college graduate in his family, earning a degree in accounting and finance from the University of Northwestern in Roseville, then getting his MBA from the University of St. Thomas. It wasn’t until his last class of grad school that his personal business mantra ended up on paper. “I was in a ‘life class,’ and they wanted us to write a personal mission statement,” he said. “I really grabbed a hold of that idea and worked so hard on it. It’s something I continue to review regularly, just to make sure I’m being true to myself and staying focused.” Stoltz’s statement, now more than 20 years old, is: “To live my life with integrity and stewardship toward my faith, family, friendships and the marketplace.” “I read it each morning,” he said, “And then I’m out the door for another day.”

According to many of those who know Stoltz best, it’s a mission he’s been successful in carrying out. Chris Wright, CEO of Minnesota United FC, the professional soccer team based in St. Paul, said when he first met Stoltz, he knew immediately that he wanted him as a friend. “I knew he could coach me and help me learn how to be a better person, leader and professional. He cares about people, relationships, his business and the community,” Wright said. “He works so incredibly hard at all of these, and he leads with his faith and value system. He is one of the most amazing human beings I have ever met.” Carlson said Stoltz is a downright inspiring leader who believes in encouragement, positivity and using people’s strengths. “He’s a fantastic role model, showing how a leader should act while keeping the proper perspective and never compromising one’s values,” Carlson said. Carlson said Stoltz doesn’t shy away

26 / February 2019 / Minnesota Good Age

from getting to know members. At SPIRE’s annual meeting — attended by thousands of people — he always gives out his direct phone number. “He believes a good CEO needs to be accessible to our customer-members,” Carlson said, adding that Stoltz isn’t just an outreach superstar. “He’s got really, really great business acumen.” For example, Stoltz spearheaded the conversion of the credit union into a state charter in 2014, allowing SPIRE to expand (and change the name from SPIRE Federal Credit Union to simply SPIRE Credit Union). “Dan initiated this to give us more flexibility to activate/grow in other markets,” Carlson said. “In fact, SPIRE has had four mergers in five years.”

All hail, King Boreas As busy as he is running SPIRE and answering to his 100,000 bosses, Stoltz makes time to give back to the community. “I believe that we need to be generous with our three Ts — time, talent and treasures,” he said. “For me, life is not defined by what we accumulate, but the difference we have made in the lives of others and in our communities.” He aims to leave a legacy of being a “net giver,” which he explained this way: “In life, you are either taking or giving, and I want to give all the time.” Stoltz is currently serving on the boards of the Minnesota Credit Union Network, Alloya Corporate (Chicago), Presbyterian Homes, Regions Hospital Foundation and Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. He’s also the board chair of the University of Northwestern–St. Paul. One of the highlights in his quest toward net giving was his reign as King Boreas during the 2015 St. Paul Winter Carnival, a yearlong commitment that required making more than 350 public

appearances with the Royal Family at festivals, nursing homes, schools and hospitals. Stoltz — who remembers the “wow and wonder” of the festival during his own childhood — appreciated the magnitude of the role: “It was an honor and a privilege just to be asked.” His next step was to serve as the 2016–2017 Minneapolis Aquatennial Commodore, which included more than 300 appearances, a move that made him the first person ever to serve in both royalty roles in back-to-back years. And then, when there was a need for leadership to help build the 2018 Ice Palace for the Saint Paul Winter Carnival in conjunction with the Super Bowl, Stoltz once again stepped up to help lead the drive. Stoltz recently won the 2018 Community Builder Award from the Boy Scouts of America for community involvement. SPIRE’s corporate culture, meanwhile, also includes numerous fund-raising activities, including annual Pinktober drives for the American Cancer Society, toy drives, fundraisers for veterans, community spring clean-up events and financial literacy outreach efforts, to name a few. SPIRE’s current stated mission? “To improve lives.”

Dan Stoltz is the first person ever to serve in back-toback years as the lead ambassador of the Saint Paul Winter Carnival (pictured as King Boreas) and of the Minneapolis Aquatennial.

In life, you are either taking or giving, and I want to give all the time. — Dan Stoltz, SPIRE Credit Union CEO

“Dan has made SPIRE’s community involvement and giveback an expectation and priority,” Carlson said. “He wants SPIRE to influence companies and individuals to give back and help their communities whenever possible.”

Financial tips When it comes to giving out financial advice, Stoltz doesn’t bring up SPIRE’s over-55 dividend-earning checking accounts, but instead comes back yet again to the value of giving back.

“I talk about the 10-10-80 rule,” he said. “For every 100 dollars you earn, take the first 10 dollars and give it back. The next 10 dollars should be invested or saved, whether you’re working with a financial planner or just setting up a basic savings/ contingency fund. After that’s done, you can spend the next 80 dollars.” Although he acknowledged that even the word “budget” can have negative connotations, Stoltz insists finances can be fun. He believes the key is to actively control finances, versus letting them reactively control you.

“We spend more time on Yelp looking up where we’re going to eat out than we do looking at our budgets,” he said, adding that it can be a more intentional process with some care and attention. “You can keep it simple and be successful. And when you are, celebrate your financial successes and the times when you meet key milestones.”

What’s next? Stoltz and his wife of 34 years, Robin, live in Lino Lakes and have three

Dan Stoltz strikes a pose at the Falcon Heights administrative offices of SPIRE Credit Union, which now has 18 branches in Minnesota. 28 / February 2019 / Minnesota Good Age

⊳ Dan Stoltz's office is a virtual museum of memorabilia. Photos by Tracy Walsh

married children and six grandchildren, all age 4 or younger, plus a seventh due in March. “All the kids live in town, and we’re within an hour’s drive of everyone, which is great,” Stoltz said. “I’m not a big fan of the word ‘retirement,’ but I’m thinking more and more about my next chapter,” he said. “I want to remain engaged and do things I love. I still have a lot to give and a lot I want to do, so I hope I can find that sweet spot.”

Although he and Robin hope to do more traveling, he plans to remain firmly rooted in Minnesota. “I love this state,” he said. “The people are so real — we’re a different breed that way. I like the changes of the seasons and the diversity and the vibrancy here.” He and Robin have been discussing what's next. “We’ve talked about getting in the car — there has been mention of getting a Corvette convertible — and exploring the United States,” he said.

Acknowledging that he does love to plan, Stoltz said he’s given some thought to the details of this spur-of-the moment journey: “The convertible will probably be royal blue, because that’s the color of King Boreas, the Aquatennial Commodore and SPIRE’s logo.” Julie Kendrick is a contributing writer for many local and national publications. She lives in Minneapolis. Follow her on Twitter @KendrickWorks.

Want your own Archie figurine? Send your best personal finance tip for ages 55 and older to editor@mngoodage.com with the subject line #archietruck, and we’ll enter you to win a 7-inchlong toy Archie, an early model Ford that serves as SPIRE Credit Union’s official spokes-vehicle. (Five second-place winners will each receive a 3-inch model.) We’ll also accept entries by mail at Minnesota Good Age Attn: Archie Giveaway 1115 Hennepin Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55403. In all entries, please include your name, city of residence, a personal finance tip and (optional) your age. Responses may be used in a future issue of Good Age magazine. Minnesota Good Age / February 2019 / 29

CAN’T-MISS CALENDAR FEBRUARY

When: 6 and 7:15 p.m. Feb. 1 Where: Saint Anthony Park Lutheran Church, St. Paul Cost: Choose your own pricing of $0–$5 per person. Info: Reserve tickets at schubert.org.

FEB. 9–MARCH 3

STEWARDESS!

SAINT PAUL WINTER CARNIVAL → Join a local tradition featuring ice carving, snow sculpting, skiing, dogsledding, a torchlight parade and more at this multi-faceted festival with more than 75 events and 1,000 volunteers.

When: Jan. 24–Feb. 2 Where: St. Paul and the Minnesota State Fairgrounds Cost: Most events are FREE. Info: wintercarnival.com

→ Set against the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement and the birth of feminism, this play tells the story of Mary Pat Laffey, who begins work as a stewardess for Northwest Orient Airlines and quickly learns the sexist nature of her industry. Laffey fights — over the span of 20 years — to transform the lives of women by joining a union, taking legal action and changing the consciousness of her male coworkers. When: Feb. 9–March 3 Where: History Theatre, St. Paul Cost: $20–$42 Info: historytheatre.com

FEB. 11–APRIL 10 JAN. 26–APR. 28

IMAGINE

→ Visitors can view impossible worlds in the surreal photography of Erik Johansson, a Swedish photographer/ visual artist who creates dream-like realities through complex nature montages using his own photographs knit digitally together. When: Jan. 26–April 28 Where: American Swedish Institute, Minneapolis Cost: $12 for adults, $8 for ages 62 and older, $6 for ages 6–18, free for ages 5 and younger Info: asimn.org

When: Jan. 30–Feb. 21 Where: Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center, Bloomington Cost: $25–$32 Info: masonicheritagecenter.org

JAN. 31; FEB. 7, 21; MARCH 7

NOIR SHE DIDN’T

→ While having dinner, enjoy a night of intrigue and deception as Mystery Entertainment performs a comedic thriller. When: 7 p.m. Jan. 31; Feb. 7, 21; March 7 Where: The Old Spaghetti Factory, Minneapolis Cost: $60 Info: murdermysterydinnerminneapolis.com

ONGOING

FEB. 1

→ The Buddy Band, featuring cast members from History Theatre’s IVEY Awardwinning production of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, performs all the singer's hits, including That’ll Be the Day, Rave On, Peggy Sue, Maybe Baby and Not Fade Away.

→ This Schubert Club / Music in the Park Series’ Family Concert showcases languages and songs from many countries, performed by the Lumina Women’s Ensemble, including three Twin Cities vocalists and a string player.

NOT FADE AWAY

30 / February 2019 / Minnesota Good Age

A MUSICAL WORLD TOUR

FREE TAX FILING ASSISTANCE → Trained and certified AARP tax volunteers will work with taxpayers to prepare and electronically file federal and state income tax returns. To make an appointment, call 651-439-7434 between 9 a.m.–4 p.m. When: Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from Feb. 11 to April 10 Where: Community Thread, Stillwater Cost: FREE Info: communitythreadMN.org

FEB. 14

VICTORIAN POETRY SLAM → Dressed in 1890s eveningwear, actors will perform a wide range of humorous and stirring poems by Dickinson, Poe, Longfellow, Browning and more. Audience members are invited to bring a short Victorian poem to read aloud. Light refreshments and tours of the Hill House will follow the program. When: 7–8 p.m. Feb. 14 Where: James J. Hill House, St. Paul Cost: $12 Info: mnhs.org/event/6567

FEB. 14

KEVIN KLING’S LOVE SHOW →→In this popular annual variety show, the beloved master of ceremonies guides the crowd through stories and songs about love’s journey. When: 7 p.m. Feb. 14 Where: The O’Shaughnessy, St. Paul Cost: $23–$27 Info: oshag.stkate.edu

FEB. 15–17

ST. PAUL HOME + LANDSCAPE SHOW →→Get inspired by hundreds of exhibitors in landscaping, kitchens, baths, windows, decks and more. When: Feb. 15–17 Where: St. Paul RiverCentre Cost: $9 for adults, $2.50 for ages 6–12, free for ages 5 and younger Info: rivercentre.org

FEB. 17

BALKAN FESTIVAL →→In partnership with Ethnic Dance Theatre, Landmark Center presents the music, dance, language, foods, costumes, arts, crafts and traditions of several countries hailing from the Balkan region of Eastern Europe. When: Noon–5 p.m. Feb. 17 Where: Landmark Center, St. Paul Cost: $4–$6 Info: landmarkcenter.org

FEB. 19–24

A BRONX TALE →→Broadway’s hit crowd-pleaser takes you to the stoops of the Bronx in the 1960s, where a young man is caught between the father he loves and the mob boss he’d love to be. When: Feb. 19–24 Where: Orpheum Theatre, Minneapolis Cost: Tickets start at $39. Info: hennepintheatretrust.org

FEB. 22–24, MARCH 1–3

MINNEAPOLIS HOME + GARDEN SHOW →→Discover the latest in home improvement, design, landscaping and more. Several celebrities will make appearances, including The Property Brothers (Drew and Jonathan Scott) on Feb. 23. When: Feb. 22–24 and March 1–3 Where: Minneapolis Convention Center Cost: $14 for adults, $4 for ages 6–12 Info: homeandgardenshow.com

FEB. 24

WITNESS: THEY PERSIST →→Atlanta’s Spelman College Glee Club will join VocalEssence to honor past, present and future trailblazing African and AfricanAmerican women who embody entrepreneurship, highlight the importance of education and advocate for the equality of all. When: 4–6 p.m. Feb. 24 Where: Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis Cost: $10–$40 Info: vocalessence.org

FEB. 28

BOUQUETS →→Sample from more than 80 fine wines, locally brewed beer and tastes from area restaurants in the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory. When: Feb. 28 Where: Como Park Zoo & Conservatory, St. Paul Cost: Tickets start at $65. Info: comozooconservatory.org

MARCH 1–SEPT. 28

MAMMA MIA!

→→ABBA’s hits tell the story of a young woman’s search for her birth father. When: March 1–Sept. 28 Where: Chanhassen Dinner Theatres Cost: Tickets start at $53. Info: chanhassendt.com

MORE ONLINE!

mngoodage.com/cant-miss-calendar Minnesota Good Age / February 2019 / 31

Rileys Travel Easy Tours GA 0219 V3.indd 1

1/25/19 10:21 AM

Brain teasers SUDOKU

WORD SEARCH FESTIVAL LIFE

AQUATENNIAL AURORA BONFIRE CARNIVAL ENTERTAINMENT FAIRGROUNDS FIREWORKS

GRANDSTAND HOLIDAY INFLATABLES JUBILEE LUMBERJACK MEDALLION MINNETONKA

O W

Break the code to reveal a quote from a famous person. Each letter represents another letter.

O M

W U

Source: Teddy Roosevelt at the 1901 Minnesota State Fair Clue: P=O

W G

W Q

CRYPTOGRAM

Z T H O J V

Z T Y O

W P E C

WORD SCRAMBLE Complete the following words using each given letter once.

Z T C

RA T

W Y O

K T P

H V

RA E

S R

A P

K C

T F

Y M K Y X V .

M P A N M X

D P Y V Z H O J

32 / February 2019 / Minnesota Good Age

ANSWERS

P D O P G H P A V

Z T C E C

3. King Boreas

U C K

M H U C

2. Falcon Heights

Y E C

I E H S Y Z C

TRIVIA 1. William Shakespeare

H O

MUSIC OKTOBERFEST PALACE PRIDE RENAISSANCE RODEO UPTOWN

TRIVIA IT'S ALWAYS FAIR IN MINNESOTA 1. An annual summer festival in Winona, Minnesota, celebrates what famous writer? 2. Minnesota’s State Fairgrounds are often said to be in St. Paul, but technically they reside in what suburb? 3. This month’s Cover Star, Dan Stoltz, served what leading role in the 2015 Saint Paul Winter Carnival? Sources: grsf.org, mnstatefair.org, Minnesota Good Age

SUDOKU WORD SCRAMBLE Parade, Crafts, Market CROSSWORD

ANSWERS Minnesota Good Age / February 2019 / 33

CRYTPOGRAM In private life, there are few things more obnoxious than the man who is always loudly boasting.

Crossword

ACROSS

1 Take it easy 5 Cabo’s peninsula 9 Sheepish smile 13 Cabinet dept. with an oil derrick on its seal 14 Immortal racehorse Man __ 15 What kneaded dough should do 16 “360˚” CNN anchor 19 Bud 20 “How disgusting!” 21 Gave medicine to 22 “Uncle Vanya” playwright 27 Yoga posture 28 Krypton or xenon 32 Semester 34 Pea surrounder 35 One of about 268,600 in Tex. 36 You, to Yves 38 Hipster, and based on their initials, what 34 / February 2019 / Minnesota Good Age

each of 16-, 22-, 52- and 61-Across is? 41 Blender setting 42 Hubbubs 44 Like Letterman’s humor 45 “See ya later” 47 Dugout seats 49 Put together, as equipment 52 “Appalachian Spring” composer 56 Lustrous bit of wisdom 59 Tokyo’s former name 60 When repeated, a Gabor 61 19th-century steel industry philanthropist who built an eponymous concert hall 66 Nod off 67 Prefix with correct 68 Dunham of “Girls” 69 Snow transport 70 H.S. math subject 71 Clog fillers

DOWN

1 Becomes aware of 2 Explanatory comment written in the margin, say 3 British alphabet ender 4 Bard’s “before” 5 Title cop played by Titus Welliver 6 Came to 7 First mo. 8 Rainbow shape 9 Slots cut with a chisel 10 Fabric flaws 11 “Got it” 12 Bookish type 17 Rock’s Ocasek 18 Dumpster emanation 19 Sheep bleat 23 Half and half 24 Agent on a bust 25 McDonald’s founder Ray 26 Dove into vigorously, as work 29 Stylish men’s monthly 30 Parisian pal 31 Common dinner hour 33 Grass cutter 34 Two-__ tissue 36 Restaurant bill 37 Poem of praise 39 Approximately 40 Baseball rain delay cover 43 Like Capone’s face 46 Up to, informally 48 Partner of hearty 50 Vote out of office 51 Kiss in a busy store, for short 53 “Sweet!” 54 PC drive insert 55 Buff suffix 56 Footballer’s shoulder protection 57 Hydroxyl compound 58 Axe relative 62 Happy tail movement 63 Billiards stick 64 Legendary seasonal helper 65 “Holy cow”