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Tax, Retirement & Wealth Advisors in Salem OR | Jamison Hanson

Tax, Retirement & Wealth Advisors in Salem OR | Jamison Hanson

As Financial Advisors in Salem, OR, we specialize in Wealth Management and Retirement Planning. Schedule a free review today!

Call: (503) 391-1040
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Why I Became a Wealth Advisor

Why I Became a Wealth Advisor

By Steven Jamison, CFP®, CPA

People choose their respective careers for many reasons, whether it’s potential for advancement, a desire to use their skills in a specific arena, or even income possibilities. But for me, it was a passion to serve, a curiosity to learn, and a spirit of teamwork and commitment to clients and colleagues.

I wanted a career that would allow me to add value to people’s lives and help them achieve a bigger future they’d only dreamed of. With an interest in finance and an understanding of how much of an impact money makes, I decided to put my passion into action as a wealth advisor.

Getting Started

Growing up, I had an early curiosity about how the markets work. I remember reading market news in the local paper and thinking how fascinating it was that this network of buyers and sellers across the country (and even across the globe) is what drives our economy. I discovered how the decision making of the participants in this network is rooted in the flow of financial accounting information. With this in mind, I pursued a degree in accounting and soon became a Certified Public Accountant.

After starting my career at a financial services and telecommunications consulting firm in Dubai, my wife and I decided to move closer to her family in Oregon and join my father-in-law Phil Green in his wealth advisory and CPA firm. At that time, I obtained my Series 65 license and earned the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation. It was my privilege to practice with and be mentored by Phil until his passing in 2016.  It has been my quest to honor his legacy in leading his firm in the next phase of its growth and development…

A New Chapter

Our firm has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, in no small way also directly related to the success our clients have had in their business and personal pursuits. As a part of this growth and evolution of our firm, in 2021 we welcomed Dennis Hanson and his team who joined our firm and as a result we adopted the Jamison Hanson firm name.

While our name and team members have changed over the years, our firm has remained grounded in our core values. We take seriously our fiduciary duty in the standard of care we provide to our clients. We seek to do the right thing at the right time in the right way. We value the relationships we have with clients, colleagues, and community.

Since our firm’s founding nearly twenty years ago, we have espoused an evidence-based investment philosophy of focusing on factors within our control, such as consistent savings, balancing risk and reward, and proper diversification. Through my education, I discovered that not all investment approaches are created equal. My education and professional experience have demonstrated to me the merits of this evidence-based approach, observing not only the financial rewards but also the peace of mind and positive client experience outcomes. 

Too often, clients are swayed by the noise of the 24-hour news cycle and the ever-changing forecasts and opinions of pundits and experts. This can have devastating effects on their financial futures. I strive to always provide my clients with a balanced investment approach, one that takes all aspects of their finances into account.

The Best Part

The best part of my career as a wealth advisor is that I discovered the power of planning and the confidence that can come from being prepared. Not only do I find my job enjoyable and fun, but it also makes a big impact on clients with whom I have the privilege of developing deep relationships.

I strive to continuously educate my clients on the implications of financial choices. Spending time with them and hearing their successes gives me a sense of pride that I’m able to provide comfort and relief to a client in a time of need. It is so fulfilling to make life easier for those we serve, enabling them to reach their goals and feel confident in their financial futures.

The Next Step

Pursuing and achieving goals is much easier when you aren’t alone in the process. A helpful guide and advocate can make all the difference. For those of you that we already serve, we thank you for your continued trust and confidence.If you or someone you know is  interested in learning more about how I serve my clients, I encourage you to contact me today for a no-obligation get-acquainted meeting. Schedule a 15-minute introductory call online or reach out to me at (503) 391-1040 or steven.jamison@jhadvisors.com.

About Steven

Steven Jamison is President at Jamison Hanson, a full-service, fee-only financial planning and accounting firm. As a Certified Public Accountant and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with more than 10 years of experience, Steven uses his specialized knowledge of tax, financial, and estate planning matters to enhance the lives of those he serves, in particular estate personal representatives and trustees and professional practice owners (especially dentists) in Oregon  and across the country. With a passion for simplifying finances, optimizing opportunities, and saving money, Steven provides customized wealth advisory and accounting services, including investments, income and estate tax planning and compliance, and retirement planning, so that his clients can stress less and feel more confident about reaching their goals.

Steven prioritizes his clients, building long-lasting relationships that make a significant impact on their financial lives. He graduated cum laude from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and is a member of the Willamette Valley Estate Planning Council and American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Outside of work, Steven enjoys spending time with his wife, Rachel, and their five children. You can often find him adventuring in the outdoors—biking, hiking, traveling, and swimming. In addition to the Willamette Valley, they enjoy the splendor of the high desert of central Oregon and lush beauty of the Hawaiian Islands. To learn more about Steven, connect with him on LinkedIn

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    Salem, OR 97302
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The Tradesperson

Carl didn’t have to go to college to carve out a solid career. He’s skilled at what he does, puts in hard work every day, and has the callouses to show for it. That competence and reliability have paid off in making him an asset to his employers, so the income he brought in over the years coupled with a commitment to living beneath his means has allowed him to create a nice nest egg. “I’m starting to feel the years,” he told me. “That’s the tradeoff for doing work you enjoy, I guess. I’m looking forward to another ten years on the job, but my body might have other ideas.” Carl confessed that his back was starting to feel stiff some days. He wasn’t in pain or injured, but it was taking him a little longer to loosen up in the morning, and he was ready to hit the couch when he got home at night. He wanted to make sure he was protected. “I’d rather have a stiff back from wiring a building than sitting at a desk all day,” he joked as I shifted in my desk chair and laughed. “But I want to make sure we’ll be okay in case I have to hang up my gear earlier than planned.” With a son in college to become an engineer and a teenage daughter who plans to follow in her father’s footsteps by learning a trade, he and his wife, an RN, still have tuition and child rearing expenses to cover. But they’ll be empty nesters soon, and he wonders if downsizing their lifestyle could leave them with more options in the long run. Other than setting money aside regularly, he’s not familiar with investing or tax strategies. So he doesn’t know where to start. “We’re not extravagant people, but we chose a good school district and mortgage to go with it. When the kids are gone, Sheri and I are thinking it might be easier on the budget and more enjoyable to move out of the suburbs into a smaller house with some land.” “That sounds like you’d be living the dream, Carl,” I said. I knew we could make some adjustments to give him the freedom to retire earlier if need be. “Your toolbox is different from mine, let’s make sure you have the tools you need in place to be comfortable in retirement.”

Primary Concerns

How We Helped

The Widow

That’s why there’s no time like the present to meet with an attorney and get your documents updated to make sure they are in good order. The eventual (if not immediate) need for a power of attorney, and health care proxy to be filed is of the utmost importance. Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in America. And although we know this to be true, it seems that dementia is right up there with the clients we help. The onset is often young (late 50’s, early 60’s), and to date, there is no cure, no surgery to be done. “We’re coming to see you,” Laura said. “Just so you know, he is having some memory issues and is having some testing done. Please don’t mention the ‘D’ word in front of him. It’s early in the process for him, and he knows what it means and what the outcomes are.” We had a conversation, the three of us. His comprehension was good, but there were differences. I checked my notes as to the last time their wills were updated… it had been a while. On a subsequent visit, Laura let me know she was having difficulty grasping the enormity of the potential expense to care for him. By choice, long-term care insurance had not been part of their plan. She was now projecting the harsh realities around the cost of care, not to mention the taxes on their IRAs to access those funds. “He has life insurance,'' she said, “but it expires in 5 years. I can’t stop feeling awful, but I’m counting on that being there for me, assuming I have to use our retirement assets to pay for care.” “It’s not selfish; it’s survival,” I said. “Remember, your goal is to provide him great care while he’s alive. His goal was for the two of you to enjoy your lives together. He would be upset if, after 40 years of professional work, you spent all of it on him.” By the end of our conversation, she understood that the death benefit is for the survivor, not the person whom the policy is on. As to the timing of it, my experience is that spouses who survive their loved ones have already mourned the very essence of their being, well before their bodies have given up. The willingness to do what is right for him now will somehow be balanced out later. She still maintains the family home, stays close to her children and lifelong friends, and travels when she can. Because of our work together, Laura is more at ease and confident in her financial future.

Primary Concerns

How We Helped

The Single Mom

Life doesn’t always go as planned, but the more dedicated, disciplined, and prepared we are, the better financial future we can enjoy—no matter the circumstances. Paige had been to a presentation I did about her workplace benefits. The company was having on-again, off-again “reduction-in-force” offers to take an early retirement, or to simply leave. When I answered the phone, the caller sounded a little nervous. She had never met with an advisor before, but after attending the presentation, she thought I might be able to help her. She started working at the phone company right out of high school. A few years later, she was married, and soon after that, well, you know those newlyweds! By the time her daughter was five, her husband had left. It turned out, fatherhood wasn’t for him… nor was consistently making child-support payments. That didn’t stop Paige from working and raising her daughter to become a healthy, productive adult, or from making her 401(k) contributions. As the years went by, she had questions. “Am I saving enough? Do the investments make sense? How am I going to pay for college? Can I afford to buy a new car when I retire? Should I pay off my mortgage? The dream trip to Tuscany… is it doable?” She looked to me for advice and guidance. I admired (and still do) her commitment to providing for her daughter and her consistent resolve to save and invest for her future retirement. Paige accomplished a lot—a whole lot, really. But the best offer yet from her company came in her mid-50’s. She had been saving, waiting, for this moment for over 30 years. It was scary—no, intimidating, for her to really contemplate not having that paycheck, paid vacation, and benefits. “How do I evaluate the early retirement offer?” she asked. “How will I live? Where will I get money from? Will I pay taxes on my retirement? What about the company stock?” “You know,” I said, “we’ve talked about this many times. You did some great prep. Work with me.” “I know,” she said. “But big decisions like this are stressful, especially with the deadlines. And I know you can explain it to me again so I can be confident in my decisions.” Paige did take that offer. She works part-time now and spends one to two days a week caring for her parents. “Do they have health care proxies, powers of attorney, and wills?” I asked. She laughed, “Does it ever end with you?” As long as time marches on and the world keeps changing, then no, it never really ends. The topics of conversation and how I am trying to help keeps our relationship fresh.

Primary Concerns

How We Helped

The Married Couple

Corrine retired first. One of the largest razor blade companies was headquartered in Boston, and they treated their employees well. A pension combined with a 401(k) match in the form of a stock that did very well gave her a comfortable nest egg and monthly income…not to mention a Medical ESOP plan. Her husband Ed retired many years later. An employee of the federal government, he wanted to work longer to increase his pension benefit. He too did well with his Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). But he had some credit card debt, so we devised a strategy to pay it off over two tax years, using vacation buyout money at retirement and TSP funds the following tax year. The couple had been clients of mine for several years, and he had put off retiring more than once. When I saw them call in, I figured he was calling to let me know he had finally decided to retire. Unfortunately, he was calling to let me know that his son died very prematurely. They came in, still reeling from grief, to discuss what they wanted to do next. Corrine and Ed come from a small island nation where family customs favor the eldest son. At the time of his death, he had two young children, the older of which was two and the other only months old. “We want to provide for our grandchildren,'' they said, “to make sure they can be educated when the time comes.” Neither Ed nor Corrine had attended college, but they made sure their sons did, and now, in their son’s absence, they will provide for his children. Given their young age, I suggested they speak with a local estate planning attorney to see if she thought setting up some type of trust to put assets in (and to name as a beneficiary) would help them accomplish their goals. She agreed, drafted the relevant documents, and they are now comforted by having a plan in place. Their son’s death triggered Ed to retire immediately. He and his wife now care for their grandchildren daily when their mother goes off to work. Their involvement in the grandchildren’s lives helps to ease their pain, pass on family values, and keep the legacy of their son alive.

Primary Concerns

How We Helped