You may already know that we pay the way for residents who are no longer able to meet their living costs at Willamette View. However, there is more to our service to residents than providing subsidy.
We are a constant source of comfort and relief from the burden of following up on income and benefits, paying bills, balancing checkbook, straightening out billings and balances, matching up medical bills and insurance explanations of benefits, and monitoring credit card statements, just to name a few. We also consolidate and summarize all the information needed by the tax preparer in order to complete both Federal and Oregon individual tax returns for residents.
Our services are provided using a Durable Power of Attorney prepared by your attorney. We provide you with a detailed report each quarter so you’ll stay informed about your financial activities.
These services can be provided to residents receiving direct subsidy as well as those participating in our financial tasks management services program. Both groups of residents receive assistance that is designed to provide peace of mind and financial security; it’s golden!
For many years residents have been comforted by the existence of Willamette View Foundation. The Foundation was specifically created to help residents and now stands strong with $20 million in assets. Our funds have accumulated for over 50 years and have come from donors who wanted to support residents in need.
Our Financial Assistance Program will pay your living costs if your resources are depleted through no fault of your own. This program helps residents enjoy life without the worry of outliving their assets and is available at no cost to the community.
In addition, Willamette View Foundation has a special policy for financial assistance for married couples. The policy is designed to allow the partner who moves to the Health Center the opportunity to apply for financial assistance. This leaves the other half of their assets for the “well partner” to use for his or her lifetime.
If you anticipate that you may need financial assistance at some time in the future, feel free to reach out any time so we can provide additional information about how the Financial Assistance Program works. Often this conversation can provide some comfort to you and your family members.
Willamette View Foundation also supports residents who need help managing their day-to-day bills. If your bills, financial documents, and taxes are stacking up and overwhelming you, let us help. We do this for residents free of charge. We provide quarterly reports to keep you updated on your finances and we also accumulate and summarize information for your tax preparer. Give us a call for more info.
Each month your medical expenses, insurance premiums, and a personal allowance are paid first from the monthly income you receive. Then, any remaining income is applied toward your room and board charges. The Foundation will pay the balance of your Willamette View charges out of our Financial Assistance Fund.
In addition, Willamette View Foundation may pay necessary medical expenses if they are in excess of your monthly income.
Contact the Willamette View Foundation office at 971.233.8956 if you want more details about how our financial assistance program works.
Ways to reduce your chances of losing money to scammers
Scammers never rest; they continue to come up with new ways to trick us. Stay alert, especially whenever you are using technology. Don’t click on anything in an unsolicited email or text message asking you to update or verify personal or account information. Be cautious of things you receive in the mail as well. Store your passwords securely.
Your Phone…Don’t rely only on caller ID to confirm someone’s identity. Look up the company’s phone number through a legitimate source like a statement or letter provided by the company, and don’t use the number a potential scammer is providing. Text messages are the new way scammers get you to engage. If you get a text from a phone number you don’t recognize that gives an urgent message to respond, do not respond.
Your Wallet… Clean out your wallet on a regular basis. Remove cards you don’t need to carry. Throw away any unnecessary items. Store copies of your cards and important items in a safe place in your home. Keep in mind, the more cards you carry the more calls you will have to make to have them canceled if your wallet is stolen; and a thief will have more of your personal information.
Computer… Do not open attachments or click on links from people or businesses you do not completely trust. Secure your online accounts with a strong password and change it regularly. Use two-factor authentication for secure websites that you use often.
Financial Accounts… Never send funds to anyone until you can confirm that the payment destination is legitimate. Regularly review the incoming and outgoing transactions on your bank and account statements to make sure you recognize every listed transaction. Report any incorrect transactions immediately.
In January the Willamette View Foundation Board of Directors kicked off the “2023 Resident Inflation Offset Grant Program” to help those of you at Willamette View that are impacted the most by increasing costs and economic challenges.
The program gives a grant to each resident who is on a fixed income with $400,000 or less in net worth excluding personal property ($800,000 for couples).
It’s a one-time grant of $5,000 to Independent and Assisted Living residents and $10,000 to Health Center residents. The program is for Willamette View residents for the calendar year 2023.
Obtaining this grant is simple and quick and happily many residents have already applied and received their grant check.
If you would like to receive a grant, please request a form by contacting Willamette View Foundation at 971-233-8956. We will send you a form to complete and return to us. All we need is your name, address, phone number, signature, and date. It’s that easy. No other information is required and there are no strings attached.
Willamette View Foundation was incorporated in 1967
We are a non-profit corporation, separate from Willamette View, Inc., that is dedicated to the residents of the Willamette View retirement community. We have always been focused on residents and in 1969 we started providing financial assistance to Willamette View residents. Since then, we’ve paid nearly $11 million in Willamette View charges for residents.
Your safety net …
Helping residents whose funds have been exhausted, by paying the portion of their Willamette View living costs that their monthly income does not cover.
Providing financial assistance to residents at no cost to other residents.
A free resource available to you as a resident of the Willamette View retirement community.
Our resources have come from donations, bequests, proceeds from resident activities, and earnings on our investments.
We do not have any other source of funds. We do not receive any portion of resident entrance fees. In 1981 we received the balance of their endowment fund from Willamette View, Inc. which totaled $180,879. That contribution was tagged for Resident Assistance and brought our assets to $555,887. In 1985 we celebrated reaching $1,000,000 in assets and that was after having provided $750,000 in assistance.
Willamette View Foundation is a free assistance service that is here to help pay the way for residents who are no longer able to meet their living costs at Willamette View and to assist residents with managing their daily bills. If you are running out of money or struggling to keep up with your finances, please know Willamette View Foundation is here to help you.
Our programs are funded by resources that have been accumulated and safeguarded for over 50 years. They have come from donors, investment returns, and in the past, even resident activities on campus supported our Resident Assistance Fund.
Willamette View Foundation’s assistance program offers Willamette View residents a source of comfort and relief from the burden of following up on income and benefits, paying bills, balancing a checkbook, straightening out billings and balances, matching up medical bills and insurance paperwork, and monitoring credit card statements. The Foundation prepares quarterly reports for residents to review and keep abreast of their finances. We also consolidate and summarize all the information needed by the tax preparer to complete both Federal and Oregon individual tax returns.
These functions are available to residents receiving a direct subsidy as well as those participating in our management services program. Both groups of residents receive assistance that is designed to provide peace of mind and financial security. For some, the Foundation is the one place they know they can turn when they are not able to manage on their own, for others, it’s time to let go of those financial concerns.
A Will and a Trust are both ways for you to say who will receive your assets. They do it in different ways and each has advantages and disadvantages. One of the differences is how and when they take effect. A will does not take effect until you pass away. A trust takes effect upon signing the legal document.
A will is a set of instructions that directs those assets you own individually, with no designated beneficiary, and appoints a personal representative to administer your estate after you pass. Generally, a will must go through probate where it is examined by an authorized court administrator which can be a lengthy and cumbersome process. In most cases a will becomes public upon your death.
Your will does not cover some types of assets. Any accounts that you own jointly with another individual will automatically pass to the survivor without going through the probate process. Retirement accounts and life insurance policies will have beneficiaries named in the original documents.
A trust, like a will, directs how your assets will pass to your beneficiaries, but it may be funded during your lifetime and can provide for incapacity planning as well. Your trust can outline a plan for what actions to take if you are unable to make your own decisions and need help from your family members.
A trust can provide some benefits that you wouldn’t typically get with a will, with more privacy and without the costs and hassle of probate court and is less likely to be successfully challenged. A trust can hold assets for your own benefit and for a third party’s benefit and can outline specific rules for how assets will be distributed both during your lifetime and after your death.
If you create a trust, you will need to fund that trust. Any assets that you want your trust to control will need to be titled in the name of your trust.
A trust allows you to appoint a trustee to manage your trust. You can serve as trustee of your trust and name a successor trustee for a time when you are no longer able or no longer want to act as trustee. A trustee will have the authority to address problems and handle complicated issues on your behalf.
Keep in mind retirement accounts and life insurance policies will have beneficiaries named in the
original documents. It’s a good idea to periodically confirm that the beneficiary listed is still living and your intended recipient.
Having a plan in place while you are still in good health will help ensure that your estate is handled the way you intend. It can also be one of your greatest gifts to your loved ones who will be guided by your instructions. The choice of a will or a trust is yours and can depend on your specific
financial and personal circumstances. There are many situations in which you will want both vehicles.
Your legal advisor can guide you through the options and help you decide what’s best for you and your family. If you’ve already made the choice, be sure to review the documents periodically to make sure they still reflect your wishes.
This information is intended for educational purposes only and should not be taken as legal advice. Always consult an attorney before making decisions about your estate plan.
