MY PATH
Evan Dickens, CPA
Partner
Evan is the leader of the Employee Benefit Audit team and Co-Leader of the Construction Niche. He works with a variety of small business, investment funds and individual clients.
As a Business Management major in college, Evan Dickens didn’t start out to become an accountant. However, accounting was one of the core classes and he found that it just made the most sense to him. The help and guidance of some wonderful professors at George Fox University helped to lay out the path and his major was changed to Accounting!
When looking for internships in college, one of those professors said, “you may want to look into Jones & Roth.” The recruiting process was a little different back in 2001: Evan printed out his resume, drove over to the Hillsboro office, and asked about possible internships. That day he got to meet with a manager, as well as a partner, and the next week was offered an internship. Once out of college, he had the opportunity to work for a ‘Big 4’ firm, but chose Jones & Roth and has stayed ever since.
Early in his career, Evan explored a variety of industry and technical niches, including municipal governments, nonprofits, healthcare, financial institutions and more.He discovered a passion for working with contractors and small business owners.And, after working on several employee benefit plan audits, he saw an opportunity for the firm to become experts in the area and with his guidance, the niche has grown to be one of the largest EBP Auditors in the state, with clients across the country.“That was a chance for me to create a path and a focus for my career,” he says, and it was something I never expected to enjoy working on.”
FAQs
The cons of investing in I-bonds
There's actually a limit on how much you can invest in I-bonds per year. The annual maximum in purchases is $10,000 worth of electronic I-bonds, although in some cases, you may be able to purchase an additional $5,000 worth of paper I-bonds using your tax refund.
Is there a downside to an I bond? ›
The cons of investing in I-bonds
There's actually a limit on how much you can invest in I-bonds per year. The annual maximum in purchases is $10,000 worth of electronic I-bonds, although in some cases, you may be able to purchase an additional $5,000 worth of paper I-bonds using your tax refund.
Can you ever lose money on an I bond? ›
You can count on a Series I bond to hold its value; that is, the bond's redemption value will not decline.
What happens to I bonds if inflation goes down? ›
If inflation runs hotter, the rate can go up. If inflation cools off, the rate can go down. The fixed rate portion of an I Bond remains with the life of the bond. The fixed rate is 1.3% for I Bonds issued from November 2023 through April.
What are the disadvantages of TreasuryDirect? ›
Securities purchased through TreasuryDirect cannot be sold in the secondary market before they mature. This lack of liquidity could be a disadvantage for investors who may need to access their investment capital before the securities' maturity.
What is a better investment than I bonds? ›
Bottom line. If inflation and investment safety are your chief concerns — TIPS and I-bonds deliver both. TIPS offer greater liquidity and the higher yearly limit allows you to stash far more cash in TIPS than I-bonds.
Is there anything better than I bonds? ›
An important advantage of TIPS versus I Bonds is that individual investors face virtually no purchase constraints. (The upper limit on TIPS purchases runs into the millions.) That makes them the only reasonable option for larger investors looking to build a sizable stake in inflation-fighting investments.
Can I buy $10,000 I bond every year? ›
That said, there is a $10,000 limit each year for purchasing them. There are several ways around this limit, though, including using your tax refund, having your spouse purchase bonds as well and using a separate legal entity like a trust.
How much is a $100 savings bond worth after 20 years? ›
How to get the most value from your savings bonds
| Face Value | Purchase Amount | 20-Year Value (Purchased May 2000) |
|---|
| $50 Bond | $100 | $109.52 |
| $100 Bond | $200 | $219.04 |
| $500 Bond | $400 | $547.60 |
| $1,000 Bond | $800 | $1,095.20 |
More about savings bonds
The interest earned by purchasing and holding savings bonds is subject to federal tax at the time the bonds are redeemed. However, interest earned on savings bonds is not taxable at the state or local level.
If you buy an I Bond in April 2024 you will get 5.27% for 6 months, then 4.28% for the next 6 months for a combined 1 year rate of 4.83%. The April 2024 12-month I Bond rate of 4.83% is similar to CDs and Treasury Bills that are roughly 5% interest over the same time frame.
How long should you keep money in an I bond? ›
You can cash in (redeem) your I bond after 12 months. However, if you cash in the bond in less than 5 years, you lose the last 3 months of interest. For example, if you cash in the bond after 18 months, you get the first 15 months of interest. See Cash in (redeem) an EE or I savings bond.
What is the I bond rate for 2024? ›
The composite rate for I bonds issued from November 2023 through April 2024 is 5.27%.
What are the disadvantages of Series I bonds? ›
Key Points
- Pros: I bonds come with a high interest rate during inflationary periods, they're low-risk, and they help protect against inflation.
- Cons: Rates are variable, there's a lockup period and early withdrawal penalty, and there's a limit to how much you can invest.
Cons of Buying Bonds
- Values Drop When Interest Rates Rise. You can buy bonds when they're first issued or purchase existing bonds from bondholders on the secondary market. ...
- Yields Might Not Keep Up With Inflation. ...
- Some Bonds Can Be Called Early.
But while they are lauded for their security and reliability, potential drawbacks such as interest rate risk, low returns and inflation risk must be carefully considered. If you're interested in investing in Treasury bonds or have other questions about your portfolio, consider speaking with a financial advisor.
What are the problems with I bonds? ›
These are the risks of holding bonds: Risk #1: When interest rates fall, bond prices rise. Risk #2: Having to reinvest proceeds at a lower rate than what the funds were previously earning. Risk #3: When inflation increases dramatically, bonds can have a negative rate of return.
How risky are I bonds? ›
A series I bond is a non-marketable, interest-bearing U.S. government savings bond. Series I bonds give investors a return plus inflation protection on their purchasing power and are considered a low-risk investment.
Why is bond not a good investment? ›
Call risk is the likelihood that a bond's term will be cut short by the issuer if interest rates fall. Default risk is the chance that the issuer will be unable to meet its financial obligations. Inflation risk is the possibility that inflation will erode the value of a fixed-price bond issue.
Is an I bond a good idea right now? ›
I bonds' rates have since dipped from their headline-grabbing heights—they were as high as 9.62% in May of 2022—to 5.27% for the current crop. That rate may still look attractive, but I bonds' variable rates—combined with their five-year lockup period—may give you pause.
