Everyone wants to retire with an adequate amount of retirement savings. However, there are so many factors that cannot be predicted that people often feel overwhelmed when they try to figure out how much they should be saving for retirement. Due to simplicity, it is recommended that you try and establish a set percentage of…
The Blog
4 Things the Apostle Paul Teaches Us About Money & Giving
The Apostle Paul is the most well-known Christian missionary. He was beaten, persecuted, shipwrecked and thrown into prison numerous times for His faith, and yet wrote half of the New Testament! So let’s take a look at what the Apostle Paul teaches us about our money…
What is Private Placement Life Insurance?
Private placement life insurance describes a type of variable life insurance that is only offered privately and not through a public offering. It can be a great a defensive tax strategy that transforms ordinary taxable income as well as capital gains into tax free income without any income tax reporting requirements under, and it is all done legally…
Advantages Of A Living Trust vs. A Will
Over the past 15 years as a financial planner, I am often asked, “should I have a will or a trust?” I sure wished every prospective client would ask this question because this would reveal they were planning ahead. The sad fact remains that less than half of adults have a will, let alone a trust…
Short Term Mission Trips | 17 Ways To Save Money
There is a high cost associated with missions. Stewardship is about stretching every dollar, gift, and resource we have for the sake of God’s kingdom. One great way to minimize the cost of an overseas mission trip is by saving money on necessary items along the way.
What’s the Best Way to Help the Poor?
If you’re a Christian, you can’t help but read the Bible and be overwhelmed by God’s concern for the poor, weak and marginalized in society. He tells us to be concerned for the widow and the orphan. Jesus himself said in Matthew 25 that, “As you did to one of the least of these, you did to me” meaning that if we gave food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty and clothes to the naked, it’s as if we did it to Jesus!
When Can You Withdraw From Your Traditional IRA?
For some reason I get this question a lot in my day job, so I thought I’d provide a little clarification on some of the rules regarding withdrawals from Individual Retirement Arrangements, or IRAs.
IRAs were designed to provide an opportunity for folks to save for retirement on a pre-tax, tax-deferred basis. In other words, the money grows without having to pay any taxes on the gains.
Planning a Wedding on a Budget: 4 Tips for Saving Money
The first way to save money on your wedding is the most important: you have to want to save money. I’ve noticed in the past few years that some things are worth paying for, and some things are not. But just because you don’t pay for something doesn’t mean you can’t get great results (and sometimes better results) by using your creativity. Here are some simple things to do to save money. They all involve creativity, so open your mind and get creative (or call you sister or friend or aunt in the room to help you out)…
