Jesus’ words, as quoted by Paul and recorded in Acts 20:35, at first sound counterintuitive. He says that it is more blessed to give than to receive. Not equally blessed, more blessed. Which is either the most liberating financial principle ever articulated or the most inconvenient, depending on who you quote it to. I did … Read more
This year is a big deal for the people of the United States because we’re celebrating a major milestone—it’s been 250 years since we broke free from the rule of King George III and Great Britain’s control back in 1776. It’s a huge anniversary, and freedom is something that’s on lots of people’s minds. We’re … Read more
This article is part of the Biblically-Informed Framework for Retirement Stewardship (BIFRS) series. Even if you retire before age 65, Medicare becomes the foundation of healthcare coverage once you reach that age. It isn’t a perfect system—it has gaps and limitations—but it’s what we have, and it’s worth understanding well. I view Medicare as part … Read more
Earl is concerned about “sequence of returns risk,” and the “safe withdrawal rate” typically guides every spending decision in his life with clockwork precision. But it doesn’t appear to apply inside the Costco building. I generally don’t like shopping, but I don’t mind going to Costco. I sometimes go with my wife to get a … Read more
It’s simple. When interest rates rise, bond prices fall. Stocks get nervous. Yields go up. Good for retirees? Maybe, or maybe not. Any questions? Interest rates have been in the news for a while now, which is a polite way of saying they have become a regular and mostly unwelcome topic, showing up in headlines … Read more
This article is part of the Biblically-Informed for Retirement Steward series (BIFRS). Planning for healthcare, both before and in retirement, isn’t fun or glamorous. It’s not as exciting as planning for travel or hobbies in retirement. But it’s absolutely essential. Without adequate healthcare coverage and planning, a single medical crisis can severely impact your financial … Read more
I wrote this article because the “Earl password cartoon” and article actually identified the real challenge at the heart of this whole exercise: the more complete and useful your information/instruction letter is, the more dangerous it becomes if it falls into the wrong hands. A document good enough to hand your whole financial life to … Read more
Earl has a plan (he always does), and he mostly works them through to some stage of completion. He’s reallocated his retirement portfolio, run his Monte Carlo simulations (about 20 times and counting), updated his beneficiary designations, and recently had his and Dot’s wills and other documents reviewed by a professional who charged by the … Read more
Pastor Dave has been Earl and Dot’s pastor for eleven years. During that time, he’s preached through most books of the Bible, married their kids and some of their friends’ kids, and answered Earl’s questions—and follow-up questions—on all kinds of topics, especially stewardship and retirement. He’s not exactly a financial whiz, though. He’s got an … Read more
