cjcagle
I often write about using various online and computer-based tools and services to help simplify and manage your personal and financial life. These can very helpful and convenient, but they also carry the risk of being compromised in some way. Even mishandling physical documents, such as account statements you receive in the mail, can lead … Read more
This article is part of the Retirement Financial Life Equation (RFLE) series. It was initially published on July 24, 2019, and updated in January 2026 In my last article, I looked at immediate fixed-income annuities and discussed whether I might want to include them as a part of my overall retirement income plan. Guaranteed payments … Read more
I was inspired to write this article by something that a young man shared with me in a men’s books study meeting early this morning. He reminded me that I had been one of his teachers in children’s ministry in our church many years ago. He admitted that he wasn’t a model student, but now … Read more
As a financial coach, I often work with folks who are in the accumulation/growth phase of planning for retirement (i.e., 5 to 10 years or more away). Sometimes I come across someone who has either: 1) received a recommendation from their stock broker or insurance salesperson to purchase a fixed-rate, indexed, or variable annuity product … Read more
Generosity is part of this blog’s tagline: “helping you to save diligently, invest wisely, give generously, and live abundantly.” Generosity is of great importance during all stages of life, but according to the data, we Christians aren’t nearly as generous with our money as you might think. I recently looked through a six-week study book … Read more
This article is part of the Biblically-Informed Framework for Retirement Stewardship (BIFRS) series. It was originally published September 12, 2016 and updated in March 2026. When I first wrote this article in 2016, I was 63 years old and still three years away from Medicare eligibility. Healthcare costs were theoretical—something I needed to plan for … Read more
This article is part of the Biblically-Informed Framework for Retirement Stewardship (BIFRS) series. It was originally published on September 5, 2016, and updated in April 2026. When I first wrote this article in 2016, my wife and I were closing in on Medicare eligibility at age 65. We were trying to navigate the complexity from … Read more
This article is part of the Biblically-Informed Framework for Retirement Stewardship. It was originally published on September 3, 2016, and substantially updated in April 2026. Your medical insurance choices will depend greatly on whether you are young and far from retirement, an “early” retiree with a few years until Medicare eligibility, or 65 or older … Read more
This article is a follow-up to my last one about leaving a legacy and estate planning. Once you get some up-front planning done, the next step is to put things in writing. I redid my own estate plan (my will and associated documents) last year, and I occasionally get questions about the best way to … Read more
