After almost ten years of writing about retirement stewardship—this blog and four other books—I’ve written a book about living and planning for what comes next. If you’ve followed this blog for any length of time, you know that I write about retirement from a particular angle. It’s not just about the numbers—though the numbers matter—but … Read more
I had a little fun with the title because this is a “heavy” subject, and I wanted to lighten things up a little. And while we’re at it, what in the world is Moses wearing; it looks like a costume. (At least there’s not a big “M” on his chest.) Okay, back to our serious … Read more
This article is part of the Biblically Informed Framework for Retirement Stewardship (BIFRS). It was originally published in November 2024 and updated in May 2026. Regular readers know that I think a big part of retirement stewardship is having plans and documentation in place so that things go as well as we have hoped and … Read more
This article is part of the Retirement Financial Life Equation (RFLE) series. It was initially published on April 9, 2024, and updated in 2025. Many people focus solely on their own retirement benefits when considering Social Security. However, it’s crucial to understand the significant role Social Security spousal and survivor benefits can play in retirement … Read more
This article is part of the Biblically Informed Framework for Retirement Stewardship (BIFRS) series. It was originally written in November of 2022 and updated in May of 2026. My wife and I recently assisted a widow in our church with some legal and financial issues after her husband’s passing. They had their affairs in order—a … Read more
This article is part of the Biblically Informed Framework for Retirement Stewardship (BIFRS). It was originally published in November 2022 and updated in June 2026. An increasing number of people in their 50s, 60s, and 70s are receiving inheritances as a result of the largest generational transfer of wealth in American history—an estimated $84 trillion … Read more
In the previous article on giving in retirement, I touched on leaving a legacy as a form of giving. This article addresses the mechanics: the legal and tax considerations involved in conveying financial assets to families and organizations, updated for 2026. Many people will want to leave a financial legacy for their family, church, or … Read more
This article is part of the Biblically Informed Framework for Retirement Stewardship (BIFRS) series. It was originally published in September of 2021 and updated in May of 2026. I was recently working at our church’s welcome desk on a Sunday morning. An elderly woman, well into her seventies or eighties, came up, handed me a … Read more
I don’t want to be morbid, but the reality is that one spouse in a marriage will almost certainly outlive the other. It’s also likely that the surviving spouse could live a very long time. According to actuarial data, there’s approximately a 50% probability that at least one spouse in a healthy 65-year-old couple will … Read more
