In my last article on annuities, I discussed the different types of annuities and their use inside retirement accounts. As you could probably tell, I’m not a huge fan of variable or indexed annuities, especially when used for retirement saving and investing inside an IRA. My biggest concerns have to do with their complexity and high costs relative … 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
In previous articles, I discussed Medicare and other health insurance options in retirement. One of the big myths about Medicare is that it pays for everything. Well, it doesn’t – nor does Obamacare or most other plans. In almost all cases, you will be responsible for premiums, co-pays, deductibles, and other out-of-pocket expenses, depending on … Read more
My wife and I are both closing in on Medicare eligibility at age 65. So, I thought it was time to take a hard look at it so that we can make the right decisions at the right time. In this article, I will share what I’ve learned so far. Our situation is similar to many … Read more
Your medical insurance choices will depend greatly on whether you are young and a long way from retirement, an “early” retiree and a few years away from Medicare eligibility, or 65 or older and eligible for Medicare. In this article, I discuss the medical insurance options that younger people and “early retirees” may consider. In … 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
In this, the first of two articles, I get into the sensitive and sometimes emotional subject of stewardship as it relates to estate planning. Whether you are older and already in retirement, or younger and this is perhaps the farthest thing from your mind, this is an important subject. Why? Because it is the way … Read more
