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
This is the third and final article in a three-part series about the most important financial decisions that affect retirement stewardship. Our saving and investing decisions, especially early on, dramatically affect what we will have when we retire. In fact, when you save (timing) may actually be more important than how much you save (amount) or … Read more
In this second of three articles about the most important financial decisions that affect retirement stewardship, I discuss the car purchase decision and also some general lifestyle areas. The first article in the series dealt with the all-important house purchase decision. As with housing, when you spend more than you can afford for major items, … Read more
I think it was Ben Stein who, when asked about the key to financial success in life, replied, “one dog, one house, one wife.” You may see the wisdom (and wit) in that, but it may not be quite that simple. We make financial decisions almost every day – most are minor, and some are … Read more
Whether you’re just starting out in your 20s or 30s or are getting close to retirement, Dave Ramsey has a lot to say to you about saving and investing for retirement. In fact, my involvement with Dave and Financial Peace University (FPU) and also his Financial Coach training program were some of the main inspirations behind my … Read more
This article is part of the Biblically-Informed Framework for Retirement Stewardship (BIFRS). It was initially published in April 2016 and updated in January 2026. In this article, I assume you either use a financial professional or a firm to help with your investments, or you are considering it. If you manage them yourself, which is … Read more
It’s no secret that money can become a challenge when you enter retirement. Many people, understandably, focus mainly on the income side of things – how to save enough before retirement and then generate enough income to pay the bills while in retirement. This is important, but equally (or perhaps more) important is keeping expenses … Read more
This article is part of the Biblically-Informed Framework for Retirement Stewardship (BIFRS). A few years ago, I came across this quote by Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician, philosopher, and scientist who lived nearly four centuries ago and who became a devout Christian and defender of the Faith (comments in brackets are mine): Belief is a … Read more
One day stocks are up, another day they are down. And sometimes they’re more down than others. As I write this, the S&P 500, a popular measure of stock market performance, is down almost 6 percent year-to-date. At one point in early February, it was down over 10 percent. As you can see from the 1 … Read more
