Do you dream of being financially free but are unsure where to start Stay with us we re here to help Knowing what to do and actually doing it are two very different things Today we ll share the steps to achieve financial freedom but the decision to take action is yours Like most worthwhile goals it starts with the desire and determination to make it happen Start with a Mindset ShiftFinancial freedom begins with a change in perspective Many people approach budgets like a diet focused on restriction and deprivation Just as restrictive diets often lead to overeating feeling [... more]

There s a great investing option out there and chances are it s not in your portfolio That option is Exchange-Traded Funds or ETFs and they re worth considering Brian Mumbert joins us today to discuss the advantages of ETFs Brian Mumbert is Vice President and Regional Sales Executive at Timothy Plan an underwriter of Faith Finance What is an ETF An Exchange-Traded Fund ETF is an investment option similar to a mutual fund but with distinct features ETFs typically follow an index such as the S P or NASDAQ and are not actively managed This means that an ETF [... more]

Did you hear about the guy who paid his taxes to the IRS with a smile It didn t work out though it turns out they prefer money Well paying taxes is certainly no laughing matter and we don t want to miss something that could end up costing us money Fortunately Kevin Cross is here today with a list of year-end tax tips you don t want to miss Kevin Cross is a Certified Public Accountant CPA who has headed CPA firms in Florida and now Georgia He has studied the tax code extensively and specializes in representing taxpayers [... more]

Bonds are considered safe investments but also a bit boring Is that true though In the investing world all the drama for good or ill is in the stock market It s up it s down you get the picture However bonds also have an interesting story and Benjamin Bailey is here to tell us about it Benjamin Bailey is Vice President of Investments and Senior Fixed Income Manager at Praxis Mutual Funds an underwriter of Faith Finance Introduction to Bonds and StocksBonds play a unique role in building a well-rounded investment portfolio compared to stocks Stocks represent ownership in [... more]

Why do you suppose Jesus had so much to say about money and possessions Our Lord and Savior knew that how we handle money can reveal our spiritual priorities Every financial decision has a spiritual component which can even be true of our investing Bob Doll joins us today to answer Why should we strive for faith-based money management Bob Doll is the CEO and CIO of Crossmark Global Investments He regularly contributes to Faith and Finance and other media outlets such as Bloomberg TV Fox Business and CNBC The Mission of Crossmark Global InvestmentsCrossmark Global Investments is one of [... more]

There s a saying Any port in a storm Does that apply to your savings The economic waters seem choppy these days so where s a safe harbor for your savings that still gives you a return Aaron Caid helps you plot a course for your money today Aaron Caid is the Chief Marketing Officer at Christian Community Credit Union an underwriter of Faith Finance Understanding Savings OptionsIf you've ever wondered which one is right for you here are the basics of each type of account so you can determine which best suits your needs Savings Accounts The BasicsSavings accounts [... more]

And you shall rejoice in all the good that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house - Deuteronomy God is worthy of all the praise we can give Him but that s not the only reason to be grateful for His blessings Sharon Epps is here to tell us what happens when we rejoice in God s provision Sharon Epps is the president of Kingdom Advisors FaithFi s parent organization Kingdom Advisors serves the broad Christian financial industry by educating and equipping professionals to integrate biblical wisdom and financial expertise The Connection Between Gratitude and [... more]

You'd think any kind of income would be good but phantom income and the taxes that come with it can take a lot of investors by surprise Peter with Richon Planning and Erin Kennedy want to make sure you know how to avoid it and talk through some smart tax strategies to consider including investing in ETFs exchange traded funds instead of mutual funds If you'd like to work with an advisor who focuses on advanced tax planning please reach out to Peter by calling - or visit www RichonPlanning com [... more]

You'd think any kind of income would be good but phantom income and the taxes that come with it can take a lot of investors by surprise Peter with Richon Planning and Erin Kennedy want to make sure you know how to avoid it and talk through some smart tax strategies to consider including investing in ETFs exchange traded funds instead of mutual funds If you'd like to work with an advisor who focuses on advanced tax planning please reach out to Peter by calling - or visit www RichonPlanning com [... more]

Many folks with ks and IRAs probably don t think much about proxy voting but it can be a powerful tool for the Kingdom As investors we have an opportunity to make our Christian values known to the companies in our portfolio We just need to take advantage of it Brandon Pizzurro joins us today to tell us how Brandon Pizzurro is the President and Chief Investment Officer of GuideStone Capital Management an underwriter of Faith Finance What Is Proxy Voting When you purchase stock in a company you become an owner and as an owner you have a say [... more]

Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others - Philippians We tend to think of that verse as a prescription for giving to help the poor and needy and that s good But is there an application that involves investing Stella Tai joins us today to talk about how your investing can have a positive impact in the world Stella Tai is Manager of Stewardship Investing Impact and Analysis for Praxis Mutual Funds an underwriter of Faith Finance Why Should People of Faith Focus on Impact Investing Impact investing is [... more]

From Jeremiah we know God's people should seek the welfare of the places and people around them But is seeking the welfare of our community something Christians can pursue by means of investing choices Today we speak with an investment manager who has been seeking the welfare of cities all over America and the world through his advocacy work with corporations As we will hear today investors can influence decisions made behind closed doors by corporations Chris Meyer joins us today to examine how this advocacy works Chris Meyer is the Manager of Stewardship Investing Research and Advocacy for Praxis [... more]

What is the risk of playing it too safe That does seem like a bit of a riddle but we can start to make sense of it by first exploring a behavioral phenomenon called loss aversion Researchers have found that most people feel the pain of losing money roughly twice as strongly as the joy of gaining money To say it again clearly losses feel twice as bad as gains feel good This naturally causes many people to be loss averse and try to avoid losses sometimes to such a substantial degree that it undermines their long-term goals One of [... more]

Historical Context and Modern ImplicationsAfter crossing the Jordan into the promised land the Israelites fought the battle of Jericho Joshua was their leader and the Lord gave them the victory In Joshua the general reminds his people of God's faithfulness to them at Jericho and through their history He ends by making that memorable statement of faith As for me and my household we will serve the Lord As Christians in a non-Christian culture we are also called to take a stand We can either choose to serve the gods of this world or the Lord It's not easy for [... more]

CONSIDERING THE FUTURE POST-HIGH SCHOOLRob discusses the pressure high school seniors and their parents face concerning post-secondary education and emphasizes the importance of aligning educational choices with financial realities He stresses the goal of avoiding college debt through early savings exploring scholarships and considering alternatives to a four-year college such as technical schools online courses and military service Financial planning for education should begin early incorporating discussions about affordability and scholarships Exploring educational alternatives can provide viable paths that align with career goals and financial constraints Completing the FAFSA is essential for all college-bound students to assess eligibility for financial [... more]

Corinthians So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do do all to the glory of God Chad Horning is the president of Praxis Mutual Funds an underwriter of this program and one of the oldest faith-based mutual funds in the country WHAT DOES FAITH BASED INVESTING MEAN TO PRAXIS At Praxis Faith Based Investing is all about letting your faith guide your investment decisions It's not just about smart money moves it's about aligning those moves with your Christian principles This approach is key for those looking to ensure their investments reflect their values The idea here is [... more]

DECIDING WHEN TO START RECEIVING SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITSIt's recommended to delay receiving Social Security benefits until Full Retirement Age FRA of or as benefits are permanently reduced by about for each year you start taking them before reaching FRA BREAK-EVEN POINT FOR DELAYING SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITSIf you delay receiving Social Security benefits until FRA it takes nearly years to recoup the money you missed by not taking benefits early After around age you'll be financially ahead each month for the rest of your life LIFE EXPECTANCY CONSIDERATIONS FOR SOCIAL SECURITYOnce you reach age the average life expectancy is for females [... more]

Leo Sabo is president of the Christian Stewardship Network and a Faith and Finance contributor He also knows a thing or two about starting a stewardship ministry THE FUNDAMENTAL IMPORTANCE OF STEWARDSHIP MINISTRIES IN CHURCHESBiblical Foundation Stewardship ministries are vital as they align with biblical teachings about money and possessions which are prevalent throughout the Bible Discipleship and Purpose These ministries guide congregants in using money as a tool for fulfilling their God-given calling and purposes emphasizing discipleship in financial matters STEPS FOR ESTABLISHING A STEWARDSHIP MINISTRY IN A CHURCH Securing Leadership Support Begin by gaining the church leadership's endorsement [... more]

God's Word makes it quite clear that we should diversify our investments Often that means dividing them into stocks mutual funds and bonds and maybe precious metals But are we missing a completely different class of investments On today's Faith amp Finance Live host Rob West will welcome Tim Macready to fill us in about an option called private market investing Then Rob will answer your investing questions See omnystudio com listener for privacy information [... more]

Tim Macready is head of Global Multi-Asset Investing with BrightLight an EverSource Wealth Advisors Team HOW DID YOU BECOME INTERESTED IN AND A LEADER IN THE FAITH-BASED INVESTING MOVEMENT Tim grew up on the mission field and returned to Australia for studies initially working with pension plans His desire to do something meaningful led him to a faith-based pension fund in Sydney For years he has explored what it means to be a faithful steward of God's resources now working with pension funds investment advisors and families at the intersection of faith and investing CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN [... more]

The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it the world and those who live in it for he has founded it on the seas and established it on the rivers Psalm - Mark Regier is Vice President of Stewardship Investing at Praxis Mutual Funds WHAT IS STEWARDSHIP INVESTING AND HOW DOES IT INCORPORATE CREATION CARE Stewardship investing is an approach rooted in biblical principles emphasizing responsibility and management of all that God has entrusted to us It involves recognizing God's ownership over everything and managing resources wisely and according to His wishes This philosophy extends to caring [... more]

If anyone does not provide for his own and especially for those of his household he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever Timothy It's a pleasure to welcome Harlan Accola back to the program Harlan is with Movement Mortgage an underwriter of this program He is also the author of Home Equity and Reverse Mortgages The Cinderella of the Baby Boomer Retirement WHY ARE REVERSE MORTGAGES REFERRED TO AS THE CINDERELLA OF RETIREMENT PLANNING Reverse mortgages are seen as the Cinderella of retirement planning because they have been underestimated but hold significant potential for aiding in [... more]

The following is an encore presentation from April is just hours away and it's one of our favorite months of the year That's because April is Financial Literacy Month This event began some two decades ago to raise awareness about the critical need for financial literacy It's just as important as learning to read and write We'll talk about that on Faith and Finance It's not quite April yet but we want to give you a head start on gaining financial literacy It's important because if you don't know how to set up a budget handle credit cards responsibly or [... more]

For the first time since investors are putting a lot of their money in S P index funds or in mutual funds that use the S P as a benchmark Most investors probably don't know that about of the gains we've seen this year are due to the performance of only companies In other words you may have a lot of money tied up in just a few stocks which could mean you're taking on more risk than you know In this video Peter with Richon Planning and Erin Kennedy talk through the reasons behind this new trend and how [... more]

UNDERSTANDING TIME'S WORTH IN GOD'S PERSPECTIVE God values our time as evidenced by Psalm which states Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom James reminds us of the fleeting nature of life saying You do not know what tomorrow will bring What is your life For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes Realizing the value of time can influence how we approach work and manage our finances CALCULATING REAL HOURLY WAGE To understand what our time on the job is really worth subtract taxes including Social [... more]

WHAT DOES A MOVEMENT OF FAITHFUL STEWARDS LOOK LIKE AND WHAT IS FAITHFI TRYING TO ACHIEVE FaithFi aims to integrate faith into financial decisions moving beyond just wise money management The mission is to help Christians see their finances through the lens of faith as every aspect of life including finances should be influenced by faith FaithFi supports this integration recognizing the challenge but stressing its importance The goal is to guide Christians to be good stewards of their resources It's about integrating faith and finances not just being wise with money FaithFi's mission is to equip Christians to integrate [... more]

Jerry Bowyer is the president of Bowyer Research and our resident economist You can read his insightful columns for World News Group at WNG org WHAT WERE THE SELF-INFLICTED HARDSHIPS THE PURITANS FACED DUE TO THEIR ECONOMIC POLICIES The Puritans at Plymouth Plantation implemented a communal property system as dictated by their charter This economic policy was essentially a form of communism where no one owned their land men worked the land collectively and women cooked for everyone The system led to a lack of motivation as people didn't want to work for others causing excuses and a decrease in [... more]

Accidents and natural disasters are always in the news but we never really expect them to happen to us do we When a freak summer storm knocked out the power around here for many hours most of us were completely taken by surprise You don't appreciate running water and electricity until you don't have them Let's talk about how to be well prepared for emergencies PERSONAL AND FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS Rob stresses the importance of storing original documents securely either in a safe deposit box or a fireproof safe at home and keeping copies on a thumb drive or in the [... more]

Objectives for Successful Investing th century humorist Will Rogers once said I'm not so much interested in the return on my money as I am in the return of my money It's a funny line but also something every investor should keep in mind What are the objectives you should consider when risking your money We'll give you three of them today on Faith and Finance Here are Objectives for Successful Investing UNDERSTANDING INVESTING OBJECTIVES Rob West clarifies the difference between an objective and a goal emphasizing the significance of objectives in the investment journey There are three main objectives [... more]

Sin springs from the fallen condition of our hearts and separates people from God Tragically our world is broken because of this and the tendency towards evil touches every part of our lives including our finances That's why we need Jesus right Today we'll focus on envy and greed both of which are on the list of Seven Deadly Sins drawn up by believers in the th Century to describe the worst kinds of human desires ENVY Defined as a sense of jealousy and wanting what others have It leads to covetousness which directly goes against the Ten Commandments Envy [... more]

Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil Ephesians Chris Meyer is Manager of Stewardship Investing Advocacy and Research at Praxis Mutual Funds an underwriter of this program What exactly is shareholder advocacy and how does Praxis do it Many people begin by screening or avoiding certain industries or companies based on their values Screening is a valid approach but has limited power to create real change Praxis uses seven different impact strategies for investments Shareholder advocacy is one of these strategies leveraging ownership rights to drive change [... more]

Without counsel plans fail but with many advisers they succeed Proverbs Well as you know we always recommend you look for a financial advisor with the Certified Kingdom Advisor Designation and you can do that by going to FaithFi com and clicking on Find a CKA When you do you'll also find a long list of questions you can ask potential advisors We're going to give you some of them today though because folks have been asking The first thing you should understand is that the type of advisor you're interviewing will determine what you ask And that only makes [... more]

PRINCIPLES OF STEWARDSHIPOWNERSHIP The first principle we must understand about stewardship is ownership God owns everything And Scripture is very clear about this Psalm and reads The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof the world and those who dwell therein for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers And in Deuteronomy Behold to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens the earth with all that is in it And finally Psalm For every beast of the forest is mine the cattle on a thousand hills Now that we've [... more]

We are still firmly in Bear Market territory Stocks and bonds are sharply negative In fact the market recently lost nearly one quarter of its value since the beginning of the year But those negatives actually offer some unique opportunities according to Peter at RichonPlanning He breaks down several strategies with Erin Kennedy including Tax Loss Harvesting Rebalancing Avoiding Phantom Income Roth Conversions RMDs If you have any questions about how to employ some of these tax strategies please reach out to Peter for a complimentary consultation by calling - or by visiting www RichonPlanning com [... more]

You should never invest in something you don't understand which is why Peter with richonplanning and erinkennedy are breaking down the similarities and differences between Exchange Traded Funds or ETFs and mutual funds ETFs have become very popular recently and experts predict global ETF assets will total more than trillion by the end of But before investing in this growing trend Peter recommends you weigh the pros and cons of each by walking through these questions -How are they managed -How are they traded -What are the costs -What about Tax Efficiency If you'd like Peter's help determining which investment [... more]

END OF YEAR PLANNING RMDs are usually a big end of year to-do This year they are not required but perhaps a conversation about tax planning should be happening instead Listen as Peter Richon discusses this topic and more on this week's episode [... more]