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Hi, I'm Rob West. Every day we make financial decisions, often without giving them much thought, but Scripture invites us to slow down and look a little deeper because how we spend may reveal more about our hearts than we realize. Today we'll explore how our everyday purchases reflect what we truly value. Then we'll take your calls at 800-525-7000. This is Faith in Finance, biblical wisdom for your financial journey.
Most of us don't think of spending as something deeply spiritual. It feels routine, a quick trip to the store, a subscription renewal, maybe an impulse purchase that seemed harmless in the moment. Life moves quickly, and not every financial decision feels significant. But over time, those small decisions begin to tell a story. Your bank statement isn't just a record of transactions, it's a reflection of priorities.
In many ways, it becomes a kind of spiritual ledger, revealing what you value, what you pursue, and ultimately, what you trust. That's why scripture asks a powerful question in Isaiah 55:2. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? That's not just a budgeting question, it's a hard question. Because money isn't just math, it's a mirror.
Jesus builds on this in Luke 16 when he says, If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, Who will entrust to you the true riches? He's not condemning money, he's reframing it. Money is a test of trust. How we handle what's temporary reveals how prepared we are for what's eternal. That means every spending decision carries weight.
Every purchase, every swipe of the card, every budgeting choice expresses something about what we love, and it can become an opportunity for worship. As the early church martyr Polycarp of Smyrna once put it, the world asks, what does a man own? Christ asks, how does he use it? That's the difference between ownership and stewardship. It's not just about what we have, it's about how we use what God has entrusted to us.
And Scripture gives us a powerful picture of what happens when that alignment is off. In Haggai I, when the people of Israel returned from exile in Babylon, they came home to a land of ruins. The temple, the very center of their worship and identity, had been destroyed. At first, they started to rebuild it, but as time passed, opposition rose and their enthusiasm faded. Little by little, their attention shifted from God's house to their own.
Instead of restoring the temple, they focused on restoring their own lifestyles, building comfortable, luxurious homes for themselves. In the process, they forgot what mattered most.
So God sent the prophet Haggai with a message that cut to the heart. Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies in ruins? You have sown much and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough. You earn wages only to put them in bags with holes.
Haggai 1, 4-6. That same tension can show up in our lives. When our spending is driven more by comfort than conviction, we can find ourselves chasing more, but enjoying less. The satisfaction we're looking for just doesn't last. And sometimes it's not overspending, it's reluctance to spend it all.
That can reveal a struggle to trust God as our provider. Or if generosity feels difficult while personal spending. Spending comes easily, that tells a story too. Our spending always reflects something deeper. But here's the good news: God meets us with grace.
No matter what our financial story has been, He invites us to realign our hearts with His, to begin making choices that reflect His kingdom. And that realignment doesn't happen all at once. It starts with simple, intentional steps. Maybe it's reviewing your recent spending and asking, what story does this tell? Maybe it's choosing to give first instead of last, or pausing before a purchase to ask if it reflects eternal priorities.
Because ultimately, our spending reveals what or whom we love most. The goal isn't perfection. It's alignment. It's growing an awareness that everything we have belongs to God and learning to steward it in a way that honors him. And when that happens, our financial lives tell a different story, one marked by contentment, generosity, and trust.
And that's when we realize spending decisions are really spiritual decisions. If you'd like to go deeper on this, I explore it in my new devotional, Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship. You can find it at faithfi.com/slash shop. And if you'd like to go through it with your church or small group, we can offer bulk discounts as well. That's faithfi.com/slash shop.
All right, your calls are next. The number 800-525-7000. Call right now. We'll be right back. Imagine having biblical financial wisdom delivered to your inbox every week, helping you integrate your faith and financial decisions for the glory of God.
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Mm-hmm Great to have you with us today on Faith and Finance. I'm Rob West. We're so glad you're here today. We're looking forward to diving into those questions you're wrestling with in your financial life, helping you live as a faithful steward.
Well done, good and faithful steward. That's the goal here. God has entrusted us an enormous responsibility. But here's the reality: you know, if we're not careful, money can creep in. and it can quietly become our ultimate treasure.
We need to be on our guard there. You see, money reveals what we value, it shapes what we fear, and ultimately it can lead us to a place that reflects our values. The question is: what values are those? And what are we doing to lean into that and understand the heart of God as it relates to where money should sit in our lives?
Well, we want to help you do that, think biblically around money management here on faith and finance every day. And we know you have questions, so we want to help you process those when you call 800-525-7000. Again, that's 800-525-7000. Let's begin today in Wisconsin. Bonnie, thanks for your call.
Go ahead. Hi, thanks for your program. My question is almost more of just if you could further explain what a fiduciary interest is for your listeners because When you ask if they have a financial planner, a lot of them say yes. But if that is an insurance salesman, you know they're Pushing their own products, and how can you be a true fiduciary with the best interest if you're making? money off of what you sell and you only have a limited number of products you're going to tell them about.
Yeah, it's a great point. Yeah. And so this is a term, it's gotten more awareness as of late because there's been more talk about it, but it is an important distinction when you're choosing a financial advisor.
So the word fiduciary or the term in the context of financial advice is simply someone who is legally and ethically obligated to act in the best interests of the client.
So essentially, this standard requires that the advisor prioritize the needs of the client above their own, which ensures that all recommendations and actions are made with the client's financial well-being as the primary concern.
Now, you might say, well, why wouldn't every advisor do that? And it's simply to your point: if you're selling a product and perhaps you have a limited number of products, it's not that you're trying to in any way recommend something that would be unsuitable for the client, but just by virtue of the fact that you are. Are limited in your menu of choices, the product you're suggesting or recommending may or may not be the very best product for that client, both in terms of what it will provide in the way of return, the fee structure, the total fees and commissions paid. And so, by working with a fiduciary, you are ensuring that anybody that you're working with who's making recommendations for you or acting on your behalf in a financial capacity is unencumbered by just a limited menu of alternatives and can recommend what is truly in your or the client's best interest with their ultimate financial well-being as the primary concern.
So, I think asking somebody, asking an advisor as a part of the interview process whether they are a fiduciary would be a good thing because you're going to make sure that you get transparency and accountability about the fees and commissions and other charges. You're going to get a full disclosure of conflicts of interest. They have a duty of care, which is to provide sound financial advice based on a deep understanding of your needs, goals, and objectives. And then, again, they're going to, by law, have to act in your best interest. And what I would also say, Bonnie, is that I think the concept of fiduciary and the responsibility that goes with it really closely aligns with biblical principles of honesty and integrity and service.
You know, Proverbs 11:3, the integrity of the upright guides them, which I think reflects the heart of a fiduciary ethics, which is making decisions that honor the trust placed in the advisor. And so, as you seek out perhaps a certified kingdom advisor, which is the designation we recommend, when you go to faithfy.com and click find a professional, you could include asking that question: Are you a fiduciary as a part of that process? You will find that the vast majority will answer in. The affirmative. Bonnie, is that helpful?
Yes, I was aware of that. I just wanted your listeners to be more aware, and that was an excellent explanation. Thank you. You're very welcome. Thanks for your call today.
Lord bless you, Bonnie. Let's go to Georgia. Alan, go ahead. Uh I'm planning to pay off one of my wife and I are planning to pay off one of my sons School loans. We're paying off the one with the highest interest rate And the purpose and cause of two questions is one.
Yeah. my son's married and The the loan is going to be around twenty thousand dollars. When is it going to be Um tax uh event for my son And The second question is, would it be better to give Directly to the loan. uh federal loan or give it you give the money to him. Yeah.
Good news. You can help your son, and it's fairly simple to do. And your marital status, actually, from a tax perspective, gives you more flexibility. Here's how the gift rules work: you can give up to the annual gift tax exclusion, which this year, 2026, happens to be $19,000 to any individual each year without triggering any kind of gift tax or even paperwork if there's no tax due. And that amount is per giver, per recipient.
So, because your son is married, you can give him $19,000, and you could turn around and do the same to his spouse. Those are two separate recipients. If it's you and your wife that's giving the gift, you could each give up to $19,000 to your son.
So, a total of $38,000 between the two of you. And again, that would not be taxable to your son. It would not be taxable to anybody. And you don't even have to let the IRS know about it because it's under the annual gift exclusion for gift tax of $19,000.
Okay. Uh the second part was if we paid the bill directly to the federal loan ha you know, people that wanted to handle it. Uh would does that So uh If we pay the twenty thousand directly there. If I just do that with one check. Or should we do it separately as one from my wife and one from me?
Yeah. No, you you would be fine there because you have up to that amount for each of you, and so uh you would be able to justify that, document it before the IRS if it were ever questioned, and it won't be. In terms of where that payment goes, is it your son's name on it only, that loan?
Okay. Yeah. So, I mean, it would be, for all intents and purposes, that's a gift anyway.
So it really doesn't matter whether you give it to him or pay it directly. In either case, the IRS would view that as a gift. But because you're under that $38,000 that you and your wife can give to any one individual without letting the IRS know, then you're in good shape. Keep in mind, even if you went over the $19,000 each to any one recipient, when you go above $19,000 per giver, then you have to let the IRS know you did it on IRS Form 709 so they can start to put it against your lifetime exclusion. But even then, you're not going to exhaust that.
And that's why most people never owe gift tax.
Okay, great. I appreciate your help and I like listening to your show.
Well, great. I appreciate you listening. And if we can help in any way in the future, don't hesitate to reach out. Lord bless you. Back with Faith and Finance just around the corner.
We've got the lines filling up.
Some great questions coming up. 800-525-7000. I'm Rob West, and this is biblical wisdom for your financial decisions. Stick around. Every day on Faith and Finance, we hear from believers who want to follow Jesus faithfully with their finances.
Because of Faithful Partners, Faith Buy reaches millions through radio, books, and the Faith Buy app, helping people see that money issues are really heart issues. Become a FaithFy partner today with a gift of $35 a month or $400 a year, and you'll not only help sustain this ministry, but also receive our latest resources too. Visit faithby.com/slash give today. Is health insurance eating up your budget for 2026? If you're looking for ways to better steward your finances, consider this.
Christian Healthcare Ministries is a health insurance alternative at half the cost. As a ministry, CHM allows you to share the burden of medical bills with other believers while also saving you money. Join CHM today and Ditch traditional health insurance by visiting chministries.org/slash faithfy. That's chministries.org/slash faithfi. Uh Great to have you with us today on Faith and Finance.
We'd love to take your calls and questions: 800-525-7000. Let's go to Kentucky. Phil, go ahead. Hi, Rob. Got some questions.
It's complicated to me. I'm not very good on investing, I'll just be honest. What happened it was uh my mom went to be with the Lord back in November. And she has a trust And in that trust, there are a few things that are going to come to me. There's money, there's two homes, and there's A large piece of property.
There is also two small annuities. which I don't think are in the trust.
So I'm trying to figure out how to navigate if I have to start a trust right away. how to deal with all this. Mm. Yeah. Well, I'm sorry to hear about your mom's passing.
I will say, from a financial planning and just a practical standpoint, the trust does simplify things.
So, when you have a parent whose assets are in a trust, you want to first confirm who the trustee is. That's the only person with the legal authority to act. Do you happen to know if that's you? Yeah, it's shared between myself and my older brother.
Okay, got it.
So if it's a revocable trust. Which most family trusts are, it's revocable while your mom or your parents were alive, becomes irrevocable at death. Once she passed, the trust is now its own legal entity, and you and your brother, as trustees, have a fiduciary duty to follow the trust terms.
So, next step would be to get the documents, the trust document, and any amendments, and get copies of the death certificate, probably eight to ten of them, and pull statements. For the investment accounts, any property held, any annuities payable to the trust. Everything flows from that trust document. And then you want to understand how the assets are going to be distributed, and the trust will spell that out.
So who gets what and when? Is it immediately? Is it over time? Is it at certain ages? And then how?
Is it lump sum or is it an ongoing trust? And then you have to just consider the taxes.
So trusts typically have their own tax ID. Property receives a step up in basis, which just simply means that the market value was stepped up to the date of her death in November. Annuities may have taxable income inside them, and so the trust is going to file a tax return. And this is where having a CPA helping you is really key. And I would say, don't rush the distributions.
You know, once the money leaves the trust, you can't undo it.
So you want to pay the final expenses, pay any taxes, get clarity, and then the trust document will tell you how to distribute all of the assets. And if you need assistance, you could reach out to the attorney that drafted the trust and have that person advise you along the way. But that trust document is really going to tell you exactly what needs to happen, and you just want to settle everything out. And then you distribute according to the trust once everything, including those annuities, are paid into the trust. uh you know based on the terms Okay, I do understand that.
It's my understanding that two small annuities were not in the trust.
Okay. And so what was the beneficiary situation on those?
So it was paid out and basically split between my brother and myself.
Okay. Yeah. And he's already taken possession of both of them. I took possession of the smaller one, but I have to do the larger one now.
Okay. Yeah. So when the annuities are not in a trust. The beneficiary designation is everything. Because it pays directly to the beneficiary.
So the beneficiary contacts the annuity company with the death certificate and a claim form. And then they would pay that out. And annuities aren't tax-free inheritances, so only the earnings portion is taxable. The original principal is not taxed again. And they usually give you options.
You can either take a lump sum or you can stretch it and pay it out over time. And then you would want to coordinate with the trust, but keep the roles separate.
So you and your brother would handle the trust assets, and then as the beneficiary, you would just get the annuity funds coming directly to you, and you'll work with the annuity company on how that's to be distributed, either all at once or over time.
Okay, I I understand that. The money that's coming, I don't know the exact amount. I think it's going to be north of $200,000.
So I'm trying to figure out what to do with that money. I'm sixty five. And I'm still working, planning to work probably until eight sixty-seven.
Okay. Yeah. So, this would be a great opportunity for you to connect with a certified kingdom advisor, Phil, just to sit down. And even if you're not hiring somebody to manage any money for you, although you may want to once you receive the, you know, whatever proceeds are coming your way, it sounds like the 200,000 is just the beginning because there's property and other assets that are likely going to be coming your way. I think the starting point is really a discovery process where the advisor would get to know you and your lifestyle needs in terms of your spending, ultimately your long-term goals and objectives aligned with your values as a Christ follower, determining how to manage this money in a way that's appropriate for your age and risk tolerance.
So that person would do a financial plan for you and then perhaps take over the management of the assets that are coming your way once it's all settled out. And that way, you don't have that burden and responsibility of investing it or figuring out how to get it working for you. You could delegate that to somebody.
Somebody who's going to work with you and make sure that it's done in alignment with your age and risk tolerance.
Okay, that sounds good. I don't think there's one close to me, but I think there's one within a maybe an hour point five or so.
Okay. Yeah. Sounds like you've already looked, but you could go to findaca.com, do a zip code search. But, you know, oftentimes maybe you do that initial meeting, you know, in person, and then maybe you, you know, you meet virtually, you know, from that point forward, if that's easier, especially if it's not somebody right there in your immediate area. But I think having that trusted advisor to walk alongside you, especially one who shares your values, you know, would be really helpful, just given all of the things that are swirling here and the responsibility and opportunity you have to steward these assets that will be coming your way.
Exactly. Thank you. Can I ask a quick question? Yes, sir. On the FaithFy app, we haven't used it yet, but I heard you say it's revamped.
We haven't really been doing a budget, and I want to get us on a budget. And so would that app help us do that? It would. Let me do this. I appreciate you being on today, and I'd love to give you some assistance.
I'm going to connect you at no cost with one of our certified Christian financial counselors who can walk with you guys, help you get it set up, help you get your budget in place, be a sounding board for you. This is not someone to do the financial planning or the investments. This is just somebody focused on the spending side and getting you all set up in the app and on a good trajectory.
So if you stay on the line, Phil, we'll get your information and get a certified Christian financial counselor in touch with you, okay? Thank you very much, Rock. Appreciate it. Happy to do it. Yes, sir.
God bless you. Folks, we really appreciate you being along with us. You heard Phil mention the FaithFi app. If you want to check it out, Faith550 is out. It's rebuilt, new interface, simple to use, can help you get on track with your budget and stay there, but it'll also help you establish some rhythms that include both your money management and your walk with Jesus, blending those together.
It's pretty incredible. Big thanks to Josh, Taylor, Tahir, and Omar. We'll see you tomorrow. Faith in Finance is provided by Faith Five and listeners like you.
