Have you ever stopped to ask yourself this question, how much money is enough? Most of us never really define it. And when enough is unclear, it quietly becomes a moving target, shaping our decisions, fueling anxiety, and keeping us chasing more without ever finding rest. At Faith Phi, we believe God offers a better way. That's why we created our very first FaithPhi field guide, How Much Money is Enough?
an interactive scripture-centered resource designed to help believers explore this question through biblical wisdom, guided reflection, and real-life application. When you support our ministry by becoming a FaithFi partner, before May 31st, you'll receive this field guide as our way of saying thank you. Your gift of $35 a month or $400 a year helps equip believers to manage God's money God's way and find freedom rooted in contentment, not comparison. To become a partner today, visit faithfy.com/slash give. That's faithfy.com/slash give.
Mm-hmm. Unexpected wealth can feel like a blessing, but without wisdom, it can quickly become a burden. Hi, I'm Rob West. A sudden financial gain, a large inheritance, a life insurance payout, even the sale of a business can change your circumstances overnight. But what you do next matters far more than what you've received.
We'll talk about that today and then we'll take your calls at 800-525-7000. That's 800-525-7000. This is Faith in Finance, biblical wisdom for your financial decisions.
Well, when a financial windfall comes into our lives, it rarely arrives in a vacuum. Often, it's tied to loss. A loved one has passed, leaving behind assets along with grief. or it comes after years of effort when a business finally sells or an investment pays off. In those moments, emotions run high.
There may be gratitude, relief, even excitement, but also uncertainty, pressure, and sometimes fear. That's why the first step isn't financial at all, it's spiritual. In 1 Chronicles 29, 14, David prays, For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. It's a simple but powerful reminder. Whatever we receive ultimately belongs to God.
That truth changes everything. Receiving a windfall may feel personal, but it's ultimately part of God's provision and His purposes. And often it represents the life's work of someone else, which should lead us to humility.
So the first step is simple, but not easy. Pause. It also means acknowledging something many people overlook. Sudden wealth can suddenly reshape our hearts if we're not paying attention. It can shift our sense of security, our priorities, even our identity.
What once felt like dependence on God can slowly drift towards self-reliance if we're not anchored. That's why this moment matters spiritually. Ecclesiastes 7:11 says, Wisdom is good with an inheritance, an advantage to those who see the sun. Notice that inheritance and wisdom are meant to go together. Wealth without wisdom is dangerous, but wealth guided by wisdom can be a powerful tool for good.
Give yourself time to think, to pray, and to seek counsel before making any major moves. From there, the next step is to understand what you've received, because not all wealth is the same. If you received a life insurance payout, it often comes during a season of grief, which makes wise decision-making even more important. While those funds are typically income tax-free, that doesn't mean there aren't important choices ahead. It can be tempting to make quick decisions in an emotional moment, but this is a time to slow down, prayerfully consider how these resources can provide stability for the future, meet immediate needs, and reflect the values of the one who provided them.
If you've inherited a retirement account like an IRA, there are often specific rules you need to follow. In many cases, the account must be retitled as an inherited IRA, and the funds may need to be distributed within 10 years, sometimes sooner, depending on your situation and relationship to the original account holder. If you've sold a business, what was once tied up in years of hard work may now be sitting in cash, and that can feel both freeing and overwhelming. A sale like this often triggers significant capital gains taxes, so it's important to understand what you'll owe and when. Beyond that, this is a moment to think carefully about what comes next.
You don't have to rush into new investments or big decisions. Take time to seek wise advice, evaluate your long-term needs, and consider how this transition creates an opportunity to align your resources and your next season of life with God's purposes. And if you've inherited property, there may be opportunity, but also complexity. In many cases, the tax basis is adjusted to the property's value at the time you inherit it, which can significantly reduce or even eliminate capital gains if you decide to sell relatively soon. But again, the right decision depends on your overall financial picture and your goals.
So while the form of wealth may differ, cash, investments, property, the need for wisdom remains the same. That's why one of the most important steps you can take is to surround yourself with wise, godly counsel. Proverbs 24, 3 says, By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established. Understanding precedes wise action. That's why we recommend connecting with a certified kingdom advisor, a CKA, someone who can help you navigate the technical details, avoid costly mistakes, and ensure you keep your focus where it belongs.
On faithful stewardship, not personal gain. You can find one near you at findacka.com. That's findaca.com. All right, your calls are next, 800-525-7000. Stick around.
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Uh Feeling burdened by credit card debt? As faithful stewards, we are called to manage our finances wisely. Christian Credit Counselors can help with a debt management program that allows you to pay off debt up to 80% faster while honoring your commitments with integrity. Don't let debt hold you back from the life God has planned for you. Take the first step toward peace and financial freedom today.
Visit faithfi.com slash CCC or call 800-557-1985. Uh Thanks for joining us today on Faith and Finance. Taking your calls and questions today at 800-525-7000. That's 800-525-7000. Let's head out to Oklahoma.
Anna, thanks for your patience. Go ahead. Thanks for taking my call. I appreciate you guys very much. I'm debating on purchasing an automa the engine of my The auto I own just failed, and so I need to to purchase a new one.
And I'm wondering if fear that the Lord won't continue to provide or that I'll have less. is kind of driving my um my motivation in considering this particular car.
So it would be 18,000 total. And you know, I have a little bit of savings for things like I need to fix my garage door so it would come out of this savings, which is in a you know a different pots, then I do have IRAs.
So Anyway. I'm wondering if I should go ahead and pretty well deplete this, you know, little pot of money and purchase this car. It has. 49,000 miles on it, which seems great for a 2014. Um my budget was going to be fourteen and this one's eighteen and you know, I don't want fear to prevent me From acquiring this, if this is the one that God has for me.
And I just wanted to hear again about that. Yeah, very good.
So let me just make sure I understand the numbers.
So you have a total of 18 in savings. Is that right? Or do you have more than that? Um, basically eighteen.
Okay. And that includes the money for the garage door, or that's separate?
Well, the garage store is going to be about five hundred dollars, and it would come out of that money.
Okay. And were you looking at buying this with cash? Or is there an option where you could maybe put some down and then get a small loan that you would pay on monthly and fit that into your budget? Yeah, I could definitely you know, I have a good credit score, so I could definitely finance.
Okay. A small part of it. Got it.
Okay. Well, let me just redress your first question and then we'll give you some practical thoughts here. You know, at its core, the fear usually comes from a desire for security. And that's understandable. We all want to be prepared for the future.
But as Christ's followers, scripture gently reminds us where our true security comes from. Money can be a tool, but it was never meant to carry the weight of our trust. You remember, Jesus said in Matthew 6: where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
So when we cling too tightly to money, it can quietly begin to replace the trust we're meant to place in God.
Now, that doesn't mean to be careless. Why stewardship includes saving and planning and preparing for the future, but it also means holding money with an open hand, recognizing that God is our provider, not our bank account, not the U.S. government, not anyone or anything else.
So, if we struggle with financial fear, I think taking small responsible steps like building an emergency fund, just as you've done, creating a plan for your spending and saving, praying for peace about your finances. And then, over time, those practices help shift our confidence away from money and toward the one who ultimately provides for every need, God Himself. And so, you know, I think that's the idea here. In terms of how to apply that practically to your situation, I would say I don't want you to deplete fully that emergency saving.
So, I'd want you to hang on to at least two, better yet, three months' worth of expenses.
So, I think as long as you could fit that into your budget, I'd get a small loan for it, try to pay it off aggressively, but not deplete. Your liquidity because what I wouldn't want is something unexpected comes up, and then you have to, you know, take on credit card debt or something like that just to cover, you know, something out of the something unexpected, essentially.
So I think, you know, think about those things, make it a matter of prayer. And then I think moving forward with a thoughtful, wise approach to this makes sense. You're going over your budget, so that should cause you to stop. Maybe take, you know, a few days and just pray through this. If it feels like it's something you can handle from a, you know, a management standpoint in your budget, then I'd say it sounds like a great option given the low mileage.
If you just are still uncomfortable, maybe you pass and wait for something that's a little closer to your $14,000 target. But in either case, I wouldn't deplete all of your emergency savings. Hey, stay on the line. I want to send you a copy of our devotional look at the sparrows on financial fear. Spend the next couple of weeks working through this devotional, it'll be our gift.
To you, and I think.
Well, I'll pray the Lord will meet you in that and really help you work through some of these concerns that you're having. It's called Look at the Sparrows, and we'll get it out to you right away. Thanks for your call, Anna. Let's go to Texas. Hi, Ruben.
Go ahead. Hey, Rob, it's I'm a first time caller. I got a pretty simple question, I think. I don't know. I'm almost seventy, a veteran with no money.
I think I have two thousand dollars. But You know, I read the Bible every day. I can't make it to church like I want to because I have to work to make my pennies. But I, my whole life, I've been a big believes in tithes.
So you don't think this is too bland? If I went to a Christian faith broker that introduced me to, I don't know, C D and Mutual Fund, annuity, something, or at least one hundred dollars a month, I could put away And pray over that. As uh Tithe. And I would never touch the money, of course. And then the day I die, it's give it the trust of the brokerage firm to dispense it through like else programs.
What do you think? Yeah, you know, I appreciate the way you're thinking about this, and I appreciate that you've prioritized the tithe. I think we should. I mean, when we look at God's word and all the different times in the Old Testament, you'll find the idea of tithing in 15 different instances in scripture. The word itself is used nearly 50 times.
And when you kind of walk through it and see the big idea there, it was, you know, faithfully giving initially to the local church to advance the gospel and rightly compensate our spiritual leaders. And I think that honors the Levitical tithe that we see in the Old Testament. And then there were other tithes. I think, you know, there was a charity tithe where we give to the weak and the needy. You know, there was another tithe where.
Where we honor the pre-law tithe, that we give financial gifts to Christ as priest and king, just as Abraham did for Melchizedek.
So I think when we look at the Gospels and we look primarily at the Old Testament around the use of the tithe, my thought is that we should be givers. We should prioritize giving. I mean, our giving as New Testament believers should be first, that it's a priority. Second, that it's proportionate to how God provides for us. Third, that it's sacrificial.
We should feel it when we're giving. I think we look at 2 Samuel 24: I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord, my God, that cost me nothing.
So I think true generosity requires sacrifice. And then we should give cheerfully. The Apostle Paul reminds us of that in 2 Corinthians. But I would say, here's just my perspective. I think this is ultimately between you and the Lord.
It's a conviction matter. I would rather you get that money into the kingdom now. Yeah. And be a part of God's activity now rather than putting it away and trying to grow it modestly so some other steward can give it away. I think your job and my job as stewards right now of what passes through our hands that the Lord graciously entrusts to us that He owns, we should be thinking about how we can give it and be a part of His work today.
Right now, and get it into the kingdom for the advancement of the gospel.
So, I would offer that counterpoint for you to think and pray about: that rather than putting it into CD and letting somebody else steward it down the road, I would say let's get it to work in God's kingdom first, starting with the local church, but then not stopping there, giving beyond that as well.
So, that's going to be my best advice, my friend. You pray about that, ask the Lord to give you some wisdom and peace of mind on that, and then you make that call. God bless you. A quick break and back with more questions after this: 800-525-7000. We'll be right back.
What happens when we never define enough? It becomes a moving target, always pushing us toward more. For a limited time, when you become a FaithPhy partner, you'll receive our first ever FaithPhy field guide: How Much Money is Enough. Your gift of $35 a month or $400 a year helps equip believers to manage God's money God's way. Become a FaithFi partner by May 31st to receive your field guide.
Visit faithby.com slash give. Faith in Finance is grateful for support from Sound Mind Investing. For more than 30 years, they've offered financial wisdom for living well. SMI provides step-by-step guidance for do-it-yourself investors, from those just getting started to those getting ready for retirement. More information, including a short video webinar on profit and peace of mind no matter what's happening in the market, is available at soundmindinvesting.org.
Great to have you with us today on Faith and Finance. Hey, do you love the ministry? Perhaps you found something helpful here on the broadcast. Maybe you tune in regularly and you'd like us to help us reach more people with the message of biblical financial wisdom. We'd love to invite you to become a Faith Vi partner.
Partners support us at $35 a month or $400 a year or more. And as a thank you, we send you a quarterly ministry update, some thoughts from me on where the ministry is headed, some great celebration testimonies of how God is at work in the ministry. We also send you four issues of our beautiful, incredibly insightful magazine called Faithful Steward, chock full of wonderful articles that'll be encouraging for you spiritually, but also really practical as you manage God's money. And every new study, devotional or now, our new field guides. Whenever we come out with a new resource, you'll get it in the mail.
That's just our way of saying thanks. And by By the way, if you become a partner before May the 31st, you will receive our brand new first ever Faith Phi field guide, specifically addressing the question: how much money is enough? With a biblical perspective, thoughtful exercises and worksheets for you to really work through this question and wrestle with it so that you can then take it to your certified kingdom advisor to implement.
So just head to faithfi.com slash give to learn more. That's faithfi.com/slash give. All right, back to the phones. Florida is where Mary's located. Go ahead.
Hello. Hi there. We're so grateful for your program and biblical wisdom. Thank you. My husband and I are retired.
We're pushing eighty. We have a brokerage account. Most of those investments are in money market funds. And we also have passive investments in passive real estate. But lately, we've been felt led to move gradually as the real estate sells out of those and into more of the stock market, maybe an index fund, a few good stocks and mostly ETFs.
So, I'm calling to get your advice on ETS for old people and any other suggestions that you might have. Thank you. Well, I'd be delighted to weigh in, Mary, but thank you for your kind remarks about the program. What a privilege to serve you and your husband each day on this broadcast. You know, I love the way you frame this up.
It was really helpful. And I'm a big fan of real estate. And so, it sounds like that's something that has been a part of your portfolio. You all have done well, and that's great. I can also understand how, as you move through the fourth quarter of life here, that you begin to liquidate that, namely because, in many cases, people are just looking to lighten the responsibility and upkeep that goes along with being a real estate investor, especially if you're a landlord.
And so, taking and liquidating those properties as that makes sense and then moving that into a passive investment strategy with a properly diversified stock and bond portfolio not only gives you more diversification because you're spread across. More asset classes, meaning real estate is an asset class, stocks are an asset class, bonds are an asset class, precious metals, yet another asset class.
So that gives us diversification across types of asset classes. But again, it also becomes very passive.
So I like the way you're thinking. And yes, ETFs can make sense. They're a great way to own stocks because I think it's safer than picking individual stocks because you get diversification across hundreds of companies. You get lower costs than mutual funds. And they're generally less company specific.
Generally, as you pointed out, people are buying them to just track parts of the market instead of relying on a particular sector or something like that. Although you can own a sector in an ETF as well.
So I think the key questions for you all are: number one, your income needs. Does the portfolio need to generate income, or is this mainly long-term money? Second, risk tolerance. If the market dropped 20 to 30 percent, and that's typically what happens when we have a major downturn, even what you might call a crash, not to scare you, every time that's happened, and it has the market recovers and moves to new highs. But you need to be able to wait that out and you need to be able to weather it emotionally without wanting to just sell everything and go to cash because that's usually the worst thing you can do when that happens.
You need to be able to ride it out, and that's why we would limit your stock exposure to an appropriate percentage. And you would need to go into it knowing, okay, that portion of my investments, I would be comfortable on the front end. My husband and I have talked about it. We're comfortable if the market was down 20 to 30 percent, we'd be okay letting this portion of the portfolio ride it out. That would be key.
And then the third piece is what's called liquidity: how much do you need in liquid investments that can be converted to cash? And then you want to put a balanced strategy in place.
So I like this. I mean, at 80, you know, we need to be thinking about generally, I'm thinking 20 to 30% in what I'll call stocks. But again, that could be through ETFs that are in stock indexes, tracking the stock market or portions of it. And then, you know, 70 to 80% in what I would call fixed income, which is going to be a combination of money market and corporate, high-quality corporate bonds, which could be also purchased in ETFs, and maybe some treasuries, perhaps even some brokered CDs. And you put all that together and that could be 70 to 80%.
And then you may even want 5% to 10% and you'd have to pull some out of these two buckets in gold, which you could also buy in an ETF.
So, you know, I think that would represent a nice balanced portfolio that could still grow to manage what's called longevity risk. Because if you live well into your 90s or beyond, you want this money to last. But also grow it so that you can overcome inflation. And then the final issue is: do you want to do this yourself? Or do you want the professional expertise of an advisor who can provide the risk management, the emotional discipline, the tax efficiency, those types of things?
So, let me stop there and get your thoughts on all that. Oh, wow, I am writing furiously. And we can give you a link to this broadcast to go back and listen to this again, because I know I did throw a lot at you there. But any initial reactions or questions? Perfect.
Yes, I know you had mentioned a gold ETF. What were those symbols? Yeah, so I mean, typically the one that most people look at is what's called GLD. That's the symbol that's the spider gold shares. It's the largest and it's the most liquid, and it tracks the spot price of gold.
So it moves in lockstep with the spot price of gold. The second largest, which is also very popular and a slightly lower cost, is IAU. And it's the iShares Gold Trust.
So either of those could work very well. Oh, wonderful, wonderful. Yes, I am sadder but wiser about selling during the crash, and we won't do that again. And we've been studying and we know a little bit more about it, but this is wonderful. And I have written down these percentages, and this is very helpful.
Awesome.
Well, if you want to stay on the line, Mary, Sandy will point you to the website or the app so you could go back and you and your husband could listen to this again if that would be helpful to you.
So just stay on the line here and listen, so appreciate your call today. If I can help you further along the way, don't hesitate to reach out. And let's do this while you're talking to Sandy, she'll get your information. I'd love to send you the latest copy of our magazine, Faithful Steward. I think it'll be an encouragement to you as you read through some of those articles.
And we appreciate you being a faithful listener. Lord bless you. Call anytime. Hey, big thanks to my team today: Devin, Patty, Taylor, and everybody here at Faith By. Have a great day.
We'll see you tomorrow. Bye-bye. Faith in Finance is provided by Faith Buy and listeners like you.
