A brief overview of real estate market cycles, where we are now, and what we should expect in the near future. View post

Though it may seem old-fashioned, there is one thing you can do financially that is guaranteed to get you ahead, no matter your income, season of life, place of residence, or personal circumstances. View post

This is a guest post by Michael Kostelnik, a pastor and financial planner at Family Life Financial Planning, where he enables people to keep faith and family first by helping them with their finances. View post

I just finished a 2-year journey with my dad. It was that journey that inspired posts such as Do You Really Need All Those Papers?, Welcome To The Sandwich Generation, Be Prepared: When You Retire Is Not Your Decision, and 7 Estate Planning Mistakes That Will Rob Your Family Of Sleep. On Wednesday, that journey came to an end, and my dad is now in heaven, most likely ice skating and taking water samples of the river that John saw flowing from the throne of God. View post

It’s important to prepare for your death by writing a will and getting other estate planning documents in order. However, just doing that doesn’t always guarantee smooth sailing for your family. Here are some common estate planning mistakes that can cause trouble for your family after you pass. View post

A look at what a reverse mortgage is, how do they work, and when they would be used. Then, do they really deserve the terrible reputation that they have? View post

Families and college students all over the country fill out the FAFSA to apply for financial aid. But what can you do if you aren't awarded enough aid to go to the school of your choice? View post

For more than a month now, the most popular post on Pastor’s Wallet has been Business Ideas For Pastors That Want To Make Extra Money. It seems there are a lot of pastors out there looking to entrepreneurship to finance their ministries or supplement their pastoral salaries.   In that article, I gave you some good ideas of ways to make money that can work around your ministry. But what comes next? How do you even set up a business? How do you actually manage small business finances so you know what you’re earning and don’t get in trouble with the IRS? View post

Health insurance. Tax-advantaged retirement accounts. Vision insurance. Wellness programs. Dental insurance. Matching retirement savings. Disability insurance. Tuition reimbursements. Life insurance. Annual bonus incentive plans. Child care assistance. Discounted merchandise.   These are some of the most common benefits that employers offer these days, and the list is ever growing. In fact, they can be the deciding factor for someone accepting a job offer in today’s tight labor market.   Unfortunately, many non-denominational pastors are on the outside looking in. If their church can scrape together enough to pay them a livable salary they are blessed. But, benefits? There’s just no way.   However, a lot of the benefits that big corporations offer are still needed by pastors. You still need health insurance. It would still be a big help to be able to save for retirement in a tax-advantaged account. It would still be wise to have life insurance.   How Independent Pastors Can Access Employee Benefits How do ...

The Department of Labor Fiduciary Rule has been vacated. What does that mean for you? View post