From hurricanes to fires, people all over the nation have been finding themselves in emergency situations this year. What if next year is your turn? Are you financially prepared for an emergency? What steps can you take to become prepared? View post

As a pastor, one of your greatest earthly rewards is the clergy housing allowance. Though it’s nothing compared to the rewards you’re piling up in heaven, it is definitely something that should not be overlooked.   Here are some things to remember as you prepare your 2018 clergy housing allowance request: View post

Christmas is almost here! And that means that grandparents and fun aunts and uncles are going to be scouring the stores (or just Amazon) for the biggest, loudest, most annoying toys to give your children.   Aren’t you excited?   If you don’t want a life-sized Batman taking over your hallway or Giggle Wiggle singing to you every day, be proactive! Open a 529 college savings account for each of your kids so your family and friends can put their money somewhere that it will really benefit your child- and not drive you crazy. (And if you do want Giggle Wiggle, let me know, I have one that I’d be happy to part with.) View post

Back in September, we talked about how to calculate how much life insurance you need. I’m sure all of you stay-at-home parents took the article to your spouses and said, “Honey, you need more life insurance!” or maybe even just, “Honey, you need life insurance!” (After all, less than ⅔ of Americans even have life insurance in place.)   But what about you? Do you have life insurance? Do you even need it? View post

Two weeks ago I introduced you to your new generation. No longer are we Millennials, Gen Xers or Baby Boomers. We are now united in our responsibilities towards both our parents and kids at the same time. We are the Sandwich Generation. And being a part of this generation can be pretty rough.   It can be financially, emotionally, and physically draining to have your kids and parents both depending on you. Luckily, there are some things that you can do to ease the burden. Last week, we saw how understanding your options, setting clear expectations and boundaries, and making a plan can look when it comes to college-bound kids. Now let’s see how those same principles apply to your parents: View post

Last week, we discussed what it means to be a member of the Sandwich Generation, those adults who are responsible for bringing up their own children and for the care of their aging parents. We discussed how hard it can be to navigate caring for two very different generations without risking your relationships, finances, or sanity.   Today, we are going to talk about the younger generation, the bottom bread in the sandwich. While strollers and soccer clubs can be pretty spendy, for most parents their greatest financial burden comes when it’s time for their kids to go to college. This is where many parents really mess up their finances and put their own futures at risk. View post

November is National Caregiver Appreciation Month, so we are going to be discussing the Sandwich Generation and how you can prepare for it financially, mentally, and emotionally. View post

December 20, 2017 Update: A final version of the tax reform bill has been passed by Congress. Find out how it will affect you here. View post

Last week I introduced you to a little-known alternative to health insurance, medical sharing plans. Depending on your situation, they could be an affordable alternative to traditional health insurance.   There is no set standard for how these ministries work, each is unique in its rules and structure. Here are the details on the top four programs: View post

Affordable Care Act mandates, growing deductibles, and skyrocketing insurance premiums have left many independent pastors scrambling for an answer to their family's health care needs. Luckily, there is a more affordable alternative to health insurance: medical cost sharing plans. View post