On my way into the office this morning, I found a bird's nest on the ground. It had come loose from its tree overnight, and a few feet away sat a lone baby bird. No feathers to speak of yet. Wide-eyed. Completely still. Sitting on the hard
Does God want you to build wealth? Scripture’s answer is more generous, more demanding, and far less simplistic than either the prosperity gospel or the poverty gospel would have you believe.
Spoiler alert: Earlier than you think. Retirement feels like something that happens to other people. Old people. Future people. People who wear cardigans and complain about the weather. When you're 25, retirement is so far away it might as well be science fiction. When you're 35,
How to Actually Use the Retirement Plan Your Employer Offers Your employer offers a 401(k). You know you're supposed to contribute to it. But every time you look at the enrollment materials, your eyes glaze over. Traditional or Roth? What's a match? Which investments do
What to Look For (And What to Run Away From) Choosing a financial advisor is kind of like choosing a doctor. You're trusting this person with something really important. You want someone competent, someone honest, and someone who actually cares about your wellbeing. But here's the
Protecting Your Paycheck When You Can't Work Let me ask you something. What's your most valuable asset? Most people say their house. Some say their car. A few say their retirement accounts. They're all wrong. Your most valuable asset is your ability to earn
Cutting Through the Sales Pitch to Figure Out What's Right for Your Family Life insurance is one of those topics that makes people uncomfortable. Nobody likes thinking about dying. And the whole industry feels sketchy because you've probably had at least one pushy salesperson try to
Keep More of Your Money in Retirement (The IRS Already Takes Enough) You spent decades working, saving, and building up your retirement accounts. Now that you're finally ready to use that money, guess who's waiting with their hand out? The IRS. Taxes don't stop
Why Starting Today Beats Starting Tomorrow (By a Lot) Let me tell you about two people. We'll call them Sarah and Mike. Sarah starts saving for retirement at 25. She puts away $200 a month for 10 years, then stops completely. Just stops. Never contributes another dime. Mike
Teaching Your Children Financial Habits That Actually Stick Let me ask you something. When was the last time you had a real conversation with your kids about money? Not the "money doesn't grow on trees" lecture you give them at Target when they ask for the
Understanding Your Retirement Income and How to Make It Last If you're approaching retirement or already enjoying it, there's probably one question that keeps you up at night: Will my money last? You're not alone. According to surveys, running out of money is the
How to Keep Your Cool and Make Smart Decisions During Market Volatility You wake up, check your phone, and there it is: the market's down 500 points. Your stomach drops. You open your investment account and see red numbers everywhere. Your first thought? "Should I sell everything
Why Every Family Needs a Plan (And What That Plan Should Include) Let me guess. When you hear "estate planning," you picture wealthy people in expensive suits arguing over who gets the summer house in the Hamptons. Yeah, that's not what we're talking about
A Straightforward Guide to Understanding Your Healthcare Options Medicare. Just the word makes people's eyes glaze over. There's Part A, Part B, Part C, Part D, Medigap, Medicare Advantage, open enrollment, and about a thousand other terms that make no sense. And here's the
The Decision That Could Cost You Thousands (Or Save You Thousands) You turn 62 and suddenly you can claim Social Security. The money's right there, waiting for you. Why wouldn't you take it? Well, here's why: claiming at 62 instead of waiting could cost
Employee Benefits That Actually Attract and Retain Great People Let's be honest. When you're running a small business, you're competing against companies with bigger budgets, fancier offices, and HR departments that actually have more than one person in them. But here's something
How to Build Wealth on a Regular Person's Budget Let me guess. You've thought about investing but figured you needed a pile of cash to get started. Maybe you've heard people throw around numbers like $10,000 or $25,000 as if that'
When “Diversification” Turns Into Financial Clutter Every year or two, I get a familiar call. “I’ve got another $50,000… maybe $100,000. Let’s open something new.” A new account. A new annuity. A new CD. On the surface, this sounds responsible. Prudent, even. Money is being saved.
Preparing for the Storm You Can See, and the Ones You Can’t Every winter, the forecast follows the same script. A storm is coming. Snow. Ice. Wind. Power outages. Someone on TV points at a colorful map and tells you to “prepare now.” Most people nod, scroll, and figure
Next up in our Iron Eagle Code series, Rule #1. The foundation of it all..... Rule Number 1 is where the whole Iron Eagle Code really starts to bite: Rule #1: No one will ever care more about your money than you do. Not your employer. Not the government. Not
I am introducing a series based on a set of rules we call the Iron Eagle Code. I am beginning the series with Rule #5, "The Future Belongs to Those Who Plan For It". Why start with #5 and not #1? It is simple, really. The path to
Yes, I know that we haven't even put on our Halloween costumes yet, but spending for the holidays starts earlier every year. Don't wait to make better financial decisions, because the best way to give yourself some cheer this holiday season may just be not having
Imagine you’re cruising down a road, thinking you’re heading toward a sunny resort (that’s early retirement), when the GPS suddenly flashes: “Turn around...you’re off-course.” That’s what confronting average retirement savings data often does, it jolts you. The recent data (via an MSN/Investopedia)
When the Federal Reserve announces a rate cut, the ripple is felt everywhere. Borrowing costs drop, mortgages become more affordable, and the stock market often reacts with excitement. Yet behind the headlines lies a more complicated truth. A Fed rate cut has the power to shape inflation, move the markets,