To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29

Isaiah 42:13 reads, I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand it is I who say to you, Fear not, I am the one who helps you. Good to know especially for managing money. When we pray and act in God’s will, He’ll give us our heart’s desire. So, let me ask is your heart up to a financial challenge? We’ll talk about that first today then it’s on to your calls at 800-525-7000.

Download the free MoneyWise app to set up a spending plan. Then start saving. Set a preliminary goal of 15-hundred dollars. When you reach that mark, keep going. This savings account becomes fully funded when you have at least 3 months living expenses in it.

If you need help, contact one of our volunteer coaches at MoneyWise.org. They can help you learn to live on less than you make which is a critical step for achieving financial security.

It is important to challenge yourself in your finances. One place to start is a complete moratorium on shopping.

Decide on a period of time, and commit to not spend a dime on anything but the absolute essentials. You’ll gain insight on your spending habits and probably realize you’re spending too much on things you don’t really need.

Another challenge is to sell some things. Sell items that are no longer needed or wanted that are clogging up your closets and basement.

The next financial challenge also gets rid of stuff, but specificallyclothing. You probably have more than you need and some of it you never wear anymore. Set a goal to unload 25-percent of your clothing.

To sell clothes online, check outPoshmarkthredUPandebay.

Another challenge is to try to make at least one extra mortgage payment each year. If you do that with a 30-year, $200,000 mortgage at 3% you’ll save more than $13,000 in interest and shorten your payments by three and a half years.

If you haven’t made a commitment to be a regular percentage giver to your church now’s the time to take that step.

Malachi 3:10 reads, Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.

Start investing for retirement if you haven’t already.Start putting as much as you can into a qualified retirement account like a 401k or an IRA. The sooner you start the more time you give those assets to making compounding gains.

On today’s program we also answer your calls:

My husband is interested in refinancing our home by paying off our vehicles. We owe about 148K in mortgage and adding on an additional 70K. What are your thoughts?

I am 89 years old and have had to take an IRA withdrawal every year for the past 15 years. I heard about giving to a charitable organization from my IRA. They took out taxes on this and the church got shorted. What should I do?

My wife and I were about to pay off our mortgage, but my mother in law unexpectedly passed and left us part of her home. Should I pay off my home or buy out the other part of my mother in law’s home?

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions 24/7 at (800) 525-7000 or email them [email protected]. Also, visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can listen to past programs, connect with a MoneyWise Coach, and even download free, helpful resources like the free MoneyWise app.

Like and Follow us on Facebook at MoneyWise Media for the very latest discussion! And remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab on our website or in our app.

It’s difficult to say what the most regrettable financial decision might be. Buying a timeshare comes to mind but high on the list is co-signing a loan for someone else. Getting stuck paying off a loan is bad enough, but worse, it’s often for a close relative or friend. We’ll talk about that today with some options for folks whohavecosigned.

The best advice about cosigning is to never do it. One of Ben Franklin’s famous quotes is, An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. He wasn’t referring to cosigning at the time, but the general principle applies.

The Bible also is specific about cosigning and for good reason. Christians are often confused about it.

Proverbs 11:15 says not to pledge surety for another. That’s another way of saying don’t co-sign a loan for another who doesn’t qualify on his or her own. Also, Proverbs 17:18 says, One who lacks sense gives a pledge and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.

Proverbs also says in 22:26-27, Be not one of those who give pledges, who puts up security for debts. If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?

The danger of cosigning is the same today as it was 2,500 years ago. One study showed that only 4 out of 10 people who co-sign end up paying off the loan. Nearly a third suffer damage to their credit.

Try refinancing. Your legal responsibility to repay the loan goes away if the other person refinances without you.

Try speeding up the loan payments by offering an incentive to the primary signer. Offer to match any payments he or she makes. You might still end up paying half the loan, but that’s better than getting stuck with the whole loan.

Try doing a credit makeover on the primary signer. Help that person understand the importance of improving their own credit score, paying their bills on time and paying off old debts.

On today’s program we also answer a few of your questions:

My mother has an annuity. She has an amount of money that she’d like to do something with. I have 6 siblings that this will be split among whenshepasses. She can leave it with the company it’s currently with at a 1% rate or she can take a lump sum and pay taxes on just the gains. We were advised to speak with a financial planner because there are other, better options.

What is your take on tax liens?

My college-age daughter wants to start long-term investing and is wanting to get the best interest, long term. She’d like to open an IRA. But what’s the best option for her age?

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions 24/7 at (800) 525-7000 or email them [email protected]. Also, visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can listen to past programs, connect with a MoneyWise Coach, and even download free, helpful resources like the free MoneyWise app.

Like and Follow us on Facebook at MoneyWise Media for the very latest discussion! And remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab on our website or in our app.

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29

It’s difficult to say what the most regrettable financial decision might be. Buying a timeshare comes to mind but high on the list is co-signing a loan for someone else. Getting stuck paying off a loan is bad enough, but worse, it’s often for a close relative or friend. We’ll talk about that today with some options for folks whohavecosigned.

The best advice about cosigning is to never do it. One of Ben Franklin’s famous quotes is, An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. He wasn’t referring to cosigning at the time, but the general principle applies.

The Bible also is specific about cosigning and for good reason. Christians are often confused about it.

Proverbs 11:15 says not to pledge surety for another. That’s another way of saying don’t co-sign a loan for another who doesn’t qualify on his or her own. Also, Proverbs 17:18 says, One who lacks sense gives a pledge and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.

Proverbs also says in 22:26-27, Be not one of those who give pledges, who puts up security for debts. If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?

The danger of cosigning is the same today as it was 2,500 years ago. One study showed that only 4 out of 10 people who co-sign end up paying off the loan. Nearly a third suffer damage to their credit.

Try refinancing. Your legal responsibility to repay the loan goes away if the other person refinances without you.

Try speeding up the loan payments by offering an incentive to the primary signer. Offer to match any payments he or she makes. You might still end up paying half the loan, but that’s better than getting stuck with the whole loan.

Try doing a credit makeover on the primary signer. Help that person understand the importance of improving their own credit score, paying their bills on time and paying off old debts.

On today’s program we also answer a few of your questions:

My mother has an annuity. She has an amount of money that she’d like to do something with. I have 6 siblings that this will be split among whenshepasses. She can leave it with the company it’s currently with at a 1% rate or she can take a lump sum and pay taxes on just the gains. We were advised to speak with a financial planner because there are other, better options.

What is your take on tax liens?

My college-age daughter wants to start long-term investing and is wanting to get the best interest, long term. She’d like to open an IRA. But what’s the best option for her age?

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions 24/7 at (800) 525-7000 or email them [email protected]. Also, visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can listen to past programs, connect with a MoneyWise Coach, and even download free, helpful resources like the free MoneyWise app.

Like and Follow us on Facebook at MoneyWise Media for the very latest discussion! And remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab on our website or in our app.

Isaiah 55 proclaims,My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. With our finite minds, we can never fully understand God’s. But can we gain some understanding of His view of things like investing? We’ll talk about that with Jason Myhre, today.

Jason Myhre is with Eventide, an underwriter of this program. He’s a founding member of Eventide and spends a great deal of time encouraging folks like us to be a part of God’s plan with our investments.

How can we see investing as a part of God’s plan? Our task as believers is to see all of life through God’s eyes, including investing. Unless we see the whole world the way God sees the world, every decision we make will be flawed.

The book of Genesis provides us with a vision for business and investing today. In Genesis 2:15, God gives humanity the gift of work. God’s plan from the very beginning was for humanity to participate in his work of creation.

All our labors are meant to add up to this: to develop and cherish God’s good creation in ways that meet human needs and bring glory and honor to him.

Both business and investing are meant by God to provide for the needs of the world and to bring glory and honor to him. Humanity, through business, is meant to image God’s attribute of provision for the world by creating the goods and services that the world needs to flourish. That’s its true calling. Profit is necessary, but secondary.

Humanity through investing is meant to resource business with the capital it needs to accomplish the work of provision for the world. Investing’s financial returns are good, but again they are secondary.

However, sin means that not every investing decision can be made. There are, sadly, many investing decisions where we should say no. The fall means that humanity can now use our God-given creativity in business to create things that harm our neighbor and bring dishonor to God.

Great care must be taken with each investing decision. We need always to be asking, is this investing decision going to enhance the beauty and provision of the garden God made or is this investing decision going to diminish it?

The value of faith-based investing is that it offers us a way to intentionally invest in companies whose products and practices are enlarging the beauty and provision of God’s good creation.

On today’s program we also answer your questions:

I want a new car with upgraded features. My car dealership is encouraging me to roll the remaining balance of my current vehiclealmost paid forinto a new, current-model one. What are your thoughts on doing this?

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions 24/7 at (800) 525-7000 or email them [email protected]. Also, visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can listen to past programs, connect with a MoneyWise Coach, and even download free, helpful resources like the free MoneyWise app.

Like and Follow us on Facebook at MoneyWise Media for the very latest discussion! And remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab on our website or in our app.

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29

Isaiah 55 proclaims,My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. With our finite minds, we can never fully understand God’s. But can we gain some understanding of His view of things like investing? We’ll talk about that with Jason Myhre, today.

Jason Myhre is with Eventide, an underwriter of this program. He’s a founding member of Eventide and spends a great deal of time encouraging folks like us to be a part of God’s plan with our investments.

How can we see investing as a part of God’s plan? Our task as believers is to see all of life through God’s eyes, including investing. Unless we see the whole world the way God sees the world, every decision we make will be flawed.

The book of Genesis provides us with a vision for business and investing today. In Genesis 2:15, God gives humanity the gift of work. God’s plan from the very beginning was for humanity to participate in his work of creation.

All our labors are meant to add up to this: to develop and cherish God’s good creation in ways that meet human needs and bring glory and honor to him.

Both business and investing are meant by God to provide for the needs of the world and to bring glory and honor to him. Humanity, through business, is meant to image God’s attribute of provision for the world by creating the goods and services that the world needs to flourish. That’s its true calling. Profit is necessary, but secondary.

Humanity through investing is meant to resource business with the capital it needs to accomplish the work of provision for the world. Investing’s financial returns are good, but again they are secondary.

However, sin means that not every investing decision can be made. There are, sadly, many investing decisions where we should say no. The fall means that humanity can now use our God-given creativity in business to create things that harm our neighbor and bring dishonor to God.

Great care must be taken with each investing decision. We need always to be asking, is this investing decision going to enhance the beauty and provision of the garden God made or is this investing decision going to diminish it?

The value of faith-based investing is that it offers us a way to intentionally invest in companies whose products and practices are enlarging the beauty and provision of God’s good creation.

On today’s program we also answer your questions:

I want a new car with upgraded features. My car dealership is encouraging me to roll the remaining balance of my current vehiclealmost paid forinto a new, current-model one. What are your thoughts on doing this?

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions 24/7 at (800) 525-7000 or email them [email protected]. Also, visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can listen to past programs, connect with a MoneyWise Coach, and even download free, helpful resources like the free MoneyWise app.

Like and Follow us on Facebook at MoneyWise Media for the very latest discussion! And remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab on our website or in our app.

Do you have piles of paper on your desk at home? Never sure which receipts, statements and documents to save and which to shred? You’re not alone. Even the best household money managers struggle with paper clutter. But if you’re ready to dig your way out and slay those piles of paper, we’ll share a simple way to do it.

Romans 13:7 says, Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed. It’s pretty hard to do that if you don’t have some kind of record keeping system in place and you’re not sure what papers you need to keep and for how long.

You can toss at least half of everything that ends up in your mailbox! However, you should never just toss unwanted mail directly into your recycling bin or trash can. It could contain unwanted credit offers that identity thieves could use to open accounts in your name.

Get a shredder.You want one that makes cross-cuts. In one pass, it will cut paper into strips and then cross-chop those strips into tiny pieces. You can even take it a step further and get a micro-cut shredder. It does the same thing, but the cross-cuts are really, really small.

Set up a 3-drawer system. This is based on how long you need to hang onto things. Anything that doesn’t go in one of the three drawers goes straight into the shredder.

In your first drawer go documents you need to keep permanently, things like your birth certificate, passport, car titles, property deeds, marriage certificates and your Social Security card.

In drawer #2 go giving unto Caesar things. Keep anything you need to fill out your 1040 including supporting forms like W2s and 1099sdefinitely anything where the IRS was also mailed a copy.

In the last drawer goes all the material you need to keep for just one yearthings like utility bills, bank statements, pay stubs, and bills. After that you can feed them into your shredder.

On today’s program we also answer some of your calls:

Should we pay off our mortgage with our income or put the extra cash into retirement?

As a giver to ministries, I’ve not been itemizing things on my tax returns. Is there any advantage for me to go with the required minimum distribution procedure?

What steps do I need to take to get my bank to transfer my regular IRA into a Roth? And is that a good idea?

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions 24/7 at (800) 525-7000 or email them [email protected]. Also, visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can listen to past programs, connect with a MoneyWise Coach, and even download free, helpful resources like the free MoneyWise app.

Like and Follow us on Facebook at MoneyWise Media for the very latest discussion! And remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab on our website or in our app.

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29

Do you have piles of paper on your desk at home? Never sure which receipts, statements and documents to save and which to shred? You’re not alone. Even the best household money managers struggle with paper clutter. But if you’re ready to dig your way out and slay those piles of paper, we’ll share a simple way to do it.

Romans 13:7 says, Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed. It’s pretty hard to do that if you don’t have some kind of record keeping system in place and you’re not sure what papers you need to keep and for how long.

You can toss at least half of everything that ends up in your mailbox! However, you should never just toss unwanted mail directly into your recycling bin or trash can. It could contain unwanted credit offers that identity thieves could use to open accounts in your name.

Get a shredder.You want one that makes cross-cuts. In one pass, it will cut paper into strips and then cross-chop those strips into tiny pieces. You can even take it a step further and get a micro-cut shredder. It does the same thing, but the cross-cuts are really, really small.

Set up a 3-drawer system. This is based on how long you need to hang onto things. Anything that doesn’t go in one of the three drawers goes straight into the shredder.

In your first drawer go documents you need to keep permanently, things like your birth certificate, passport, car titles, property deeds, marriage certificates and your Social Security card.

In drawer #2 go giving unto Caesar things. Keep anything you need to fill out your 1040 including supporting forms like W2s and 1099sdefinitely anything where the IRS was also mailed a copy.

In the last drawer goes all the material you need to keep for just one yearthings like utility bills, bank statements, pay stubs, and bills. After that you can feed them into your shredder.

On today’s program we also answer some of your calls:

Should we pay off our mortgage with our income or put the extra cash into retirement?

As a giver to ministries, I’ve not been itemizing things on my tax returns. Is there any advantage for me to go with the required minimum distribution procedure?

What steps do I need to take to get my bank to transfer my regular IRA into a Roth? And is that a good idea?

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions 24/7 at (800) 525-7000 or email them [email protected]. Also, visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can listen to past programs, connect with a MoneyWise Coach, and even download free, helpful resources like the free MoneyWise app.

Like and Follow us on Facebook at MoneyWise Media for the very latest discussion! And remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab on our website or in our app.

Proverbs 10 makes clear the wisdom of saving money A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. He who gathers in summer is a prudent son.Saving in general is certainly prudent, but today we want to talk about a special category of saving that you may want to consider. It could give you an extra measure of peace as you face life’s financial challenges. Then it’s your calls at 800-525-7000.

How do you define an emergency for your emergency fund?

A real emergency will fall into one of three areas, housing, food and transportation. It must be absolutely necessary, urgent and truly unexpected. Everything else should be part of your regular budget.

Living expenses if you lose your job or have a severe pay cut, unplanned medical expenses, and unexpected home repairs.

Most home repairs are predictable. They’re not really unexpected, and for these, you may want to consider setting up a separate category for home repairs, separate from your emergency fund.

Most people understand that a home generally appreciates in value, especially these days. But consumer expert Clark Howard points out that in many cases, it’s the land a house is built on that actually appreciates.

You can’t really separate a house from the land it sits on, but you might find that the structure itself depreciates as it becomes run down and in need of repairs. That means your house needs constant, expected maintenance to uphold it’s part of total home value.

That’s a strong argument for keeping your home repair fund separate from your true emergency fund.

How much should we keep in my home repair category? A good starting point might be one month’s mortgage payment, possibly going up to two months.

That would take most of the sting out of completely predictable home repairs and the money will be there in your separate home repair fund.

On today’s program we also answer you’re a few of your calls:

Is it wise to get a loan against my car to pay off bills?

What is your opinion on reverse mortgage for a single retired woman?

I have a mutual fund in my IRA. I would like to sell it and get into some Christian backed mutual funds. Advice?

I just sold a business and now have 100K to invest. Where should I begin?

We have paid on our home for 12 years and would like to refinance to lower our interest rate. We are only looking to stay a couple more years. What should we do?

I sold a property and have about 100K. I also have 100K in student loans. Should I wipe out my loans or invest the 100K into real estate?

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions 24/7 at (800) 525-7000 or email them [email protected]. Also, visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can listen to past programs, connect with a MoneyWise Coach, and even download free, helpful resources like the free MoneyWise app.

Like and Follow us on Facebook at MoneyWise Media for the very latest discussion! And remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab on our website or in our app.

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29

Proverbs 10 makes clear the wisdom of saving money A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. He who gathers in summer is a prudent son.Saving in general is certainly prudent, but today we want to talk about a special category of saving that you may want to consider. It could give you an extra measure of peace as you face life’s financial challenges. Then it’s your calls at 800-525-7000.

How do you define an emergency for your emergency fund?

A real emergency will fall into one of three areas, housing, food and transportation. It must be absolutely necessary, urgent and truly unexpected. Everything else should be part of your regular budget.

Living expenses if you lose your job or have a severe pay cut, unplanned medical expenses, and unexpected home repairs.

Most home repairs are predictable. They’re not really unexpected, and for these, you may want to consider setting up a separate category for home repairs, separate from your emergency fund.

Most people understand that a home generally appreciates in value, especially these days. But consumer expert Clark Howard points out that in many cases, it’s the land a house is built on that actually appreciates.

You can’t really separate a house from the land it sits on, but you might find that the structure itself depreciates as it becomes run down and in need of repairs. That means your house needs constant, expected maintenance to uphold it’s part of total home value.

That’s a strong argument for keeping your home repair fund separate from your true emergency fund.

How much should we keep in my home repair category? A good starting point might be one month’s mortgage payment, possibly going up to two months.

That would take most of the sting out of completely predictable home repairs and the money will be there in your separate home repair fund.

On today’s program we also answer you’re a few of your calls:

Is it wise to get a loan against my car to pay off bills?

What is your opinion on reverse mortgage for a single retired woman?

I have a mutual fund in my IRA. I would like to sell it and get into some Christian backed mutual funds. Advice?

I just sold a business and now have 100K to invest. Where should I begin?

We have paid on our home for 12 years and would like to refinance to lower our interest rate. We are only looking to stay a couple more years. What should we do?

I sold a property and have about 100K. I also have 100K in student loans. Should I wipe out my loans or invest the 100K into real estate?

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions 24/7 at (800) 525-7000 or email them [email protected]. Also, visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can listen to past programs, connect with a MoneyWise Coach, and even download free, helpful resources like the free MoneyWise app.

Like and Follow us on Facebook at MoneyWise Media for the very latest discussion! And remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab on our website or in our app.

2 Corinthians 9:6 reads,The one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows generously will also reap generously.For over a century, Americans who itemize their taxes have been able to deduct their charitable giving. But a new study has revealed a problem with one form of that giving.

Should you shy away from setting up a donor-advised fund and not take advantage of the tax benefits they offer? Not at all. If you itemize deductions on your federal income tax form, a donor-advised fund is still one of the best ways you can maximize your giving to your church or other ministries. The best way to do that is by setting one up with the National Christian Foundation or NCF. Their version is called a Giving Fund.

NCF takes great pains to quickly get money to ministries. It’s one of the largest US charities and the largest Christian grant-maker in the world.

Over 30,000 families have used their Giving Funds to send more than $13 billion to 63,000 ministries, churches, and other charities.

Unlike other entities that manage donor-advised funds, NCF’s mission is to mobilize resources. They don’t try to accumulate assets under management, but rather to inspire givers to direct their NCF giving funds to charities and causes that need it most.

NCF is an industry leader in the amount of funds granted each year which means more money is available for immediate impact. Get more information atNCFGiving.com.

Acts 20:35 sums up the work at NCF:In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.’

On today’s program we also answer your questions:

My husband and I have lost faith in our financial advisor. What advice do you have about switching advisorsmoving our portfolio from one advisor to the next? What should we take to the advisor?

What do you think about timing the market?

What are the top 3 companies you’d recommend to get a good credit card in terms of no annual fee, good interest rate, and getting money back?

Is there any reason we shouldn’t enter into a non-QM mortgage?

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions 24/7 at (800) 525-7000 or email them [email protected]. Also, visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can listen to past programs, connect with a MoneyWise Coach, and even download free, helpful resources like the free MoneyWise app.

Like and Follow us on Facebook at MoneyWise Media for the very latest discussion! And remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab on our website or in our app.

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29