Were you ever good at solving the Rubik’s Cube?

Very few people have the skills to master the cube.  Many try, but many fail!  They simply lack a plan or the strategies necessary for victory.  The Rubik’s Cube, which was invented in 1974,  is widely considered to be the world’s best-selling toy.  For those who know how to solve the puzzle, the game is fun and challenging to see how fast you can solve it this time around.

For those of us who lack the plan and strategy necessary for figuring out the Rubik’s mystery, the game is frustrating, perplexing, and not a whole lot of fun…

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Two words signify a far-reaching kind of financial care

There’s financial planning, and then there’s wealth management. Think of wealth management as a step up from garden-variety financial planning. One office (rather than one person) provides a range of services for a client: personal financial planning and investment management, tax reduction and estate planning strategies, and occasionally in-house legal resources. Business continuation planning, tax preparation and even budgeting and bill paying are sometimes added to the menu.

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In 2008, I wrote The Faith-Based Millionaire to help people ―get more so they could give more. With the “Get to Give Manifesto” I talked about involved seven commitments:

1. Commit to tithing (10 percent of your income and financial gains) and commit to offerings (additional gifts above your tithe).
2. Commit to having a larger vision of how you can help advance God’s kingdom—your specific calling and how God can use your time, talents, and treasure.

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You were meant to thrive not just survive.

Your life is about living out the plan God has for your life. Do you confidently feel your life is where it should be? Where it could be? You may be settling for mediocrity, instead of living the life that was intended for you. Too often we give up. We let life get in our way. We let failures keep us from making progress.

Think about this: almost every success was a mess before success. Sometimes we get stuck! We are going nowhere or worse we start heading in the wrong direction! Whether it’s in our jobs, careers, spiritually, physically, maybe financially. I talk to a ton of people who look at where they are today and are no further ahead than they were 5, 10, 15 or even 20 years ago. It reminds of the U2 song ―Stuck in the Moment:

“You’ve got to get yourself together
You’ve got stuck in a moment
And now you can’t get out of it
Don’t say that later will be better
Now you’re stuck in a moment
And you can’t get out of it”
- From U2 ―Stuck in a Moment―

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You probably read or hear about some “Top Ten” list nearly every day. But take a moment to read this one. This list is different, and probably not the kind of list you’d expect a financial advisor to write.

Reason #10: “I’m too busy”
I can’t tell you how often I hear this excuse. So many people want to plan for a better retirement, but they don’t have time. They think they’ll take care of it tomorrow, or the day after that … and before they know it, several years have gone by. The best advice I can give you is to stop procrastinating and start planning today.

Reason #9:     “It’s too soon”
I don’t know how this happened, but many people have adopted the notion that you don’t have to start planning for your retirement until you’re almost there. This is totally incorrect. The truth is, the sooner you start planning, the better chance you stand of having the kind of retirement you want. It’s never too soon. Many people start planning in their early twenties!

Reason #8:    “It’s too late”
If you’re already near or past your retirement eligibility date, you may think that whatever you’ve got is what you’re stuck with and it’s too late to do anything about it. Think again. If you’re unsure of what your options are, speak to a professional. Even if you’ve already retired, it’s important to consider how you’re receiving income and how long it will last. It’s never too late to revise your income distribution strategy.

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“A small leak can sink a big ship” – Benjamin Franklin

Many wish money grew on trees. Having a never-ending supply of cash may be a dream. Many would love to do whatever they want when they want. It is far better than the alternative—incurring debt. In order to pursue true wealth, you need to understand the difference between ―good and bad debt.

So how can you tell ―good debt from bad debt?

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