Case Study: Christians Desiring to Live Generously

Client Summary

Ed and Dorothy have worked hard their entire lives. He is a successful doctor and she is a stay at home mom. They both attend church regularly. She sings in the church choir and he is on the board of deacons. They are regular tithers to the church, but feel somehow that they are missing out on all God has for them.

Both Ed and Dorothy see events unfolding across the globe that cause them to pause and worry about what will happen to them and their teenage children. These worries include the possibility of austerity here and in Europe, war in the Middle East and declining morality standards throughout the developed world that is causing non-Christians to turn on Christian believers.

Ed also expressed concern over the unprecedented levels of stock market volatility and his desire to preserve capital in such a tough economic environment. He further expressed some doubt as to whether they would be able to achieve their goals and objectives.

Our Solution

A friend of Ed’s referred him to InTrust Advisors. After an initial Discovery Meeting and a subsequent Investment Planning Meeting with our advisors, Ed and Dorothy decided that InTrust Advisors could best help them to plan and move towards their financial goals and objectives.

As part of the Investment Planning Meeting, our advisor helped educate Ed and Dorothy on the many biblical references to money in the bible. He helped them understand the biblical concepts of ownership and stewardship.

Our advisor helped walk Ed and Dorothy through a set of cash flow forecasts that gave them peace of mind they would be able to retire and meet their financial objectives. However, he also challenged them based on the condition of the world economy and stated bible prophesies to step up their giving and develop a plan to do more.  The advisor also briefly discussed their ministry passions and possible ways to further those desires including specific ministries they could give their time, talent or resources.

Our advisor explained how their apprehension about the markets was valid and quite normal given the current Bearish Secular Cycle (See Why Now? video). He explained how certain strategies worked better in certain cycles and outlined a recommendation that the client adopt InTrust’s actively managed strategies in their tax deferred accounts, while adopting a less active (and tax efficient) enhanced buy and hold strategy in their taxable investment account.

He was also honest with them that no one (except God) knows what will happen in the future. He further explained that although we believe the strategies recommended above have historically done well in tough times the only guaranteed return was to store up treasures in Heaven. He once again encouraged them to become bigger participants in God’s Great Commission.

Our advisor did not stop with cash flow and investment plans. He also made a number of recommendations with regard to their insurance, estate and tax planning. He promised them that he would help them address the latter items over the balance of the succeeding year by introducing them to the appropriate unrelated, third party experts to help them with these recommendations. He also assured them that he would help them manage this process.

Not only did Ed and Dorothy feel better about their situation, but they felt empowered to do more with the assets with which God had blessed them. They had true peace of mind because now they had a plan to move forward and a greater desire to live for their Lord and Savior in all aspects of their lives.

Note – The aforementioned client is fictitious, any similarities to current or prospective clients is purely coincidental.