In 1978, the Evangelical Covenant Church established Covenant Estate Planning Services to enable those with a love for Covenant ministries to make significant legacy gifts through stewardship-centered estate plans and provide management for those dollars in a professional and effective way. Over time, it became evident that there was also a need to…
Looking back a week after the unexpected vote by Great Britain to exit the European Union, it is easy to observe the great uncertainty that vote caused, both politically and economically. With it, there was global market volatility as well. The US stock market (as measured here by the DJIA) went down nearly 5%…
“What are you doing to prepare for the November election?” the board member asked us. The CTC investment team was at the recent meeting to discuss the charity’s investment results year to date and what, if any, changes were being made to its portfolio. “Are you going to cash?” This question is being asked in…
It’s hard to believe that it’s already June; how quickly 2016 is passing by. The remnants of winter have given way to the warmer, sunnier days of spring, and the long, hot, school-free days of summer aren’t far behind. And before we know it, class will be back in session and tree leaves will don…
Starting a family offers plenty of unique challenges and requires smart financial planning. According to the US Department of Agriculture, as of 2013, the average cost to raise a child to the age of 18 is almost $250,000. And that doesn’t even include the cost for college tuition. So how do parents pay for…
The US government is doing something positive for retirement investors. The Department of Labor is putting out a new rule for financial advisors who provide investment advice on retirement investments: they have to act in the best financial interest of the client and they have to disclose any conflicts they may have. This is called…
A person’s college and post-college years can be financially difficult and frustrating. It’s likely the first time they are responsible for rent, groceries, utility bills, perhaps even car payments and likely student debt — all while trying to finish school or find a full-time job to support themselves. So how do people do it? In our latest podcast, CTC employees AJ…
In a recent article in Sunday’s real estate section of the Chicago Tribune, columnist Kenneth R. Harney called attention to a scam hitting the real estate world. The new scam involves predators hacking into the real estate agent’s email, then following the email exchange, waiting for just the right moment to hijack the conversation. The hacker, making his…
Grace’s Pastor Mandy and Troy Cady talk about how the Nina Larson Ministry House is used, the legacy Nina Larson has left behind, and how important estate planning gifts and charitable giving are to the church.
Waiting until the end of the year to contribute to your IRA limits your potential for growth. A Money.com article reported that 70% of IRA contributions in 2013 were made near the contribution deadline. Waiting until then can cost an investor over $15,000 over 30 years: “assuming an investor contributes the maximum $5,500 annually for 30 years…
