The Self-Sustaining Principle—Article #1: Planning Wisely to Avoid Burdening Others

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This article is part of the Biblically-Informed Framework for Retirement Stewardship (BIFRS) series. In the previous article, I introduced a biblical framework for retirement planning based on three principles from John Piper: the Self-Sustaining Principle, the Caregiving Principle, and the Ministry Principle. Together, these three principles provide a simple but theologically well-grounded approach to retirement … Read more

The Real Meaning of Christmas Is Staring Them in the Face

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Sometimes, as the Christmas season approaches, I find myself growing a bit more curmudgeonly about the secularization, commercialization, and cultural noise that tend to drown out the season’s true meaning. When I mumble and grumble about it, my wife tells me I’m being “Scroogy” about Christmas, so I want to start by saying I genuinely … Read more

2025 Year-End: Wrapping Up My Retirement Tax Planning Journey

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As we approach the end of 2025, I wanted to share something with you that’s been on my mind—and increasingly, on this blog—over the past two years. It’s the story of how I’ve navigated one of retirement’s most anxiety-inducing topics: taxes. This compilation will be of particular interest to the following groups of retirees/near retirees: … Read more

Could Bitcoin Be a Hedge for Retirees Against the Increasing Federal Debt?

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In my last article, I looked at Bitcoin’s potential as a long-term investment in a retirement portfolio. This time, I want to explore a related question: Could Bitcoin serve as a hedge against a future financial crisis brought on by our nation’s growing federal debt? I don’t like to sound alarmist—and I’m not a doomsayer—but … Read more

Social Security Mythology (and Misunderstandings)—Part Two

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This article is part of the Retirement Financial Life Equation (RFLE) series. Every so often, a viral post (or a variation on it) shows up on social media about Social Security. I recently saw one—not written by but shared by a friend—expressing frustration that the government was supposedly renaming Social Security checks as “Federal Benefit … Read more