It’s easy to feel disorganized and scattered when thinking about your finances. Setting financial goals can be overwhelming, especially if your main focus is on ministry and those you serve.
A 2024 Caring.com study shows that 40% of Americans don’t think they have enough assets to create a will. The number of people who have a will has declined by 6% since 2023, which is the first decrease in estate planning rates since 2020.
Regularly reviewing your beneficiary designations to ensure they align with your current wishes and circumstances can prevent complications and disputes down the line and ensure that your assets are distributed as intended.
If you are pouring yourself entirely into serving your congregation, you may be neglecting your own health and financial well-being. Whether you are just beginning your career in ministry or have been serving in the UCC for decades, it’s important for you to have a strong financial foundation from which to answer your calling so you can prioritize your community’s needs without the fear that your most basic needs are at risk.
Thursday, May 16, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. EDT
The 2024 Annual Meeting of Members of The Pension Boards-United Church of Christ, Inc. will be held on Thursday, May 16, 2024 commencing at 2:00 p.m., EDT, for the re-election of Trustees and transaction of such other business as may properly come before the meeting.
A 2023 study by YouGov.com reveals that “two in five U.S. adults (43%) lack confidence towards their retirement provisions. This sentiment is especially pronounced among Gen X, where nearly half (48%) express doubt about their financial future. Unsurprisingly, the Silent Generation, the vast majority of whom are already in their retirement years, show the greatest confidence, but it’s still only half feeling secure about their retirement finances (48%).”
Did you know that 47% of adults in the U.S. lack confidence when investing?
According to a 2023 study conducted by Unbiased.com, only 17% of the respondents said they were confident investors.
Don’t let cybercriminals rob you of the convenience of using QR codes. Keep yourself secure by following these tips:
Use the built-in QR code scanner in your device’s camera app.
If your device doesn’t have a built-in scanner, only download a trusted third-party scanning app from your device’s official app store.
Have you ever received an email telling you to call a phone number? Calling a phone number may seem safer than clicking on a link, but that's what makes this tactic so effective. In callback phishing scams, cybercriminals send you an email about something urgent, such as a fraudulent charge or a vital software update. What makes this tactic unique, is that the email includes a phone number that you are prompted to call.
The Pension Boards interviews the Rev. Laura Folkwein, Pastor, Pilgrim Congregational UCC, Bozeman, MT, and participant in the Ministers’ Financial Vitality Initiative (MFVI) program, on navigating and addressing personal finances and debt.