financial-finish-line Archives - Finish Line Pledge

John Cortines, Author of God and Money, on Exchanging Retirement at 40 for a Financial Finish Line

In this episode, we have the chance to talk to John Cortines, coauthor of the books God and Money as well as True Riches: What Jesus Really Said About Money and Your Heart. He currently serves as Director of Generosity at The Maclellan Foundation and has also served as the Chief Operations Officer of Generous Giving, a nonprofit dedicated to opening the conversation about generosity. He shares his story starting with a six figure salary out of college on the fast track to early retirement before radically changing his perspective on wealth and faith during his time at Harvard Business School. He and his coauthor Greg Baumer have written and spoken widely about the idea of a financial finish line, and had many questions for John about the subject.

Q&A: Advice for College Students Interested in the Finish Line Pledge

podcast

There is significant benefit to setting a financial finish line early in your career. Kealan and Cody offer a number of pieces of advice for college students interested in the idea of a finish line. We are often caught up in our own stories, our own careers, and our own actions. But as the guys have learned in their own experience, there is a much greater story going on. Rather than being the main character of our own story, we are minor characters in God’s story. After discussing some of this foundation, the guys also dive into some practical financial advice for anyone getting started.

Q&A: How Does a Finish Line Work If I’m Already Retired?

podcast

As the finish line movement has grown, an increasing number of retired people have asked the question, “What does a financial finish line look like if I’m already retired?”. Kealan and Cody tackle this questions along with a number of related questions like, “Does it make sense to keep all my savings and give it away when I die?”. They also share some practical advice and strategies for giving generously and effectively during retirement.

Q&A: How Do I Set a Finish Line With an Irregular Income?

podcast

A financial finish line is a point at which you say, “Any money God blesses me with beyond this point, I will use to serve others and advance God’s kingdom.” But what does that look like for someone with an irregular income. Many people have varying sources of income through the year, like seasonal jobs, year-end bonuses, side gigs, temp work, and self-employment. Is a finish line still possible for someone in these situations? If so, how should they think about the process of choosing a finish line? Kealan and Cody break down all these questions and share their thoughts (and personal experience) with finish lines in the context of variable income.

Stephanie Hobelmann on Moving from Hesitancy to Joy in Giving

podcast

Cody’s wife, Stephanie Hobelmann shares her experience feeling hesitant about the idea of a finish line. She shares how conversation and actively experiencing the joy of giving flipped her understanding of the finish line pledge. Stephanie now constantly seeks out opportunities to give and shares her joy of giving openly. She also shares advice for those who are interested in setting a finish line, but have a hesitant or reluctant spouse. Listen now to hear her story!

Introducing the Finish Line Pledge

podcast

The Finish Line Pledge is undergoing a major transition from its original name, Aspiring to the Median, to the Finish Line Pledge. Along with that, the podcast is becoming the Finish Line Podcast, and IMPACT groups are becoming Finish Line SPRINTs. Listen as Kealan and Cody walk through why we’re undergoing this transition and what it means for the movement. They’ll also take the opportunity to look ahead to 2021 and what the next year holds for the Finish Line Pledge.

Saving for Retirement with a Finish Line

podcast

Kealan and Cody dive into another listener Q&A where they answer the question, “How does setting a finish line affect saving for retirement?”. As with many things, setting a financial finish line flips around much of the traditional personal finance wisdom. Kealan and Cody first break down some of the traditional wisdom on saving for retirement. Afterwards, listen as they share their thoughts on how setting a finish line changes our strategy and goals for retirement.

How to Classify Gifts and Changing Your Finish Line

podcast

Kealan and Cody dive into another listener Q&A where they answer two finish line questions. The first is “Do gifts come out of our budget, or the excess?”. This is one of a variety of questions that get into the fine details of a finish line, sand one that is particularly relevant for December. The second question is “When is it okay to change my finish line? How should I approach that process?”. Anyone who sets a finish line will consider this question at some point, and the guys share a helpful framework to go about the process.

How Do I Choose a Finish Line?

podcast

Kealan and Cody break down the question, “How do I choose a finish line for my spending?”. There are a number of practical considerations when choosing a finish line, and the guys break each of these down one by one.