(Almost) Everything You Need to Know About IRAs

Use this resource in order to better understand IRA eligibility, benefits, and limits.

401(k) / IRA
Decision Tree

Should I use a 401(k) plan or an IRA to save for retirement?

Personal Investment Plan Template

This printable template provides space for you to build out your personal investment plan according to your goals concerning retirement, college, etc.

Sample Market Events Statement

Use this sample statement in order to remain committed to your personal investment plan in times of market stress.

SMI Portfolio Tracking

Spreadsheets

If you'd like some help monitoring your portfolio throughout the year, here's a spreadsheet that Austin developed for his own portfolios.

Budget Quick Start Guide

It's easier than you think.

Five simple pages to get you going with the single most powerful, practical tool for wise money management.

401(k)/IRA Decision Tree

Should I use a 401(k) plan or an IRA to save for retirement?

By answering a series of questions, this decision tree will guide you to the best choice.

Cash Flow Tracker

See where your money really goes.

In order to truly manage cash flow, you need to see where it's going. This form will help.

Recommended Cash Flow Guidelines

Benchmark your plan against these.

How much can a family like yours spend on food, clothing, vacations, and all the rest? Here are some guidelines and a spreadsheet to use for your own plan.

Download Guide - PDF

Download Spreadsheet - Excel

Recommended Housing Guidelines

Keep your housing costs under control.

How much house can you truly afford? Here are our recommendations.

Gift Budget

Planning Your Giving

It's more enjoyable to give gifts when doing so doesn't trash your finances. This simple form will help you set a gift budget for the year.

Net Worth

Calculate Your Net Worth

The traditional way, and some additional ways.

Instructions

Financial

Experiential

Emotional

7 Key Principles for Christian Investing

A Kingdom Perspective

This report focuses on laying a biblical foundation for successful investing, including seven key principles related to investing "for the glory of God." Also discussed are four God-given "boundaries" for protecting wealth and helping it grow.

Rebalancing Your Portfolio

How to Transform Your Portfolio

This four-page report shows you how to make the changes needed to transform your current portfolio into the portfolio you want to own. This quick download, with easy-to-use worksheets, will facilitate your end-of-year rebalancing — or help you get a bird's eye view of your portfolio regardless of the time of year.

IRAs, 401(k)s, & Social Security

A Retirement Planning Primer

Worried that you won't have enough money for retirement? Then it's time to take action. This free report will help you get a clear picture of where you stand - and help you take steps to build your retirement nest egg.

You'll discover:

• What you can reasonably expect from Social Security
• How to make the most of employer-sponsored plans such as a 401(k)
• Why an IRA is often an excellent addition to a retirement savings strategy

Gold as an Investment

Will Precious Metals Continue to Shine?

This report will provide you with an understanding of our current fiscal crisis and how gold can help stabilize your portfolio in a rising inflationary environment. You'll learn about different gold investing strategies and practical examples of how to take ownership of gold.

Highlights include:

• History of fiscal policy and the "gold standard"
• Key points of the current fiscal and debt crisis
• Gold investing strategies
• Options for purchasing gold

Inflation History Report

The Rise and Fall of the U.S. Dollar

This report will provide you with an understanding of what money is, how it works, and how too much money has led to inflation in the past. And you'll see why many people are concerned that conditions are ripe for a future inflationary spiral.

Highlights include:

• The six qualities of sound money
• Why economies moved from gold to paper money
• The rise of the modern banking and monetary system
• Root causes of inflation
• Why many economists think strong inflation may be ahead

Encouragement For Tough Times

Taking refuge in God's Word

When we asked SMI members where they turned in God's Word for encouragement during the last big market downturn, they listed over 70 verses. Here they are — wonderful reminders to read and reflect on.

MoneyWise Live

With Rob West

MoneyWise

From Compass–finances God's way

Solid Steps Radio

With Kurt Sauder & Chad Russell, produced by Further Still Ministries