For the past two weeks, I’ve shared the importance of reaching out to expand your network of trusted advisors.  Included in the mix are: 1) A Personal Banker or Branch Manager;  2) Mortgage Broker, 3) A Fee-Based Financial Planner; 4) An Insurance Agent, 5) A Certified Public Accountant (CPA); and 6) A “Proven” Real Estate Agent.

In my opinion you should have them on speed dial if you desire to build wealth and leave a lasting legacy.  Your aim should be to develop a team that understands your financial goals and advise with a human touch.  Today, I’d like you to consider adding a seventh and final financial friend:

An Estate Planning Attorney

I Don’t Have Enough Money…

Wrong!  People often think of estate planning, wills, and trusts as tools and services for the wealthy.  Not so!  Why?  The laws governing wills and trusts affect the wealthy, middle-class, and the working class.  Additionally, there’s a lot of confusion surrounding wills and trusts.  People, they are not synonymous.  ”A will controls your assets in your individual name when you die, but a trust is used to hold your assets during your lifetime,” according to Vicki Lee Parker, writer for Black Enterprise Magazine.

As a pastor of a thriving church, I can’t tell you how many family fights I had to mediate because no one took the time to consult an estate planning attorney.  Today, many siblings and relatives do not speak because no one took time to plan accordingly.  Since each state has different laws regarding inheritance, your estate shouldn’t be left to the state or do-it-yourself wills.  ”An estate planning attorney can help you set up a trust that offers more flexibility and control over how your assets are managed after you die,” says Steve Hartnett, an estate planning attorney in San Diego and associate director of education at the American Academy of Estate Planing.

I Confess…

As I conclude this series, I want inform you that I practice what I preach.  I have six of the seven financial friends on speed dial and I’m currently interviewing estate planning attorneys.  I plan to make my decison by the end of September and will keep you posted.  Thanks for reading and reflecting on my blog posts and my prayers are with you as you assemble your team!

Did I miss anyone?  Who do you have on your team that I missed?

WE ALL ARE CHEATERS!

Now that I have your attention…the fact that you decided to continue reading after insulting you is an indication that you are a person of profound courage.  For almost everyone, the words “cheater” or “cheating” has negative connotations, especially if you’ve ever been cheated.  Students cheat in school.  Adults cheat on their income taxes.  Husbands cheat on their wives.  Wives cheat on their husbands.  Most of us at one time or another has cheated!

When we cheat, we chose to give up one thing in hopes of gaining something else of greater value.  As I stated before, we’re all cheaters.  Daily we make decisions to give up one thing in order to gain something else.  Everyday we face a variety of responsibilities and opportunities: work…family…hobbies…fraternities & sororities…social clubs…sports leagues…the list is endless.  Each competes for our most valuable resource, OUR TIME.  But to give each of these the time it demands or deserves would require more time than we have.  So we cheat.

I invite you to join us this Easter as I begin a new series called “Cheaters.”  Trust me, you will not want to miss a single weekend!

WEEK ONE (Easter Weekend)
MESSAGE: “What’s My Number?” (Psalm 90:10; Proverbs 3:5-6)

This message seeks to remind people that the time with their children and loved ones will pass before they know it.  Therefore, it is wise to prioritize our time and spend it with the people who matter most!  We will have special giveaways for those in attendance.

Our Services:

Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 7pm
Good Friday, April 2, 2010 @ 7pm
Sunday, April 4, 2010 @ 8am
Sunday, April 4, 2010 @ 10:30am

See you there!

Recently, I had a chance to take an extended vacation (hard to pull off for pastors) and drive to the Cooperstown Dreams Park National Invitational Tournament in Cooperstown, NY.

Much like the National Baseball Hall of Fame for Major League baseball players, each participant, upon induction, receives the coveted American Youth Baseball Hall of Fame ring and officially becomes one of the Cooperstown Dreams Park Little Majors.  The Kodak photo of each player with his teammates is affixed to the Commemorative Induction Plaque for future enshrinement on the walls of the American Youth Baseball Hall of Fame.  Our family will cherish this moment for the rest of our lives!

(Congratulations to Indians for finishing 10th out of 104 teams)

While away, I had a chance to reflect on life in general and the Lord revealed several foundational shattering truths that I plan to share in subsequent blog posts.  These truths challenged me to think about life in a different way and challenged long held beliefs that have become TRADITIONS.

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