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Pension Fund Board Meets, Finalizes 2025 – 2027 Strategic Plan Read the Full Press Release

Pension Fund of the Christian Church

Employer-Sponsored Retirement Products

Overview

As a church plan, Pension Fund is able to offer flexible and worry-free retirement options for employers and their employees. Our team of Area Directors will meet with you to discuss your needs and help you get started.

Individual Savings & Retirement Products

Overview

Whether you’re just starting out or closer to retirement, choose from a variety of products to help you reach your retirement and savings goals.

Program Applicants

Ministerial Relief & Assistance

Our relief programs meet the evolving needs of new, active, and retired clergy and their families to ensure all ministers and lay workers can enjoy a strong, smart, secure retirement.

Supporters & Donors

Make An Impact with a Donation

Your gifts and financial support helps ministry workers in need bridge the unexpected from now until retirement (and beyond).

Resources

Overview

Discover planning and educational tools & resources to help you navigate your financial wellness journey.

For Members & Clergy

For Members

Guides, factsheets and resources to aid you on the Road to Financial Wellness.

For Clergy

Clergy-specific resources to support your call to ministry.

Retirement Readiness

Ready to retire soon? Get answers to common retirement questions to help you prepare for the next step.

For Employers

For Employers

Hiring tip sheets, tax guides and more to help you manage your employees' benefits.

Your Money Line

Pension Fund has partnered with Pete the Planner® to provide members with access to financial guides who will help answer your tough financial questions & online tools such as calculators and eLearning courses.

Stay Connected

Employer-Sponsored Retirement Products

Overview

As a church plan, Pension Fund is able to offer flexible and worry-free retirement options for employers and their employees. Our team of Area Directors will meet with you to discuss your needs and help you get started.

Individual Savings & Retirement Products

Overview

Whether you’re just starting out or closer to retirement, choose from a variety of products to help you reach your retirement and savings goals.

Program Applicants

Ministerial Relief & Assistance

Our relief programs meet the evolving needs of new, active, and retired clergy and their families to ensure all ministers and lay workers can enjoy a strong, smart, secure retirement.

Supporters & Donors

Make An Impact with a Donation

Your gifts and financial support helps ministry workers in need bridge the unexpected from now until retirement (and beyond).

Resources

Overview

Discover planning and educational tools & resources to help you navigate your financial wellness journey.

Your Money Line

Pension Fund has partnered with Pete the Planner® to provide members with access to financial guides who will help answer your tough financial questions & online tools such as calculators and eLearning courses.

Building a Better Budget for the New Year

New Year New Budget 2

As we begin the new year, it’s natural to seek fresh starts and improvements in various aspects of our lives. You might have goals to improve your physical health, to finally pick up that hobby you’re interested in, or to spend more quality time with family or friends. Among the most common resolutions people make is improving our financial stability and confidence. While a worthwhile effort, there’s a catch – there is no one-size-fits-all approach to budgeting. So this year, as we kick off our New Year’s Resolutions, let’s explore how diverse budgeting strategies can lead to a financially healthier you.

Personal finance is as varied as the individuals managing it. Whether you’re a recent graduate starting a new career, a family planning for your children’s education, or you are simply approaching retirement, your financial strategy should reflect your journey. For example, the concept of money scripts (or our subconscious beliefs about money) dramatically influences how we handle our finances. Understanding these scripts is critical to developing a budgeting approach that resonates with you and your cultural/familial background. So, how do we navigate the plethora of budgeting advice available?

Start by acknowledging your financial goals and circumstances. Our financial goals, just like us, can be vastly different. Are you aiming to increase retirement savings? Do you want to reduce debt or save for a major purchase? Even if it is learning to manage daily expenses more effectively, this is a launching point to explore different strategies for budgeting. Here are three strategies to consider:

  • A zero-balance budget
    Ideal for the most meticulous of planners. This method involves assigning every dollar of your income for a specific purpose. Consider adding a savings category that allows you to contribute more to your retirement plans or a savings account like the Benefit Accumulation Account.
  • Cash and carry
    Perfect for those who want to curb overspending, this method uses cash for different spending categories making it harder to spend over the cash amount you’ve allotted. A debit card works with this method as well.
  • The lazy man’s budget
    Like the zero-balance budget, the lazy man’s budget starts by assigning dollars to specific goals. It is intended to make sure you’re covering your bills and growing your savings. However, the dollars available after your goals are funded can be used at your discretion. You are free to spend the discretionary dollars on things such as dining out with friends or going to the movies.

Let this New Year be a springboard for not just any financial change, but the right change for you. Embrace the diversity in financial planning, understanding that your journey is uniquely yours. As you explore different budgeting strategies, remember that the goal is to manage your money better and align your financial habits with your life’s goals and dreams. Here’s to a prosperous and personalized financial New Year!

Gifts by generous donors to Ministerial Relief and Assistance (MRA) make programs like Your Money Line possible. Learn more about MRA here.

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