How To Make More Friends Than You Can Handle

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The first step to maintaining healthy friendships is to realize that you really do NEED friends.

Solomon, the wisest man that ever lived gave this vital guidance, “as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”  Proverbs 27:17

That means that we make each other better.  It seems pretty important to God that we have good friendships.  The Bible is full of examples of this.

Think about the amazing friendship of Jonathan and David.  Jonathan warned David that his life was in danger at the hands of Jonathan‘s own father, King Saul.  This warning allowed David to take action and avoid harm, and ultimately this act of true friendship allow David to take the throne.

Friends look out for each other.  They should have each other‘s back.  Your friends are the ones who will be there for you when everything in your life is falling apart.

The second step is to be friendly and willing to meet new people.  The Bible says, “A man who has friends must himself be friendly barbers . . .” Proverbs 18:24

Put a smile on your face, stick out your hand and meet new people.  Opportunities abound for making new friends if you’re willing to actively pursue new relationships. Get involved in a local church, join a social organization, volunteer at the local schools or another nonprofit organization. These are all great ways to meet new people and do good in the community at the same time.

The third step to building relationships is to make yourself vulnerable even at the risk of being rejected.  The reality is that not everyone is going to like you.  And, you are not going to like everyone.

Look for people with similar interests or a common background.  If you don’t connect with someone, just move on.  You will certainly find several good friends if you keep working towards making friends.

You will find a fourth step most helpful if you make it a natural part of your life: put others needs ahead of your home. The Bible gives this vital guidance:  “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourself, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Philippians 2:3-4

Have you ever met people who want you to listen to all the details about their life but then they never bother to ask about yours?  Be interested in other people.  In humility don’t try to “one up” their stories.  Just listen, smile, and ask genuine questions. Get to know them.

If you want to make friends, it is vital that you get interested in other people.  Discover their story.  Dale Carnegie writes, “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people then you can make in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”

You might find it helpful to evaluate how you talk with other people.  Are you genuinely interested in others or does every conversation revolve around you?  Did you make yourself the hero of every story?  Do you find it necessary to talk about your successes and achievements?  Are you trying to impress people or relate to people?

If you really want to make friends, get interested in other people.  Learn about them.  Listen to their stories and ask questions.  If you listen and genuinely care about others, you’ll have more friends than you can handle in a short time.

Story by Timothy Neptune, lead pastor of Venture Church in Naples, FL.

 

How Does Your Employer’s Retirement Plan Compare?

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Each year, the Plan Sponsor Council of America (PSCA) surveys employers to gauge trends in retirement plan features and participation. These vital results are used by employers and plan participants to benchmark their plans against overall averages. How does your plan compare to the most recent survey results, released at the end of 2018?(1)

Participation and savings rates

Plan participation (that is, the percentage of participants contributing to the plan) was on the rise, increasing from 77% in 2010 to 85% in 2017. Employees in the financial, insurance and real estate, manufacturing, and technology and telecommunications sectors were most likely to contribute (more than 85% of eligible employees), while those in the transportation, utility, and energy sectors (75.6%) and wholesale distribution and retail trade sectors (59.7%) were least likely.

The average amount participants contributed to their plans rose from 6.2% of salary in 2010 to 7.1% in 2017. Participants in the health-care sector contributed the most (8.7%), while those in durable goods manufacturing contributed the least (6.3%).

Roth option on the rise

Roth contributions are growing in popularity among 401(k) plans. Unlike traditional pre-tax contributions that are deducted from a paycheck before income taxes are assessed, Roth contributions are made in after-tax dollars. The primary benefit is that “qualified” withdrawals from a Roth account are tax-free. A withdrawal is qualified if the account has been held for at least five years and it has been made after the participant reaches age 59½, dies, or becomes disabled.

The percentage of plans allowing participants to make Roth contributions rose from 45.5% in 2010 to nearly 70% in 2017. Almost 20% of eligible employees made Roth contributions.

Company contributions

Nearly all employers surveyed contributed to their employees’ plans through matching contributions, non-matching contributions, or a combination of both. And it appears that employers have become more generous over time, as the average company contribution rose from 3.5% in 2010 to 5.1% in 2017. Moreover, many employers impose a vesting schedule on their contributions through which plan participants earn the right to keep the company contributions over time. In 2017, less than 40% of companies allowed their employees to become immediately vested in the company contributions.

Investment options

When it comes to your retirement plan, how many options would you prefer on your investment menu? Too few funds could limit the opportunity for an appropriate level of diversification, while too many funds might cause an overwhelming decision-making process without the vital guidance. So what’s the “right” number?

According to an article in InvestmentNews, an appropriate number of investment options (typically mutual funds) is 15 to 20.(2) And according to the PSCA, employers seem to be following this guideline, as the average number of funds offered among survey respondents was 20.

The most common types of funds offered were indexed domestic equity funds (84.6% of plans), followed by actively managed domestic equity funds (83.6%), actively managed domestic bond funds (78.9%), and actively managed international/global equity funds (77.9%). Target-date funds — those that offer a diversified mix of different types of investments based on a participant’s target retirement date — were offered in 70.6% of plans.

Overall, the two most popular types of funds, based on percentage of assets invested, were target-date funds and actively managed domestic equity funds.(3)  Information from Broadridge Investor Communications Solutions, Inc.

1PSCA, 61st Annual Survey
2 InvestmentNews, February 16, 2018
3The return and principal value of mutual funds fluctuate with market conditions. Shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost. A bond fund is a mutual fund that comprises mostly bonds and other debt instruments. The mix of bonds depends on each fund’s focus and stated objectives. Bond funds are subject to the same inflation, interest rate, and credit risks as their underlying bonds. As interest rates rise, bond prices typically fall, which can adversely affect a bond fund’s performance. Investing internationally carries additional risks such as differences in financial reporting, currency exchange risk, as well as economic and political risk unique to the specific country; this may result in greater share price volatility. The target date is the approximate date when an investor plans to withdraw money. The mix of investments in the target-date fund becomes more conservative as the date grows closer. The further away the date, the greater the risks the fund usually takes. The principal value is not guaranteed at any time, including on or after the target date. There is no guarantee that a target-date fund will meet its stated objectives. It is important to note that no two target-date funds with the same target date are alike. Typically, they won’t have the same asset allocation, investment holdings, turnover rate, or glide path.

Study Reveals 10 Minutes Makes A Difference In Life

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It has been known for decades that exercising is one of the vital help factors in humans living a longer and healthier life. One aspect that experts have disagreed on, however, is just how much exercise needs to be put in play on a weekly basis for the benefits to be enjoyed.

While it remains true that more is usually better in regards to exercise, a British journal recently published a story that just 10 minutes of exercise a week is linked to a longer and more fruitful life.

This seems like it can’t be real on a number of levels.  The federal physical activity guidelines, for example, state that 75 minutes of vigorous exercise or 150 minutes of moderate exercise are needed for any benefits to be felt.  That is far more than the 10 minutes recommended by this survey, an amount of time that is shorter than one regular scene in Game of Thrones.

So can this level of exercise really be beneficial? Can it provide vital help to your body’s systems?  Will just 10 minutes of exercise be enough to help you live your life in a better way?

This study focused on an initial pool of 88,000 American adults who were between the ages of 40 and 85.  They were tracked by researchers for nine years during which time information was collected on the amount that each exercised.  That data was then correlated with any physical ailments that the subjects contracted to see how exercise affected life.

While the big takeaway will be that ANY exercise increases longevity, it is just as important to note here that the reduction in risk factors increased greatly the MORE a person exercised.  It is not news that exercising more reduces the risk factors of heart disease and general cardiovascular health, and as we get older the need to exercise to prevent these issues increases dramatically.

What this study does is give a great laughing point for people who need the vital help of exercise but who find some of the guidelines and expectations to be too much for them.  An adult hitting the gym three times a week and playing sports on the other days isn’t suddenly going to just drop to this 10 minutes of exercise per week – no one is wired that way.

Instead this is great information to share with perhaps a grandparent or family friend who just doesn’t see the benefits of exercise.  To that person, perhaps something as simple as walking around the block two or three times a week would be a gateway to a more exercise driven life.

The more we learn about exercise and how it helps ward of diseases, the more we need to encourage everyone in our lives to work out.  Be that vital mentor, give that vital guidance, and get everyone you know exercising for at least 10 minutes a week.  Their desire to be healthy will only grow from there.

What’s Your Opinion On Raising Children?

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Everyone has an opinion about how to raise children, even those without them. The fact is, no two kids are the same so the experience of raising children will not be the exact same for parents.  Some kids will listen and some will not, some kids will be calm and still and others will not, and some kids will need more vital guidance than others.

The Bible is one of the best resources we have for how to raise children.  Not only does it provides vital guidance about parenting children, but it also provides guidance for being a parent.  The child-rearing experience will still be different for parents but the Bible helps with their responsibility to teach a good foundation for children to thrive in the world.

Here is a short list of some of the best verses for parents and children:

“Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it” comes from the Book of Proverbs.  There are a few different ways people view this verse from raising a child based on his or her talent to growing the child up in God’s Word for character and a relationship a with Him.  The latter view sees a relationship with God as more important than earthly talents.  However, the overall goal would still be to have a child with godly character who still thrives to be the best at his or her talent(s).

There are also verses about “children obey your parents” and “Fathers do not provoke your children to anger but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” in the Books of Ephesians and Colossians.  At times, it’s a natural response to be upset with children when they do not listen or have intentionally damaged something that was important to you.  However, that is when parents must fall on the vital guidance of the Fruits of The Spirit to parent in a way that is comforting and safe for children to learn from their actions.  In the end, parents will see it was just stuff that was not more important than their relationship with their children.

There is no guarantee how children will turn out as they grow up, but parents still have a responsibility to teach them right from wrong.  If you do this based on varying opinions of others then your children can’t explained why their beliefs are what they are because they were never a solid foundation. They were just the opinions of others that can readily change based on how they are feeling that day.

In the Book of Deuteronomy, the Bible says “these words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts.  And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit in your house, when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”

Today, there are many ways to learn those words.  Reading, audio as well as Bible videos are available in many languages as well as at our fingertips because many of us have mobile phones.  So the next time you’re in the comfort of your home, traveling or relaxing before bedtime, read or listen to a few verses for knowledge of how to train up a child.

Rules on Opening a 529 Plan Account for College

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Year over year, participation in 529 plans continues to rise.1 Anyone can open an account, lifetime contribution limits are typically over $300,000, and there are tax benefits if the funds are used for college. Here are some vital guidance to common questions on opening an account.
Can I open an account in any state’s 529 plan or am I limited to my own state’s plan?
Answer: It depends on the type of 529 plan you have: college savings plan or prepaid tuition plan. With a college savings plan, you open an individual investment account and direct your contributions to one or more of the plan’s investment portfolios. With a prepaid tuition plan, you purchase education credits at today’s prices and redeem them in the future for college tuition. Forty-nine states (all but Wyoming) offer one or more college savings plans, but only a few states offer prepaid tuition plans.
529 college savings plans are typically available to residents of any state, and funds can be used at any accredited college in the United States or abroad. But 529 prepaid tuition plans are typically limited to state residents and apply to in-state public colleges.
Why might you decide to open an account in another state’s 529 college savings plan? The other plan might offer better investment options, lower management fees, a stronger investment track record, or better customer service. If you decide to go this route, keep in mind that some states may limit certain 529 plan tax benefits, such as a state income tax deduction for contributions, to residents who join the in-state plan.
Is there an age limit on who can be a beneficiary of a 529 account?
Answer: There is no beneficiary age limit specified in Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code, but some states may impose one. You’ll need to check the rules of each plan you’re considering. Also, some states may require that the account be in place for a specified minimum length of time before funds can be withdrawn. This is important if you expect to make withdrawals quickly because the beneficiary is close to college age.
Can more than one 529 account be opened for the same child?
Answer: Yes. You (or anyone else) can open multiple 529 accounts for the same beneficiary, as long as you do so under different 529 plans (college savings plan or prepaid tuition plan). For example, you could open a college savings plan account with State A and State B for the same beneficiary, or you could open a college savings plan account and a prepaid tuition plan account with State A for the same beneficiary. But you can’t open two college savings plan accounts in the same 529 plan in State A for the same beneficiary.
Also keep in mind that if you do open multiple 529 accounts for the same beneficiary, each plan has its own lifetime contribution limit, and contributions can’t be made after the limit is reached. Some states consider the accounts in other states to determine whether the limit has been reached. For these states, the total balance of all plans (in all states) cannot exceed the maximum lifetime contribution limit.
Can I open a 529 account in anticipation of my future grandchild?
Answer: Technically, no, because the beneficiary must have a Social Security number. But you can do so in a roundabout way. First, you’ll need to open an account and name as the beneficiary a family member who will be related to your future grandchild. Then when your grandchild is born, you (the account owner) can change the beneficiary to your grandchild. Check the details carefully of any plan you’re considering because some plans may impose age restrictions on the beneficiary, such as being under age 21. This may pose a problem if you plan to name your adult son or daughter as the initial beneficiary.
What happens if I open a 529 plan in one state and then move to another state?
Answer: Essentially, nothing happens if you have a college savings plan. But most prepaid tuition plans require that either the account owner or the beneficiary be a resident of the state operating the plan. So if you move to another state, you may have to cash in the prepaid tuition plan.
If you have a college savings plan, you can simply leave the account open and keep contributing to it. Alternatively, you can switch 529 plans by rolling over the assets from that plan to a new 529 plan. You can keep the same beneficiary when you do the rollover (under IRS rules, you’re allowed one 529 plan same-beneficiary rollover once every 12 months), but check the details of each plan for any potential restrictions. If you decide to stay with your original 529 plan, just remember that your new state might limit any potential 529 plan tax benefits to residents who participate in the in-state plan.
1 Strategic Insight, 529 Data Highlights, 3Q 2018

Helping Your Pet Live A Fun & Healthy Life

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Most people enjoy the company of a pet.  Pets can bring fun, comfort and a feeling of love to owners as well as strangers.   No matter which pet you decide is best for you or your family, you should plan to invest time and money to ensure a healthy animal.  Here are some vital guidance to having a healthy pet:

Pets can become overweight if you feed them any and many times a day.   Just how most people and families have set times for breakfast, lunch and dinner, you should plan a meal time for your pet.  This can help you control calories if there need to be an increase or reduced amount of calories.

Amount and timing of meals are important, and so is the type of food.  It is vital you learn how to feed your pet a balanced, nutritious diet.  Pet stores are stocked with some of the best brands for proper nutrition like IAMS, Science Diet and Purina.   Learn which brand of food is best for your pet by paying attention to how your pet behaves after a meal as well as from consulting a veterinarian.

Along with a control diet, you should learn the best exercises for your pet.  We know walking the dog helps and putting hamsters on a running wheel helps, but there are many other ways to exercise those pets using toys and other gadgets.

However, the best way to ensure a healthy pet is to take them into a veterinarian office for annual examinations.  This will help detect problems early and can even prevent certain issues.  These annual exams could also save you a lot of money and time if they prevent emergency visits and surgeries.

During your veterinarian visits, you should learn about the required and optional vaccinations.  Some vaccinations will protect your pet against deadly diseases such as distemper, parvo and rabies.  While other preventative medicine can keep your pet free of parasites such as fleas, ticks and heartworm.   There are so many products for pets so consult your vet for vital guidance.

If you’re not a breeder, also talk to your vet about having your pet spayed or neutered to help them live a longer and healthier life.  Spaying reduces or eliminates the odds of breast cancer and dangerous uterine infections in females.  Neutering decreases prostate problems and testicular cancer in males.

Besides you being a great pet owner, all the suggestions above are the best chances of you giving your pet a long, healthy and fun life.

NFL Brandon Copeland Investing For A Better Future

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We hear stories all the time about pro athletes finding a way to lose tens of millions, and even hundreds of millions, of dollars that they have made during their career. Therefore, it’s always interesting to hear about an athlete that understands how to manage his finances.

New York Jets linebacker Brandon Copeland is one such player and it is his knowledge of the real estate market that has helped set him up for life after football. Copeland was not a player who entered the NFL with high expectations or one of the huge contracts that comes with being a high round draft pick. While the 6-foot-3, 263 pounder certainly has the size to play as an outside linebacker/defensive end hybrid in the league, the perceived lack of competition that he faced while playing at Penn saw Copeland go undrafted in the 2013 NFL Draft.

After initially spending time on the practice squad of the Baltimore Ravens, Copeland landed a job with the Detroit Lions in 2015, before moving on to the Jets for the 2018 season. All that bouncing around is part of what made real estate investing so appealing to the Ivy Leaguer.

Copeland’s collegiate experience was one that seems to have set him up well to avoid the money pitfalls of most athletes. The Wharton School graduate spent a pair of summers while in school interning at an investment bank. He also spent his 2017 off-season working on Wall Street. All of those moves were made so that Copeland could get vital guidance about investing, more about real estate, and more about how to use money to make money.

It is real estate which is one of Copeland’s key focus areas when it comes to saving and investing. He opened a company in the real estate sector with his wife in 2018, a decision they came to together after spending time and energy flipping houses for profit. By expanding that hobby into a company, Copeland is able to take care of all aspects of house buying, selling, renovating, and flipping.

Despite his money smarts, it is actually some of Copeland’s relative failures that have pushed him to where he is today. A number of money mistakes in his early 20s, mistakes he share with a teammate with the same issues, have seen the linebacker go back to the classroom to teach a class called Life 101 to students. His class details how he lives on 10 to 15 percent of his NFL salary with the rest of his money dropping into long term investments like real estate.

While we may not all have the disposable capital of an NFL player, we can all learn something from Copeland and his journey. Invest smartly now, using long term strategies, to live better in the future.

Vital Nutrients Fuel Peak Performance

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We often look at athletes and other people that seem to have limitless energy with a sense of wonder. The way a LeBron James or a Patrick Mahomes is able to operate at peak performance over a season that stretches for months on end is nothing short of remarkable. One of the major reasons for this is that these players are in tune with what their bodies need, taking on just the right amounts of vital nutrients to stay at their best.

We can learn a lot from these athletes in this regard. While we may not lead lives that depend on our athletic abilities and skills to earn a contract, we should all be looking to perform at the peak of our personal performance in our work and personal lives. Taking on vital nutrients on a daily basis is part of a much bigger overall picture to make sure that our lives are being led to their fullest.

There is literature all over the internet about which of these vital nutrients are the most needed for performance and recovery. These are especially needed by people that are active in their lives, even if being active means church league softball or hiking as opposed to playing in the NBA Finals or fighting to take your team to the Super Bowl.

Optimal performance is also important in making decisions on a day to day basis. While the wear and tear of intense activity is going to cause levels of vital nutrients in the body to drop faster than in those less active, everyone loses minerals through sweat and other aspects of daily living.

Think of this as an investment in your future. By making sure you are keeping your body balanced with calcium, iron, zinc, potassium, and more, your life will be happier in the long run. Standard improvements to health such as stronger bones and less tiredness in the mind and body will result in a better, and healthier, form of living.

The ability to retain vital nutrients and minimize fatigue is particularly important. Nothing is worse as a fan than seeing your team fall apart in the fourth quarter because they are tired. There is a reason why Gatorade has become such a well-known business, such a big brand in American sport, and that is because it refuels players with the vital nutrients that they need to mount a huge comeback or hold onto a lead late.

As a parent, an investor, a social athlete, or a working man, that same principle applies to you. If you are dragging during the day at 4pm, it is more than likely because your body minerals aren’t in balance. Sure, a coffee is an easy fix, but by adding in more exercise and a better understanding of nutrition, it is amazing how quickly you feel like a newer, and younger, version of yourself.