Understanding your investments and the financial landscape is not always easy. That is why we make it a priority to clarify, educate, and empower our investors. Whether it’s retirement funds or private equity investing, we are here to help you steward your resources well.
Biblically Responsible Investing: Why Christians Should Understand This Investment Strategy
What is Biblically Responsible Investing?
Like most people, you’re probably an “average” investor. You know you’re supposed to save for retirement—and you are! You have your retirement savings account lined up and you’re putting a percentage of your paycheck towards that account. But honestly…you’re not interested in knowing all the financial jargon or watching how the market performs.
We understand the feeling. Investing can be complicated, especially for those of us who don’t want to know the nitty gritty. We just want to make sure we have enough money put away so that we can retire when it’s time.
But what if we told you that there’s more to investing than simply putting away money? What if we told you that your money could be supporting practices that you’re morally opposed to?
As Christians, understanding how your money is invested is important…and yes, you’re right—this is where Biblically Responsible Investing (BRI) comes in. So what is Biblically Responsible Investing?
Here’s Biblically Responsible Investing in its simplest form.
Let’s start with the basics.
What does it mean to invest?
When you invest, you are simply owning a small portion of a company, which allows the company to create sustainable revenue in the long run. Remember learning about the word “capital” in your beginning Economics class? That’s basically what it is. As an investor in the company, you receive any profits and growth the company generates.
What companies should you invest in?
But, did you know that millions of dollars from Christians are unknowingly invested in companies that fund non-biblical practices? It can be shocking to discover that your investments have been supporting causes that you oppose, such as abortion or pornography.
As an owner in the company (investor), it’s important to understand what the company supports. What are the values, ethics, and morals of this company? Who is this company financially supporting? Is this company operating with integrity?
Investing from a biblical perspective
Biblically Responsible Investing is the practice of investing in companies that embrace biblical beliefs and practices. Investments are actively filtered to find companies that make ethical, responsible, and impactful decisions and to avoid companies that are opposed to your Christian values. Biblically Responsible Investing is a way for Christians to:
take stewardship of the money God has given us.
worship God through our investing.
invest with limited exposure to biblical conflicts.
Make sure you have the option to choose BRI funds
As a Faith Driven retirement plan provider, one of Envoy Financial’s goals is to provide you with investment options that align with your biblical values. Envoy objectively screens your investments to ensure you are not supporting something that contradicts your Christian values.
This commitment is gaining momentum as more BRI options become available in retirement plans.
Will BRI get you the investment results that you need?
A common concern around BRI is that the investment results could be underperforming. Thankfully, you can align your investments with your biblical beliefs and still get great results!
Recent studies show that actively managed screened investments, on average and over a long period of time, tend to perform similarly, and in some cases better than unscreened investments.
The BRI options Envoy recommends are competitive in both performance and cost compared to their non-BRI peers.
Questions about Biblically Responsible Investing?
Schedule an online/phone meeting with a licensed Envoy advisor today. We’re here to help!
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To learn more about BRI, click HERE.
6 Basic Retirement Rules
The following Retirement Rules will equip you with basic strategies to help you build your retirement fund.
For most people "retirement" is seen as a time during which you withdraw or cease from work. However, there is never a time in which we stop having value or influence in the lives of others. In fact, God has created us to minister to others for a lifetime. In order to faithfully serve God in your retirement years, you must first make sure those years are funded.
Rule 1: Save at least 10% of your income towards your Future Funded Ministry plan
This provides a simple target for you to work towards as part of a disciplined savings approach. You may start at a lower level and then focus on increasing your contributions over time to get to this percentage.
Rule 2: Plan on living 20-25 years in retirement after age 65
People who live to age 65 have a 50% chance of living to age 85 and a 25% chance of living until 92.
Rule 3: Plan on needing 70% to 80% of your income in your Future Funded Ministry years
Certain expenses will likely disappear or be reduced once you leave the workplace.
Rule 4: To make your savings last, withdraw less than 4% a year
This simple formula has proven very accurate over time. It provides a guideline for how much to withdraw each year without exhausting your retirement savings.
Rule 5: Rebalance your asset allocation at least once per year
Rebalancing is when you adjust your portfolio back to an appropriate asset allocation mix. This keeps your investments aligned with your risk tolerance and goals.
Rule 6: Bonds percentage of your portfolio equals your age
This rule is a reminder that your portfolio needs to change as you age, becoming gradually more focused on avoiding risk and providing income.
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