Uncommon Freedom

Prospering With Purpose: Building a Vision Bigger than Yourselves

• Kevin Tinter

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Does your vision for building wealth go beyond just securing a comfortable lifestyle? Do you dream of creating a legacy of generosity that outlasts you? Many couples have the desire to use their prosperity to make a positive impact, but aren't sure how to go about it.

In this episode, Kevin and Bekah, successful married entrepreneurs, share 4 strategies to get  you and your spouse on the path of prospering with purpose. You'll discover how to:

  • Craft a compelling family mission statement that unifies your "why"
  • Maximize your charitable giving through automation and donor-advised funds
  • Develop a proactive plan to support the causes closest to your heart
  • Establish your legacy wishes with the guidance of an estate planning attorney

Kevin and Bekah also dive into their personal journey of faithful stewardship, from tithing on a tiny military income to now hosting 30-50 person gatherings in their home each month. They offer practical tips on how to get your kids involved in generosity, research charities, and have fun while being a blessing to others.

Whether you're just beginning your wealth-building journey or well on your way, this episode will inspire you to dream bigger about the impact your prosperity can have on your family, community and world for generations to come. Tune in now to learn how to write your own legacy of purpose-driven abundance!

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Speaker 1:

Well, hey there, Freedom Fighters. Question for you why do you want to build wealth as a couple? Is it just about securing a comfortable lifestyle for yourselves, or do you dream of making an impact beyond your own little family?

Speaker 2:

Well, today we want to invite you into a grander vision for your prosperity, because when you have a purpose for building wealth that's bigger than yourselves, you tap into a whole new level of unity, motivation and joy.

Speaker 1:

Prosperity with a purpose is definitely one of our core values. Yes, we learned that phrase from the book Thou Shall Prosper by Rabbi Daniel Lappin, and it was such a cool concept. He talks about the fact that we have a moral obligation to make as much money in this world that we possibly can so that we can do as much good in this world as we possibly can. Now, of course, people can take everything to extremes, and we're not saying wear yourself out to get rich. But the bottom line is, if you have capacity to do more and you're choosing instead to sit on the couch, watch Netflix, maybe even play too much golf or too much recreation, whatever it might be and I love golf you're probably not stewarding what God has given you well. So God entrusts us with resources not to hoard selfishly, but to steward faithfully and generously. So, beck, is there a time that you can remember where you were steward something faithfully and generously? Maybe it's just something you were giving to others, putting you on on the spot here.

Speaker 2:

That's a loaded question. Are you talking about financially?

Speaker 1:

or otherwise.

Speaker 2:

Just anything. I'm just asking. I mean, I feel like as a teacher I was being, I was stewarding a classroom full of kids other people's children and I wasn't a parent at the time. So I would definitely probably have gone even next level as a parent now, but I mean, I definitely did not take lightly the fact that I had six hours a day or seven hours a day with these little minds to not just build educational information into their brains but really character development and work ethic and things like that.

Speaker 2:

So that's probably the the one that comes to mind very good.

Speaker 1:

What about you, babe? What about me? Well, I thought of the question right before asking it, so it's not like I prepped and didn't give you time to prep.

Speaker 2:

I want you to understand.

Speaker 1:

That's going to be amazing one of the, the, the things that I remember and this is fresh in my mind because, uh, I actually kind of touch on this uh, prepping for the, uh, the roar men's retreat that I'm going to be speaking at this weekend, which will have already happened by the time this airs uh, but super excited to be speaking out in Bakersfield. But do you remember when we were in the Marine Corps, living in Okinawa? Um, we were finally both earning a full-time salary not a significant salary Um, we had paid off our school loans. And do you remember like we would have like visiting Marines in, or just visiting missionaries, and we would take them out to lunch? We would go to, you know, the, what was that? The Rose Garden? Was that the restaurant we would go to brunch? Sure, in Okinawa they had the best French toast in the world Holy smokes. But we would take people out.

Speaker 2:

Sounds really good right now.

Speaker 1:

It does sound really good. Yes, we would take people out and we would just pick up the tap and we didn't have a ton of money but we were finally in a spot where we had a little extra and it was, it was fun, it. You know, blessed to be a blessing is another saying that we have, and our friend Peggy Curtis, you know there was. There was actually a lot of that amongst some of our closer friends in Okinawa, where it was kind of who could be the first to bless everyone? Uh, our like John March was another very generous person and we had a saying that you can't rob me of the opportunity to bless you can't turn down a blessing.

Speaker 2:

Can't turn down a blessing. That's what we would say when we would argue over the check and someone else picking up the tab. Yeah yeah, pretty cool and I think you know we're talking about finances, but obviously, and I well, I mentioned relationships with those students, but uh, even in the marine corps and and nowadays, you know, when we see people that need a place to have a holiday meal or something like that, like it was really fun to steward hospitality and basically say you're not with your family.

Speaker 2:

you know we're a small family and then together we can create a bigger community atmosphere. So I think we've always gathered people as well.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, another form of stewardship, and when you think of the parable of the talents or the three servants and how you know the expectation was you were given one, you should multiply that. I think back to some of the places, the early places.

Speaker 1:

we lived tiny little apartments and we have really gathered and wherever we lived, and now we're blessed as, pretty much progressively, every house has gotten bigger and bigger. I feel like we have seen that blessing from God play out because we hosted people in the small places and then we got a slightly larger place and now we have a very large home and we host gosh Saturday night you know 40 people and we probably host some type of event of 30-plus people at least once a month and it's exhausting.

Speaker 2:

But it's really Once a month, you think.

Speaker 1:

Between poker and our coaching events and you know school events and things like that. Yeah, I would say it's definitely.

Speaker 2:

We also had, up to you know, 200 people at the house and yeah, it is tiring, but also we built a house to host.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

First for our family, but also for others, because we knew that it was something we already enjoyed and believed that was again part of that stewardship principle was to gather people whether it's teenagers, or coaches or friends.

Speaker 1:

So tactic one set a giving goal as a percentage of your income to donate each month. Now, as Bible-believing Christians, we believe at a minimum it should be 10%. Now, is this a salvation issue? No, but a tithe literally means a tenth and we feel like that is a minimum. And I know there's also a lot of churches that will do like a tithing challenge where they tell people because the stats on how much the average churchgoer gives are they're they're abysmal yeah and it's down like to one to two percent.

Speaker 1:

Um, even if you think of some of the great celebrities out there and some of the former presidents we've had, um, you know, multi-million dollar net worths. When you actually look at what they give, it's, it's about%. The number might be large, but the actual percentage is very small. So check your favorite politician before you put them on too high of a pedestal. But 10% as a minimum, and we really encourage you to make this a right-off-the-top automated decision and then, over time, start to increase that amount.

Speaker 2:

Yep. So your action step is to automate your giving by setting up recurring donations to your favorite charities, and for us it's a decision we've already made. Obviously we add some, I guess occasionally we remove some, but basically, because it's automated, sometimes I have to ask you what are we giving again to this one? Because I know where we give but I don't always know the amounts because I don't see them come out of the bank account.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and practically speaking, charities, they're businesses. Hopefully they're running their finances like a business and so they depend on a budget, and so if you can automate it, that's helpful. If you've made a pledge to a missionary or to some type of building fund or something like that, please follow through on that. I don't know what the follow-through stats are. I bet that there's. I'd be shocked if it's better than 50%, but that's just something else to keep in mind.

Speaker 2:

And then do your research too. We don't get down into the weeds, but we definitely look at the places that we're supporting to see if they do run an above board budget and if their budget is going towards ministry, not towards administration. And same thing with churches. We still ask what is your church budget like? Are you running in the black and what's your value for debt and things like that, so that we're making the best decision we can, knowing once we give it, it's God's, but we still want to be good stewards.

Speaker 1:

Absolutely.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. So number two is have a proactive plan for generosity and that helps you give more strategically and tax efficiently. So tactic number two is to use a donor-advised fund to maximize your charitable contributions.

Speaker 1:

Tell us about this, kevin, do you want to give people a little lesson on donor-advised?

Speaker 2:

funds. I do not want to, because I don't even know what that means.

Speaker 1:

Very good, I love it. Please go back to previous episodes where we've discussed strengths and weaknesses working in your genus. I'm trying to stay awake during this episode.

Speaker 2:

No, I'm just kidding. I love giving Finances and all that is a little bit of a snore for me, that's why you married me, right?

Speaker 1:

That's why you married up.

Speaker 2:

Let's keep the conversation moving here.

Speaker 1:

So a donor advised fund is essentially a bank account where you get the tax credit the year that you make the donation to the donor advised fund, but it becomes a holding account so that you can then direct where you want that money to go. So we have accomplished the same thing by creating that electronic envelope system with our business. We talked about this, I believe, on the last episode. The reason that I don't do a donor advised fund is they take a small percentage, and it's understandable because they have administrative costs. I think it's about 2% or 3%, and if you do not have the discipline to put money aside and not touch it when you have some type of financial emergency, then give to a donor-advised fund. It creates a lot of flexibility. It's a great way to go.

Speaker 1:

I want 100% of our money to go to charities, so it's also why I try, whenever possible, to not make a donation via credit card, because then the credit card processing company is getting a percentage. And, by the way, many, if not most, of those companies are against everything we stand for. The values that they have are far left wing, and so we just try to be conscious about not only where we give but how we give and we try to steward as much as we can. So, but for the average person, if you're giving to above and beyond your church, then a donor advised fund is a great way to go. You can accumulate money and then you can make direct, basically large donations whenever you feel like it. So research donor-advised fund options and open account if you don't have one yet.

Speaker 2:

That's your action step for number two. Okay, number three clarity on your big why, for building wealth helps you or keeps you unified and motivated. As a couple and boy, we've had some fun with this. One is really figuring out what we can do with wealth beyond just indulging ourselves in our family members. It's really figuring out some really large causes and things that were passion projects for us that we can give to. So really creating a family mission statement that articulates your shared purpose. And what I love is our kids really understand at least a number of the places we give to, because they've chosen to give to those as well. When they have their own giving money, they understand. You know the missionary that we support, the hands of hope that we take care of in Tucson and Kenya. You know where we've gone and put hands and feet to what we do. So when the boys have chosen to give, they're giving money. They're giving to something that they understand, something that they can taste, smell, see, experience, and I think that's part of creating that big why.

Speaker 1:

So real quick. Tactic three is to create a family mission statement. I'm not sure if you mentioned that.

Speaker 1:

I want to make sure people understand that that articulates your shared purpose, and this is actually something that we just discussed we're going to formalize. We have not done this. We have family values that we will then morph into our family mission statement. We will have that done. We actually already planned, talked about doing it on a trip, when the kids are on a good mood and we can have some good conversation about it. And then the action step is to draft your family mission statement together and post it prominently in your home. So another cool activity is to consider a family crest For us.

Speaker 1:

We've had our family crest for a while and it really does encapsulate our core values. It's cross, it's got all of our initials, you and I on opposite side. We'll have to post a photo of our crest. It's pretty cool. Our son, austin, really played a big role in helping to design it. And then I believe it's Deuteronomy 28 that just talks about raising up your family properly and the blessing that goes with that. So there's a little bonus assignment for you. If you want to, we have it stamped into our concrete at the threshold of our driveway gate.

Speaker 2:

Thank you, Teresa, for helping with that project.

Speaker 1:

Yes, good job on that. We have it hanging in our main hallway and we also have it hanging outside in our patio main patio area.

Speaker 2:

So it's pretty fun to see A constant reminder, and it's actually really beautiful. We had it done in metal.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and we get tons of compliments. Lots of people have been inspired by it and I've said many times I have no intentions of ever getting a tattoo, but if I got one, that would be it.

Speaker 2:

Same.

Speaker 1:

I've thought about a tattoo, but if I got one, that would be it same. I've thought about a tattoo many times and if I do, that's what I'm going to put on the inside of my wrist. I think so well, maybe we'll get tattoos together, like today.

Speaker 2:

We got testosterone pellets together. We have matching butt patches. Yes, tattoos would be a little cooler.

Speaker 2:

I guess we're not going to attach any pictures of our but we will put a picture of our family crest, hopefully, in this episode. All right. Number four is thinking beyond your own lifetime and that creates a legacy that can bless generations. So again, getting to the place of wealth creation where you're not just living for yourself and you're not just living for the present, but really the seeds that you can sow into people, relationships and ministries that are going to far outlast you.

Speaker 1:

So what's tactic four? Tactic four is to meet with an estate planning attorney to put your legacy wishes in writing. So we started this about two years ago. I didn't get any follow-up and I actually, just so you know, I have talked to our friend Tim, who is an attorney and works with someone who's done estate planning for quite a while, and so I am working on scheduling a lunch meeting with them so that we can redo what we have. We have had an estate plan in place for quite a while, but we definitely want to update it with our just increased financial status and just some of the things we've learned.

Speaker 2:

Different ages of our children now Absolutely Something that you do need to revisit, based on the ages of your kids, caregivers and intentions, yeah, so action step is to request attorney referrals and book a consultation within the next 90 days.

Speaker 1:

One thing I'll just advise you know anytime you're dealing with a service provider like this if you don't have a warm, fuzzy feeling with them, go find someone else.

Speaker 1:

Okay, don't be afraid to shop around. Don't use someone just because they're a family or a friend a family member or a friend and, in all honesty, be cautious with that, because you might choose to stick with them longer than you should. They might not be properly equipped to really help you with something like this. Referrals are the best way to find people for things like this, and you know some of the things to consider is you know, when are you going to give your kids their inheritance? You know, if, god forbid, you pass away younger than you should, are they going to get it all when they turn 18 or 21? You know, we have a plan to really give them, very slowly, little amounts and kind of a clause where you know if there's substance abuse, they're not going to have access to it.

Speaker 1:

The other thing is helping them understand that you don't get to be rich just because we've worked really hard and accumulated wealth. We want you. We believe that an inheritance is a scriptural thing, but it's not so that you don't have to work, and so we've talked about allowing them to have access to their estate, specifically if we're gone early, but maybe you know, we might choose to give that to them early if it's a matching type of thing for either college. God forbid, hopefully they don't go to college. Um, they need to go for the right reasons. The right reasons. Um, or a down payment on a house, like we have thought we're starting a business.

Speaker 2:

We're starting a business. Absolutely, we'd love to have our kids be entrepreneurial.

Speaker 1:

But our intent isn't for them to have an easy road just because we have worked hard and we have built some wealth. We want to see that they have skin in the game.

Speaker 2:

Exactly so your action step. Oh, we already did that. One right To request an attorney. Absolutely you, and I aren't listening to each other, apparently, we're just talking back and forth into the microphone. Okay, so, uh, basically, building wealth is so much more fulfilling when you do it with a purpose bigger than yourself. We can totally attest to that. So when your prosperity becomes a tool to spread more love, more hope and more impact in the world, then it becomes incredible. Oh, it's so much fun.

Speaker 1:

So, as we close out this four-part series, our challenge to you is to dream bigger. Take some time this week to envision the kind of impact you want to have as a couple in your family, in your community and in the world. Get your kids involved. Ask your kids where would they like to go to serve. What are some things that they're passionate about? That's really important.

Speaker 2:

Absolutely. And then pick one tactic from today's episode to start translating that vision into action. Maybe it's drafting a family mission statement together or researching a donor advised fund.

Speaker 1:

However you choose to prosper with a purpose. Know that we are cheering you on every step of the way. Be sure to let us know how it's going and what topics you'd like to hear more about. And if you happen to have a family crest, please tag us and post it on social media. We would love to see those family crests.

Speaker 2:

Absolutely Okay. Until next time, keep fighting for uncommon freedom in your marriage, your money and your mission.