Frank and Katherine were raised to be thrifty, hard-working, God-fearing children of God. They raised their children in the faith and enjoyed sharing Bible stories with their grandchildren.

Frank and Katherine were known to not waste a thing—washing and reusing disposable items, ripping off the bottom half of a piece of mail that came to use for scrap paper. They had been diligent savers, putting a portion of weekly income into an investment account.

Years ago, their advisor had directed them to put investments in annuities. Since that time, all growth on their investments had grown tax-deferred. They never planned on spending any of it. They planned on giving it all to their children as inheritance. Little did they know that a large portion of that inheritance would simply be paid in taxes.

An LCMS Foundation Gift Planning Counselor had presented at their church and raised the topic of wise tax planning. They brushed it off. They did not see the value. This couple that rejoiced about saving pennies at a time by reusing old things threw away tens of thousands of dollars in taxes that could have enriched their children’s inheritance or created a nice bequest to their Church, enabling more people to hear about Jesus.

We often put off such work because venturing into topics that we have never discussed before intimidates us. Yet the story of Frank and Katherine illustrates for all of us that a few hours of conversation and planning could potentially magnify the effect of a lifetime of careful stewardship of God’s gifts.

Jason Jones, CGP, CDE, is Saint John’s Gift Planning Counselor. Jason works with individuals in our congregation who want to discover the lifetime plan that God has planted in their heart. He will help them to use this plan to Transfer the Blessings God has given them to their family and the ministries they love. This service comes to you at no cost as a member of Saint John’s. To schedule a free meeting with Jason or ask questions about this special opportunity, visit www.StJohnsFC.org/transfer-the-blessings, call (970) 988-0305 or email Jason.Jones@lfnd.org.