A Clear View for 2026

Your New Year’s Guide to Financial Health & Wellbeing

Geneva understands the complexities of ministry, financial planning, and benefits. Rev. Paul Chi, CFP®, Director of Retirement Readiness, leads a team of Financial Planning Advisors who are also pastors. In this article, Rev. Chi lays out the practical steps for prioritizing stewardship, financial health, and wellbeing in the new year.

Rev. Paul Chi, CFP®, Director of Retirement Readiness, meets with pastors and participants for retirement and financial planning consultations.

As we step into 2026, many of us see this as an opportunity to reset, refocus, and realign our lives.

For Christians, financial health isn’t about accumulating wealth; it’s about recognizing that everything we have is entrusted to us by God. Our role is to manage it wisely, provide for our families, and extend generosity to others.

The new year is the perfect time to assess your financial wellbeing. Here are four essential “looks” to set yourself up for a year of stewardship, generosity, and contentment.

1. Look Back: Reflect on 2025

Take time to review the past financial year:

• What went well according to your budget?
• Where did you fall short?
• Did your net worth increase or decrease?
• Were there unexpected expenses?
• How was your tithing and offering?

It’s natural to feel mixed emotions when reviewing your finances. Planning is essential. The maxim, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail,” is often attributed to Benjamin Franklin. Yet as wise as this counsel is, life rarely goes according to plan (James 4:14). However, in the midst of our best-laid plans and life’s unexpected surprises, take note of God’s faithfulness through this past year. Whether it was a season of abundance or a season of drought, God was steadfast. With this in mind, we can “give thanks in everything”. (Psalm 100)

2. Look Up: Renew Your Perspective

Start the year by looking up and remembering that we have been entrusted with God’s good gifts and are stewards of all he has provided. Financial planning is not a worldly task—it’s an essential part of Christian discipleship and a responsibility of living well as kingdom citizens.

Take time alone or with your family to consider what stewardship means in your financial life. Often, we default to a money flow of spend → save → give, which leaves giving as an afterthought. By looking up, we can reorder that flow to give → save → spend.

• Giving first makes God the priority.
• Saving second prepares us for both short-term and long-term needs.
• Spending last helps us evaluate and prioritize wants versus needs.

3. Look Ahead: Set Clear Goals

Planning for the future can feel overwhelming, but keep it simple by setting specific, attainable, and measurable goals for the year. Examples include:

• Tithing consistently
• Building a three-month emergency fund
• Increasing retirement savings by 3%
• Paying off a credit card by year-end

Write down your goals and build a monthly budget that aligns with them. Track your income and expenses and include milestone markers to celebrate progress. For example, if your goal is to establish an emergency fund, celebrate with a special night out once you reach it.

4. Look Around: Embrace Generosity

Finally, look around in 2026. What opportunities for generosity do you see this year?

As we grow in stewardship, we begin to see with the eyes of our generous Creator. Stewardship naturally leads to generosity; having received grace, we can extend generosity to others. Generosity is possible in both abundance and scarcity.

The widow who gave two coins was commended by Jesus—not for the amount, but for the heart behind her gift. As Paul teaches in 2 Corinthians 9:7, “God loves a cheerful giver.” Don’t miss the joy of generosity in the opportunities God brings your way.

A note of caution: looking around does not mean comparing yourself to others – avoid the comparison trap. Comparing yourself to others leads to greed and discontent. Instead, embrace gratitude and contentment like the Apostle Paul: “…for I have learned, in whatever situation I am, to be content.” (Phil 4:11)

Your Next Steps

Don’t wait for the perfect moment—start today.

• Write down your financial goals for 2026.
• Create a simple budget that reflects give → save → spend.
• Schedule time to review your progress monthly.

Geneva’s team is ready to guide you.

Schedule a free consultation with a financial planner today. Questions? Contact our team at planning@genevabenefits.org.