SPRING 2020 ThriventMagazine - FACT OR FICTION?

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SPRING 2020 ThriventMagazine - FACT OR FICTION?
Thrivent
 SPRING 2020
                                                               Magazine

                                                                         2019
                                                                        ANNUAL
                                                                       REPORT TO
  FACT                                                                 MEMBERS
                                                                          PAGE 12

   OR
FICTION?
   SETTING
 THE RECORD
 STRAIGHT ON
  FINANCIAL
    MYTHS
     PAGE 14

 It’s a myth that young
 people don’t need to
   save for retirement.
   Just ask Brent and
      Callie Lehman.

                          NAVIGATING MARKET    PREPARING FOR     SERVICE IDEAS
                            FLUCTUATIONS      THE UNEXPECTED      FOR SPRING
                                PAGE 9            PAGE 20           PAGE 24
SPRING 2020 ThriventMagazine - FACT OR FICTION?
RENEWAL
                                   “Therefore, if anyone is in
                                  Christ, he is a new creation.
                                   The old has passed away;
                                  behold, the new has come.”
                                       2 Corinthians 5:17

                                                                  PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES/IMAGE SOURCE

THRIVENT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2020
SPRING 2020 ThriventMagazine - FACT OR FICTION?
In This Issue
                                                                                                                                 SPRING 2020 | VOLUME 118, NO. 694

                                                                                                                                                                                   Thrive
                                                                                                                    Features                                                          4
                                                                                                                                                                              How Do IRAs Work?

                                                                                                                                                                                      5
                                                                                                                                                                           Connecting Art and Faith

                                                                                                                                                                                     6
                                                                                                                                                                               Member Spotlight

                                                                                                                                                                                       7
                                                                                                                                                                              Generosity in Action

                                                                                                                                                                                       8
                                                                                                                                                                                 Market Outlook

                                                                                                                                                                                      9
                                                                                                                                                                          5 Ways to Navigate Market
                                                                                                                                                                                Fluctuations

                                                                                                                                                                                       10
                                                                                                                                                                                 Spring Cleaning

                                                                                                                                                                                    12
                                                                                                                                                                       2019 Annual Report to Members

                                                                                           14

                                                                                           20                                        24
IMAGES (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP): CHRIS MULLINS, SHUTTERSTOCK; LOUISE PALMBERG; ROCCO BAVIERA

                                                                                                                                                                                        29

                                                                                                                                                                       What’s Happening
                                                                                                                                                                         at Thrivent
                                                                                                                                                                            Building lifelong homes
                                                                                                                                                                             Board election results
                                                                                                                                                                                 Free webinars
                                                                                                   14 Personal Finance Myths—Busted!                                    Dividend eligibility for members
                                                                                                Sorting the facts from fiction when it comes to common money advice.
                                                                                                                                                                                       32
                                                                                                                                                                                   Just for fun
                                                                                                       20 Preparing for the Unexpected
                                                                                                  How disability income insurance provides more than reassurance.
                                                                                                                                                                                    On the cover:
                                                                                                               24 Spring Into Service                                  Callie and Brent Lehman, with son Liam
                                                                                                                   Fresh ways to live generously.                               Photo by Chris Mullins

                                                                                                                                                                                             THRIVENT.COM | 1
SPRING 2020 ThriventMagazine - FACT OR FICTION?
Welcome

                   A CLEAR VISION
                   FOR THE FUTURE
                                                                                 BOARD OF DIRECTORS              THRIVENT ®
                                                                                   Bonnie E. Raquet           MAGAZINE STAFF
                                                                                          Chair                 Callie Briese
                                                                                    Williamsburg, VA           Executive Editor

W       elcome to a new decade! I
        hope your 2020 is off to a
wonderful start.
                                                                                 Deborah M. Ackerman
                                                                                    Wilmette, IL
                                                                                                                  Donna Hein
                                                                                                                    Editor

                                                                                   N. Cornell Boggs              Jon Goodrich
   I like making a connection                                                        Ludington, MI             Editorial Assistant
between the year 2020 and 20/20                                                    Kenneth A. Carow
vision; it’s a time for seeing things                                               Greenwood, IN
more clearly. And as we’ve begun                                                  Bradford N. Creswell
this year at Thrivent, we’ve been                                                 Mercer Island, WA          CONTENT STRATEGY
talking about helping people see                                                  Lynn Crump-Caine            AND PUBLISHING
                                                                                  Sandy Springs, GA             Anya Britzius
their financial future more clearly.                                                                           Senior Content
In fact, it’s our promise to you:                                                      Eric J. Draut              Strategist
We will help you achieve financial                                                Arlington Heights, IL
                                                                                                                  Bret Ryan
clarity so you can live a life full of                                                Kirk D. Farney          Senior Art Director
                                                                                       Hinsdale, IL
meaning and gratitude.                                                                                         Rebecca Lubecki
   You know, financial clarity is                                                  Rev. Mark A. Jeske          Associate Editor
                                                                                    Milwaukee, WI
different for everyone. It’s deeply            “We will help you                  Frederick G. Kraegel
                                                                                                                 Molly Bennett
                                                                                                                Senior Content
personal and driven by your val-
                                                                                      Henrico, VA                   Director
ues and faith. And you can have                 achieve financial
                                                                                  Kathryn V. Marinello          Tina Gschlecht
financial clarity no matter your
net worth, the size of your house,           clarity so you can live               Bonita Springs, FL           Senior Project
                                                                                                                   Manager
or the kind of car you drive. But—                                                 Nichole B. Pechet
                                             a life full of meaning                San Francisco, CA
                                                                                                               Jonathan Benson
when you have financial clarity—it                                                                                Production
affects your decisions around all                and gratitude.”                  Teresa J. Rasmussen
                                                                                   President and CEO
                                                                                                                   Manager

of those things. It guides how you                                                     Orono, MN
budget, how you spend, how you
                                                                                    Angela S. Rieger
prepare for the future and how           some time to reflect. To consider           Madison, WI
you give.                                your vision for your finances. To
   I believe everyone can have           start to find financial clarity.
financial clarity. Everyone deserves       We want you to live a life full of       Thrivent (ISSN 1539-0128) is the official
to have a plan for their finances        meaning and gratitude. And we look       publication of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans,
                                                                                   Appleton, WI 54919-0001/Minneapolis, MN
that reflects their faith and            forward to continuing to help you           55415-1624, a fraternal benefit society.
values. So they can live a life full     make the most of all you’ve been             It is published quarterly by the society.
of meaning and gratitude. Then,          given.
                                                                                         Periodical postage paid at Appleton,
rather than making empty or                                                           Wisconsin, and additional mailing offices.
self-serving decisions, each of us                                                    POSTMASTER: Send address changes to
                                                                                      Thrivent magazine, Thrivent Financial for
can use money as a tool to make                                                      Lutherans, 4321 N. Ballard Road, Appleton,
a difference for our families, our                                                     WI 54919-0001. Phone: 800-THRIVENT
                                                                                        (800-847-4836). Copyright 2020 by
communities and our world.                                                                 Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.
   We’re only a couple of months         Teresa J. Rasmussen                                      All rights reserved.
into 2020. It’s not too late to take     President and Chief Executive Officer

2 | THRIVENT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2020
SPRING 2020 ThriventMagazine - FACT OR FICTION?
Therssa Warren (left), along
                                         with her friend Jasmine Dawson
                                         (right), organized a Thrivent
                                         Action Team to gather supplies
                                                                          Thrive
                                         for the homeless in their            INSIGHTS AND INSPIRATIONS
                                         community.

                                      COVER                               T   herssa Warren couldn’t shake the view of homelessness she encountered
                                                                              walking to her car after evening classes at the University of Washington-
                                      THE CITY                            Tacoma. Streets lined with homeless people who didn’t even have blankets to
PHOTO BY DEVON MICHELLE PHOTOGRAPHY

                                                                          keep warm.
                                      Volunteers provide blankets,
                                                                            “I prayed and asked God what I could do to help,” says Warren, who graduated
                                      hygiene kits to the homeless
                                                                          in 2016 with a master’s degree in social work. Her prayer and her determination
                                      By Donna Hein
                                                                          caused her to start Cover the City in Tacoma, a blanket and hygiene kit drive for
                                                                          displaced and transient people.
                                                                            That first year, with one sponsor, family and friends,    (Continued on page 4)

                                                                                                                                          THRIVENT.COM | 3
SPRING 2020 ThriventMagazine - FACT OR FICTION?
Thrive

                      IRA WORK?
               HOW DO _____                                                                           (Cover the City continued from page 3)

                                   By Denise Logeland                                                 Warren collected and distributed
                                                                                                      about 100 blankets. The next year

I f you’re saving for retirement, you’ve
  already probably learned that every
type of savings vehicle comes with its
                                                                                                      she added another sponsor and
                                                                                                      included hygiene kits.
                                                                                                         That’s when Warren’s friend,
own set of tax rules. One advantage of                                                                Thrivent member Jasmine Dawson,
putting your savings into an individual                                                               stepped in. “I saw what Therssa was
retirement account (IRA) is that you                                                                  doing and her heart behind it,” she
get the flexibility to choose the set of                                                              says. “I wanted to help.”
tax rules that will apply.                                                                               Dawson first formed a Thrivent
   That’s because there are two main                                                                  Action Team in early 2019 to collect
types of IRAs, the traditional and the                                                                and purchase supplies to make
Roth, explains Karen Birr, manager of                                                                 about 150 hygiene kits, which
Advanced and Retirement Consulting            tax year 2020 and forward, there is                     included basic necessities like
at Thrivent.                                  no age restriction to contribute to a                   toothpaste, toothbrush and a first-
   With a traditional IRA, if neither         Traditional IRA.*                                       aid kit.
you nor your spouse participates in                                                                      “We packed them up, and with
an employer plan, your contributions          HOW DO THE DOLLARS IN AN IRA GROW?                      the blankets, went out into the
are tax-deductible. If either of you do       The money in an IRA can be invested                     community to give them out,” says
participate in an employer plan, your         in the same ways that money can be                      Dawson.
contribution would be tax-deductible          invested generally. It can be in stocks,                   The work has continued. Now, in
as long as your income is below cer-          bonds, mutual funds, and so on.                         its fourth year, Cover the City has
tain income thresholds. So you get a          However, past performance is not nec-                   grown in both the number of people
tax benefit up front. Later, when you         essarily indicative of future results.                  it helps and what they receive.
withdraw money in retirement, you’ll                                                                  Socks, especially thick wool ones
pay tax on it. But at that stage of life,     HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO WAIT TO                           for Tacoma’s colder season, and
you might be in a lower tax bracket           WITHDRAW MONEY?                                         hand warmers are high on the list of
than you are now—another potential            You can withdraw your money at any                      needs.
benefit.                                      time. However, taxes and penalties will                    Warren is currently in the process
   With a Roth IRA, you get no tax            depend on if you’re taking money from                   of becoming a licensed clinical social
deduction up front, so each dollar you        a traditional** or Roth IRA, and if you                 worker. “I’ve met so many people and
contribute is one that you’ve paid tax        meet an IRS penalty exception.                          heard their stories of homelessness,”
on. The tax benefit comes later in life.                                                              she says. “Most people don’t choose
When you withdraw money from a                                                                        to be homeless. Being able to serve
Roth IRA, if it’s a qualified distribution,                    Want to learn more?                    people right in my community is so
all of it comes out tax-free—both the
dollars you contributed and your earn-
                                                   !           • Go to Thrivent.com/IRA
                                                               • See article on page 30
                                                                                                      important to me.”
                                                                                                         Dawson agrees. She formed
                                                                 about recent legislation
ings on those dollars.                                                                                a Thrivent Action Team to help
                                                                                                      distribute more blankets, kits
CAN ANYONE HAVE AN IRA?                                                                               and socks this year. “Our church
If you or your spouse (if you file a joint    *For tax year 2019 you must be under 70½ to             members donate, and we’ve also set
tax return) have earned income either         contribute to a Traditional IRA.                        up spots throughout the community
as an employee or as a self-employed                                                                  where people can donate,” says
                                                                                                                                               ILLUSTRATION BY ISTOCK

                                              **Withdrawals made prior to the age of 59½ may
individual, you can contribute to an          be subject to a 10 percent federal tax penalty.         Dawson, adding that shoe and
IRA. The maximum allowed contri-                                                                      clothing drives may be next. “I’m
                                              Thrivent and its financial professionals do not
bution for 2019 and 2020 is $6,000,           provide legal, accounting or tax advice. Consult your   happy to be able to support this
or $7,000 if you’re 50 or older. For          attorney or tax professional.                           cause and give back.”

4 | THRIVENT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2020
SPRING 2020 ThriventMagazine - FACT OR FICTION?
CONNECTING ART AND FAITH
                                               By Joanna Reiling Lindell

A     fter Christ rose from the dead,
      he met two disciples traveling
along a road to Emmaus. They did
not recognize him but invited him to
supper with them. While at the table
breaking bread together, the disciples
suddenly realized that this was
Jesus Christ. In that moment
of recognition, Christ vanished
(Luke 24:30-31). Rembrandt captures
this astonishing moment, and
the miraculous nature of what is
occurring, with the lightly sketched
quality to Christ’s face. The artist
cleverly uses the white of the paper
itself, combined with a simple
few lines, to suggest the form of
the Savior’s gleaming face and
surrounding divine light. We can
imagine the shock and joy of the
disciples—who are shown here taken
aback in surprise and with hands
joined in prayer, as they witness this
revelation and the radiance of Christ
vanishing before them.

Joanna Reiling Lindell is the director
and curator of the Thrivent Collection of
Religious Art (ThriventCollection.com)

Rembrandt van Rijn
(Dutch, 1606-1669)
Christ at Emmaus, 1654
Etching and drypoint
Thrivent Collection of Religious Art

          Reflecting
     This Easter season, how have
      you recognized Christ where
        you didn’t expect him?

                                                                           THRIVENT.COM | 5
SPRING 2020 ThriventMagazine - FACT OR FICTION?
Thrive

                         CALLED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
                          Pastor, addictions counselor shares views on finances and generosity
                                             By Donna Hein | Photo by John Bragg

R    ev. Kal Rissman was serving a small
     congregation part-time 40-plus
                                           What does financial stewardship
                                           mean to you?
                                                                                      help other people, it always seems
                                                                                      like we have enough. We can’t out-
years ago when the door opened to          It means we do a good job using            give God. It’s also important to get
hospital chaplaincy training and then      our money in all phases of our             in the habit of saving every month.
an addiction counselor internship. That    lives. It’s being ready to support         Even if it’s just a little bit, it adds
led to a career counseling people with     the generation behind us and               up. Also, I’d say get people on your
numerous addictions: drugs, alcohol,       the generation ahead of us. From           side who are good in dealing with
tobacco and food, among others.            making sure our kids and grandkids         finances. We’ve been blessed to have
   Although retired, Rissman contin-       have the resources they need for           our Thrivent Financial professional,
ues to serve as part-time pastor to two    education to helping our parents as        Michelle Walker, on our side. Finally,
congregations and raises beef cattle as    they get older.                            don’t ask yourself as much what you
a hobby. He’s author of Knowledge to                                                  want, ask yourself more often what
Power: Understanding and Overcoming        What’s your best piece of                  you need.
Addiction. A Thrivent member since         financial wisdom?
2005, Rissman and his wife, Deborah,       I have several of them. We’re blessed by   What drives you to make a difference?
live in Alexandria, Indiana, and have      God to be a blessing to others. When       I think that all of us who are
four adult children and seven grandsons.   we use our wealth and resources to         Christians are called to make a

6 | THRIVENT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2020
SPRING 2020 ThriventMagazine - FACT OR FICTION?
difference in whatever sphere we’re               the brain. And like with any other
in. As a farmer, it’s to be a good                disease, addiction affects ethnic
                                                                                                         GENEROSITY IN ACTION
steward of the land. As a pastor, it’s            groups differently, and it also runs
to shepherd my flock. All of us have a            in families. I want people to under-
calling to be Christians where we are.            stand the disease of addiction the
                                                  same way they understand the
What led you to a career in ministry?             disease of diabetes, cancer, etc.
I knew I was going to be a Lutheran
minister when I was in sixth grade.               Can people have an addiction
I enjoyed my confirmation class                   to money?
with our pastor, and his son was                  Absolutely. Money is a seductive,
my best friend, so I spent a lot of               powerful and addictive thing. One-
time at the parsonage. I just knew I              third of the parables Jesus told
wanted to do something with eternal               have to do with money and posses-
significance.                                     sions. Whatever you put your trust
                                                  in is your god; money shouldn’t                 GIRL SCOUTS
You spent your career counseling                  become your god. We have to be
                                                                                                  BUILD BIRD HABITAT
                                                                                                  SAVANNAH, GEORGIA
people with addictions. What is                   cautious and wise in how we deal
                                                                                                  On a 100-degree day at the
addiction?                                        with money—how we earn it, save                 Savannah National Wildlife Refuge,
It’s an unhealthy relationship with               it and use it.                                  Girl Scout Troop 30387—with help
something or someone. It can be                                                                   from the Refuge staff, the Ogeechee
with drugs, alcohol, food or an                                                                   Audubon Society and volunteers—
unhealthy person. At its core, it’s a                                                             used a Thrivent Action Team led by
                                                  The member’s experiences may not be the same    Thrivent member Monica Harris to
brain disease. With chemical depen-               as other members and does not indicate future
                                                                                                  create a backyard birding habitat
dency, there are actual changes in                performance or success.
                                                                                                  demonstration.
                                                                                                     The learning experience for the
                                                                                                  Girl Scouts began with researching
                                                                                                  and budgeting how to wisely
                                                                                                  purchase necessary supplies. They
                                        Good question:                                            evaluated what styles of feeders
         WHAT’S ONE FINANCIAL GOAL                                                                and feeds to use, chose native
                                                                                                  plants for the site and bought a bird
           YOU HAVE FOR 2020?                                                                     bath and bird house.
                                                                                                     The Scouts also learned how to
                                                                                                  dig a water line to create a water
                                                                                                  source for the bird bath and install
¡Prepare for future rainy days in our             ¡My financial goal for 2020 is to be more
                                                                                                  a water drip line with a timer. Then,
financial futures.                                prudent with the money God has entrusted
                                                                                                  they learned how to maintain the
Jan and John Norton, Moline, Illinois             to me, and to keep a closer eye on my
                                                                                                  site by regularly cleaning the feeders
                                                  budget. I need to remember to be grateful
                                                                                                  and bird bath, and by keeping the
¡Reassess our family’s financial budget.          and content with what I have, and thank
                                                                                                  feeders full of treats for the birds.
Review the assets and liabilities to ensure       God for his daily blessings, especially
                                                                                                     The girls’ excitement about their
the new worth is firm and where it needs to be.   during holidays.
                                                                                                  creation sparked a desire to plan
Steve and Vivian Bowers, Garden Grove,            Cindy Jubran, Knoxville, Tennessee
                                                                                                  activities and host an event to
California
                                                                                                  educate others of all ages about
                                                                                                  birds and backyard habitats.
                                                                                                     The event—which included
                       When planning a vacation, how do you make                                  information, refreshments, crafts
          Question for decisions about how much to spend?                                         and games—turned out to be a
          next issue: Tell us in 50 words or less at Thrivent.com/share                           success, attracting more than 100
                              or email thriventmagazine@thrivent.com                              attendees from the community.

                                                                                                                       THRIVENT.COM | 7
SPRING 2020 ThriventMagazine - FACT OR FICTION?
Thrive

                                                                                                    “INTEREST RATES
                                                                                                   PLAY AN IMPORTANT
                                                                                                       ROLE IN THE
                                                                                                     ECONOMY AND
                                                                                                    MARKET ACTIVITY,
                                                                                                      SO WE KEEP A
                                                                                                      CLOSE EYE ON
                                                                                                         THEM.”

                                                                                                   raise rates, inflation would have to
                                                                                                   run above the Fed’s 2% target for an
                                                                                                   extended period of time. However,
                                                                                                   the Fed’s preferred measure of
                                                                                                   inflation has been well below 2% for
                                                                                                   many years.
                                                                                                     In periods in which the market
                                                                                                   sees relative predictability in interest
                                                                                                   rates, stocks have tended to be less
                                MARKET OUTLOOK                                                     volatile. In the second half of 2019
                                                                                                   and through the first part of 2020,
                  KEEPING WATCH ON                                                                 we have had one of the longest

                   INTEREST RATES                                                                  periods in history without a 2%
                                                                                                   drop in the stock market. Periods of
                                 By David Royal                                                    lower volatility can lead to compla-
                                                                                                   cency, however. In such periods it is
                                                                                                   especially important to stick to your

I nterest rates play an important
  role in the economy and market
activity, so we keep a close eye on
                                          market and, of course, we saw a huge
                                          drop in December of 2018.
                                            The Fed then reversed course and
                                                                                                   long-term financial plan and not be
                                                                                                   lulled into taking on excessive risk,
                                                                                                   especially with the market near all-
them. For 2020, the Federal Reserve       began cutting rates in 2019, which                       time highs.
(or “Fed”) appears to be on the           turned out to be a great year for
sidelines. The Fed sets short-term        stocks. Following its most recent
interest rates, but the market sets       rate cut last fall, the Fed indicated
longer-term interest rates. The Fed       that it likely would hold rates steady                                     David Royal is chief
raised rates a total of nine times        for some time. Chairman Jerome                                             investment officer at Thrivent.
                                                                                                                                                            ILLUSTRATION BY GETTY IMAGES/TCMAKE_PHOTO

from 2015 through December of 2018.       Powell has stated that in order to
  In the fourth quarter of 2018, the
markets were anticipating economic
weakness, which would usually result
                                          The views expressed are as of January 31, 2020, and may change as market or other conditions change, and
in lower interest rates. But the Fed      may differ from views expressed by other Thrivent Asset Management associates. Actual investment decisions
was still raising rates. When market      made by Thrivent Asset Management will not necessarily reflect the views expressed. This information should not
conditions and Fed policy are head-       be considered investment advice or a recommendation of any particular security, strategy or product.
ing in opposite directions, we tend to    Asset management services are provided by Thrivent Asset Management, LLC, a SEC-registered investment
see increased volatility in the stock     adviser and subsidiary of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.

8 | THRIVENT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2020
Navigate Market F luctuations_
                         5 WAYS TO _____________________                                                                              GENEROSITY IN ACTION
                                 Hint: Don’t make reactive decisions; stay patient and prudent

                         1. KEEP YOUR LONG-TERM PLAN IN MIND
                         Investing is a long-haul endeavor—and if you’re investing in
                         the markets, you should expect fluctuation. The important
                         thing is to review your investment strategy to ensure it’s
                         aligned with your long-term goals, and then stay the course.

                                                                                                                               TEAM COLLECTS FOOD
                                                                                                                               FOR FAMILIES
                                                                                                                               BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS
                                                                                                                               Thrivent member Crystal Larkin led
                                                                                                                               a Thrivent Action Team to purchase
                                                                                                                               nonperishable groceries for meal
                                                                                                                               boxes as part of the “Big Give” effort
                                                                                                                               led by Home Sweet Home Ministries
                         2. DON’T REACT                                                     3. CONSIDER BUYING                 and Midwest Food Banks. Through
                         A natural reaction is to want to buy when stock prices are         WHEN THE MARKET                    this effort, more than 2,500 under-
                         soaring and to sell when prices are plunging. When the             IS DOWN                            resourced families received a box
                         market falls, any losses in your portfolio are only realized       Think of it as a sale with         to cook a meal and gather family at
                         if you sell your holdings. The value of your investment            prices discounted from a           home to celebrate Thanksgiving.
                         will fluctuate over time, and you may gain or lose money.          recent market peak. Yes,
                         Evaluate if this is the time to sell before you react.             prices always could fall
                                                                                            further, but if you’re invested
                                                                                            for the long haul, you may
                                                                                            want to consider if this is
                                                                                            a good time to add to your
                                                                                            investment portfolio.

                                                                                            4. SEEK OUT GUIDANCE
                                                                                            If you’re not sleeping at night,
                                                                                            or your risk tolerance has
                                                                                            changed (maybe you haven’t
                                                                                            revisited your investment
                                                                                                                               VOLUNTEERS SUPPORT
                                                                                            strategy in a decade or more),
                                                                                                                               HOME SWEET HOME
                                                                                            it’s time to talk with your        KIRKWOOD, MISSOURI
                                                                                            financial professional. He or      Thrivent Financial Professionals Brian
                                                                                            she can help you review your       McGraw and Adam Hautly organized
                                                                                            strategy and guide you in          an event to help locals transitioning
                                                                                            staying the course or making       from homelessness to housing.
                                                                                            measured, responsible              More than 100 volunteers built 125
                                                                                            changes, if needed.                dressers for Home Sweet Home, a
                                                                                                                               nonprofit organization that collects
                                                                                                                               and provides donated furniture and
PHOTOS BY SHUTTERSTOCK

                         5. DIVERSIFY                                                                                          household items. The dressers will
                         You’ve heard the adage: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. That applies here. Diversifying your   help those transitioning to a new
                         investment portfolio means investing not just in stocks, nor just in bonds, but in a mix. Stocks      living situation with furnishings and
                         and bonds seldom move in step with each other, so losses in one asset class may be offset by          a sense of ownership.
                         gains (or less-severe losses) in the other. While diversification can reduce your risk, it does not
                         ensure a profit or guarantee against a loss.

                                                                                                                                                    THRIVENT.COM | 9
Thrive

BRIGHT IDEAS

SPRING
CLEANING
By Rebecca Lubecki
Photo by Terry Brennan

A    fter a long winter it’s time to
     declutter and get organized. Just
as you clean your home, take a close
look at your financial to-do list. Here
are some tidy tips to get you started.

1. GO ROOM BY ROOM
Feeling overwhelmed at the thought of
cleaning your entire house? The task
will feel more manageable if you break
it up and make small goals. Perhaps
you tackle one room a day or one room
a week.

2. GET PAPERWORK IN ORDER
Organize receipts, bank statements
and tax documents in a way that
works for you. Make sure important
documents are in a fireproof safe or
safety deposit box. Shred documents
you no longer need.

3. DECLUTTER BY UPCYCLING
Create a new use for possessions you
no longer use. Turn a candle holder
into a planter or cut old towels into
cleaning rags.

4. REACH HIGH AND LOW
Find hidden dirt in each room’s nooks      6. DUST OFF YOUR BUDGET
and crannies. Dust corners, base-          Revisit your saving and spending plan.
boards, shelves, picture frames, blinds,   Make adjustments that will keep you
lamps and ceiling fans. Launder items      on track to meet your financial goals.   Natural All-Purpose Cleaner
like pillows, throw blankets and rugs.                                              ½ cup white distilled vinegar
                                                                                    15 drops of essential oil (lavender,
                                           7. MAKE A HOMEMADE CLEANER                  lemon, orange, peppermint)
5. CHECK YOUR CREDIT REPORT                Looking for a more natural cleaner?      ¾ cup water
Make sure your credit score is in good     Mix and match your favorite
standing and that there are no errors      mood-lifting, stress-busting essential
on the report.                             oils to make a custom scent.

10 | THRIVENT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2020
NEW THRIVENT CFO SHARES
              EARLY OBSERVATIONS                                                                                    GENEROSITY IN ACTION

                                             By Vibhu Sharma

                                                                                                             CLOTHES SORTED FOR
                                                                                                             HOMELESS VETERANS
                                                                                                             SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
                                                                                                             Volunteers in the Thrivent Member
                                                                                                             Network–Southwest Region
                                                                                                             partnered with the Veterans Village
                                                                                                             of San Diego to sort, organize and
                                                                                                             fold donated clothing for homeless
                                                                                                             veterans. More than 30 volunteers

W      hy Thrivent? A chance to work
       for a Fortune 500 company in
my hometown with a clear strategy
                                                             One of my initial observations
                                                          since joining Thrivent in September
                                                          2019 is that our brand awareness is
                                                                                                             tackled mountains of clothing,
                                                                                                             which were distributed at Stand
                                                                                                             Down San Diego, a weekend-long
and mission was too good to pass up.                      not very strong. Consumers do not                  event where homeless veterans
And to be part of a team of Thrivent                      know us, and thus do not consider                  receive a variety of medical, dental
                                                                                                             and other supportive services.
colleagues who want to grow our busi-                     us for financial advisory. We need
ness to serve more Christians. Plus,                      to expand our brand and marketing
my wife has been a member for more                        efforts in 2020! One of my other
than 30 years, so I have a personal                       observations is that our financial
relationship with Thrivent.                               professionals are focused on serving
   Thrivent has more than sufficient                      our members. And we are working on
capital and liquidity to fulfill our prom-                enhancing the customer experience
ises made to our members. However,                        even more in 2020 and beyond.
we need to develop solutions that the                        I look forward to working with my
market needs to grow our member-                          colleagues in making Thrivent a leader
ship. To be relevant, one needs to grow                   in financial advisory and serving both
over time, and to do so in a profitable                   our current and future members.                    GROUP WALKS FOR SUMMER
manner. For example, we need to                                                                              READING PROGRAM
expand our services from insurance                                                                           WATERFORD, MICHIGAN
                                                                                                             Thrivent member Karen Kush led a
and mutual funds to other financial
                                                                              Vibhu Sharma, senior vice      Thrivent Action Team to help raise
services products such as banking and                                         president, chief financial     funds and awareness for the local
credit cards. We also need to offer                                           officer and treasurer,         Waterford library. The team of 35
more life, health and annuity solutions,                                      started at Thrivent in         volunteers used seed money to plan
                                                                              September of 2019.             a 5k run and 1- to 3-mile walk, as
and we are working on that!
                                                                                                             well as a dog obstacle course. The
                                                                                                             event attracted 145 runners and
                                                                                                             walkers, and raised $7,000 for the
Thrivent is the marketing name for Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Insurance products issued by Thrivent
Financial for Lutherans. Not available in all states. Securities and investment advisory services offered
                                                                                                             library’s Summer Reading Program.
through Thrivent Investment Management Inc., a registered investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC,
and a subsidiary of Thrivent. Thrivent.com/disclosures.

                                                                                                                                THRIVENT.COM | 11
2019 ANNUAL REPORT TO MEMBERS
TRANSFORMATION BEGINS WITH
STRONG FINANCIAL FOUNDATION
Dear Fellow Member:

As we look back on 2019 and move into 2020, one thing
is abundantly clear—our financial performance in 2019
provides a foundation for a bold and exciting future. That
future will elevate our shared purpose of guiding people to
make the most of all they have been given. In that future, we
will be able to fulfill our promise to help Christians achieve
financial clarity, enabling lives full of meaning and gratitude.
   Most importantly, it will be a future where Thrivent is a
recognized diversified financial services industry leader.
   To achieve this, Thrivent has begun a transformation to
establish who we will be and what we will accomplish as a
business in the future.
   We are beginning this transformation with a strong
financial foundation. Our adjusted surplus grew to a record
of $12.1 billion in 2019. This helps us maintain stability in
an ever-changing economic environment and allows us to
make strategic investments in the future of our organi-
zation. We can continue to meet the expectations of our               As we embark on this new year and continue our trans-
current and future customers.                                      formation, we remain true to our roots as a fraternal benefit
   Assets under management and advisement grew to                  society and a membership organization of Christians. Our
$152 billion as a result of our diligent financial stewardship     structure allows us to grow stronger as an organization and
and strong market performance. In 2019, nearly 94,000              take care of one another. As a holistic financial services pro-
new customers put their trust in us to help them achieve           vider, we are honored to help people live generously.
financial clarity.                                                    We are optimistic and excited about Thrivent’s future. We
   As we have done in the past—and will continue to do in          look forward to continuing the journey with you.
years to come—we will keep our promises to you. In 2019,              Thank you for your membership and support of Thrivent.
members and their families received $1.5 billion in insur-
ance benefits and $556 million in guaranteed retirement            Sincerely,
income. Our $329 million in dividend payouts to members
was one of the highest in our history.1
   Last year, we helped more members than ever gain
financial clarity through our planning expertise, an
important step to becoming a recognized leader in                  Bonnie E. Raquet                 Teresa J. Rasmussen
financial advisory services.                                       Chair of the Board               President and CEO

      We’re strong and stable                        We’re recognized by others                   We’re inspiring generosity

$152                    $12.1
BILLION                 BILLION                   A++                                             $333
                                                                                                  MILLION
                                                                                                                        17.2
                                                                                                                        MILLION
                                                                                                                                        PHOTO BY JEFF LENDRUM

ASSETS UNDER            TOTAL ADJUSTED            A.M. Best SUPERIOR2
                        SURPLUS                                                                   FUNDS RAISED          TOTAL HOURS
MANAGEMENT/                                       Highest of 16                                   AND DONATED           CONTRIBUTED
ADVISEMENT              This record surplus                             Thrivent was named one    BY THRIVENT,          BY VOLUNTEERS
                        helps us maintain         ratings
Members and                                       May 2019                of the “World’s Most    MEMBERS AND           IN 2019
customers trust us to   stability in an ever-                            Ethical Companies” by    SUPPORTERS IN
                        changing economic         AMBest.com
manage their assets.                                                      Ethisphere Institute,   2019
                        landscape.                                            2012–2019.3

12 | THRIVENT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2020
THRIVENT 2019 FINANCIAL RESULTS

Condensed Statutory Financial Information
As of Dec. 31 (in millions)                      20184       2019
Admitted assets
  Bonds                                         $45,530    $46,538
  Stocks                                          2,223      2,535
  Mortgage loans                                  8,999      9,506
  Cash and short-term investments                 1,471      2,054
  Other investments                               5,370      6,464
  Total investments                              63,593     67,097

  Other assets                                     628        642
  Assets held in separate accounts               29,850     34,482
  Total admitted assets                         $94,071   $102,221

Liabilities
  Reserves for life, annuity                    $51,742    $52,950
  and health contracts
  Provision for dividend payments to members2      326        330
  Other liabilities                               3,065      4,468
                                                                     1
                                                                         Dividends are not guaranteed.
  Liabilities related to separate accounts       29,810     34,408
  Total liabilities                              84,941     92,156   2
                                                                      Ratings based on Thrivent’s financial
                                                                     strength and claims-paying ability. Do not
  Capital and surplus                             9,130     10,065
                                                                     apply to investment product performance.
  Total liabilities and surplus                 $94,071   $102,221
                                                                     3
                                                                      “World’s Most Ethical Companies”
                                                                     and “Ethisphere” names and marks are
For the year ended Dec. 31 (in millions)          20184
                                                             2019
                                                                     registered trademarks of Ethisphere LLC.
Premium income and contract proceeds             $5,257     $5,137   For details, visit Ethisphere.com.
Net investment income                             2,798      3,050   4
                                                                       The dissolution of Thrivent’s wholly owned
Other income                                       909        846    subsidiary, Thrivent Life Insurance Company
Total revenue                                     8,963      9,033   (Thrivent Life), was completed in 2019.
                                                                     Fiscal 2018 results (in the table at left) have
Contractholders’ benefits                         6,687      6,844   been restated to incorporate the assets,
Commissions and operating costs                   1,192      1,193   liabilities and operations of Thrivent Life.
Other                                               21         30
                                                                     Thrivent is the marketing name for
Total benefits and expenses                       7,900      8,067   Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Insurance
                                                                     products issued by Thrivent. Not available
Gain from operations before                       1,064       966
                                                                     in all states. Securities and investment
capital gains and losses
                                                                     advisory services offered through Thrivent
Capital gains (losses), net                        146         24    Investment Management Inc., a registered
                                                                     investment adviser, member FINRA
                                                                     and SIPC and a subsidiary of Thrivent.
Net income                                       $1,210      $990
                                                                     Thrivent.com/disclosures.

                                                                                             THRIVENT.COM | 13
Brent and
                              Callie Lehman      s)
                              (Thrivent member

                                          Lydia
                                        Hiesterman
                                       (Thrivent Financial
                                          professional)

14 | THRIVENT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2020
PERSONAL
                FINANCE
                MYTHS—

         Setting the record straight
     on common money misconceptions

             BY DONNA HEIN ¡ PHOTOS BY CHRIS MULLINS

P
       ersonal finance advice comes in many shapes and forms. From
       listening to podcasts, having social media conversations, surfing
       the Internet and chatting with an acquaintance at a party, we get
lots of advice for our financial life.
  But do we really know what’s true?
  Thrivent magazine asked several Thrivent Financial professionals
to share financial myths they hear—and often need to debunk. We
narrowed the list to five, then interviewed financial professionals and
Thrivent members to set the story straight. u

                                                                           THRIVENT.COM | 15
Myth 1:
I’m young; I don’t need
to save for retirement.
“When I got my first paycheck after
college, I started saving for retirement
right away,” says Callie Lehman of
Linn, Kansas. Even though she had
what she calls “a decent amount of
student debt,” Lehman didn’t hesitate
                                                              A will is a must-consider,
                                                               whether you have kids
                                                                                          “
to make retirement a priority.                                or not, whether you have
   And her parents, siblings and peers
encouraged it. “They told me they                               lots of money or not.”
wished they had started when they                              —MELANIE KNOEPFLE, THRIVENT FINANCIAL PROFESSIONAL
were my age,” Lehman says. “They
said it for a reason, and I thought it
was best to take their advice.”
   Callie and her husband, Brent,
both in their late 20s, met with their
Thrivent Financial professional,               high risk tolerance, you can be more       Myth 2:
Lydia Hiesterman, to help develop              aggressive with your investments.          I should take Social
their savings strategy.                        And the potential of compounding           Security as soon as
   “A lot of people think it’s not a           your earnings may be greater.”             I’m eligible.
top priority because of student debt,          However, she adds, past performance
trying to save for a house, etc. But I         is not necessarily indicative of future    You’ve likely heard this statement, or
disagree,” says Lehman, who works              results, and everyone’s investment         something like it, especially if you’re
for the Kansas 4-H Foundation.                 risk tolerance is different.               nearing retirement. While this may
Her husband is the maintenance                    Most people have room for it in         be true for some, it really depends on
assistant at a nursing home in Linn,           their budget, Hiesterman says. It          your personal scenario, says Deb Beck,
Kansas. The couple lives in Linn               doesn’t mean it will always be easy,       a Thrivent Financial professional in
with their 1-year-old son.                     but if you get on an automatic             The Villages, Florida.
   Hiesterman, of Washington,                  payment plan, it helps. “Set it and          “I often hear ‘I paid into it this
Kansas, encourages their saving                forget it,” she says.                      long, and I want to get it,’” Beck says.
strategy. “I firmly believe in first              Lehman agrees. “If you don’t see        “Ultimately, it’s your decision, but one
making sure they have a strong base            it, you don’t even think about it.         of the things you’re going to want to
with insurance, then to start saving           Plus, I can see us being able to retire    think about is your life expectancy,
in a retirement vehicle.                       early. For us, it’s that balance of        especially considering family history.”
   “Time is on your side when you              saving and spending and having fun           In many cases, people are living
start young,” she says, “If you have a         while doing it.”                           longer today than their parents did,
                                                                                          Beck explains. Delaying the start of
                                                                                          Social Security may provide a larger
                                                                                          check in those later years, perhaps
                                                                                          when needed most, she says.
                                                                                            Thrivent member John Pankop of
                 Send us your question                                                    Cromwell, Indiana, retired at age 62.
                 Is there something you’ve heard that you wonder if it’s true or false?   He’s now 66, and after conversations
                 Send it to us at Thriventmagazine@Thrivent.com. We may answer            with Beck, he’s thinking about waiting
                 it in a future issue.                                                    until 70 to start drawing his Social
                                                                                          Security. That was not the original

16 | THRIVENT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2020
plan he and his wife had discussed.
                                                               “There is longevity on my side of
                                                            the family,” Pankop says. “My father
                                                            died at 90, my grandfather at 95 and
                                                            my grandmother at 100. I have long
                                                            genes.”
                                                               He’s also run his numbers. “At age                    kop
                                                                                                            John Panem
                                                            66, I looked at what my payment                            ber)
                                                                                                            (Thrivent m
                                                            would be and figured out the amount
                                                            of money I’d be paid if I lived to
                                                            86,” he says. “Then I looked at my
                                                            payment at age 70, calculated it out
                                                            for 16 years, and the payment was
                                                            significantly higher.”
                                                               If the longevity proves true, then
                                                            it will be good that he has the extra
                                                            dollars later. Plus, he added, he doesn’t
                                                            need that money right now.
                                                               Another consideration, Beck says, is
                                                            future income needs for your spouse.
                                                            When one spouse dies, you’ll lose the
                                                            lower of the two Social Security checks
                                                            you may have received as a couple.
                                                            As with longevity, if you wait to start
                                                            taking Social Security, a potentially
                                                            larger monthly payment may be
                                                            beneficial for the living spouse.              Deb Beck
                                                                                                        (Thrivent Fina
                                                               “I’ve tossed around the question                        ncial
                                                                                                           professional)
                                                            of what if I don’t live that long or
                                                            if Social Security will still be here,”
                                                            Pankop says. “If you need it, then you
                                                            should take it. If you don’t, it doesn’t
                                                            hurt to wait another year and then
                                                            re-evaluate.”
PHOTOS (TOP) BY BRIAN RODGERS JR., (BOTTOM) DOUG SCALETTA

                                                            Myth 3:
                                                            I don’t need a will.
                                                            A will is a must-consider, whether
                                                            you have kids or not, whether you
                                                            have lots of money or not. It’s key if
                                                            you want any say over who inherits
                                                            your estate—which includes not only
                                                            money, but everything you own, like
                                                            a house, car and any possessions,

                                                                                                                               THRIVENT.COM | 17
says Melanie Knoepfle, a Thrivent
Financial professional in Columbus,
Nebraska.
   But a will is even more than that.
Think of it as a final gift to your loved
ones as you make your wishes clear.
   Sometimes people think that if
they’re single, they don’t need a                           How Thrivent Can Help
will. But then your money may not
go where you hoped. For example,                            Talk to a Thrivent Financial professional
depending on the laws in the state                          If you need an answer to a financial question,
where you live, your parents may                            reach out to your Thrivent Financial professional
inherit rather than your siblings,                          or contact the Thrivent Financial Guidance Team at
Knoepfle says.                                              888-834-7434 or guidance@thrivent.com.
   “Or if you have family members
                                                            Lead or attend a Thrivent workshop
you’re estranged from, your money                           Thrivent also has several workshops available that
may end up going to them even if                            you can participate in.
you’ve not talked in 20 years and you
were adamant that they should get                           Advanced topics led by Thrivent Financial
nothing,” she says.                                         professionals include:
                                                            Ÿ Social Security: Timing Is Everything
   If you’re divorcing, and it’s not yet
                                                            Ÿ Five Keys to Retiring Fearlessly
finalized, your spouse may inherit                          Ÿ Prepare Wisely: End of Life Strategies
everything when that was not your                           Ÿ Building Your Retirement Foundation
intent.
   “Do you care about a church or                           Or you can choose to host a workshop in your home,
charity? Without a will, there is a                         church or community. You simply order a kit for $20.
                                                            Topics include:
risk a court won’t give it to the places
                                                            Ÿ Do One Thing Different
you supported even if you told them                         Ÿ Finding Ways to Save
multiple times that you want your
assets to go to them,” Knoepfle says.                       Visit MoreThanMoneyMatters.com or contact your
   If you have kids, a will is the formal                   Thrivent Financial professional for more information.
record of whom you choose to be the
guardian of minor children if both
parents die, as well as who should
handle the funds that the children
would receive.
   “Sometimes there are fights between
family members as to who should have
the children, and perhaps you wanted
your best friends to have them,” she        Myth 4:                                     and about $50 in her checking
says. “Without a will, the court has        I don’t have enough                         account and $100 in savings.
no idea of that desire and will not         money to meet with a                           “I didn’t have any money, and
give custody of your children to non-       financial professional.                     I knew I was pretty financially
relatives.”                                                                             illiterate,” Myers says. All that
   A final reminder on a will—don’t         Anne Myers had just finished                changed when she met with Vann
just do it and forget it. It’s important    graduate school. The Thrivent               Doubleday, her Thrivent Financial
to revisit your will periodically to        member from Savannah, Georgia,              professional in Savannah. They
make sure it still reflects your wishes.    had about $55,000 in student loans          talked about her loans, her goals,

18 | THRIVENT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2020
It’s not about how much money you have.
          It’s about uncovering your passions, offering
          insight and improving your financial clarity.
                                     —VANN DOUBLEDAY, THRIVENT FINANCIAL PROFESSIONAL

and strategies to begin saving for       offering insight and improving your               prepared, which is why he met with
emergencies and retirement.              financial clarity.                                Steward a few years ago to discuss life
   A year after those first                                                                insurance. He had a small contract his
conversations with Doubleday,                                                              parents purchased for him as a child.
Myers had about $1,200 in savings                                                             “I’m an engineer—I spend a lot of
and also was setting aside money         Myth 5:                                           time on work projects thinking about
for retirement. “Within three            I’m young and healthy.                            what can go wrong,” Kilkenny says.
years, I was able to secure enough       I’m single. I don’t need                          “It gives me an appreciation of how
savings that if I would lose my          life insurance.                                   quickly something can go wrong.”
job, I’d be set for six months,” says                                                         He’s also had a family member
Myers, the assistant director of         Brian Steward, a Thrivent Financial               diagnosed with cancer in his 20s. “It’s
residence life at a local college.       professional in Peoria Heights, Illinois,         a reminder of how life, too, can change
   “Vann told me that the only one       can understand how someone can                    very quickly,” Kilkenny says.
who is going to take care of the         think that. But in reality, he says, it’s            Life insurance is important, he
old me is the young me,” she says.       the perfect time to get life insurance.           says, because funerals are expensive,
“I had been getting lost in the            “You want to lock it in now because             and he doesn’t want to put any family
long-term goals, so he encouraged        we don’t know what the future                     members at a financial disadvantage if
me to set the short-term goals to        holds,” Steward says. “I’ll tell people           the unforeseen should happen.
help meet those long-term goals.”        about others in my life—people I’ve                  Kilkenny was 31 and single when he
   For Doubleday, conversations          known—who said the same thing and                 purchased his insurance contract. He’s
about values and goals are the           their health changed. Then they either            now engaged to be married.
starting place for developing a short-   couldn’t get life insurance or it was                “Michael purchased a safeguard
and long-term financial strategy.        more expensive.”                                  that even if something should happen
   “I like to use a dartboard              Thrivent member Michael Kilkenny                to his health, his family is protected,”
analogy,” Doubleday says. “If you        of Peoria, Illinois, says it’s better to be       Steward says. ◾
walk into a dark room and I hand
you a dart and tell you to hit the
board, it’s going to be hard to hit
the target. You can’t see it. Now, I     The members’ experiences may not be the same      THRIVENT IS THE MARKETING NAME FOR THRIVENT
can’t guarantee we’ll hit the bull’s-    as other members’ and does not indicate future    FINANCIAL FOR LUTHERANS. Insurance products
                                         performance or success.                           issued by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Not
eye, but I can turn the lights on and                                                      available in all states. Licensed agent/producer of
show you the board.”                     Thrivent Financial professionals have general     Thrivent. Thrivent.com/disclosures.
   It’s not about how much               knowledge of the Social Security tenets. For
                                         complete details on your situation, contact the   Thrivent and its financial professionals do not
money you have, he says. It’s            Social Security Administration.                   provide legal, accounting or tax advice. Consult your
about uncovering your passions,                                                            attorney or tax professional.

                                                                                                                      THRIVENT.COM | 19
20 | THRIVENT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2020
Prep a rin  g
  for th  e
               How would you make money if you suddenly
                couldn’t work due to an illness or injury?
                 Disability income insurance can be an
                essential part of your financial safety net.

                         By Stacey Freed • Illustrations by Rocco Baviera

F
       our years ago, Melinda Busch, a dental hygienist from Frisco, Texas, slammed her ring
       finger in a door and crushed it. “It’s a fulcrum finger that we use to stabilize while
       manipulating instruments. I never thought something like this would occur,” says the
now 37-year-old. She was out of work at the dental clinic for six months.
  In January 2019, Bradley Messerschmidt, a Thrivent Financial professional in Spokane,
Washington, was diagnosed with testicular cancer at age 33. He needed surgery and
chemotherapy. He, too, was out of work for six months.
  These are two very different scenarios, but the impact is the same. The chances of missing
work due to illness or injury are greater than you may realize. People are often familiar with
disability income insurance since many employers offer it as part of their benefits package.
Basically, you get sick or injured, are unable to work and the insurance kicks in. But not
everyone has it. And what they do have may not be enough. ○

THRIVENT IS THE MARKETING NAME FOR THRIVENT FINANCIAL FOR LUTHERANS.

                                                                                             THRIVENT.COM | 21
It’s something for people of all
ages to think about, especially young
adults. According to the Social                                        DOES YOUR EMPLOYER OFFER
Security Administration, more than                                   DISABILITY INCOME INSURANCE?
one in four of today’s 20-year-olds can
expect to be out of work for a least
                                                                                        If Yes…
                                                                Remember that the benefits it pays could be taxed. It may be
a year due to a disabling condition                             in your best interest to add a personal contract that can wrap
before they reach age 67.1                                        around the insurance you have from your employer. If your
   Both Busch and Messerschmidt did                              employer covers 50% of your income, you can get a personal
something years ago in their work life                          disability income insurance contract that would cover another
that most people don’t think about.                                 20%. You won’t pay taxes on that 20%. Group disability
                                                                               income insurance coverages vary.
They bought personal disability
income insurance.                                                                      If Not…
   Messerschmidt purchased his                                    You can purchase it on your own. It’s there to help you pay
contract in 2013 while he was working                                    the bills in case something happens to you.
as an engineer in a company that didn’t
offer it as a benefit. He learned about
the importance of disability income
insurance only when a work friend
suggested that he and his wife, Lindsey,        the choice. As Busch puts it, “Getting        income insurance. “It makes sense for
meet with a financial professional to           this policy was the smartest decision         anyone who has earned income,” says
talk about their future. “I was 28, had         I ever made.”                                 Jason Jupiterwala, a Thrivent Financial
a desk job, and I thought there wasn’t                                                        professional in Allen, Texas.
much that could happen to me sitting            Contract Choices                                 But why get a personal disability
at my computer. Like many people,               “Disability income insurance is               income insurance contract if your
disability income insurance wasn’t on           about protecting a person’s most              employer already offers one? It’s
my radar,” he says.                             important asset—their ability to              likely that the income from your work
   Busch was only 24 years old in 2006          earn an income,” says Steve Sperka,           contract is taxable, says Jupiterwala.
when she purchased a contract at                vice president of health insurance            “If your employer covers the premium,
the urging of her parents. “They were           products at Thrivent. There are               the benefits you receive may be
insistent that I get a disability income        different products to help you do that,       taxable. This reduces the amount you
insurance policy because my dad had a           and you determine how much of your            would receive.”
heart attack when I was in high school,         income you want to get protection for.           “Let’s say you make $100,000,
and he was on disability and out of               Whether you’re self-employed,               and your employer contract covers
work for quite a while,” she says.              work full time or part time or your           you up to 50%. You could consider
   Both Messerschmidt and Busch are             employer offers a disability benefit,         purchasing a contract that would
immensely grateful that they’d made             you can purchase personal disability          get you to about 70% to 75% of your
                                                                                              income,” says Sperka. “And the money
                                                                                              you’d receive from your personal
                                                                                              contract likely wouldn’t be taxable.”
                                                                                                 At the time he purchased his
                                  IN A NUTSHELL                                               contract, Messerschmidt was earning
                                  Disability Income Insurance:
                                                                                              about $65,000 a year. If he were to
                                  Ÿ Covers serious health conditions and long-term            become disabled and unable to work,
                                    illnesses                                                 the contract would pay 75% of his
                                                                                              monthly post-tax income for five
                                  Ÿ At time of purchase, you can design how long you          years. It cost him $32.29 a month, and
                                    would want benefits paid: 12 months, 24 months,
                                                                                              he could take it with him if he lost or
                                    60 months, 10 years or to age 67
                                                                                              left his job.
                                  Ÿ Wraps around an employer-offered contract or can             While he chose a five-year option,
                                    be purchased on its own                                   it’s possible to purchase a contract

22 | THRIVENT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2020
that covers you for two, five or 10
years or until you turn 65 or 67,
                                                 “I was 28, had a desk job, and I thought
depending on the plan you choose.               there wasn’t much that could happen to
If you lose your job while you are               me sitting at my computer. Like many
disabled, you still will receive the
money from your personal contract.                 people, disability income insurance
And if you get another job, your                           wasn’t on my radar.”
personal disability income insurance                                    —BRADLEY MESSERSCHMIDT
will follow you at the same income
amount as when you originally
purchased the contract. Premium
payments can be set up automatically        annually as your income increases,       past eight years, we’ve experienced a
and can be scheduled monthly,               without medical underwriting, in         lifetime of medical issues,” he says.
quarterly, semiannually or annually,        exchange for a higher premium. Even         Messerschmidt and Busch feel that
and it’s possible to purchase a feature     if you develop a health condition,       having a personal income disability
that indexes the pay to inflation.          you can purchase additional coverage     contract gave them an extra sense of
   The other nice thing about these         under the existing contract.             reassurance. “You don’t buy insurance
contracts is that it’s sort of a “rolling      There are even contract options       because you want to use it; you buy
benefit.” If, for example, you use          for stay-at-home spouses, whose          it because it’ll be there if you need
four months of a five-year disability       work is valued in the home but who       it,” Messerschmidt says. “And I can’t
contract and then return to work for        may not have income from external        imagine not having this insurance in
six months full time, the clock restarts    sources. For example, a stay-at-         place with everything that’s gone on
for your five years.                        home spouse could purchase up to a       in our lives.” ◾
   That was helpful for Busch who, in       $2,000-a-month benefit with a two-
June 2019, had to have carpal tunnel        year payout period that could be used    Stacey Freed is a freelance writer in
surgery. As of November of that year,       if that person should become disabled.   Pittsford, New York.
she was still on full-time disability
leave. Her employer, she says, is           Extra Sense of Reassurance
holding her job for her. She had            During Messerschmidt’s six-month
chosen a contract that would cover          disability leave, he chose not to dip
her until she turns 65. “This means         into his employer-sponsored disability   1
                                                                                      Social Security Administration, “Disability and
that her contract would last until 65       income insurance contract, which         Death Probability Tables for Insured Workers Born
                                                                                     in 1997,” ssa.gov/oact/NOTES/ran6/an2017-6.
no matter how many times the benefit        had a 120-day waiting period before      pdf, Table A
is triggered on and off to that point,”     it kicked in. He would have claimed
Jupiterwala says.                           if he could have received two months     Insurance products issued by Thrivent Financial
                                                                                     for Lutherans. Not available in all states. Licensed
   What if your income increases?           of benefit, but because he was back      agent/producer of Thrivent. Thrivent.com/
A future purchase option (FPO) lets         to work on a part-time basis, he only    disclosures.
you increase your insurance coverage        would have received a week’s worth of
                                                                                     The members’ experiences may not be the same
                                            pay after the elimination period.        as other members’ and does not indicate future
                                               Even though the Messerschmidts        performance or success.
                                            have some additional burdens—
                                                                                     If requested, a licensed insurance agent/producer
                                            they are raising two children with       may contact you, and financial solutions, including
                                            disabilities, and a third child, their   insurance, may be solicited.
          HOW THRIVENT                      oldest, passed away in 2015—the
            CAN HELP                        family was able to make it through
                                                                                     Disability income insurance contracts have
     Only a few insurers offer disability                                            exclusions, limitations, reductions of benefits and
      protection to spouses who stay        the months when Messerschmidt was        terms under which the contract may be continued
                                            out of work without harming their        in force or discontinued. For costs and complete
     at home. Thrivent is one of them.                                               details of coverage, contact your licensed insurance
      Learn more at Thrivent.com/DI         savings. As far as Messerschmidt         agent/producer.
     or contact your Thrivent Financial     knows, he’s healthy now. He and his
               professional.                wife, Lindsey, are focused on their      Thrivent and its financial professionals do not
                                                                                     provide legal, accounting or tax advice. Consult your
                                            family. “I’d venture to say, in the      attorney or tax professional.

                                                                                                                 THRIVENT.COM | 23
“                                                                                                           “

                                                     Into
                      Service
                            Looking for a fresh take on generosity?
                Take your cues from the season that’s unfolding all around you.
                                                              “
                                        By Kathleen Childers • Photo by Louise Palmberg

                       pring often comes in fits and starts. But eventually, even the harshest, longest
                       winter lets go, giving way to some welcome changes. Our physical senses pick up on
                       them: Buds swell, grass starts to green up and the morning chorus of birds grows
                       louder each day. We respond to the changes spiritually, too, as the season leading up
                       to Easter brings the promise of renewal and rebirth.
                  Spring also can be a time to search for fresh ways to live generously. For example, the
                yard chores on your to-do list are probably the same ones you could do for others needing
                assistance. Your annual neighborhood block party could become a fundraiser for a favorite
                charity. Your April garage sale might support a family in crisis. There are many more ideas,
                including the following five from members. They found ways to further their service in
                spring, with the help of one of Thrivent’s generosity programs, Thrivent Action Teams. „

   “                                                                                                           “

24 | THRIVENT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2020
Sarah Humphrey (left) and
Karen Maresco worked with
White Post Farms in Melville,
New York, on their fundraiser to
raise money for a mission trip.

                                   THRIVENT.COM | 25
Plant Sale
Sarah Humphrey and Karen Maresco
took their cues from spring when
they organized a fundraiser last May.
They sold flats of flower and vegetable
seedlings to support a mission trip
to Ponce, Puerto Rico, that was
planned for July. Humphrey created
a Thrivent Action Team to help. The
team gathered plant orders from
their church, St. Peter’s, and their
community, Huntington Station, New
York, and picked up the flats from the
grower and helped deliver them.
   “With spring and people working
in their gardens, we thought selling
plants would be a good way to raise
money,” says Humphrey. “And we held
it just before Mother’s Day, thinking
people would want to purchase flats
as gifts.”
   Humphrey and Maresco started
planning the sale over the winter.
They contacted a local nursery
months ahead of time to arrange for
the flats. And they gave themselves
plenty of time to advertise in several
ways. “We didn’t just rely on social
media to get the word out,” Humphrey
says. “We announced it in the church
bulletin, and we passed out order
forms to people at our workplaces and
local businesses.”
   The sale raised $1,931, which was      by Rhonda Harman. They grow              beautifully. “The critters stayed away,”
used for supplies taken to Puerto         potatoes in a large bed, and lettuce,    Amundson says, “and the raised
Rico. While there, the mission trip       kale, peas and other vegetables and      beds produced about 315 pounds of
team partnered with a local church        herbs in raised beds. Unfortunately,     vegetables for the food pantry.” The
and repaired hurricane-damaged            local deer, racoons and other critters   potato patch also was harvested and
homes, taught Vacation Bible School,      also looked forward to the annual        donated in early fall by gardeners.
visited nursing homes and did prayer      planting—they were consuming
walks with local residents.               the raised-bed crops before church       Easter Egg Hunt
   “Spring is a good time to reflect,”    members could harvest them.              Winters are especially long in
says Humphrey, “and to get out there         So last spring, Thrivent member       Pipestone, Minnesota, so when Easter
and experience God’s creation.”           Jean Amundson, whose husband,            arrives, it’s particularly welcome and
                                          Paul, helps with the gardening,          inspiring. For Our Saviour’s Lutheran
Garden Project                            organized a Thrivent Action Team at      Church, it’s also an opportunity to
Members of Atonement Lutheran             Atonement to critter-proof the raised    bring the community together for an
                                                                                                                                PHOTO BY NATALIE PULS

Church in Newport, Oregon, look           beds. Church members built sturdy        annual Easter egg hunt. Last year’s
forward to spring when they can plant     fences that keep the intruders out       event drew 70 kids and parents. They
vegetables that they donate to a local    but can be removed when the raised       searched for eggs and enjoyed snacks,
food pantry. The effort is spearheaded    beds need tending. The fences worked     a craft activity and a talk by the pastor.

26 | THRIVENT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2020
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