Catholic Money Mastermind - Financial Planning conversations with Catholic CFP® Practitioners

Today, Ben is joined by fellow Catholic financial planner Tim Mayer to unpack the meaning of “Catholic money”—a vision of wealth shaped by stewardship, detachment, and generosity. Grounded in their shared experiences in religious life, Ben and Tim reflect on how faith transforms financial decision-making, shifting the focus from accumulation to service. They explore money’s historical roots in the domestic sphere and draw on Cathol...

Today, Ben welcomes Wyatt O'Rourke—Denver-based financial advisor and founder of Basilic Financial—for a wide-ranging conversation on the interplay between tradition, innovation, and community within a Catholic framework. Wyatt shares his journey of entrepreneurship and reconversion to the faith, emphasizing the integration of spiritual values into financial planning. The discussion examines how technological progress—such as ...

Today, Ben Martinek and financial planners Mike Acosta and Ujae Kang explore the emotional and financial complexities of preparing for retirement, emphasizing that while data and planning tools are essential, much of the work involves helping clients overcome fear, uncertainty, and guilt around spending. They discuss how financial advising often becomes a form of counseling, addressing identity, purpose, and emotional readiness as ...

Today, I sit down with Jonathan Reich, a financial advisor at Global View Capital Management and a new member of the Catholic Financial Planners Network. Jonathan shares his journey from working in high-volume client service roles at Fidelity and Equitable to finding a more fulfilling path in personalized financial planning. We dive into tactical asset allocation, a strategy designed to minimize volatility and enhance risk-adjusted...

Today we’re joined for a roundtable discussion with Anthony Guzman and Phil Francois to explore the fundamentals of investing, including employer-sponsored retirement accounts, risk management, and investment strategies that align with personal values. We distinguish between investing and gambling, emphasizing that while both involve risk, investing is strategic and based on positive expected returns. Key principles such as diversi...

Today, we feature Logan Moore, who is a CFA charterholder from Kansas City, who shares his expertise on alternative investments and his professional journey. Logan discusses his experience managing high-yield municipal bonds, transitioning to commercial real estate, and co-managing a fund focused on real estate syndications. Alternative investments, which include real estate, private equity, and venture capital, offer potential for...

Today, I’m joined by Kevin Reardon and Deb Meyer to discuss how emotions, societal pressures, and behaviors shape our financial decision-making, especially as Catholics. We explore how fear, greed, and herd mentality can lead to poor financial choices and stress the importance of discipline, diversification, and aligning our actions with core values and faith. Drawing from personal stories, we emphasize the value of creating a clea...

Today, Brian Wayne from LifeGuide Financial Advisors joins Ben Matinek to explore integrating Christian principles into financial planning, emphasizing faith, stewardship, and intentional living. Drawing on themes such as evangelical poverty, detachment, and trust in God’s providence, the discussion highlights the importance of aligning finances with one’s spiritual purpose. Inspired by examples like Rick Warren and saints such as ...

Today we’re joined by financial advisors Robert Franner and Tyler Myler to discuss strategies for long-term wealth accumulation, emphasizing the importance of starting early, automating savings, and maintaining consistent habits. They highlight the power of compound interest, using goals like saving $100,000 by age 30 to demonstrate how early contributions grow significantly over time. They share an example of a couple who built $2...

Today, Ben discusses the intersection of philosophy and financial planning with Nick Shiver, a wealth advisor from Columbia, South Carolina. Both Ben and Nick hold master's degrees in philosophy, and their conversation explores how their philosophical backgrounds inform their current roles in financial advising. They reflect on the rigorous training in critical thinking and argumentation philosophy provided and its applicabili...

Ben, along with advisors Bryan Smalley, Lance Peters, and Charlie Horonzy, provide valuable insights into the world of financial advising. The discussion covers the daily life of financial advisors, the industry’s various channels, client types, regulatory bodies, and the significant personal satisfaction derived from serving clients. They also explore the diverse paths to entering the financial services industry, including educati...

Joe Petry, a fellow member of the Catholic Financial Planners Network and founder of Mayfair Financial, shares his journey from economist to financial planner, motivated by his firsthand experience with retirement and ministry. In this episode, Joe emphasizes the importance of empathy, trust, and integrating faith into his work. From working with a refugee support initiative and the Kairos prison ministry to his time teaching econo...

In this episode of the podcast hosted by Ben Martinek from the Catholic Financial Planners Network, guest Nick Orenduff of Orenduff Associates shares his insights on various investment vehicles and the importance of diversification. They discuss the differences between stocks, mutual funds, ETFs, and bonds, highlighting the roles these instruments play in a diversified investment portfolio. The conversation also covers the distinct...

We’re all going to pay taxes, but knowing how the system works can prepare us for retirement with a little more money in our savings accounts. Today’s guest, Charlie Horonzy, returns to discuss the ways we can use the tax code to our advantage. We discuss how tax planning is one of the most critical aspects of financial planning, how much better retirement can be when well-planned for, and when you should be paying taxes now vs lat...

The nature of the sin called usury has its proper place and origin in a mutuum contract. Jerod Frank, a financial advisor and recent Catholic convert, shares his personal journey of grappling with the concept of usury within the context of ethical and moral investing. We answer questions such as should there be limits to profits? Jerod delves into the distinction between mutuum and societas loans, emphasizing the potential for perp...

Sarah Kang is a Certified Financial Planner with UAK Diversified, a firm she runs with her husband. With a focus on the personal side of financial planning, Sarah brings her experience as a music teacher to planning in a way that allows her to break things down in a way that just makes sense. In this episode, Ben and Sarah discuss how helping people can be meaningful and how, even with uncertainty ahead, we can always create a plan...

With 9 years in the finance industry, Michael Acosta returns to the show with some insights on homeownership. Michael is driven to work for his clients with the guidance of his tag line “Prepare, Perform, Prosper”. Questions discussed in this episode include: Should you pursue homeownership? Is a home a good investment? And is renting bad? All that, and more on this episode of Catholic Money Mastermind.

Key Takeaways:

• What m...

Bryan Smalley is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) with a BA from the University of Toledo and an MA from Bowling Green State University. With a focus on “taking the scary out of retirement planning”, Bryan helps his clients focus on all the joys of retirement. Living in New Jersey with his wife and their 4 children, Bryan brings to this episode his perspective on having a single income household, homeschooling, and how these dec...

With over 30 years of experience as a financial planner, Lance is one of the most experienced people in the Catholic Financial Planners Network. Lance is the Founder and CEO of Nautical Star Financial, whose name echoes Lance’s time in the Navy. In this episode, Lance tells Ben how he brings a Christian approach to financial planning - even praying with clients! If you’re looking for deeper insight on what it means to be a Catholic...