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Covenant Financial Group of Pontotoc, 8 E Marion Street, Pontotoc, MS (2026)

06/29/2026

Summer VBS Treats: Heart Cookies and God's Love

One of my favorite treats from this year's Vacation Bible School was our heart-shaped cookies. They were simple to make, fun for the children, and carried a message that was much bigger than the cookie itself.

Our family has an egg-free cream cheese chocolate chip cookie recipe that has become a favorite over the years. For Vacation Bible School, we made a small change by simply leaving out the chocolate chips and using heart-shaped cookie cutters. The hearts reminded the children of God's incredible love and the sacrifice He made for us through His Son.

Heart Cookie Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups flour

Directions

In a mixer, blend the butter, cream cheese, sugars, and vanilla on low speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add the salt, baking soda, and one cup of flour, allowing it to mix thoroughly before adding the second cup of flour.

Once the dough is mixed, lightly flour a surface and roll out the dough. Use heart-shaped cookie cutters to create the cookies and place them on a dark, ungreased baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 11 minutes. The tops may not brown, and that is perfectly normal. Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for about five minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

This recipe makes approximately three dozen cookies, depending on the size of the cutter.

As we handed out the cookies during Vacation Bible School, we talked about how much God loves us and how He loved us so much that He sent His Son to die for our sins. Sometimes a simple cookie can become an opportunity to share the message of faith, grace, and hope.

I hope these recipes inspire you to create your own memories this summer. Whether you make these cookies for Vacation Bible School, a family gathering, or simply an afternoon in the kitchen with your children, my prayer is that they bring smiles, laughter, and opportunities to share God's love with others.

06/25/2026

Summer VBS Treats: Oreo Music Notes

One of the things I love most about Vacation Bible School is watching children sing songs to God with excitement and joy. To celebrate that theme, we created Oreo Music Notes that were both fun to make and delicious to eat.

These treats looked almost like little lollipops or popsicles and became a huge hit with the kids.

Ingredients:
• Oreo cookies
• Chocolate candy melts
• Pretzel rods
• Additional melted chocolate for decorating

Directions:
Melt the chocolate candy melts according to package directions. Connect the end of a pretzel rod to an Oreo cookie and pour chocolate to bind them together. Then, drizzle the rest of the pretzel as a decoration. Allow the chocolate to set so the pretzel stays in place.

The treats reminded us that God gave us music and praise as a way to worship Him and celebrate His goodness. Sometimes the simplest activities can become powerful teaching moments.

The kids loved them, and honestly, the adults enjoyed them just as much.

06/24/2026

I know most of the time my blog is primarily about financials and investing suggestions, but occasionally I change it up. So, Summer is one of my favorite times of the year. It is a season filled with family, church activities, and making memories with the people we love. This year, during Vacation Bible School at our church, I had the opportunity to help create some fun treats for the children, and I thought I would share a few of them with you.

Summer VBS Treats: Moses and the Red Sea Rice Krispies

Our first treat was a special version of classic Rice Krispies treats that we used to represent Moses crossing the Red Sea. We shaped the treats into waves and decorated them with blue candy melts to create a fun visual for the Bible story.

Recipe:
• 7 cups Rice Krispies cereal
• 1 package miniature marshmallows (about 40)
• 1 full stick of butter
• Blue candy melts for decorating

Directions:
Melt the butter in a large pot over low heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the Rice Krispies cereal until fully coated. Press the mixture into a greased pan and allow it to cool slightly. Melt the blue candy melts according to package directions and drizzle or spread them over portions of the treats to create the appearance of ocean waves.

One of the funniest moments of the week happened when my daughters and I couldn't find our little figures representing the children of Israel. Instead, we found a box full of Jesus figures and used those in the display! Sometimes things don't go exactly as planned, but those unexpected moments often create the best memories.

These Rice Krispies treats were simple, fun, and a great reminder that God always makes a way, even when we cannot see one.

05/31/2026

Should Students Take Out Loans… or Should I, the Parent, Borrow Instead?

This is one of the most emotional financial decisions a family will make. By the time you get here, acceptance letters are in, the excitement is high, and the pressure to “make it work” can be strong. I have seen good decisions made in this moment, and I have seen families create long-term strain because they felt like they had to say yes to everything.

There is no one-size-fits-all answer, but there are some guiding principles that can keep you grounded. First, you have to take care of your own plan. There is no loan for retirement. If taking on parent debt puts your long-term security at risk, that is too high a cost. Helping your child is important, but it cannot come at the expense of becoming a financial burden to them later.

Second, clarity matters. Before anyone signs for anything, there needs to be a clear understanding of who is responsible for repayment. If the student is borrowing, they need to understand what that payment will look like after graduation. If the parent is borrowing, that needs to be a conscious decision, not something that just “happened” in the process. Assumptions are where problems begin.

Third, start with the least expensive money first. Scholarships and grants come first. Then look at what can be reasonably cash-flowed. Savings come next, and borrowing should be the last step, not the first. When loans are necessary, federal student loans are often more flexible than private loans, especially when it comes to repayment options.

Fourth, keep the future in view. A good rule of thumb is that a student’s total debt should be manageable based on their expected starting income. Loading a student with debt that limits their ability to move, work, give, or build a life is something to think carefully about. On the parent side, borrowing large amounts can delay retirement, increase stress, and limit flexibility in later years.

There is also an emotional side to this that should not be ignored. As parents, there is a natural desire to give your children every opportunity. That is a good thing. But sometimes the most loving decision is also the most disciplined one. Choosing a school that fits the financial plan, setting limits, and having honest conversations about cost are all part of that.

At the end of the day, this is not just a math decision. It is a life decision. The goal is not just to get through college, but to position both the student and the parents for a healthy financial future. When you approach it with clarity, discipline, and a willingness to say no when needed, you put your family in a much stronger place long term.

“A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.” Proverbs 13:22

05/21/2026

I’ve Heard a UTMA Account Can Hurt Financial Aid… Is That True?

This is one of those statements that gets repeated a lot, and there is some truth to it. A UTMA account is considered the child’s asset, and in the financial aid formula, student-owned assets are typically assessed at a higher rate. So yes, it can have an impact. But that is only part of the picture, and it does not automatically make it a bad choice.

A UTMA account comes with several advantages that are often overlooked. The first is flexibility. Unlike a 529 plan, the money is not limited to education expenses. It can be used for anything that benefits the child, whether that is college, starting a business, buying a car, or helping them get started in life. That flexibility is valuable, especially if you are not certain what path your child will take.

It is also simple. There are no restrictions on how the money must be used, no penalties for changing direction, and fewer rules to manage along the way. What you save is available when the time comes without needing to qualify expenses or meet specific guidelines.

There can also be tax advantages. While UTMA accounts are subject to the kiddie tax rules, a portion of the earnings may be taxed at the child’s lower rate. For some families, that creates a level of tax efficiency compared to holding all investments in the parents’ name.

But one of the most overlooked benefits, and honestly one of my favorites, is the teaching opportunity it creates. A UTMA naturally opens the door to bring your child into the conversation. Instead of money just “showing up” when they turn 18 or 21, you can walk with them through it over time. You can show them how the account grows, explain why you invested the way you did, and let them see the difference between spending and building. It gives you a real, tangible way to teach patience, discipline, and stewardship. In a world where a lot of young adults are handed money with no context, this allows you to raise someone who understands what they have and how to manage it. That long-term impact can be just as valuable as the dollars themselves.

UTMAs also offer broad investment flexibility. You are not limited to education-focused investments, which allows you to build a portfolio based on your goals rather than specific account rules.

They can even play a role in estate planning. Contributions are considered completed gifts, which can help reduce a taxable estate while still benefiting the child during your lifetime.

Finally, a UTMA does not have to stand alone. In many cases, families use it alongside other strategies, such as a 529 plan, to balance flexibility with education-specific benefits.

So yes, a UTMA can impact financial aid, but that should not be the only factor in the decision. The better question is how it fits into your overall plan and what you are trying to accomplish long-term for your child.

Proverbs 22:6
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

05/12/2026

Is a 529 Plan Really the Best Way to Save for College?

I had a conversation with a family a while back that stuck with me. They did not start with a big lump sum or some perfect plan. What they did was simple. Every birthday, every Christmas, instead of letting all the money go toward toys that would be forgotten in a few months, they took a portion of it and set it aside. Sometimes it was fifty dollars, sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less. Over time, it added up. Nothing dramatic year to year, but over ten or fifteen years, it became something meaningful.

That is really the heart behind a 529 plan. It is not about finding the perfect investment or timing the market. It is about giving your money time to grow with some structure around it. A 529 allows those dollars to grow tax-deferred, and when used for qualified education expenses, those withdrawals are tax-free. Over time, that tax advantage can make a noticeable difference compared to saving in a regular account.

Another benefit is control. The parent or grandparent owns the account, which means the child does not automatically gain access at a certain age. If plans change, you can also change the beneficiary, which gives flexibility if one child does not end up using the funds the way you expected.

These plans are also more flexible than they used to be. While they are primarily designed for college, they can be used for certain trade schools, technical programs, and even some K through 12 expenses. There are also newer provisions that may allow unused funds to be rolled into a Roth IRA for the beneficiary within certain limits, which helps address the concern of overfunding.

You may also hear about newer ideas, sometimes referred to as “Trump accounts,” which have been discussed as additional long-term savings vehicles with potential tax advantages. The details can shift with legislation, but they reflect a broader push toward giving families more options when planning for future education and expenses.

At the end of the day, whether a 529 is the right fit depends on your situation. But the principle remains the same as that family. Consistency over time, even in small amounts, can turn into something that makes a real difference when that college bill shows up.

Proverbs 13:11
“Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.”

05/07/2026

Wilson, our oldest, is graduating this year, and it has me thinking about all the conversations I have with families walking through this same season. Over the next few weeks, I want to answer some of the most common questions I get about college and planning for it, and offer a little practical guidance from a dad who is right there in it with you. To all the seniors stepping into this next chapter, I wish you a life that is purposeful, grounded, and full of opportunity.

What is FAFSA and How Does the Formula Actually Work?

If you have a child heading toward college, you’ve likely heard of the FAFSA, but for most families, it feels like walking into a room where everyone else knows the rules except you. One way I like to explain it is this: think of the FAFSA like sitting down with a college and opening your financial “playbook.” They are not trying to judge you; they are simply trying to figure out what part of the cost you can reasonably handle and where they might step in to help.

The FAFSA is the application used to determine eligibility for financial aid, including grants, scholarships, work study, and student loans. Even if you think you will not qualify, many schools still require it for merit-based aid. In most cases, it is part of the process whether you like it or not.

At its core, the FAFSA answers one question: how much can this family contribute? It calculates a number called the Student Aid Index based primarily on income, along with assets, household size, and number of children in college. Income carries the most weight, which means the timing of things like bonuses or investment sales can matter more than where your money is sitting.

Before you fill it out, you will need your tax return from two years prior, income records, current account balances, Social Security numbers, and a list of schools. The form is more streamlined than it used to be, but having everything ready makes it much smoother.

Timing matters more than most people realize. The FAFSA typically opens around October, and many schools award aid on a first-come basis. The earlier you complete it, the better positioned you are.

At the end of the day, the FAFSA is just a formula. But like most things in financial planning, going in prepared instead of guessing can make a real difference in the outcome.

Proverbs 27:12
“The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.”

Covenant Financial Group of Pontotoc

06/29/2026

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