Advisors

How to get the joy back in your giving (Mark Berg, Jack and Connie Weaver)

Giving can be so much better in the company of wise counsel. That’s what generous givers Jack and Connie Weaver of Wheaton, IL, have discovered the last few years. Prompted by their financial advisor, Mark Berg, the Weavers decided to embark on a journey to rediscover what sparks joy in their charitable giving.

Since then, their giving has become more effective and focused, and more fun. And Mark has enjoyed deepening his relationship with the Weavers as they watch together the impact their giving is having.

“Jack and Connie are generous givers,” Mark says. “I think the surprise came when I asked them about whether they enjoyed giving.”

“Mark did ask that question,” Jack says. “Were we having fun? I think to a degree we had lost that a little bit.” With Mark’s help, the Weavers have engaged in more strategic giving and have honed in on the causes they’re passionate about, such as supporting a local nonprofit that provides transitional housing for young mothers, and other local and global charities.

Today, the Weavers are making a real impact, and Jack says, “Giving is fun again.”

Connie agrees and says it’s nice to have Mark, who agrees that God owns it all. “So you’re not meeting with someone who only says, ‘You better make sure you keep enough and make sure you give to your kids.’ He just really helps us keep our biblical mindset,” she says.

When looking at their giving as a whole, Jack says he wants two things. “I want God to say, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’ And the other thing is I want to see people in eternity because of what we’ve done. Now, God doesn’t need us. He doesn’t need our money. But just as in so many things, he chooses to use us, and that’s the great privilege of it all. That’s just such a blessing.”

As a professional advisor, Mark says engaging his clients in charitable giving has given his work great purpose and sparked great personal joy. He hopes other professional advisors will find the same joy by engaging their clients in the charitable conversation. “My advice to advisors who may give personally but maybe haven’t gone down the path of engaging their clients on this topic of giving is, give it a try,” Mark says.

“I’ve found that clients have been very receptive to the topic. So, my suggestion is figure out, in the context of tax planning or estate planning, what types of things your clients like to give to, and just start the conversation and see where it goes. As I have gone down this path, increasingly, I have not found any barriers. It’s been a joy. I hope other advisors get that joy as well.”

Watch as Mark, Jack, and Connie describe their journey together and the joy of generosity they are finding along the way.


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