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MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

The Night Money Took a Back Seat for Baby Jesus: A Bethlehem Lesson for Inflation-Weary Households

by Eric Seyboldt, MBA

Every December, households feel it. The subtle tightening that comes not from winter air, but from budgets stretched thin by higher prices, higher rates, and higher expectations. Christmas arrives each year carrying both joy and invoices. Yet the most economically instructive Christmas in history unfolded not amid abundance, but under constraint. The streets of Bethlehem, crowded and uncomfortable, offered a master class in household economics that still outperforms most modern financial advice.

Bethlehem at the time of Jesus’ birth was not an economic backwater, but it was far from prosperous. Judea sat under Roman occupation, and with occupation came taxation—layered, relentless, and unavoidable. A census had been ordered, not to improve civic planning, but to ensure accurate tax extraction. Joseph and Mary were not traveling for opportunity; they were complying with a fiscal mandate. In modern terms, this was the equivalent of being forced to book last-minute holiday travel during peak pricing, not because it made sense, but because the government required it.

Inflation, while not measured with consumer price indices, was very real. Roman coinage flowed unevenly, agricultural output was volatile, and most families lived one bad harvest away from crisis. Housing scarcity surged during the census, pushing prices, monetary and non-monetary, higher. Bethlehem’s inns were full not because of luxury tourism, but because demand spiked overnight while supply remained fixed. Economists today would recognize this instantly: a textbook supply shock. When supply cannot adjust, price expresses itself through discomfort, inconvenience, and exclusion. Hence, a stable in a cave becomes the margin.

And yet, something extraordinary happened in that margin.

The household balance sheet of the Holy Family would not impress a modern lender. No property, no liquidity, no safety net. But the economic function of the household was intact. The essentials were covered: shelter sufficient for the night, community support through shepherds, and long-term value delivered through gifts that were portable, durable, and liquid—gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Not toys with batteries, not perishable luxuries, but assets with utility across borders and regimes. It was diversification before diversification had a name.

Compare this to the modern household, where several years of record inflation indirectly taxes earnings and savings, and holiday spending often flows toward depreciating goods purchased at peak seasonal pricing. Bethlehem reminds us that timing and substance matter more than spectacle. When resources are scarce, value migrates toward what lasts, not what dazzles.

There is also a profound lesson in labor economics. Joseph, a tradesman and an expert carpenter, was an amazing provider! Shepherds— socially undervalued, economically essential—were the first informed. They were not powerful, but they were present and protected a valuable asset. In today’s economy, the same holds true. The people who understand inflation first are rarely those with the largest portfolios; they are those buying groceries weekly and fuel daily. They adjust faster because they must.

Most striking is the absence of leverage. No borrowing financed that Christmas Eve night. No future income was pledged to sustain present comfort. In the modern era when households are encouraged to smooth every inconvenience with credit, Bethlehem offers a radical alternative: accept short-term discomfort to preserve long-term stability. The return on that discipline has compounded for two millennia.

The genius of Bethlehem’s economics lies not in poverty romanticized, but in priorities clarified. When forced to choose, the household chose meaning over margin, resilience over display, and necessity over appearances. Inflation could squeeze space, but it could not distort values.

As another Christmas arrives amid price pressures and policy debates, Bethlehem stands as a reminder that the most enduring wealth strategies are not born in boardrooms, but in moments of constraint. When money takes a back seat, clarity often takes the reins. And history suggests that households willing to learn that lesson tend to outperform—eventually, and profoundly.

Reach out to us for a complimentary, 10-minute consultation call. A well-constructed retirement strategy should do more than just manage risk—it should provide clarity, confidence, and long-term stability. Schedule a complimentary 10-minute consultation by calling 614-943-2265 or email Eric at [email protected]. Thoughtful planning today can help ensure your retirement is built on a foundation of informed choices—not guesswork.

Last Time the Market Was This Expensive, Investors Waited 14 Years to Break Even

In 1999, the S&P 500 peaked. Then it took 14 years to gradually recover by 2013.

Today? Goldman Sachs sounds crazy forecasting 3% returns for 2024 to 2034.

But we’re currently seeing the highest price for the S&P 500 compared to earnings since the dot-com boom.

So, maybe that’s why they’re not alone; Vanguard projects about 5%.

In fact, now just about everything seems priced near all time highs. Equities, gold, crypto, etc.

But billionaires have long diversified a slice of their portfolios with one asset class that is poised to rebound.

It’s post war and contemporary art.

Sounds crazy, but over 70,000 investors have followed suit since 2019—with Masterworks.

You can invest in shares of artworks featuring Banksy, Basquiat, Picasso, and more.

24 exits later, results speak for themselves: net annualized returns like 14.6%, 17.6%, and 17.8%.*

My subscribers can skip the waitlist.

Skip waitlist

_{*Investing involves risk. Past performance is not indicative of future returns. Important Reg A disclosures: masterworks.com/cd.}

Retire Early Without Blowing It on Health Insurance: A Plain-Spoken Conversation Before Medicare

by Eric Seyboldt, MBA

Client: Eric, I love the idea of retiring early. But every time I run the numbers, health insurance feels like the thing that could wreck it. Am I overthinking this?

Eric: No. You’re thinking about the right thing. Most people underestimate how big a role employer health insurance plays in their lives until it’s gone. The day you retire early, you lose that subsidy and you’re suddenly buying coverage at full retail. That’s not a crisis—but it does mean the decisions have to be intentional.

Client: Everyone mentions COBRA first. Is that actually a good move?

Eric: Sometimes. COBRA isn’t elegant, but it’s predictable. Same doctors, same network, same rules. You just pay the whole bill. From a Midwest perspective, it’s like keeping the same truck for another season even though the payment stings—you know what you’re driving. It works best as a short runway, especially if you retire late in the year or you’re in the middle of a medical situation and don’t want surprises.

Client: But long term, COBRA gets expensive fast.

Eric: Exactly. That’s where the ACA marketplace usually steps in. This is where people either save a lot of money or make a mess of it. The marketplace is income-driven. It doesn’t care how much you have; it cares how much you show on paper. That creates opportunity for early retirees, because most have more control over income than they realize.

Client: Control in what way?

Eric: In where the spending money comes from. Pull everything from an IRA and you inflate your income and lose subsidies. Mix in cash, taxable accounts, and Roth money, and suddenly the government helps pay your premiums. Same lifestyle, very different outcome. This isn’t gaming the system—it’s using the rules as written.

Client: Give me a real-world example.

Eric: Couple retires at 60 and 58. Needs about $75,000 a year. They take a modest IRA withdrawal, live partly off savings, and tap a Roth for the rest. Their income stays low enough to qualify for solid ACA credits. They postpone big Roth conversions until Medicare kicks in. Over five years, that coordination saves them tens of thousands in health costs alone.

Client: What if one spouse is still working?

Eric: Then don’t overcomplicate it. A spouse’s employer plan is often the best coverage available. It’s group pricing, usually subsidized, and boring in all the right ways. I’ve seen cases where the benefits alone were worth more than the paycheck. Pride shouldn’t cost you five figures a year.

Client: And Medicaid? People seem uncomfortable even asking.

Eric: It’s just another tool. If income is legitimately low in a given year, Medicaid can make sense, especially in expansion states. The key is access to providers. For some households, it’s a temporary bridge during a low-income window before larger distributions or Social Security begin.

Client: Are there options you flat-out warn against?

Eric: I warn people to read the fine print like their future depends on it—because it does. Short-term plans and sharing arrangements look cheap because they leave you holding the bag when something big happens. Early retirement is not the moment to find out what isn’t covered.

Client: So what’s the right mindset?

Eric: Early retirement health insurance comes down to three things: how many years you need to bridge to Medicare, how much damage you can tolerate in a bad medical year, and how much control you have over taxable income. Get those right, and this stops being scary.

Client: Bottom line?

Eric: Early retirement isn’t about escaping work. It’s about building a system that holds up under pressure. Health insurance, done right, doesn’t just protect your health—it protects the freedom you worked decades to earn.

Contact us for a complimentary, 10-minute estate planning consultation. Moving across state lines—or through life’s major milestones—deserves the same level of care and foresight as building your wealth in the first place.

Call Eric Seyboldt at 614-943-2265 or email him at [email protected] to schedule your free estate and legacy review. Because the plans that protect your family’s future are worth keeping as strong and up-to-date as the life you’ve worked so hard to build.

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Fixed annuities can be an essential component of a well-rounded retirement strategy, offering security, predictability, and efficiency in financial planning.

These are current fixed annuity rates and their durations from Top A-rated carriers (subject to change at any time, not FDIC insured):

Rates Are Dropping! Don’t Wait To Lock These Fixed Annuity Rates In Today!

3-year: 5.45% (under $100k Deposited)

3-year: 5.60% (over $100k Deposited)

5-year: 6.05% (under $100k Deposited)

5-year: 6.30% (over $100k Deposited)

7-year: 6.25% (under $100k Deposited)

7-year: 6.50% (over $100k Deposited)

Please feel free to call Eric at 614-943-2265 or email him at [email protected] if you’d like to ask any questions or request information on these fixed annuities or other retirement topics that are on your mind.

REAL ASSETS

Invest Like the Ultra-Wealthy: Why Smart Money Is Flocking to Real Assets Like Gold

In first-century Bethlehem, families didn’t rely on promises or paper claims. Roman taxes rose, currency weakened, and prices shifted without warning. Households protected themselves the only way they could—by holding assets that endured.

Gold wasn’t speculation. It was insurance.

That same logic applies today. Inflation erodes purchasing power. Central banks flood the system with liquidity. Markets swing on policy headlines. Yet most portfolios remain heavily dependent on financial systems behaving well.

Gold offers an alternative.

It has preserved value through every major economic disruption—currency debasement, inflation, and market stress. It cannot be printed, defaulted on, or engineered away. It exists outside the system, not inside it.

That’s why gold plays a critical role in modern portfolios:

A hedge against inflation and currency risk

A tangible asset with intrinsic value

A stabilizer when markets grow volatile

Bethlehem teaches a simple lesson: when systems strain, real assets endure.

If today’s economic uncertainty gives you pause, it may be time to explore whether gold belongs in your portfolio—not as a prediction, but as preparation.

History favors the prepared.

Ask yourself:

🧠 Are you truly diversified?
🧠 What happens to your retirement if inflation stays elevated?
🧠 If the dollar weakens, what asset in your portfolio gets stronger?

If you don’t have a good answer, it’s time for a new conversation.

Allocating funds into the asset class known as “Real Assets” may be a strategy that you should consider.

Ask us how to Rollover a portion of Your IRA or 401k To a GOLD IRA (see link below) and:

• Safeguard your assets from the collapsing dollar

• Incorporate the ‘REAL ASSET’ class into your portfolio like the ultra-wealthy

• Hedge against the current high-inflation conditions

• Protect your retirement assets against economic crises

Just get in touch. We make it easier than ever.

Feedback or Questions?

You’re invited to get in touch with us if you’d like to find out how the Novus Financial Group can help you on your journey to a happy, fulfilling life in Retirement. 

Office: 614-943-2265

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Investment advisory services are offered by duly registered individuals on behalf of CreativeOne Wealth, LLC a Registered Investment Adviser.

The content we provide here isn’t financial advice and cannot be taken as such. Please speak to your financial advisor before making any investment decision. Also, note that every investment comes with its risks and drawbacks. Lastly, we would like to remind you that past results cannot guarantee future returns.

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