John Dawson - Northwestern Mutual

John Dawson - Northwestern Mutual As a Financial Advisor, I steward my clients on their journey to becoming their best selves!

We had a great spring break… but it’s taken a couple weeks to fully process part of it.On our way to Orlando, our car wi...
04/23/2026

We had a great spring break… but it’s taken a couple weeks to fully process part of it.

On our way to Orlando, our car window was smashed and we were burglarized. What followed was a mix of inconvenience, frustration but also a little bit of perspective.

If I’m being honest, I didn’t handle it well at first. We were exhausted from a very long drive, emotions were high, and my temper showed it. I didn’t lead my family the way I should have in that moment.

Then came a humbling turn.

My 13-year-old daughter gently (and without judgment) spoke up and said I wasn’t handling things in a Christ-like way. She suggested we pause and pray.

That one hit me.

In that moment, the child led the parent. And while it stung, it was also a powerful reminder: the seeds we plant matter. Sometimes they show up right when we need them most.

I don’t know why that situation happened, but I do know this…among the things taken were sermon notes and a book by Pastor Joby Martin.

Maybe, just maybe, those words will land where they’re needed too.

Sometimes the lesson isn’t in what was taken but in what was revealed.

Tax day just passed… so here’s a thought worth holding onto.Not all income is treated the same. And…how you earn matters...
04/17/2026

Tax day just passed… so here’s a thought worth holding onto.

Not all income is treated the same. And…how you earn matters more than most people realize.

Over the past few years, starting a small horse boarding business has stretched us in a lot of ways. It hasn’t been perfect, but it’s opened our eyes. Ownership changes how you think about money, expenses, and long-term decisions and yes, even taxes.

The big takeaway?
The system (tax code) tends to reward builders, owners, and investors.

That doesn’t mean everyone needs to quit their job tomorrow. But it does mean it’s worth asking: Is there something I could start, build, or invest in over time?

Not just for income but for flexibility, growth, and future opportunity.

For us, it’s been more than a side business—it’s been a life lesson for our children we’re glad we didn’t miss.

Gretchen planted these tulip bulbs last fall and now we get to enjoy them.Tulips have always meant something special to ...
04/15/2026

Gretchen planted these tulip bulbs last fall and now we get to enjoy them.

Tulips have always meant something special to us. I still remember planting bulbs together the day I proposed… and we even gave tulip bulbs as wedding favors to our guests.

There’s something powerful about planting. Maybe that’s why farmers tend to carry so much wisdom.

Not once this winter did we dig up those bulbs to check on them. We planted… and we waited.

The same is true in so many parts of life; parenting, investing, exercise, faith. The work we do today often grows quietly beneath the surface long before we ever see the results.

“Who plants a seed beneath the sod
And waits to see believes in God.”

Keep planting. Keep trusting. Keep showing up.

Delayed gratification is one of the greatest indicators of future success.

Have a great week, friends.

Financial stewardship is both a practical and spiritual responsibility. God has entrusted each of us with time, talents,...
04/02/2026

Financial stewardship is both a practical and spiritual responsibility.

God has entrusted each of us with time, talents, and resources for His purposes. He invites us to use them in ways that honor Him, bless others, and shape future generations. When we prepare our own financial house, model faithfulness, talk openly about money, teach our children essential skills, and plan wisely for the future, we participate in a generational calling. Faithfulness today can bear fruit for decades to come.

Although imperfect, our family has regular “money moments” where I ask the kids to describe financial concepts in their own words. I may ask them to explain the difference between an asset and a liability and to give an example of each. We also discuss the cost of purchases. Financially, and otherwise, we want our children know they can have or accomplish anything they want, but not everything they want. Life is a game of trade-offs and every decision has an accompanying opportunity cost. When we do choose not to buy something, my wife and I avoid telling them that we cannot afford it. Instead, we focus on why we do not need it and how the sacrifice will create opportunities later.

When our minds are right and we are aligned with God’s will, I believe there is no shortage of money in the world. That does not mean we should expect or pursue everything we want.

To help children grasp the language of money, it is helpful to introduce them to fundamental financial terms. Just as a ...
03/30/2026

To help children grasp the language of money, it is helpful to introduce them to fundamental financial terms. Just as a football player must learn the positions and rules before playing effectively, children need to understand the building blocks of personal finance. Below is a list of key terms and simple explanations that parents can use as teaching points. These definitions are not exhaustive but provide a foundation for deeper financial understanding:

· Asset: Anything of value that an individual, business, or organization owns and can use to generate income or economic benefit. Assets can be physical or non-physical. An example would be rental properties which can generate income and appreciate.
· Liability: Anything an individual, business, or organization owes to another. It represents a financial obligation or debt that must be repaid. Examples include a home mortgage or car loans.
· Compound interest: Growth credited on both the original amount of money and the interest already added. A positive example is a retirement or investment account; a negative example is credit card interest.
· Simple interest: Growth credited only to the original or remaining amount of money. A savings bond grows under simple interest, and mortgage interest is calculated this way.
· Credit cards: A payment card issued by a financial organization that allows users to borrow money for purchases. It must be repaid within a certain time or interest is charged.
· Inflation: The general increase in the price of goods and services, causing purchasing power to decline. As prices rise, each dollar buys less.
· Equity: Ownership value—the value of an asset after subtracting what is owed. For example, a $500,000 home with a $400,000 mortgage has $100,000 in equity.
· Stocks: Buying stock represents ownership in a company. As an owner, you can benefit if the company grows and may receive dividends.
· Bond: Purchasing a bond means lending money to a company, government, or organization, which agrees to repay it with interest.
· Budget: A plan for how an individual, family, or business will earn, spend, and save money over time.
· Emergency fund: Money set aside to cover unexpected expenses or financial emergencies—a “rainy day” fund.

Introducing these terms early and reinforcing them through conversation, examples, and practical activities can help children feel confident in financial decisions. Understanding the basics gives them a foundation for more complex concepts as they grow, much like learning to walk before you run.

If you owned an actual machine that produced/printed money for the next several decades, you would protect it without he...
03/26/2026

If you owned an actual machine that produced/printed money for the next several decades, you would protect it without hesitation.

You would insure it, maintain it, and make certain that if it ever broke down, you would still receive the income it generated. Your ability to work functions exactly the same way. And, just like any valuable machine, it can be insured. The tool designed for this purpose is long-term disability income insurance.

Many people insure their cell phone, their appliances, or even their vacation plans, yet never think twice about leaving their most important asset completely unprotected. If your phone is insured but your income is not, I beg you to take a closer look under the hood of your financial life. Ensuring that your earning power is safeguarded is not just a smart decision, it is one of the most important steps you can take toward long-term financial stability.

The most successful families I meet don’t shy away from discussing “legacy” early and often. Legacy conversations often ...
03/20/2026

The most successful families I meet don’t shy away from discussing “legacy” early and often. Legacy conversations often reveal how differently we define love, provision, and responsibility. Sometimes those differences surface in the most ordinary moments, through a single sentence that sounds right on the surface but deserves deeper examination. Recently, I was spending time with two friends when our conversation drifted toward the idea of legacy. One of them said, “I work hard so my kids won’t have to.” I avoided the temptation to respond right away. Instead, I noticed a quiet mix of sadness and tension rise in me, not because his intention wasn’t loving, but because it reflected a belief I have come to question.

I wondered what he really meant when he said he didn’t want his children to have to work hard. Hard work itself is not the problem. In fact, it often builds character, discipline, and purpose. The question is whether we are clear about what that hard work is meant to produce. In many professions, his among the most honorable of them, the rewards are profound but not financially. His dedication can change lives, open minds, and shape futures, yet his W-2 income is largely fixed regardless of effort.

Some careers, like sales or entrepreneurship, are structured differently. In those paths, additional effort can more directly translate into financial growth and financial legacy. Neither model is superior in terms of human worth or contribution. They simply operate by different rules. The risk comes when we confuse impact with income, or assume that effort alone, without regard to structure, will automatically translate into financial legacy.

There is deep value in working hard for reasons that have nothing to do with personal gain. When it comes to providing financially for future generations, love is best paired with clarity. Understanding how systems work does not diminish noble intentions. It helps ensure they lead where we hope they will.

I was recently reading a book aimed at helping parents cultivate entrepreneurial skills in their children. Much of the c...
03/18/2026

I was recently reading a book aimed at helping parents cultivate entrepreneurial skills in their children. Much of the content was thoughtful and practical, and I found myself agreeing with the majority of the author’s insights. However, one central premise gave me pause. The author argued that if we help our children identify their passions early and nurture those passions well, they will grow into lives marked by lasting happiness and fulfillment. While this may not be wrong, it’s also only half-right. The author’s commentary mirrors the cultural belief that happiness comes from doing what feels good. God couldn’t care less about our happiness if it conflicts with our holiness. It’s countercultural but wildly accurate that a relationship with Jesus is the only thing that creates lasting fulfillment. The exciting news is that when we pursue that relationship first, God will often reveal the true desires of our heart in worldly ways.

The middle class is shrinking. Many families are moving up or down the economic ladder without realizing it. I often thi...
03/16/2026

The middle class is shrinking. Many families are moving up or down the economic ladder without realizing it. I often think about the frog in the pot. Drop it in boiling water and it will jump out. Place it in cool water and slowly heat it, and the frog will not recognize the danger until it is too late. That is what I see happening to families today. Many are trying to keep up with the Joneses and following paths simply because they appear safe. Teaching our children that the opposite of courage is not cowardice but conformity may give them the confidence to pursue meaningful and uncommon paths. Rarely does greatness follow the crowd.

Since 1980, the middle class has shrunk by roughly ten to eleven percentage points. A study from the University of California, Berkeley found that the top 0.1 percent of Americans increased their share of national wealth from 7 percent in 1978 to 18 percent in 2018. We can blame the economy or the government if we wish, but the truth remains. No one on earth is coming to save us or our children. That responsibility rests with you. If you are a financial provider, go earn money.

Money is not evil. The love of money is. First Timothy 6:10 reminds us:
“For the love of money is the root of all evil.”

As financial security becomes more difficult to attain, consider the generational impact of leaving your heirs a strong foundation. Proverbs 13:22 says:
“A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children.”

If you’re already retired or within a few years of it, this is not the time to “wing it.”You can create retirement incom...
03/12/2026

If you’re already retired or within a few years of it, this is not the time to “wing it.”

You can create retirement income by design or you can accept it by default.

Good financial planning does not have to be overly complex. But it should uncover options and choices you may not even realize you have.

Here are just a few of the questions we should be answering together:

• How will you manage a market downturn early in retirement without sacrificing long-term growth? (Sequence of returns risk is real.)
• Will your guaranteed income sources actually cover your fixed monthly expenses?
• What are your Social Security options and when is the right time for you to claim?
• Are your investments properly diversified and structured for different market conditions, or are you just hoping things work out?

Retirement is too important to leave to chance.

If you want clarity, structure, and a written income plan built around your life, let’s talk.

Message me or call my office to schedule a conversation.

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2080 N Main Street Ste 2
Crown Point, IN
46307

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