What Constitutes A Modest Living Allowance?

[strappinglad]

John the Baptist is the poster guy for prophets. Camel hair suit, knapsack full of locusts and wild honey, no visible means of support. He probably was a real trial for his orthodox parents. We really must get President Monson a better image consultant. He also needs a new tailor and a back to basics nutritionist .

[katherine the great]

John the Baptist is the poster guy for prophets. Camel hair suit, knapsack full of locusts and wild honey, no visible means of support. He probably was a real trial for his orthodox parents. 

I'll bet he didn't smell very good either.  I hope he practiced mikveh...

[Calm]

Who did back then....at least to our sanitized noses.

[mbh26]

Would accumulating a $2 million estate to leave to your heirs after a life spent working for the Church be a modest living allowance in your opinion?  

[thesometimesaint]

Would accumulating a $2 million estate to leave to your heirs after a life spent working for the Church be a modest living allowance in your opinion?  

 

Let's  talk about compound interest. About $60 per week after 60 years would do it.

[ERayR]

Let's  talk about compound interest. About $60 per week after 60 years would do it.

 

Or some prudent real estate purchases along the way.

[thesometimesaint]

Or some prudent real estate purchases along the way.

 

True.

[The Nehor]

Would accumulating a $2 million estate to leave to your heirs after a life spent working for the Church be a modest living allowance in your opinion?  

 

It could just be living frugally. Just about anyone could be a millionaire but people want to live like millionaires and are less interested in becoming one.

[Calm]

Would accumulating a $2 million estate to leave to your heirs after a life spent working for the Church be a modest living allowance in your opinion?

Please confirm who it is that had a $2 million estate first.

[ERayR]

Please confirm who it is that had a $2 million estate first.

 

They first should add up their own estate using current values.  Anybody in a metropolitan area who is buying a house is probably in the $150,000 to $500,000 dollar range for the house alone.  Now throw in savings, investments and retirement funds add about 30 to 40 years of accretion using compound interest.  They will be surprised.

[mbh26]

Please confirm who it is that had a $2 million estate first.

 

I'd love to know the truth but the books are closed.  I just wanted to see how people would feel about it.  It looks like they're fine with it, if that were true.    

[Calm]

Considering how they could have inherited the $2 million from a relative or embezzled it or a ton of other scenarios both good and bad, I don't really see how any judgment can actually take place save that it is fine in some cases and in others a problem.

Edited August 11, 2014 by calmoriah

[Sleeper Cell]

Would accumulating a $2 million estate to leave to your heirs after a life spent working for the Church be a modest living allowance in your opinion?  

Actually, this church leader never received any money from the church, not even a living allowance.   One day, after hearing of yet another innuendo against  his character, he remarked that he wished he had a nickel for every time some idiot made up some rumor about  him -- simply because he was a church leader and the rumormonger didn’t like the church.  The Lord regarded his remark as a prayer, and blessed him accordingly.

[mbh26]

Actually, this church leader never received any money from the church, not even a living allowance.   One day, after hearing of yet another innuendo against  his character, he remarked that he wished he had a nickel for every time some idiot made up some rumor about  him -- simply because he was a church leader and the rumormonger didn’t like the church.  The Lord regarded his remark as a prayer, and blessed him accordingly.

 

How do you know whether he received a living allowance or not?    

[The Nehor]

Actually, this church leader never received any money from the church, not even a living allowance.   One day, after hearing of yet another innuendo against  his character, he remarked that he wished he had a nickel for every time some idiot made up some rumor about  him -- simply because he was a church leader and the rumormonger didn’t like the church.  The Lord regarded his remark as a prayer, and blessed him accordingly.

 

[Sleeper Cell]

How do you know whether he received a living allowance or not?    

Because we are discussing a hypothetical set of facts about a hypothetical church leader.  If you wish to discuss real facts about a real church leader, than CFR that he left a 2 million dollar estate.  

[Thinking]

Because we are discussing a hypothetical set of facts about a hypothetical church leader.  If you wish to discuss real facts about a real church leader, than CFR that he left a 2 million dollar estate.  

 

It's not hypothetical. My wife's brother's friend's sister's boyfriend's mom heard it from her best friend's husband's sister's daughter's seminary teacher. If you can't trust a seminary teacher, who can you trust?

[ERayR]

It's not hypothetical. My wife's brother's friend's sister's boyfriend's mom heard it from her best friend's husband's sister's daughter's seminary teacher. If you can't trust a seminary teacher, who can you trust?

 

Its not the seminary teacher I am worried about.

Edited August 12, 2014 by ERayR

[The Nehor]

It's not hypothetical. My wife's brother's friend's sister's boyfriend's mom heard it from her best friend's husband's sister's daughter's seminary teacher. If you can't trust a seminary teacher, who can you trust?

 

Call me paranoid but I only trust the voices in my head.

[mbh26]

Because we are discussing a hypothetical set of facts about a hypothetical church leader.  If you wish to discuss real facts about a real church leader, than CFR that he left a 2 million dollar estate.  

 

lol.  No I wished to discuss a hypothetical because we don't have access to the facts.  

 

So when I give a hypothetical, you get to correct me on the facts of my hypothetical?  How would feel if this were true?  Actually it's not true.  You're lying????  WTH?  Sounds like obfuscation and avoiding the question to me.  

 

What's a reasonable amount of money for a GA to be worth at the end of his life, assuming he worked for the Church most of that time?  

Edited August 12, 2014 by mbh26

[ERayR]

lol.  No I wished to discuss a hypothetical because we don't have access to the facts.  

 

So when I give a hypothetical, you get to correct me on the facts of my hypothetical?  How would feel if this were true?  Actually it's not true.  You're lying????  WTH?  Sounds like obfuscation and avoiding the question to me.  

 

What's a reasonable amount of money for a GA to be worth at the end of his life, assuming he worked for the Church most of that time?  

 

Innuendo by hypothetical how convenient.  This way you don't have to back up your accusations.

 

It depends on whether or not they have made wise investment, have some highly inflated real estate, received a large inheritance.  So one would have to have a more complete fact pattern to even begin to answer your innuendo question.

Edited August 12, 2014 by ERayR

[Alan]

Would accumulating a $2 million estate to leave to your heirs after a life spent working for the Church be a modest living allowance?  

 

No.

[thesometimesaint]

lol.  No I wished to discuss a hypothetical because we don't have access to the facts.  

 

So when I give a hypothetical, you get to correct me on the facts of my hypothetical?  How would feel if this were true?  Actually it's not true.  You're lying????  WTH?  Sounds like obfuscation and avoiding the question to me.  

 

What's a reasonable amount of money for a GA to be worth at the end of his life, assuming he worked for the Church most of that time?  

 

Sufficient for his needs.

[katherine the great]

I wouldn't assume that a person who leaves a 2 million dollar inheritance at their death was at all extravagant in their life.  My daughter in law inherited half a million dollars from an aunt who was disabled and lived mostly on public assistance.  Her money was carefully and judiciously managed by a relative and with the interest it accrued over a lifetime was over a million dollars and split between my DIL and her brother.  As a previous post stated, almost anyone can become a millionaire over time if they are frugal and patient enough.

[Sleeper Cell]

lol.  No I wished to discuss a hypothetical because we don't have access to the facts.  

 

So when I give a hypothetical, you get to correct me on the facts of my hypothetical?  How would feel if this were true?  Actually it's not true.  You're lying????  WTH?  Sounds like obfuscation and avoiding the question to me.  

 

What's a reasonable amount of money for a GA to be worth at the end of his life, assuming he worked for the Church most of that time?  

 

But you started out by implying that you did have access to some of the facts.  You named a specific general authority and alleged his estate was worth over $2 million.  You did this immediately after your innuendo about “anticipating” LDS Church leaders “deeding away the Church’s property to their heirs.” Then you concluded by  asking where did “all that money” in his estate come from?  

 

Didn't the Catholic Church start that for some of the same problems we're anticipating in Mormonism?  They didn't want the priests deeding away the Church's property to their heirs.  I heard Joseph Fielding Smith's estate was worth over $2 million when he died in the 70s.  Where did all that money come from?   

[emphasis added]

 

When your alleged “facts” were challenged, you couldn’t produce any evidence.  You wouldn’t even reveal who allegedly told you that his estate war worth over $2 million.  Then, to avoid a CFR, you changed you allegation into a “hypothetical“ question.  After all this, you accuse me of obfuscation? 

 

BTW, as others have pointed out, your alleged hypothetical question does not have enough information to be answered, since it is quite possible that the hypothetical general authority’s  hypothetical $2 million  estate had very little  to do with his hypothetical church stipend.  It easily could have come from other sources.

 

 In response to your last question:

What's a reasonable amount of money for a GA to be worth at the end of his life, assuming he worked for the Church most of that time?  

 

There is insufficient information for a meaningful answer.  We do not know how much of his “worth” came from frugal living,  the increase in the value of his home over the last 60-70 years,  the value of his home,  wise investments, inheritances, etc.  Even if one believes that it is reasonable to expect a GA to take a vow of poverty (or a vow to give away that portion of his family assets that exceed a certain amount)  it is not reasonable to expect him to do so on behalf of his wife and children, as well.