For denominational executives, district superintendents, and conference ministers
Go from reactive crisis intervention and six-figure transition costs to proactive financial wellness infrastructure that reduces turnover and strengthens your ministry pipeline
(without building a program from scratch or relying on generic providers who don't understand clergy finances)
WATCH
BOOK YOUR CALL
Book a free Turnover Cost Assessment
Quantify what pastoral turnover is actually costing your denomination
Identify the financial wellness gaps driving preventable departures
Explore scalable solutions that generate measurable ROI
ABOUT
Hi, I'm Seth Scott
I'm the founder of Shepherd's Wallet, and I specialize exclusively in clergy finances—the housing allowance complexities, dual tax status navigation, SECA decisions, and 403(b)(9) optimization that generic financial providers consistently miss. I help denominational leaders build financial wellness infrastructure that reduces pastoral turnover, demonstrates institutional care, and pays for itself through prevented transitions.
- Licensed Tax Preparer (CTEC #A343003) specializing in clergy taxation
- Investment Advisor Representative through Harvest Investment Services
- 20+ years in ministry roles — worship leader, board member, volunteer coordinator
- Developer of proprietary clergy financial tools used by pastors
My mission: cover financially those who cover us spiritually.
Book a free Turnover Cost Assessment
EXPERIENCE
Over the past several years, I've helped ministry leaders:
- Identify clergy-specific tax opportunities that save pastors $2,000–$8,000+ annually
- Structure housing allowances correctly — the benefit most pastors underutilize
- Navigate the SECA election decision that generic advisors routinely botch
- Implement 403(b)(9) strategies that preserve housing allowance benefits into retirement
- Demonstrate denominational commitment to clergy care with measurable results
THE METHOD
The institutional impact for the denominations I work with:
- Reduced financial stress indicators among pastoral cohorts
- Earlier intervention before financial problems become crises
- Demonstrated denominational commitment to clergy care
- Measurable progress toward grant deliverables for Lilly-funded programs
- Lower transition costs through preventable-turnover reduction
The real transformation happens when you provide clergy-specific financial training, give pastors ongoing access to a specialist who understands their situation, and build sustainable infrastructure—not one-off workshops that fade.
Book a free Turnover Cost Assessment
YOUR STORY
Would you like to stop losing pastors—and money—to a preventable problem?
Every pastoral transition costs your denomination $80,000–$120,000 once you account for search costs, salary adjustments, interim coverage, and congregational disruption. For a mid-sized denomination serving 200 clergy with 20% annual turnover, that's 40 transitions and $3.2+ million per year.
Financial stress is a leading driver. Research shows 90% of pastors report financial stress, 76% know someone who left ministry due to financial pressure, only 14% received any financial training from seminary, and only 5% say their denomination has many resources for personal finances.
You've probably tried offering generic financial wellness programs, pointing pastors to Financial Peace University, or assuming your pension provider covers this need.
But generic solutions miss what makes clergy finances unique: the dual tax status, the housing allowance complexity, the SECA decisions, the 403(b)(9) advantages. Your pastors aren't getting the specialized help they actually need.
The real transformation happens when you provide clergy-specific financial training—not generic budgeting advice.
When you give pastors ongoing access to a specialist who understands their unique situation.
And when you build sustainable infrastructure—not one-off workshops that fade.
This is what I help denominational leaders implement.
And it's what I'd love to explore with you in a free consultation.
A single conversation can bring the whole problem into focus.
Book a free Turnover Cost Assessment
THE SESSION
What we'll cover in your free Turnover Cost Assessment
Understand what pastoral transitions are actually costing your denomination annually—most leaders underestimate this by 50% or more.
Discover where your current clergy support falls short on housing allowance, SECA, retirement planning, and tax optimization.
See how financial wellness programming pays for itself by preventing just a fraction of current turnover.
Determine whether a structured financial wellness partnership makes sense for your denominational context, size, and goals.
TESTIMONIALS
What my clients say
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Travis J. McGann, CFP®
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Leah Wruck
TAKE THE NEXT STEP
Curious what might change if your pastors had clergy-specific financial support built into your system?
Book your Turnover Cost Assessment now
We'll explore what's really holding your pastors back, and how you can help them feel supported, confident, and steady.
Book a free Turnover Cost AssessmentQUESTIONS
FAQs
Why do denominations need a specialist for clergy financial wellness?
Clergy tax law is fundamentally different from standard employee taxation. Ministers have dual tax status (employee for income tax, self-employed for Social Security), complex housing allowance rules, and retirement vehicle options that generic providers don't understand. Programs like Ernst & Young or Financial Peace University can deliver general financial literacy—but they can't navigate the clergy-specific complexities that create the most stress and cost pastors the most money.
What problems does this solve at the denominational level?
It addresses the systemic issue of pastoral turnover driven by financial stress. Rather than reacting to individual crises, you build infrastructure that equips pastors with specialized knowledge, catches problems early, and demonstrates institutional care. The result: reduced turnover, lower transition costs, a stronger pipeline, and measurable ROI.
How is this different from what our pension provider offers?
Most denominational pension providers focus on retirement plan administration and general financial education. They typically partner with generic providers who lack clergy-specific expertise. This partnership fills the gap—providing specialized training on housing allowance optimization, SECA strategy, tax planning, and compensation structuring that pension providers don't cover.
What does the partnership look like in practice?
It depends on your tier, but typically includes live training webinars for pastors, access to proprietary clergy financial tools, periodic group coaching sessions, individual strategy sessions, and ongoing support through office hours and email. Denominational staff receive reporting on engagement and outcomes. The structure is designed to scale—serving 50 to 500+ clergy without requiring proportional increases in your staff time.
How do you measure results?
We track engagement metrics (participation rates, tool usage), knowledge assessments (pre/post training), financial behavior indicators (emergency fund establishment, debt reduction, proper housing allowance designation), and where possible, turnover data. For grant-funded programs, we help structure reporting to meet funder requirements.
Is this only for large denominations?
No. The program scales from districts and synods serving 50 clergy up to national denominations serving 500+. Smaller networks often see the biggest proportional impact because the specialized guidance reaches pastors who have no other access to clergy-specific financial expertise.
What if we already have, or are considering, Lilly Endowment funding?
This partnership can serve as a turnkey implementation partner for your grant deliverables. Many Lilly-funded programs have budget for financial wellness programming but lack the specialized expertise to deliver clergy-specific content. If you're considering applying, we can help you design a grant-worthy program and potentially collaborate on the application.
What does the free consultation include?
A 30–45 minute conversation where we quantify your current turnover costs, identify gaps in your clergy financial support, and explore whether a partnership makes sense. You'll leave with clarity on the problem's scope and potential solutions—whether you work with us or not.