2026 Summer Magazine and Annual Report

INVESTING IN THE FUTURE— AND IN OTHERS

Helping students build financial confidence

What’s Inside

Board

John

President

Amy

Corporate

Sandra

Mike

Jim

Joe

Kari

Jeff

Bill

Jeff

Jim

Portia

Chaplain

Most

There are six hidden black Radiant Crosses throughout the magazine. Correctly identify the location of at least four of the crosses, and we’ll enter you in a drawing to receive a

note: The Radiant Cross above doesn’t count.

Submit your answers at cfl.org/radiantcrossgame or Radiant Cross Game, Catholic Financial Life, c/o Marketing, 1100 W. Wells St., Milwaukee, WI 53233

Be sure to include your name, address, phone number, email address and the locations of the Radiant Crosses. The submission deadline is October 23, 2026.

The Things That Matter Most Rarely Grow by Accident

Dear Member,

The things that matter most in life rarely grow by accident.

Strong families are built through love, sacrifice and care. Strong communities are built when people show up for one another. Meaningful impact grows through countless acts of generosity, service and leadership over time.

As a member, you help make that growth possible.

Whether you’re supporting your family, volunteering in your community, participating in chapter activities, leading an Impact Team or simply living out the values that brought you here, you’re helping build something bigger than yourself.

That’s why stewardship matters.

As you read this issue, you’ll also find our 2025 Annual Report. The report shares the results of another year of careful management and responsible decision-making. But more importantly, it tells the story of what those efforts make possible.

Financial results matter—what they make possible matters more.

They enable us to keep our promises to you, our member-owners. They help support scholarships, charitable programs, volunteer initiatives and member benefits. They allow us to remain strong and prepared to serve members today and for generations to come.

Most importantly, they provide the foundation that helps you continue growing what matters most in your own life and community.

Throughout this issue, you’ll meet members whose stories remind us that the things that matter most don’t grow by accident. They grow when we invest in our families, serve our communities and commit ourselves to something bigger than ourselves.

Thank you for your membership and your trust. Together, we’re helping what matters grow.

God bless,

Financial results matter— what they make possible matters more.

John T. Borgen President and CEO

Rooted in Faith, Growing in Hope

The strongest trees are not known first for their branches, but for their roots. Long before growth becomes visible, roots are formed beneath the surface— drawing strength, finding stability and preparing the tree to withstand seasons of challenge and change.

Our faith grows in much the same way.

In the Gospels, Christ reminds us that lasting fruit comes from remaining connected to Him. When our lives are anchored in faith, growth follows in ways that are steady and enduring. We find the strength to persevere, the wisdom to serve others and the hope to trust God’s plan even when we cannot yet see where it leads.

That same spirit is reflected in the mission shared across this community of members. We are united not simply by policies or programs, but by a commitment to care for others—families, neighbors and communities— especially when needs arise. Acts of service may be simple or quiet, yet they reflect a deeper call to live generously and to place faith into action.

When our lives are anchored in faith, growth follows in ways that are steady and enduring.

The strength of a fraternal organization lies in this shared foundation. When people come together around common values, they are supported and sustained in ways they could not manage alone. Mutual encouragement and shared resources become a way of walking together, helping love and service take shape in tangible ways.

The stories in this issue offer glimpses of that faithful commitment at work. They remind us that communities are shaped over time—through compassion chosen again and again, and through trust that God is present in even the smallest acts of care.

As summer invites a season of growth, may you be encouraged to remain rooted in faith, confident that what is nurtured with love and patience will bear fruit in God’s time.

May God bless you and those whose lives you touch.

As I do for you, please pray for me,

Most Rev. Jeffrey S. Grob Archbishop of Milwaukee Catholic Financial Life Chaplain

Spain and France Pilgrimage April 19-29, 2027

a shared journey of FAITH AND RENEWAL

You’re invited to take part in a guided pilgrimage to Spain and France from April 19-29, 2027. Step away from everyday routines and enter into a journey shaped by faith, friendship and reflection.

This 10-day spring European pilgrimage is a shared experience designed to connect you with fellow members as you visit places rich in spiritual and cultural significance together. To help make participation more accessible, a travel stipend is available to qualifying members.

Space is limited. Visit trustedfraternallife.org/pilgrimage to learn more, or scan the QR code for itinerary and registration details.

Membership Has Its Benefits

Your policy offers financial protection and more.

When you hold a policy with Catholic Financial Life, you’re more than a policyholder—you’re a member.

Membership means access to benefits designed to support you, your family and the causes you care about. Included with your policy, these benefits help you pursue educational goals, strengthen your health and wellness, build financial confidence and make a meaningful difference through service.

Education Scholarships

Education is a central value of Catholic Financial Life. We offer members educational benefits, including scholarship programs for Catholic grade school and high school, as well as college scholarships. To date, Catholic Financial Life has awarded millions of dollars to help members invest in the fields and futures that matter most to them.

Financial and Spiritual Wellness

No matter your age or stage of life, making wise financial decisions just got easier. The Financial Wellness Hub offers easy-tounderstand videos, articles and financial calculators to help you build confidence in everyday money decisions. Spiritual and financial

benefits are also available to support personal well-being and life’s milestones.

Events and Discount Offers

Membership brings opportunities to connect through meaningful experiences—from family-friendly events and learning opportunities to local gatherings. It also includes access to special discounts and offers on a variety of products and services available throughout the year.

Scan the QR code to learn more and access these member benefits.

Your Service Matters

Helping you make a difference in your community has long been part of membership with Catholic Financial Life. Across generations, members have found meaningful ways to give back through volunteer efforts supported by grants and funding opportunities.

Programs like the Pilgrims of Hope Matching Grant and Impact Teams help turn ideas into action by providing financial support and structure for member-driven service initiatives.

Impact Teams

Impact Teams provide meaningful ways for members to participate in service. They’re memberled and designed to make it easy to do good things.

These flexible pop-up teams allow anyone, anywhere, to experience what it means to belong and give back to the community. Catholic Financial Life provides resources to help you get started, including $150 in seed money to support your volunteer project.

Experience what it means to belong and

give back.

When you apply to lead an Impact Team, you choose a project you’re passionate about, invite others to join you and register your team online. Once approved, you’ll receive funding for project supplies along with Impact Team T-shirts to rally your group.

Pilgrims of Hope Matching Grant

In 2026, we’re placing special emphasis on the Pilgrims of Hope Matching Grant—an opportunity for chapters to support volunteer service and plant a seed of hope for someone in need.

Through chapter-led efforts, this special one-to-one matching grant provides up to $1,000 per event to help launch new service projects, support new causes and invite new people into meaningful acts of service.

Connect with your local chapter leader or visit trustedfraternallife.org/pilgrimsofhope to learn more about eligibility and details for this 2026-only opportunity.

Afterward, share your story and photos for a chance to be featured in our magazine or on social media.

Learn more about eligibility, the application process and volunteer ideas at cfl.org/impactteams or contact our Member Engagement team at memberengagement@cfl.org

A Thoughtful Way to Give—and a Smart Time to Plan Ahead

How early planning can help generosity grow with purpose

Generosity takes many forms and often begins with giving time—supporting local causes, serving through a parish or church and stepping in when help is needed. Some also choose to give financially to charitable organizations, and thoughtful planning can help ensure that those gifts reflect personal values and long-term intentions.

At the heart of charitable decisions is a desire to use resources in ways that matter most—today and in the years ahead.

One available option is a Qualified Charitable Distribution. A QCD allows those age 70½ or older to make a direct gift from an individual retirement account to an IRS-qualified charity.

When Required Minimum Distributions are not needed for everyday expenses, a QCD can turn a mandatory withdrawal into a meaningful act of giving by supporting causes already important to an account holder. Because the funds move directly from the IRA to the charitable organization, the distribution is generally

not included in taxable income. That distinction can help lower overall taxable income and may preserve eligibility for other income-based benefits. In many cases, it’s simply a more tax-efficient way to support organizations that already matter deeply.

Why Planning Ahead Makes a Difference

Charitable giving often happens organically in response to a need, a campaign or a personal connection. Planning does not replace that generosity; it helps support it. Thoughtful planning creates a steady foundation so giving is not rushed, reactive or disconnected from long-term priorities.

Summer is a natural planning season. With prior year taxes completed and financial information up to date, there is time to reflect before the busy pace of year- end decisions. Thinking ahead can make it easier to confirm whether organizations are eligible to receive QCDs and to coordinate charitable intentions with broader financial goals.

When considering a Qualified Charitable Distribution, a few guidelines are important to keep in mind:

• QCDs must be made directly from an IRA to an IRS-qualified charity.

• Donor-advised funds and private foundations are not eligible to receive QCDs.

• QCDs can fulfill all or part of a Required Minimum Distribution.

• Because QCDs are excluded from income, they aren’t claimed as itemized deductions, although they may still help reduce overall taxable income.

Aligning Generosity With Long-Term Intentions

For those who value stewardship and intentional planning, a QCD can be a natural extension of generosity already being practiced in everyday ways. Starting to plan early, rather than waiting until year- end, can make charitable giving feel more thoughtful, less hurried and more aligned with long-term intentions.

As always, it’s wise to consult a trusted tax or financial professional to determine what approach best fits an individual situation.

This information is not intended as tax advice. Consult a trusted tax professional about your individual tax situation.

What’s New in 2026: A Charitable Deduction for More Taxpayers

Starting in 2026, the federal tax law makes it easier for everyday givers to receive a tax benefit for charitable donations, even if they don’t itemize deductions.

Most taxpayers take the standard deduction, which, in recent years, has meant that charitable gifts often did not affect their tax returns. That changes this year.

Under the new law:

Individuals who take the standard deduction may deduct up to $1,000 of cash charitable gifts each year.

Married couples filing jointly may deduct up to $2,000.

Gifts must be made in cash or by check or credit card to IRS-qualified charities.

This deduction is taken “above the line,” meaning it can lower taxable income even without itemizing. In the past, charitable gifts did not always result in a tax benefit simply because itemizing did not make sense. Beginning in 2026, this new rule allows everyday generosity to translate more directly into meaningful community impact.

Taking advantage of tax breaks like this year’s new law can also help set the stage for more intentional charitable giving in later years, including options like Qualified Charitable Distributions.

Serving God Through Serving Others

We want to feature your chapter activity in Radiant Life magazine and on social media. Please email high-quality photos and a descriptive write-up to memberengagement@cfl.org.

Chapter 245, New Berlin, Wisconsin, partnered with the Knights of Columbus to host a patriotic poster contest celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. Twenty-five students from Holy Apostles School created posters showcasing their interpretations of 250 years of freedom. First- and second-place prizes were awarded, encouraging creativity, patriotism and reflection on the meaning of freedom in America.

Chapters 206 and 275, Milwaukee

Chapter 887, San Antonio, Texas, invited community members to participate in praying the stations of the cross, with volunteers reading and leading prayer at each station. The event also encouraged youth involvement, giving younger members an opportunity to take an active role in the service and deepen their faith.

Chapter 306, Milwaukee Southeast, Wisconsin, celebrated Arbor Day by planting eight new trees at a local park, contributing to a healthier, greener community.

Chapter 54, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, hosted a baby shower to collect essential items for Vida, a local pregnancy and parenting resource clinic. In addition, members raised $1,000, with matching funds from Catholic Financial Life doubling their impact in support of local families.

Do Good Things

Jesus calls us to a life that values and serves others. There are endless opportunities to perform acts of service in your community once you start to look for them. Here are some recent Impact Team initiatives to inspire you.

“Homelessness is a big problem where we live, so we always try to help those in need. The people at the shelter were very grateful and invited us back to cook another meal.” —Kaarina D.

Small Acts, Lasting Warmth

This Impact Team from La Crosse, Wisconsin, partnered with a local warming shelter to prepare breakfast for 60 people experiencing homelessness in their community during dangerously cold weather. Team members made fresh sandwiches and purchased granola bars to distribute to those using the shelter’s services. The team also wrote kindness cards to remind their neighbors that they are cared for.

Organize Your Own Impact Team

Let us help you do good things in the community. Gather a team to host a service project or fundraiser. We’ll provide the resources you need to get started, including T-shirts and $150 in seed money. Then you and your Impact Team can get busy making a difference. See page 7 for more information or visit cfl.org/impactteams for service ideas and guidance on getting started.

Easter Joy at St. Vincent de Paul

An Impact Team from Bristol, Connecticut, brought the spirit of Easter to individuals and families facing tough times. Volunteers gathered items to create Easter baskets, including baby food, toys and gift certificates, and delivered them to St. Vincent de Paul Mission of Bristol.

“The expressions on the residents’ faces were everything!” —Karen G.

Honoring Lives, Restoring Resting Places

An Impact Team from Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, devoted 15 hours to restoring dignity to a local cemetery, carefully cleaning and renewing 10 weathered gravestones. Using supplies funded by their seed money, they scrubbed and rinsed each marker while also praying the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary. Through their work, they not only transformed the appearance of the graves but also lived out their faith—honoring the deceased and bringing care to a sacred place.

“We appreciated seeing the transformation of what the graves looked like before we started cleaning and what they looked like after. We also enjoyed being able to work alongside each other, praying and visiting while working.”

—Sabina C.

Blessing Boxes

This Impact Team from Green Bay, Wisconsin, assembled blessing boxes filled with nonperishable and perishable items to distribute to those in need. Members enjoyed brainstorming creative ways to make meals easier and more fun, such as providing ingredients for makeyour-own-pizza night.

¡Buenas noticias!

ahora puedes disfrutar de la revista

Radiant Life en español—¡porque tu experiencia nos importa!

En Catholic Financial Life, creemos que todos nuestros miembros merecen sentirse informados, inspirados e incluidos. Por eso, lo hemos hecho más fácil que nunca que nuestros miembros hispanohablantes como tu puedan disfrutar de todas las historias que inspiran, los consejos útiles y reflexiones significantes que ofrece Radiant Life —en el idioma que más te representa.

Ya sea que estés leyendo sobre historias de miembros, consejos financieros o el impacto en la comunidad, ahora puedes hacerlo todo en español. ¡Es el mismo excelente contenido, solo más accesible!

Estamos emocionados de compartir esto contigo—y aún más emocionados de seguir creciendo juntos, historia tras historia.

¿Listo para empezar?

Simplemente escanea el código QR o visita cfl.org/revista para comenzar a leer la edición en español de Radiant Life hoy mismo.

WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER A family of brands built for the next generation

A Family of Brands

As a fraternal benefit socie , Trusted Fraternal Life has been protecting our members for 158 years. Here are a few ways we positively impacted their lives in 2025.

$543,000 LIVES ENHANCED

member benefits distributed including more than $207,000 in school scholarships

200,000 members strong nearly

CHAPTERS GIVING BACK

with an economic impact of $3.4 million

98,557 volunteer hours raised by chapters with $1.55 million matched and donated by Trusted Fraternal Life, bringing the total outreach to more than $3.1 million $1.6 MIL

422 volunteer leaders and members gathered at our Fraternal Celebration nearly

26 states with 1,670 volunteer leaders chapters located in 382

3,500 chapter activities with nearly 6,000 participants regional and discounted ticket events 21

Trusted Fraternal Life’s financial strength rating A with a stable outlook 6th largest fraternal benefit socie Based on net admi ed assets as of June 30, 2024 BILLION IN ASSETS $2.8

Statements of Financial Position and Operations

A year of expanded scale and deepened financial strength 2025 was a transformative year for Trusted Fraternal Life, marked by continued growth, strong financial performance and expanded ability to serve our members. The merger with Catholic United Financial in January 2025 expanded our family of brands and strengthened our organization’s longterm financial foundation.

The Catholic United Financial merger added nearly $1 billion in assets, $30 million in total capital and nearly 70,000 members to Trusted Fraternal Life. As a result, Trusted Fraternal Life’s assets are nearly $3 billion, with total capital of $212 million and nearly 200,000 members. This growth enhances our financial strength and expands our ability to serve more members across our brands.

Our financial performance remained strong in 2025. Trusted Fraternal Life recorded $5.2 million in operating earnings while returning over $50 million in dividends and interest to our members. These results reflect a balanced approach to our financial management—maintaining strength and sustainability while continuing to deliver value to our members.

Trusted Fraternal Life’s strong financial position received independent, third-party recognition in November 2025 by the Kroll Bond Rating Agency (KBRA), an insurance financial strength rating organization. KBRA completed its annual evaluation and affirmed our society’s financial strength rating of “A” with a stable outlook. This rating signals our ability to weather economic storms and reflects consistent performance, prudent capital management and effective governance.

As a member-owned organization, Trusted Fraternal Life’s growth and financial strength allow us to continue providing products, services and unique member benefits aligned with our fraternal mission. We are proud of what we have accomplished over the past several years and remain committed to continued growth—so we can serve even more members, across more communities, with more impact.

Condensed Statutory Financial Information

Statement of Financial Position

Measures of Financial Strength

Adjusted

(TAC) $5,173 Net Gain From Operations 1,143% Risk Based Capital Ratio (RBC)

Statement of Operations

Total Adjusted Capital (TAC) For the year ended December 31

Net Gain From Operations For the year ended December 31

Trusted Fraternal Life®

Important Notice Regarding Privacy and Information Practices (For information only—no action required)

To view the privacy statement in Spanish, visit trustedfraternallife.org/espanolprivacy

FACTS:

WHAT DOES TRUSTED FRATERNAL LIFE DO WITH YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

Why | Financial companies choose how they share your personal information. Federal law gives consumers the right to limit some but not all sharing. Federal law also requires us to tell you how we collect, share and protect your personal information. Please read this notice carefully to understand what we do.

What | The types of personal information that we collect and share depends on the product or service you have with us. The information we collect and the information we share can include:

• Name, address, telephone number, email address, date of birth, driver’s license number and social security number

• Medical information

• Employment information

• Income and assets

• Account balances and payment history

• Credit history and credit-based insurance scores

When you are no longer our customer, we continue to share your information as described in this notice.

How | All financial companies need to share customers’ personal information to run their everyday business. In the section below, we list the reasons financial companies can share their customers’ personal information; the reasons Trusted Fraternal Life chooses to share; and whether you can limit this sharing.

REASONS WE CAN SHARE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

Reason Does Trusted Fraternal Life share? Can you limit this sharing?

For our everyday business purposes—such as to process your transactions, maintain your account(s), respond to court orders and legal investigations, or report to credit bureaus

For our marketing purposes—to offer our products and services to you

For joint marketing with other financial companies

For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes—information about your transactions and experiences

For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes—information about your creditworthiness

For our affiliates to market to you

For nonaffiliates to market to you No

WHO WE ARE

WHAT WE DO

How does Trusted Fraternal Life protect my personal information?

To protect your personal information from unauthorized access and use, we use security measures that comply with federal law. These measures include computer safeguards and secured files and buildings. We restrict access to your personal information to employees, representatives, agents and third parties who have been trained to handle nonpublic personal information and who “need to know” your personal information for Trusted Fraternal Life’s business purposes.

How does Trusted Fraternal Life collect my personal information?

We collect your personal information, for example, when you

• Apply for insurance or pay insurance premiums;

• File an insurance claim; and

• Give us your personal information.

We also collect your personal information from others, such as credit bureaus, affiliates or other companies.

Why can’t I limit all sharing?

There are three instances, listed below, in which Federal law gives you the right to limit sharing. However, Trusted Fraternal Life does not share or sell your information for these purposes.

• sharing for affiliates’ everyday business purposes— information about your creditworthiness

• affiliates from using your information to market to you

• sharing for nonaffiliates to market to you

State laws may give you additional rights to limit sharing. What other rights do I have with respect to my personal information?

Applicable law may provide you with the right to inspect the personal information we have about you and to request corrections, amendments or deletion in certain situations. Call 800-927-2547 or email info@trustedfraternallife.org for more information.

QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS

Call 800-927-2547 or email compliance@trustedfraternallife.org

DEFINITIONS

We don’t share

We don’t share

We don’t share

Who is providing this notice? | Trusted Fraternal Life

Affiliates | Companies related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and non-financial companies. Our affiliates are Catholic Knights Financial Services, Inc.; Catholic Brokerage Services Corp.; Catholic Financial Services Corp.; Catholic Financial Life Foundation, Inc.; St. Jean Baptiste Educational Foundation; Catholic United Financial Foundation; Catholic United Financial General Agency, LLC; and Conventus Now.

Nonaffiliates | Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and non-financial companies. Trusted Fraternal Life does not share with non-affiliates so they can market to you.

Joint marketing | A formal agreement between nonaffiliated financial companies that together market financial products or services to you. Trusted Fraternal Life does not share personal information with joint marketing partners.

Trusted Fraternal Life

A Family of Brands | Catholic Financial Life | Degree of Honor

Stronger Together

Three chapters unite to raise over $20K for a family facing a terminal cancer diagnosis.

Jeremy Z.’s terminal cancer diagnosis turned his entire family’s world upside down. On top of the emotional toll, it brought financial stress as he was no longer able to work to support his wife, Jennifer, and their four children.

When Jennifer’s friend Joyce L. heard the devastating news, she turned to her fraternal chapter network to help. What began as a goal to raise a few thousand dollars quickly grew into something much bigger as three Trusted Fraternal Life chapters joined forces, tripling their impact.

Woman’s Life Chapter 72 Kaukauna, Wisconsin, partnered with Catholic Financial Life Chapters 64 Kaukauna, Wisconsin, and 103 Hollandtown, Wisconsin, to host a ninepin bowling fundraiser. Joyce is secretary of Chapter 72 and president of Chapter 103, while Chapter 64 also has ties to Jeremy’s family.

“Our community is always there for each other,” Joyce says.

Jeremy and his family attended the event and were overwhelmed with gratitude as the total climbed beyond expectations—exceeding $20,000, including $500 per chapter in matching funds. The family expressed deep appreciation for the generous donation, which helped cover Jeremy’s medical expenses and the family’s household bills.

“This collaboration is a true reflection of what it really means to be a family of brands,” says Lisa Pilon, member engagement representative for Woman’s Life.

By coming together, the chapters expanded their reach, their volunteer base and ultimately their impact. Volunteers spent weeks gathering donations, organizing activities and spreading the word—and the community showed up in full force. Nearly 200 people attended the event, filling 29 bowling lanes and participating in a bake sale, raffles and a silent auction.

“The fundraiser was extremely successful,” says Ann M., secretary/treasurer of Catholic Financial Life Chapter 64, who sits on a church committee with Jeremy’s mother-in-law.

“Everyone was very generous.”

The chapters collected over 75 donations for the silent auction, stocked a sucker tree with about 150 lollipops tied to mystery prizes and sold raffle tickets for several weeks in advance for the big-ticket item—a grill.

For Susan M., treasurer of Woman’s Life Chapter 72, the joint effort was as meaningful as the outcome.

“I was very impressed with what was generated with the three groups working together, and it helped a local family going through a very difficult time,” Susan says. “Our chapter took in more from registrations than we have ever raised for one fundraiser.”

Beyond the dollars raised, the event reflects something larger—a shared commitment to showing up when it matters most. In a spirit of collaboration, these chapters turned compassion into action that grew into far more than what they could’ve done on their own.

Investing in the Future— and in Others

A high school economics teacher helps students discover how money can be a tool for good.

Many young adults have downloaded investing apps and even tried trading. Far fewer know how to evaluate a business, build a longterm financial plan or understand how economic events shape the markets. That is why financial literacy matters.

For Dean S., an economics teacher at Saint Thomas Academy in Mendota Heights, Minnesota, financial education is about much more than teaching students how to buy stocks. It’s about helping them develop the confidence and knowledge to make sound financial decisions throughout their lives while using those skills to serve others.

Dean, a spring 2026 winner of Catholic Financial Life’s Catholic

Teachers Give Back Contest, has spent nearly a decade helping hundreds of students do exactly that through the school’s unique Cadet Fund. The student-managed investment portfolio has grown from an initial $17,000 donation into a fund of over $160,000 today.

Not only is he teaching fiscal responsibility, Dean is also setting an example in giving back. He set the fund up so that once it exceeded $100,000, investment earnings became eligible to help cover tuition costs for students in need of financial assistance to attend Saint Thomas Academy. The fund reached that milestone in 2025, and over $15,000 has already been distributed to the financial aid program.

Real Dollars, Real Lessons

The idea for the Cadet Fund was born when Saint Thomas Academy introduced a new schedule during the 2017-18 school year that created room for additional electives. Dean initially used stock market simulation games in the course, but he wanted students to experience something more meaningful, so for the 2019-20

academic year, he launched the Cadet Fund.

“I thought the students would be more receptive to a real dollar fund, making real-life decisions about what people do with investments,” he says.

Up to 50 seniors participate each year in the personal finance and investment course, which has grown in popularity to the point of having a waitlist. Every dollar in the Cadet Fund is managed by students as part of the curriculum. Rather than day trading or chasing quick gains, students inherit the portfolio from the previous academic year, evaluate existing holdings, research potential investments and make recommendations based on longterm performance.

“We’re not investing in stocks— we’re investing in businesses and what they do with the products and services they provide,” Dean says.

Looking Beyond Quick Returns

The approach teaches students to think beyond stock prices and focus on the fundamentals of a company, even taking into account whether its values match those of the Catholic Church. It also helps them understand how global events can affect investments. Over the years, students have witnessed the market volatility of COVID-19, inflationary pressures, geopolitical conflicts and the rise of artificial intelligence. Those experiences have reinforced one of Dean’s most important lessons.

“Long-term strategy is a big lesson here,” he says.

That message is especially relevant for today’s young investors, many of whom have unprecedented access to trading platforms and financial information and are looking for quick returns, he says. Instead, he encourages students to slow down,

do their research, diversify their investments and develop a plan. The lessons are making an impact.

Some former students have gone on to careers in finance and portfolio management or joined university investment funds. Others have pursued entirely different professions while continuing to manage their own investments and save for the future.

“Even if they don’t go into business and finance, they’re likely to manage their own finances in some capacity,” Dean says. “So, I feel it’s important from a true lifelong standpoint.”

Investing in Others

What makes the Cadet Fund especially distinctive is its mission. The purpose is not simply to grow a portfolio; it is to help future students access a Catholic education.

The fund’s earnings are directed to Saint Thomas Academy’s financial aid program, creating a cycle of stewardship in which students learn financial responsibility while helping support future classmates they may never meet. Student Jack S., Class of 2023, understood that responsibility firsthand.

“This is something that we have to take seriously,” he says. “This is the school’s money, and we’re working to get this fund up so it can be used for financial aid.”

For Dean, that sense of purpose elevates the experience beyond a typical finance class. Students learn that money can be a tool not only for personal success but also for serving others.

The class also benefits from alumni involvement, making the Cadet Fund a community effort rather than simply a classroom project. Former students remain engaged, offering guidance and helping strengthen the program’s connection to the broader Saint Thomas Academy community.

Building Confidence for Life

Dean hopes every student leaves his classroom with the confidence to participate in their own financial future.

“General awareness of investing and being involved in the process in some capacity would be the ultimate goal,” he says.

Through the Cadet Fund, students gain more than investment experience. They learn stewardship, responsibility, patience and service—lessons that will continue paying dividends long after graduation.

1100 W. Wells St.

Milwaukee, WI 53233

Don’t Miss What Comes With Your Policy

Your policy with Catholic Financial Life provides valuable membership benefits in addition to financial protection, including scholarships, wellness savings, exclusive event discounts and grants for community service.

The easiest way to stay informed about these benefits is by email. We share timely updates throughout the year, so you don’t miss opportunities available to you and your family.

Scan the QR code or visit cfl.org/stayconnected to share your email and stay connected to the full benefits of your membership.