Love the people who matter most by giving them the gift of clarity and confidence. At Eckhardt Financial Group, we’re passionate about guiding families through the estate planning process to help you protect and provide for the ones you love.
Why is an estate plan so important?
•It helps prevent conflict by making your wishes clear.
•It allows you to avoid costly, time consuming probate.
•It gives you a voice in your medical and end of life decisions, bringing peace of mind to you and your family.
•It lets you appoint trusted individuals to step in if you can’t make decisions yourself.
•And most importantly, it ensures your assets go exactly where you intend.
At Eckhardt Financial Group, we’re here to help you find clarity and confidence as you plan for your loved ones’ future. We’d love to talk with you.
Connect with us:
📞 Collinsville office: (618) 345 4900
📞 Altamont office: (618) 483 6167
📧 EckhardtFinancialGroup@thrivent.com
🌐 Website: https://bit.ly/4bGts9A
See thrivent.com/social for important disclosures.
We’re celebrating two wonderful years with Kayla Lancaster on our team!
Kayla plays a vital role in supporting our advisors by managing appointment scheduling with care and precision. But what truly sets her apart is the warmth she brings to every interaction. She’s a friendly, reassuring presence not just for our clients, but for our entire team.
Kayla has an incredible knack for remembering the little things about people and checking in regularly. Those thoughtful touches make everyone feel seen and supported and is the glue that holds our team together! Even while working remotely from Florida (with her mom, Sherry Lancaster!), she’s always deeply connected to our office and our clients.
We’re so grateful for everything you bring to our practice, Kayla. Here’s to many more years together!
We can’t believe Robin Lewis has been with us for 16 years. Time really does fly when you’re having fun!
Robin keeps our practice running not only through her meticulous accounting work, scheduling of appointments for many of our advisors, careful management of payroll, and dedication as our HR point person, but through countless behind‑the‑scenes efforts that our team would crumble without. And of course, her sense of humor is unmatched—she can make even the most serious among us crack a smile!
We’re so grateful for everything you do, Robin. Here’s to 16 amazing years and many more to come!
We love seeing our clients change their communities for the better!
Today, we’d like to shout out Mark Goerger, who led the charge in teaching 18 members of his church CPR and AED! What a great way to help save lives and live generously!
Want to join us in making a difference in YOUR community? We’d love to talk! Call our Collinsville office at (618) 345-4900, our Altamont office at (618) 483-6167, email us at EckhardtFinancialGroup@thrivent.com, or visit our website https://bit.ly/4bGts9A.
We’re blessed with an amazing team here at EFG. Every year we have with our teammates is something to celebrate and we’re proud to say that Jared Gray has been with us for 3 years!
Jared serves our clients in many ways, from assisting our investment clients, processing applications, contribution and distribution requests, and maintaining client information. He graduated from University of Missouri-Columbia with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management.
When Jared isn’t being a rockstar in the office, he rocks the mic at karaoke and stays active through boxing and running!
Join us in thanking Jared for 3 awesome years with us!
If you’d like to reach out to Jared to personally tell him congratulations, give us a call at (618) 345-4900, email us at EckhardtFinancialGroup@thrivent.com, or visit our website https://bit.ly/4bGts9A.
Eckhardt Financial Group is honored to be recognized as one of Thrivent’s Community Impact Leaders! This achievement was made possible through the generosity and involvement of our team members and clients. Together, your participation in Thrivent Action Teams®️, direction of Thrivent Choice Dollars®️, and support of charitable organizations, both locally and across the country, has made a meaningful difference in the lives of those around us.
Join us in celebrating this exciting news! And if you’d like to partner with us in living generously, we’d love to hear from you. Call our Collinsville office at (618) 345-4900, our Altamont office at (618) 483-6167, email us at EckhardtFinancialGroup@thrivent.com, or visit our website https://bit.ly/4bGts9A.
Eckhardt Financial Group is hiring!
We’re looking for a friendly, professional, and dependable Receptionist to join our Collinsville office. This role is often the first point of contact for our clients and plays a vital role in shaping their overall experience. The ideal candidate is welcoming, organized, and enjoys supporting a busy, collaborative team.
Interested in joining our team? Follow this link to apply: https://thrivent.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/External/job/IL---Collinsville/Receptionist_REQ-45718-2
Taxes play a big role in how far your money can go in retirement. Our advisors here with Eckhardt Financial Group are here to help navigate your retirement savings to help you make the most out of what you’ve earned.
Whether you’re early in your savings journey or approaching retirement, our comprehensive guide breaks down the essentials in simple terms, from how different accounts are taxed to strategies for creating tax-efficient income.
Read more: https://bit.ly/3MybMCS
Still have questions? Let’s schedule time to review your financial plan through a tax-smart lens. Call us at (618) 345-4900, email us at EckhardtFinancialGroup@thrivent.com, or visit our website https://bit.ly/4bGts9A.
Thinking more about risk tolerance? Wondering if you’re investing enough—or in the right places? Curious how taxes, diversification and changing priorities affect your long-term goals?
As life becomes more complex, your investment strategy should evolve with it. Let’s review where you are today and build a financial plan that helps you move forward with clarity and confidence.
Call us at (618) 345-4900, email us at EckhardtFinancialGroup@thrivent.com, or visit our website https://bit.ly/4bGts9A
See thrivent.com/social for important disclosures.
Today, we get to celebrate that Tina Kaiser, a powerhouse and driving force behind our practice, has been here for 12 years! We are so incredibly blessed to have her on our team. We have always been able to rely on her positive energy and passion for helping our clients with the utmost care. Tina's impact is felt throughout the whole group, and we couldn't do what we do without her!
Tina lives in Vandalia, Illinois with her husband, John. She is proud to have three wonderful children: Bradyn, who is a pilot in the Marine Corps, Ryan, and Lauren, who both are studying at University of Illinois Springfield. When Tina isn't being a rockstar with Eckhardt Financial Group, she loves to spend time with her family, traveling, and enjoying the outdoors.
Join us in thanking Tina for 12 amazing years with EFG!
Our team is blessed to have amazing financial advisors on board! Today, we’d like to highlight our Director of Practice Development Leah Joyce, a total whiz since she joined us in 2016.
As a Retirement Income Certified Professional®️ (RICP®️), she works closely with lead wealth advisors Dustin and Ryan when developing holistic plans for our clients to ensure clients can live the life they want in retirement and protect their families and finances if something unexpected happens.
Leah values relationship with her clients by learning about their needs, goals, and passions so that she can help determine the next steps forward in tandem. She has a passion to serve those stricken by loss – having lost two family members at a young age, supporting people during those transitions is something she cares deeply about. Every morning, her driving motivation is helping people gain confidence in uncharted territory and walking alongside them as they find clarity.
Her skills aren’t limited to the financial world, either – she and her partner, Matt, love to scuba dive and have both earned their Assistant Instructor designations! When she’s not at work, she’s often traveling the world and exploring the seas!
Leah is a fantastic example of what we’re all about at Eckhardt Financial Group: helping our clients protect who and what is important to them by understanding, educating, empowering and partnering with them to help them live abundant and generous lives.
If you’d like to connect with Leah, give us a call and we’d love to help you move forward with direction!
Call us at (618) 345-4900, email us at EckhardtFinancialGroup@thrivent.com, or visit our website https://connect.thrivent.com/eckhardt-financial-group
See thrivent.com/social for important disclosures.
New year, new retirement plan limits! We’ve put together this resource to see plan limits at a glance, but we know that your life after retirement is far more important than just a sheet of paper. Our team of advisors can help you navigate these new changes and evaluate new techniques to make the most of what you’ve been given.
Connect with us today!
Call us at: 618-345-4900
E-mail us at: EckhardtFinancialGroup@thrivent.com
Check out our website: https://connect.thrivent.com/eckhardt-financial-group
Start out the year strong by refreshing your approach to money and set yourself up to keep your finances thriving all year long.
Unsure of where to begin? We’ve got you covered. Our team is passionate about helping others make the most out of what they’ve been given – we’d love to team up with you to help steward your money and achieve your financial goals!
Email us at EckhardtFinancialGroup@thrivent.com
Call us at 618-483-6167
Check out our website: connect.thrivent.com/eckhardt-financial-group
See thrivent.com/social for important disclosure information.
Celebrating Tanya Crehan, CFP®️!
Please join us in celebrating Tanya Crehan, Associate Financial Advisor, who has been with Eckhardt Financial Group for 2 years now!
A graduate of Liberty University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Finance and a minor in Accounting, Tanya also competed as a Division I Women’s Soccer player and brings that same drive and teamwork to our practice. She’s deeply involved in her community where she serves with Compel Church and the Dream Center in Southaven, Mississippi.
Tanya lives in Olive Branch, MS, with her husband, Enda (a native of Galway, Ireland), and their three children: Aiden, Ruairi, and Eamon. She loves time with family and friends, staying active, and traveling.
Tanya, thank you for your heart for education, your commitment to comprehensive planning, and the energy you bring to our team. We’re grateful for you!
Celebrating 3 years with Sherry Lancaster!
We’re grateful for Sherry Lancaster, our Office Professional who keeps Eckhardt Financial Group running smoothly with expert appointment scheduling and calendar management. We’re so glad she came to our team after over 25 years of experience. We can always rely on her to be friendly, organized, and helpful to everyone who speaks with her!
A special part of Sherry’s story is getting to work alongside her daughter, Kayla Lancaster, on our scheduling team. Sherry and her husband, Allen, make their home in Florida, and since joining us in 2023, she’s been a steady, positive presence for our clients and our team.
Sherry, thank you for your dedication, warmth, and excellence. We appreciate you!
2025 has been a year for the books! We are so excited to start 2026 off with a bang! Got some financial resolutions this year? Let’s hear them! We’d love to help you achieve your goals this year.
Get in touch with us and start paving the way to your financial future today.
📧 EckhardtFinancialGroup@thrivent.com
📞 618-483-6167
🌐 connect.thrivent.com/eckhardt-financial-group
See thrivent.com/social for important disclosure information.
At Eckhardt Financial Group, Action Teams are our favorite way to make a difference in the community. Our staff has put in the work and made the best use of the Action Team program in so many different and creative ways!
• Robin Lewis led the charge with not just one, but TWO supply drives for animal shelters in the area
• Tina Kaiser and her family blessed the community by refurbishing the local Free Little Library, providing a Thanksgiving meal for hungry college students, helping out with a youth fishing tournament, collecting disaster supplies, and equipping their Bible study with materials
• Heather Klein helped provide 235 Thanksgiving meals to people who otherwise would have gone without
• Ryleigh Farar sweated it out supporting Save St. Louis’s community garden on a planting and weeding day.
• Will Ochs gathered supplies for Blessing Bags to provide local students in need with necessary supplies and food
• Amanda LaGrand and her kids helped put together Christmas gifts for a child on the Angel Tree
• Tessa Dockins coordinated a collection of supplies to give to the Humane Society
It is truly amazing to see so many people rally around their communities and help those in need, people or furry companions alike!
Would you like to find out more information about what you can do through a Thrivent Action Team? Reach out to Ryleigh Farar, and she can help get you connected to resources and brainstorm ideas to help you live generously:
Ryleigh.Farar@thrivent.com
618-345-4900
connect.thrivent.com/eckhardt-financial-group
See thrivent.com/social for important disclosure information.
Merry Christmas to you and yours! We hope your day is filled with peace and joy as you celebrate Christ’s birth.
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” - Luke 2:14
Here at Thrivent, living generously is what we’re all about. As we approach Christmas and the end of the year, we wanted to look back at 2025 to see all the amazing things that have been possible through Thrivent’s generosity programs.
One of our amazing clients and her amazing team of volunteers gathered supplies to support unhoused people at Pinellas Hope this week, all decked out in their Thrivent Action Team shirts! What an amazing display of generosity, teamwork, and community action!
We're so excited to see how our clients make a difference in their communities in 2026. Just in 2025, we’ve seen clients do a wide range of Action Teams – here are just a few!
• Quilting days to make blankets for those in need
• Building beds for children without a bed of their own
• Diaper giveaways and car seat safety check days
• Project days to make houses accessible for people with disabilities
• Emergency kit preparations and classes on severe weather preparedness
Would you like to find out more information about what you can do through a Thrivent Action Team? Reach out to Ryleigh Farar, and she can help get you connected to resources and brainstorm ideas to help you live generously:
Email her at: Ryleigh.Farar@thrivent.com
Call us at: 618-345-4900
Check out our website: connect.thrivent.com/eckhardt-financial-group