A first meeting is a complimentary, no‑obligation conversation. If meeting with a financial advisor has ever felt intimidating — or you’ve wondered, “Am I going to be sold something?” — I understand that hesitation. My goal is to make this first conversation simple, comfortable, and pressure‑free so you can decide what (if anything) you’d like to do next.

Here’s what we’ll do together

1) Start with you (not products).

We’ll begin by talking about what’s important in your life right now and what you want retirement to look like. This helps me understand your priorities before we talk about strategies.

2) Clarify the questions that matter most for retirement.

Most retirees and pre‑retirees have a few big “what‑ifs” on their mind. We’ll identify which ones are most relevant to you, such as:

• Retirement income: How do you turn savings into a dependable plan for spending?
• Social Security: When does it make sense to claim, and how does it fit into your income picture?
• Taxes: Are there areas where taxes could surprise you in retirement, and what should we watch for?
• Legacy: What do you want to happen for your spouse/family/causes you care about?

(You don’t need to have perfect answers — we’ll use this to set direction.)

3) Take a high‑level snapshot of where you are today.

If you’re comfortable, we’ll review a simple overview: your income sources, savings/investments, debts (if any), and any planning you’ve already done. This is not a deep audit — it’s just enough to understand the starting point and identify gaps or opportunities.

4) Talk through how I work and what the planning process looks like.

You’ll leave knowing what working together typically looks like — how we communicate, how we prioritize decisions, and what a practical next step would be based on your goals.

5) Leave with clear next steps (and less uncertainty).

Before we wrap up, we’ll agree on next steps that match your comfort level. That may be:

• Scheduling a follow‑up meeting (if you’d like), and
• Identifying what information (if any) would be helpful to gather next.
• After the meeting, you’ll receive a short recap so you’re not left wondering, “What did we decide again?”

When you work with me, you’re supported by the broader Quadrant Financial Advisors team. That means you get a team-based experience—more follow‑through, more organization, and help behind the scenes—so you don’t feel like you’re navigating retirement decisions alone.

How our team supports you:

• Planning support: help gathering information, organizing details, and preparing retirement projections and scenarios.
• Case management & execution: support with forms, follow‑ups, and making sure next steps don’t fall through the cracks.
• Client service help: scheduling, reminders, and coordination so meetings stay simple and stress‑free.
• Continuity: if you ever need help and I’m unavailable, our team can still support you.

Want to learn more about the full practice team? Visit our practice page here: Quadrant Financial Advisors, Financial Advisors in Decorah, IA | Thrivent

My wife Jamie and I have raised 5 kids. Ty (25) is living in Kansas, Emma (22) is living in Florida, April (17) is a senior in high school, Ruby (13) is in 7th grade and Nic (11) is in 6th grade. Yes, there was a point in life when we had teenagers and kids in diapers at the same time. I don't recommend doing that! We made it through together.

We are a first-generation military family. Our oldest son joined the Army as a Chinook Maintainer, 15U, in June 2018. He did his BCT at Fort Jackson in South Carolina and went straight to Ft Eutsis Virginia for AIT. From his AIT graduation we put him on a plane to his first duty station, Seoul, South Korea. He was there for a year and came back right as COVID was starting in the U.S. Luckily, we were able to get to Kansas and spend a weekend with him before things shut down. That same year he had his first Germany rotation for 9 months (but due to COVID and having to quarantine at every move, it was about a year). He has recently returned from his second 9-month rotation in Germany fall of 2024. He has reenlisted for another 4 years and currently stationed at Ft. Riley in Kansas.

I used my first Thrivent Action Team to assist the Bernard Playground and Recreation Project committee to raise money for new playground equipment in the town park. I donated burgers and hotdogs to be sold at the concession stand and volunteered my time to grill during the event. My volunteers helped in the concession stand, beer garden, raffle drawings and others assisted with clean-up and other errands. During the event, there was two local heroes softball games that included teams from the Centralia-Peosta Fire Department, Cascade Volunteer Fire Department, Bernard Fire and Rescue Department and the Legendary Ghost Players that I got a picture with. There was even live music and a movie in park in the evening showing The Sandlot. I really enjoyed this event and look forward to doing more Action Teams and assisting my clients in theirs.