How Service Guides Local Financial Advisor at Stephens Planning
Curtis Stephens didn’t set out to become a financial planner. The owner of Alton-based Stephens Planning shares the experiences behind his commitment to helping people navigate difficult financial situations.
Curtis Stevens on financial planning, Community Thursdays and a career built around service
ALTON - Curtis Stephens didn’t intend to become a financial planner, but his focus has always been on helping people in times of need.
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Stephens owns Stephens Planning, an Alton-based financial planning business where he helps community members organize their money. But before that, he worked on towboats and then in emergency rooms as an EMT. His dedication to helping people remains at the heart of his work.
“Showing up when it matters and when things aren’t going right has always been a consistent theme through whatever career I was in,” he said. “Life gets messy, right? Sometimes we need help.”
Stephens was born in the Midwest and was a third-generation towboater. But after a car accident broke his leg and neck, he had to relearn how to walk — and how to deal with his finances, which were “shot” because of medical debt.
The experience sparked his passion for helping people. He trained as an EMT and became a volunteer firefighter.
Stephens was dedicated to giving back and supporting community members through their darkest times. He learned the importance of being a steady presence in high-pressure situations.
“People stepped up and they saved my life that night in that field. And so I felt a deep need or a want to serve my community,” he said. “That led me into hospitals, EMT work, stuff like that. And I just continued with a passion to serve, and that’s what led me to financial advising.”
Today, Stephens works as a fiduciary advisor with the main goal of helping people navigate their finances. He regularly connects financial planning to estate planning and taxes. He tries to help people understand how to organize their money so that they aren’t “leaving money on the table.”
Stephens enjoys working with people in or approaching retirement. He understands that these people have worked their whole lives to build their finances. Now, he wants to help them organize their finances so they can live comfortably in retirement, get whatever care they might need, and leave a positive financial legacy.
But no matter what your financial situation is, Stephens is happy to help. He acknowledged that there are plenty of people who are “stuck” and “afraid to log in and look at their account.”
He offers Community Thursdays specifically to help these community members who are counting on him for guidance. On the last Thursday of every month, Stephens will work with you pro bono to understand your financial situation and make a basic financial plan.
“I do not have a magic wand. I make you no promises,” he said. “But you don’t have to be alone and you don’t have to guess.”
Stephens encourages community members to reach out with any questions or to get on the schedule for Community Thursdays. You can call 618-551-0028 or visit the official Stephens Planning website for more information.
He emphasized that his goal is to help people, and he works hard to ensure community members have the support they need to make the financial decisions that are right for them.
“That’s my passion: to help and serve,” he added. “When things are going real bad, I’m a good guy to have in the room. But if you’ve done well and things are going alright, let’s talk about being as efficient as possible. It’s not always cleaning up a mess. It’s, how can we make this as tight and efficient as possible, and stop leaving money on the table?”
This featured article is sponsored by Stephens Planning. To get your business or organization featured on www.RiverBender.com, contact us at sales@riverbender.com.
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