During tough economic times, retirement experts offer free advice

The coronavirus may have taken us by surprise, but we each have the power to determine whether it takes a permanent hold over our lives.

As we endure the difficult economic terrain brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, that proactive, resilient response is at the core of a retirement planning expert’s message to his clients and the general public.

And Dr. Jim Flanagan is backing up that assertion with his time, as are two of his colleagues at Downers Grove-based Bentron Financial Group.

To empower and guide people through these challenging economic times, Flanagan, along with Greg Kurinec and Jigar Doshi, a Vernon Hills resident, are offering free 30-minute financial planning consultations to anyone who is interested.

Through Zoom video conferences, or by telephone, if one prefers, the staff is providing access to their expert financial advice. They will answer any questions people have about cash flow, budgeting and bill payments, as well as their investments, savings, college plans, estate planning or any other subject of importance.

“It’s popular to say we are all in this together, but that’s true only as far as we are willing to extend ourselves,” said Flanagan. “Our first priority is our clients, but we are also glad to talk with anybody who is overwhelmed and has questions, but nowhere to turn.”

The Bentron team’s offer is doubled for first responders, healthcare workers, caregivers and all other workers considered “essential.” Those individuals are eligible for a pair of 30-minute sessions, or a 60-minute session.

The first 50 people who receive consultations will also receive a signed copy of Flanagan’s 2019 book, Packing For Retirement: A Practical Guide to Prepare for Retirement at Any Age.

It offers a comprehensive overview of the myriad facets of retirement planning and draws from Flanagan’s 30-plus years providing financial guidance to people at or near retirement age. In that time, he has become a nationally recognized expert on financial issues impacting older adults and late-life transitions.

In 2001, building on his 15 years in the financial services field and his knowledge of risk management, financial planning and business succession planning, Flanagan formed Bentron Financial Group.

Flanagan is an adjunct professor at Triton College in River Grove, where he teaches classes revolving around retirement planning with curriculum that he has developed. In addition to a Master’s degree in business administration from Dominican University and a Master’s degree in gerontology from the University of Southern California, he holds a Doctorate in philosophy, with a concentration in leadership and gerontology from Concordia University Chicago.

Flanagan has also attained certification as a Master Registered Financial Consultant, a distinction that reflects integrity and transparency in business and is achieved by fewer than one percent of financial professionals.

Since joining Bentron in 2004, Kurinec has helped people at or near retirement through investment advising, estate planning, risk management and watching out for their overall financial well-being. Doshi, meanwhile, has been providing clarity and vision to successful people for nearly 15 years. He has an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from the University of Mumbai-India, and a Master’s degree in Financial Markets from the Stuart School of Business-IIT Chicago.

For more information about Bentron Financial Group, visit www.bentron.com. To arrange your free financial planning consultation and get a free copy of Packing for Retirement, email rstephens@bentron.com or call 630-505-8375.