Protect Your Legacy with Estate & Financial Planning | Our Daily Show Interview
ALTON – An upcoming “Lunch & Learn” event in Alton aims to make long-term financial planning easy to navigate for local families.
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The free event is set for 12 to 1 p.m. this Friday, July 10, 2026 at The Wedge in downtown Alton, where lunch will be provided. Registration is required and can be completed online here.
Curtis Stephens of Stephens Planning and Elizabeth Heller of Goldenberg Heller & Antognoli, P.C. will break down the complexities of wills, trusts, estate taxes, and more in a way that’s practical and easy to understand. Attendees will also learn how to avoid common estate planning mistakes and effective ways to transfer wealth.
Fully aware that wills and trusts are not often fun topics to discuss, Stephens said the event offers a relaxed way to plan for the future while sharing laughter, giving away prizes, and enjoying a free lunch.
Stephens said the biggest and most common mistakes in estate planning are made over “simple things,” and hopes this event can help families avoid future financial burdens.
“Whether you own a business, whether you just worked hard and want to make sure you’re not leaving a burden … all that requires some coordination,” Stephens said. “Not everybody needs a will, not everybody needs a trust. So we just get together with the community, we talk, we have fun, we answer questions, and if people need help, we’re there for them.”
To help family members keep more of the money they’ve earned, Stephens said the event will highlight ways to minimize estate tax burdens, noting the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) system is “stacked against us” and requires planning in advance.
Another key topic being covered during the event involves the best methods to protect assets from lawsuits and creditors, with Stephens adding: “There’s ways to protect it and make sure creditors don’t come in and take mom and dad’s money.”
Most people who attend events like these already know how to budget and make money, but Stephens said they might need more guidance to make an informed decision on protecting those assets over the long term.
“What they might not know, and what their gut’s telling them, is that they’re leaving money on the table unnecessarily and unknowingly,” he said. “Sometimes it’s just some fine-tuning, making people more efficient – which, over their lifetime, saves them a bunch of money.”
To learn more about Stephens Planning and their other upcoming events, visit stephensplanning.com.
This Featured Article is sponsored by Stephens Planning. To get your business or organization featured on Riverbender.com, contact us at sales@riverbender.com.
