Silver Oak Securities Expands Chicago Presence with the Addition of Lifetime Financial Group

In May 1961, five days after Bay of Pigs and five weeks after the Soviets put Yuri Gagarin into orbit, President Kennedy stood before Congress and made a promise: America would land a man on the Moon before the decade was out. NASA was less than three years old. The technology necessary to reach the Moon didn’t even exist yet.

In his latest article, CEO and Founder Billy Hopkins draws a direct line from that speech to the decade now facing independent financial advisors.

Roughly 40% of advisors, many licensed in the 1990s like Billy himself, will retire in the years ahead. At the same time, trillions of dollars are about to change hands. Gen X stands to inherit $14 trillion. Millennials will inherit $8 trillion. By 2035, women will control more than 40% of US wealth, up from a third today.

Billy connects these numbers to a bigger shift already underway. Estate planning is turning into a conversation about life, not death. More than 63 million Americans now care for aging parents or adult children, and 16 million of them care for both at once. Clients want more than portfolio management. McKinsey found the share of investors seeking holistic advice grew from 29% in 2018 to 52% in 2023.

Advisors who set a bold, deadline-driven goal now, the way Kennedy did, will own the next decade. Clients expecting family-office-level support as the standard, not the exception, will leave behind the advisors who wait.

Read the full article for Billy’s take on what it takes to serve three generations of planning needs at once, and why an impossible goal might be exactly what this industry needs: www.linkedin.com/pulse/todays-clarion-call-independent-advisors-billy-hopkins-brk8c/

$154M AUM Wilmette-Based Firm Strengthens Silver Oak’s Midwest Footprint

Jackson, TN – December 18, 2024 – Silver Oak Securities, a leading Hybrid RIA championing the spirit of the independent advisor by marrying the autonomy and individuality of smaller firms announced today that Lifetime Financial Group has joined its growing network. Based in Wilmette, Illinois, Lifetime Financial Group is a comprehensive financial planning firm managing $154 million in client assets for more than 200 households.

“We are thrilled to welcome Bruce Berman and the entire Lifetime Financial Group team to Silver Oak,” said Billy Hopkins, Silver Oak’s CEO and President. “Their commitment to holistic financial planning and socially responsible investing aligns perfectly with our mission of empowering advisors’ independence and creativity in service of their clients’ best interests. Bruce and his team have built an impressive practice, and we look forward to supporting their continued growth.”

Founded by Bruce A. Berman, Lifetime Financial Group has developed a strong reputation serving healthcare and human services professionals, along with small business owners operating both solo practices and partnerships. The firm is known for its integrated approach to financial planning, combining traditional asset management with socially conscious investing and philanthropic planning.

“We chose Silver Oak because their hybrid model provides us with both true independence and the comprehensive toolset necessary to meet our clients’ diverse needs,” said Berman of the firm’s decision to transition from Cetera. “What really stands out about Silver Oak is their collaborative approach to service, underscored by the direct access they provide to their high-quality, talented experts. This level of support and freedom will allow us to enhance the value we bring to our clients while maintaining our independent advisory approach.”

Lifetime Financial Group’s team of six professionals will continue to operate from their Wilmette headquarters, serving Chicagoland with the same dedication to comprehensive financial planning while leveraging both the Silver Oak broker-dealer and RIA’s enhanced platforms and resources.

If you’re interested in learning more about joining Silver Oak Securities, please visit https://joinsilveroaksecurities.com.

About Lifetime Financial Group

Based in Wilmette, Illinois, Lifetime Financial Group’s primary goal is to provide Chicagoland area clients with guidance to help them understand and better define their financial goals. Bruce A. Berman founded the firm nearly three decades ago with the aim of connecting with clients in a personal and holistic manner to find creative financial solutions based on what’s optimal, not what’s fashionable. Learn more at lifetimefinancialgroup.com.

About Silver Oak Securities, Inc.

Silver Oak Securities, Inc. is an independent, full-service Broker-Dealer and SEC Registered Investment Advisor focused on serving the needs of independent wealth advisors who foster strong, trusted relationships with their clients. The firm is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and the Securities Investors Protection Corporation. Founded in 1999 by Principals with deep investment management and compliance experience spanning 40 years, Silver Oak is based in the heart of the southern U.S. Corporate headquarters are located in Jackson, TN, between Nashville and Memphis. Learn more at www.SilverOakSecurities.com and connect with us on LinkedIn.

Media Contact
Mark Forman
Intention.ly for Silver Oak Securities
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