WHEN THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS

PICTURED: PAULA STEBNER, Vice President — Managing Trust Officer

For Mary, it was her husband asking for a divorce after 26 years of marriage. One child in college, two in high school, a lake home, a home in town, a couple of cars and a dog. For another one of our clients, it was the sudden passing of her husband due to a heart attack at work. For others, it may be a tragic accident or a debilitating stroke. Sometimes in life, the unexpected happens and we need to find a way to pick up the pieces, care for ourselves, our families, and move strongly forward.

The first words of advice we give individuals in this situation is to breathe and gather yourself. You need to have a clear head and be strong for yourself and your family.

Second is not to make any rash or snap decisions while under the significant stress of your situation. A wrong choice at this time may have a lifetime of consequences. Gather all of the facts and important information you can to make the most informed decision. You need to advocate for yourself and those you love. Ask questions and then ask some more. No situation is exactly alike, and there are no perfect answers, but there are some answers and choices that are better than others.

For the death of a spouse or elderly parent, the situation is a little different because hopefully there was a plan, a will, some family discussions and well thought-out direction, care and consideration for those left behind.

Third, put your team in place. You need to surround yourself with people who are there to advocate for you. This may look a little different for each individual based on your needs and unique situation, but what expertise do you need on your side of the table.

Do you have an attorney? What is their specialty? Settlements need to be negotiated, wills need to be carried out, titles need to be changed, documents need to be upgraded, new accounts need to be opened, and beneficiaries need to be named.

Do you need an accountant?

How about a trusted advisor for financial matters? Are there investments, divorce settlements, retirement assets, court judgments, real estate, inheritance or life insurance settlements that need to be managed for your lifetime of benefit?

If you do not have a relationship with an attorney, accountant or trusted financial advisor, ask for referrals, make a couple of phone calls, set up appointments with two or three, ask a lot of questions, and find the best one that fits for you. These are important members of your team. (A list of sample questions you may want to ask can be found at our website heartlandtrust.com under the documents tab.)

Finally, create a plan for the future. Things might look blurry and scattered at the beginning with all of the changes that are going on, but the dust will settle and the better your plan is, the better the outcome will be. Your plan may include managing monthly cash flow, saving for the future, and contingencies if something were to happen to you. But more importantly, it lets you know where you are currently at and what you need to do to accomplish your dreams and vision for the future.

Throughout this entire process, care for yourself, seek support and professional help if needed. Surround yourself with family, friends and a support group that lifts you up and watches out for one an another.

One of the things I love most about working with the clients at Heartland Trust Company is that we are there when our clients need us the most. We are not limited to financial advice, we can truly step up and walk side by side with our clients in their most difficult times.

Many times, we are the first call a family makes when they need help.

As a locally owned and operated independent trust company, we are empowered to care for clients the best way possible.

We are fiduciaries, which means we are held to higher legal and ethical standards than other investment companies. What that means for our clients is that they have security and confidence knowing we are legally obligated to act in their very best interest above our own.

Clients experience peace of mind knowing that Heartland Trust Company is unique in the region. We do not accept any commission or payments from investment funds, banks or insurance companies, so we can offer our clients unbiased advice and fully advocate for them without compromise and outside influence.

We are also independent for our client’s benefit. We have no proprietary relationships so we can provide our clients with access to the best investment options, trusts and financial services to meet their unique needs and goals.

Finally, valued clients of Heartland Trust Company have the opportunity to experience better outcomes because we leverage our size and status as a trust company to purchase institutional funds for our clients to avoid hidden fees, commission and added expenses that cost our clients money and lessen their returns.

I am just one member of a team of 18 at Heartland Trust Company with years of financial services experience and expertise ready to serve you at a moment’s notice and for a lifetime.

By partnering together we can assist you in coaching your team, coordinate the efforts of your experts and taking some of the burden off of you, so you can focus on the important things in life.

Heartland Trust Company is a locally owned and operated independent trust company that manages investments, IRA rollovers, trust administration, and employee-sponsored retirement plans.

Additionally, they provide wealth management services, financial and retirement planning, asset management (farmland, commercial real estate, mineral interests and unique assets), estate settlement, conservatorships, power of attorney and personal advocacy.