CHELSEA KIEHLER

Even in the information age, financial literacy is low among American workers.

Most people don’t know where to get information, and financial advisors often seem out of reach to people of modest means. Traditionally, American high schools and colleges haven’t taught financial literacy. Although many employers offer matching contributions to 401(k) retirement plans, they do little to educate employees in making appropriate decisions. This lack of guidance and knowledge leads to poor decisions, debt piling, and deferred retirement goals.

This is where Retirement Planning Center^® comes in. Retirement Planning Center is one of the leading providers of integrated financial wellness and education services to individuals and businesses. Focused on bridging the gap from financial literacy to actionable planning, RPC provides a blend of customized financial coaching, advisory services, and educational resources. RPC ensures that customers, in a properly structured way, are prepared with the knowledge and tools to take control of their financial journeys, from fundamental planning to long-term retirement strategies.

Founding Vision

Senior Market Sales^®, a leading insurance marketing organization serving independent insurance and financial planning professionals, founded the Retirement Planning Center to improve financial literacy among American workers. With more than four decades in the mature market, SMS identified that in order for people to achieve greater financial security in retirement, they needed to improve their own financial knowledge. The company recruited a senior investment manager from one of the largest wealth management businesses in the world to lead the effort.

Chelsea Kiehler, MBA, Chartered Financial Analyst, accepted the challenge. Throughout her career, she had seen all walks of life seeking financial guidance, even the high net-worth clients she advised. This led her to the same realization as SMS that financial literacy was seriously lacking. Her background in HR helped her identify the opportunity for employers to be a source of financial education to employees, while at the same time improving employee engagement, production and morale and lowering employee stress and employer health-care expenditures. For Kiehler, her personal mission aligned perfectly with that of the Retirement Planning Center — to aid individuals in understanding and taking control of their future finances.

Services Offered

The services offered by RPC are designed on a three-layered model aimed at catering to the varying levels on which the individual could need such a service:

Foundation

The first tier aims to cement a financial foundation. An individual gives foundational education and support provided by a comprehensive online learning portal. This interactive, gamified environment allows the individual to explore almost any financial subject matter imaginable —learning how to budget, how to manage debt, how to save effectively, and more. Combined with access to financial coaches, RPC equips individuals with the right knowledge to make informed decisions about their finances.

Future

The second tier serves individuals who are moving closer to financial stability and are able to focus more on future planning. At this level, RPC’s advice becomes even more personalized. RPC matches individuals with certified financial advisors who can answer more in-depth questions on their specific needs and strategize a plan that incorporates insurance, investments and retirement income planning. Advisors conduct in-depth discovery sessions, identifying the income, debts, assets, and goals of a person’s financial life, and use this information to build tailored recommendations.

Freedom

The third tier is for individuals who have attained a certain level of financial freedom with advanced planning needs. RPC matches these executive-level individuals with a specialized network advisor to act as a financial quarterback to manage their finances — anything from estate planning and wealth management to navigating complicated tax situations or complex financial investments.

Client-oriented approach

Knowing that individuals today are bombarded with information, RPC stands out for simplifying complicated financial topics that speak directly to the unique needs and stressors of its clients. Rather than overloading them even more with financial information, RPC carefully curates educational, engaging materials and takes a guided, hands-on approach. This marrying of a digital learning environment with real-time support from financial professionals is truly unique. These services are accessible via a number of channels, including chat, telephone calls, or scheduled meetings, so personal support is never more than a click away.

Full Service to Employers

Recognizing that financial wellness usually goes in tandem with workplace benefits, RPC operates in close coordination with employers in the delivery of the service. To this end, RPC aspires to create a lasting difference in the lives of employees by integrating financial literacy programs into their corporate wellness initiatives. It achieves this by conducting regular seminars, making access to learning platforms easy, and also actively being part of the employees’ financial journeys.

Onboarding Process

Onboarding a client at RPC is an efficient process, and can be customized if needed. The services begin with initial engagement, usually by the employer, who introduces the employees to the financial wellness platform. If interest is expressed or a need is identified for an employee, they are then interfaced with a coach for preliminary counseling, which normally pertains to budgeting, debt management, and savings strategies. For those ready to take that step further, the advisors come in with comprehensive research regarding their financial status, which entails risk tolerance, financial goals and current assets. A concrete strategy is made from this finding to avail the client of tangible steps toward his or her financial goals.

Success Stories

The success of RPC is measured through real-life impact on the clients. One such success story is about a gentleman who felt overwhelmed by the burden of debt. He worked together with RPC in devising a personalized plan for debt paydown. After some months, through disciplined financial planning, he wiped out more than $10,000 in debt, an accomplishment for which he gave much thanks to the support system at RPC. Another successful case concerned a client in the early years of marriage who had lost a spouse. RPC’s consultants walked the individual through the life insurance proceeds, Social Security benefits, and the creation of a long-term financial plan to ensure a secure feature for the children. 

Technology and Tools

RPC partners with LearnLux for the technological backbone of the educational platform. LearnLux offers mobile-friendly lessons, along with interactive tools that allow clients to learn on-demand, at their own pace. Complementing LearnLux, RPC utilizes a wide variety of software solutions depending on the needs of the client. This would include HubSpot for chat support and specific financial planning software for more complex cases.

Roadmap

Going forward, RPC is developing its platform and scaling up its services. It intends to explore strategic partnerships that could give it the capacity to respond to new financial challenges such as managing student loans and possibly debt repayment. Innovation will further allow RPC to do more for its customers in pursuit of financial freedom.

“Technology is a powerful tool that we will continue to develop, but the heart of RPC is fostering real human connections. Impactful change comes from people serving people, and that will continue to be our primary focus,” said Chelsea Kiehler, CFA, Vice President, Director, Marketing & Strategic Development of RPC.

With a strong foundation in financial literacy, coupled with a client-first philosophy, RPC stands apart from the average financial advisory firm and becomes a trusted partner for individuals and businesses seeking their best, long-term financial wellness. RPC seeks to make financial freedom possible for anyone through tailored education, bespoke financial planning, and a commitment to overall wellness.