I'm Alan Skillern. I'm from a small town in west central Indiana. My goal is to help people just like I help my family. I'm a CFP® professional and I picked up my MBA while I was at Ball State. I've decided that Best Case Financial will not be using any AI going forward. See our No A.I. Pledge: https://bestcasefinancial.com/no-ai-pledge I've worked in a few firms but I never sold a financial product or taken a commission. I don't have any desire to push products to people who are looking to secure their family's future. I have picked up a set of skills, including: a deep knowledge of estate planning, mindfulness around taxes, and the ability to build a killer financial plan. Best Case Financial is built around the idea of neighbors helping neighbors. I've seen too many cases of people being treated un-neighborly and I want to do my part to tip the scale in the other direction.

My path into financial planning started with a conversation that I had with my mom. When I was in my late 20s, we were talking about student loans, and she mentioned that she wished she had someone to walk her through all the different options that were available when we were figuring out how to pay for college. That comment really resonated with me. I realized I wanted to be that person for others when it comes to their finances, someone who helps them understand their choices so they can make confident decisions. I've always been drawn to math and numbers, so this work feels like a natural fit. I earned my B.S. in Mathematics from Purdue and my M.S. in Accounting from IUPUI. Over the past decade and a half in the financial services industry, I've earned my CPA, CFP, and CFA designations. What really drives me is using the skills that I've developed to help people navigate the maze of rules around investments, retirement, and taxes. We've built so many incentives to encourage retirement savings, but the rulebook that comes with them can be overwhelming. Helping clients work through that complexity is what I do best. My focus is on retirement planning, tax planning, and managing investments in a tax-efficient manner. I spend my days preparing financial plans, building retirement projections, managing portfolios, running tax projections and Roth conversion analyses, and figuring out withdrawal strategies that keep more money in my clients' pockets. What I love most about this work is getting to know my clients and becoming someone they trust. I want to be the first person they think to call when they need help or have a question. Retirement brings a lot of changes, and I find it rewarding to help clients identify what matters most to them and then build a plan to get there.

Ginger Scott is a financial advisor at Wabash Capital, Inc. with 26 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and has been with Wabash Capital since 1999. Wabash Capital provides discretionary investment management to individuals, trusts, corporations, pensions, 401(k) plans, and foundations/endowments. The firm employs a top-down, fundamental research process to build diversified, risk-based portfolios with an emphasis on low turnover and tactical shifts guided by market valuation metrics.

Heather Mc Ghee is a financial advisor at Modern Wealth Management, LLC with three years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Edward Jones for eleven years. Modern Wealth Management, LLC is a multi-team SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $10.9 billion in assets through about 94 advisors. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and modular services for individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and employer-sponsored retirement plans, supported by a centralized Investment Committee and a range of portfolio management tools.

Vernon Stewart is a financial advisor with J. W. Cole Advisors, Inc. He holds Series 63, 65, and 66 credentials and has 41 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at National Planning Corporation and Advantage Investment Management LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved with Ernst & Roth, providing cost segregation study services to commercial real estate owners. J. W. Cole Advisors is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, charities, corporations, and retirement plans through a national network of over 400 independent representatives. The firm offers portfolio management, fee-based financial planning, access to third-party managers, and various managed account solutions, with investment decisions implemented on both discretionary and non-discretionary bases.

Cameron Chestnut is a financial advisor at Osaic Advisory Services, LLC with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Triad Advisors and Parkland Securities. Chestnut is also a part owner and advisor at Chestnut Financial Group, where he provides financial services and sells life insurance. Osaic Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, trusts, charitable organizations, and state and municipal entities. The firm offers a range of services including investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and third-party manager oversight, delivering advisory solutions through multiple program models with custody arranged primarily through Schwab and Fidelity.

James Fairchild is a financial advisor at J.W. Cole Advisors, Inc. with five years of industry experience and holds a Series 65 designation. He also operates North Salem Wealth Strategies, where he provides investment and financial advice, including retirement accounts, insurance services, and Medicare plan education. J.W. Cole Advisors operates a large network of independent advisers and offers fee-based portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional accounts. The firm utilizes a variety of investment strategies and platforms, including discretionary and non-discretionary account management and digital advice solutions.

Johnnie Chestnut is a CFP® with 24 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Osaic Advisory Services, LLC. He previously worked at Parkland Securities for 10 years and First National Bank for 12 years. Outside of his advisory role, he owns a candle-making business and is a partner involved in the operations and membership growth of a golf course. Osaic Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, pension plans, corporations, trusts, charitable organizations, and municipal entities. The firm provides a range of services including investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting, utilizing multiple program models and platforms to tailor portfolios and manage client assets.

Lottie Barcus is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services who holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 28 years of industry experience. She has worked with Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and its affiliates from 1999 to 2017, and has been with MML Investors Services and Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company since 2016 and 2017, respectively. In addition to advisory work, she is also an agent involved in life and annuities insurance sales. Mass Mutual Investors Services operates as a subsidiary of MassMutual and provides financial planning and asset management services to individuals, business owners, trusts, charitable organizations, and employers, offering a range of programs including wrap accounts, money-manager programs, and educational seminars.

Mathew Ladendecker is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with 24 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Edward Jones since 2001. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers a range of advisory services, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, separately managed accounts, and tax-efficient services.

Jennifer Jackson is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with six years of experience at Edward Jones and five years prior experience at MutualBank. She is based in Greencastle, IN. Outside of her advisory role, she is the owner of an LLC that manages paid monthly rent. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a broad range of investment strategies and affiliated services, managing approximately $1.01 trillion in assets through a large network of financial advisors and branch offices nationwide.

Jeffrey Jackson is a Series 66–licensed financial advisor with Edward Jones in Greencastle, Indiana, where he has worked since 2015. He has 11 years of industry experience. Outside of advising, he owns a corporation that holds an office building. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a variety of advisory programs and investment solutions, operating with a nationwide network of more than 23,700 financial advisors and managing approximately $1.01 trillion in assets.

Amanda Laney is a financial advisor with MassMutual Investors Services and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. She has two years of industry experience and previously worked at MWA Financial Services Inc. and Modern Woodmen of America. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved in real estate investment through ownership in two LLCs. MassMutual Investors Services is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides financial planning and asset management services to individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm’s approach includes the use of firm-approved analytical tools and offers a range of planning programs, including a recent Divorce Planning service.

Jacqueline Ellis is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with 15 years of industry experience. She has been with Edward Jones since 2010. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients with approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment strategies, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee solutions, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Erich Raasch is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 36 years of industry experience. He has worked at LPL Financial since 2009 and previously worked at Cetera Investment Services. Outside of his advisory role, he is an ordained minister. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that offers advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm provides a range of investment options and advisory platforms supported by technology and serves over 22,800 advisors managing more than $819 billion in discretionary assets.