About the Firm

  • Who is Anew Advisors?

    Anew Advisors is a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) founded in 2020, built exclusively to serve first responders and their families. Our team brings nearly 60 years of combined financial industry experience and more than 60 years of firsthand experience within the first responder community, as former firefighters, law enforcement officers, and their family members.

    We provide fiduciary financial planning, which means we are legally required to put your interests first - not ours. We give you the honest advice we would give a family member.

  • Are you a fiduciary?

    Yes. As a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA), Anew Advisors operates under a fiduciary standard at all times. That means we are legally and ethically required to act in your best interest in every recommendation we make.

    This is different from many financial advisors who operate under a suitability standard meaning they only have to recommend something that is "suitable" for you, not necessarily what's best for you. At Anew, there is no gray area.

  • What makes Anew Advisors different from other financial firms?

    Several things set us apart - and they're not just marketing language:

    • Our advisors and business development officers are former first responders. We know your shift schedule, your pension rules, your union culture, and your mindset because we lived it.
    • We are a fiduciary who is legally required to put your interests first, always.
    • Our fees are transparent and posted publicly on our website. No surprises.
    • Client assets are held at a qualified third-party custodian not at our firm. We never hold your money.
    • We lead with education, not a sales pitch. We earn the right to the conversation by delivering real value first.
    • Our Financial Roadmap is a one-page, visual planning tool that shows exactly where you stand, not a 40-page document designed to impress and confuse.
  • Who holds my money?

    Your assets are held at a qualified third-party custodian. Anew Advisors never takes possession of your money.

    We like to say: never let the fox count the chickens. By using an independent custodian, you always have direct access to your accounts and can verify every transaction independently of us. This is an important protection for you.

  • How do you charge for your services?

    We charge a fee based on the assets we manage for you (AUM - assets under management). Our fee schedule is posted transparently on our website. Our only incentive is to help your assets grow, because our fee grows only when yours does. In addition to our advisory fee, a third-party investment manager may charge a separate fee for investment implementation. We will always be transparent about the total cost before you commit to anything.

  • Do you work with first responders across the country or only in certain states?

    We serve first responders across the United States. While we’re headquartered in Wisconsin, we work with individuals, departments, and associations across the country. We serve thousands of first responders in cities and departments of all sizes.

  • Do you work with individuals, or only with departments and unions?

    Both. Our service model has two sides:

    • Individual first responders and their families. We serve through retirement planning, Financial Roadmap meetings, pension integration, and investment management.
    • Departments and associations/unions. We serve through financial wellness education programs (at no cost to the department), fiduciary oversight of association funds, reserve strategy, and FDIC-insured cash management.
    • Many of our individual clients come to us first through an education training we deliver at their department or union. The two sides of the practice reinforce each other.

Associations & Union Funds

  • What is a fiduciary and why does it matter for our association funds?

    A fiduciary is someone who is legally required to act in the best interests of the beneficiaries they serve, not in their own interests, not in the interests of a product manufacturer, and not in the interests of whoever is paying them a commission.

    For an association or union, fiduciary responsibility means that whoever oversees the organization's funds, and whoever advises on those funds, must be able to demonstrate they made decisions in the best interest of the membership.

    This matters because if your funds are not managed to a fiduciary standard, the personal liability falls on the leadership. Not the city. Not the advisor. The board members and elected officers who approved the arrangement.

  • We have an advisor for our association funds already. Why would we consider switching?

    That's a fair question, and we're not suggesting you switch for the sake of switching. What we are suggesting is that you ask some specific questions about your current arrangement:

    Is your current advisor a fiduciary?

    Do they specialize in first responder association and union funds specifically?

    Are their fees clearly documented and disclosed?

    Can they demonstrate in writing that they are acting in the best interest of the membership?

    If those questions have clear, documented answers - great. If they're hard to answer, a no-cost second opinion from Anew is worth your time. At minimum, you'll walk away with documentation that you did your due diligence as a board.

  • Our dues reserves just sit in a bank account. Is that a problem?

    It's very common and it is a real problem over time. Cash sitting in a standard bank account earns little to nothing while inflation steadily erodes its purchasing power.

    Over a 5–10 year period, a reserve fund that isn't positioned properly can lose meaningful real-world value even as the dollar balance stays flat. For a union or association that depends on those reserves for legal defense, contract negotiations, or member services, that erosion matters.

    We help associations structure their reserves appropriately, balancing the liquidity they need for operations with yield-generating options that keep pace with or exceed inflation. We also offer FDIC-insured cash management options through our fintech partner for funds that need to stay in cash.

  • What is a VEBA and should our association have one?

    A VEBA (Voluntary Employees' Beneficiary Association) is a tax-exempt trust that can be used to fund employee health and welfare benefits including retirement healthcare costs. It's one of the most powerful tools available to first responder associations for addressing the health insurance gap in retirement.

    Employer contributions to a VEBA are tax-deductible, and the funds grow tax-free when used for qualified health expenses. For a department or association looking to provide meaningful retirement healthcare support to members, a VEBA is worth serious consideration.

    Whether a VEBA is right for your organization depends on your membership size, your current benefit structure, and your budget. We can help you understand whether it makes sense and what the analysis looks like.

  • What does Anew actually do for our association and what does it cost?

    We provide two distinct services to associations and unions:

    • Education programs (no cost to the department or association): We deliver retirement readiness trainings, pension and 457 education, and financial wellness training for your members. These are provided at no cost to the organization. Members who want individual planning can engage with us separately - but there is no charge to the association for the education.
    • Fiduciary Fund Management & Oversight (fee-based): For associations that want us to oversee their reserves, dues funds, 457 plans, or other institutional assets, we charge a management fee based on the assets under management. These fees are always clearly disclosed and agreed upon in advance.
    • We don't charge departments for education. We earn our fee only on assets we manage and only if you choose to engage us for that service.

Financial Wellness & Day-to-Day Planning

  • I have debt. Can I still work with you?

    Absolutely - and you're not alone. Debt is one of the most common things first responders quietly carry, and one of the most common reasons people delay seeking financial advice. They're embarrassed, or they think they need to clean things up first before talking to anyone.

    You don't. A financial plan that ignores your debt isn't a real plan. We work with your full picture including assets, income, debt, goals, and build a strategy that addresses everything together. In many cases, addressing debt as part of a broader plan is more effective than attacking it in isolation.

  • How should I think about shift work and building wealth at the same time?

    Shift work creates a financial life that doesn't follow the normal calendar - irregular paychecks, overtime spikes, side businesses, physical wear, and an uncertain timeline on how long you can keep doing the job at full capacity.

    A plan built for you has to account for all of that. That means:

    • Building savings habits that work with irregular income, not against it.
    • Accounting for the physical reality that your career may change unexpectedly.
    • Planning for the side income many first responders generate and making it work harder.
    • Creating a financial cushion that absorbs the bad months without derailing the long-term plan.
       
  • My spouse handles the finances. Do I need to be involved?

    Yes - and so does your spouse. The families that navigate first responder retirement most successfully are the ones where both partners understand the plan. Not because one person isn't capable, but because your financial life is tied to your career in ways that require both of you to be informed.

    What happens to your spouse's income if something happens to you on the job? What does the survivor benefit on your pension actually pay out and is it enough? These are questions your spouse needs to understand, not just you.

    Our Financial Roadmap meetings are designed for both partners. We specifically invite both of you, and we make sure both of you leave with clarity - not just the member.

  • I have a side business. How does that affect my financial plan?

    Side income is common in the first responder community including personal training, security consulting, construction, real estate, and more. It creates real planning complexity and real opportunity at the same time.

    On the opportunity side, self-employment income opens access to additional retirement accounts (like a SEP-IRA or Solo 401(k)) that can significantly boost your long-term savings capacity.

    On the complexity side, it creates tax obligations that, if not managed, can result in unexpected bills. It can also affect how you structure insurance and liability protection.

    We factor side income into the full plan, not as an afterthought, but as a genuine component of your financial picture.
     

Retirement & Pension Planning

  • My pension covers my retirement. Why do I need anything else?

    Your pension is the foundation but for most first responders, it's not the whole house.

    Here's what the pension alone often doesn't cover:

    • Healthcare costs in retirement, especially in the gap between when you retire and when you qualify for Medicare.
    • Inflation eroding your purchasing power over a 20–30 year retirement.
    • A surviving spouse's needs if something happens to you before or after retirement.
    • Unexpected expenses - medical emergencies, home repairs, family needs.
    • The lifestyle you actually want in retirement, not just survival.
    • The Financial Roadmap is specifically designed to show you what the pension covers and what it doesn't. Most first responders who sit down with us are surprised by the gap. The good news: it's almost always fixable if you start early enough.

    The Financial Roadmap is specifically designed to show you what the pension covers and what it doesn't. Most first responders who sit down with us are surprised by the gap. The good news: it's almost always fixable if you start early enough.

  • What is a 457 plan and should I be contributing to one?

    A 457(b) plan is a tax-advantaged deferred compensation plan available to government employees, including most first responders. It works similarly to a 401(k) or 403(b), but with one important difference: there is no early withdrawal penalty,

    which makes it especially flexible for first responders who may retire in their 40s or 50s.

    Whether you should be contributing and how much depends on your full financial picture: your pension, your other savings, your timeline, and your goals. In many cases, a 457 is one of the most powerful tools available to a first responder and is dramatically underused.

    The answer to 'should I contribute?' is almost always yes. The question is how to do it strategically.

  • I'm five years from retirement. What should I be doing right now?

    The five years before retirement are some of the most important - and the most common time we see people scrambling when a little earlier planning would have made a major difference. Here's what matters most in that window:

    • Know your exact pension number. Not an estimate but the actual projected benefit, including survivor options and DROP decisions if applicable.
    • Understand your healthcare gap. If you retire before Medicare eligibility (age 65), you need a bridge plan. This is one of the most overlooked costs in first responder retirement.
    • Stress-test your income. Does your pension alone cover your actual monthly expenses? What happens to your spouse if you pass first?
    • Coordinate your deferred compensation. When and how you pull from a 457 can have significant tax implications.
    • Make sure your beneficiary designations are current on every account and policy.

    A Financial Roadmap meeting with us walks through all of this in one session. Many clients leave that meeting saying it's the most clarity they've had about retirement in their entire career.

  • I'm early in my career. Is it too soon to think about this?

    No - it's actually the best time. The single most powerful advantage in retirement planning is time. Starting 20 years out versus 5 years out isn't just a little better. It can mean the difference between a comfortable retirement and a constrained one.

    We work with first responders at every stage of their career, and the ones who engage early consistently have more options and more freedom when they actually retire. You don't need a lot of money to start. You need a plan.

    The firefighters and officers who sleep best in retirement started thinking about it at year three, not year twenty.

  • What is the health insurance gap in retirement?

    The health insurance gap is the period between when you retire and when you become eligible for Medicare at age 65. For many first responders who retire in their late 40s or early 50s, that gap can be 10–15 years.

    During that time, you are responsible for your own health coverage. Depending on what your department provides for retirees and what coverage you need, this can cost anywhere from $600 to $1,500 or more per month for a family and sometimes significantly more. This is one of the largest and most frequently overlooked expenses in first responder retirement planning. A proper retirement plan accounts for it explicitly, with a specific funding strategy, not a vague hope that it works out.

  • How does overtime income factor into my retirement plan?

    Overtime income is both an opportunity and a planning challenge. On one hand, it can significantly boost your savings capacity during your working years. On the other hand, it's often inconsistent, and many people mentally spend it before it arrives.

    A well-built plan treats overtime strategically, not as extra spending money, but as a lever for accelerating your retirement position. Depending on your situation, that might mean maximizing 457 contributions, building a taxable investment account, paying down high-interest debt, or funding a specific goal like a healthcare bridge.

    We also see situations where overtime pushes income into a higher tax bracket in ways that weren't anticipated. Getting ahead of that is one of the more practical things a good financial plan can do for you.

  • What is a DROP program and should I participate?

    A Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP) is a program offered by some departments that allows eligible officers or firefighters to effectively retire on paper while continuing to work. During the DROP period, pension payments accumulate in a separate account, often earning a guaranteed interest rate, while you continue collecting your regular salary.

    Whether to participate, when to enter, and what to do with the DROP balance at the end are decisions that depend heavily on your individual situation: your pension multiplier, your other assets, your health, your tax situation, and how long you plan to continue working.

    This is exactly the kind of decision a Financial Roadmap is designed to help you make. The numbers matter enormously here, and getting it wrong can cost you tens of thousands of dollars.

Working With Anew

  • What happens in a Financial Roadmap meeting?

    The Financial Roadmap meeting is our signature first engagement with individual clients. It's a focused, one-session planning conversation, typically 30 to 60 minutes, that produces a single-page visual summary of your complete financial picture.

    By the end of the meeting, you will know:

    • Exactly what your retirement income will look like based on your current path.
    • Where the gaps are between what you have and what you'll need.
    • What specific changes would improve your retirement outcome and by how much.
    • Whether your spouse and family are protected in the scenarios you don't want to think about.

    There is no obligation after the Roadmap meeting. Some people engage with us to implement the plan. Others use the clarity to manage things themselves. Either way, the meeting is designed to give you something real and useful - not a sales presentation.

  • How do I get started?

    The simplest way is to schedule a Financial Roadmap meeting. You can do that directly on our website or by calling our office. There is no cost and no obligation for the first meeting.

    If you're a department head, chief, or association leader interested in an education program for your members, reach out through the contact form and let us know. We'll set up a brief call to understand your department's situation and what would be most useful.

    We also attend conferences, association events, and department training days throughout the year. If you've met one of our team members at an event, reach out directly and they'll get you connected.

  • Is my information confidential?

    Yes. Everything you share with us is treated with complete discretion. We do not share personal financial information with your department, your union, your employer, or any third party without your written permission.

    If we are delivering an education program at your department, there is a complete firewall between the department relationship and any individual planning conversations. Your colleagues and supervisors have no access to your personal information.

  • I've had bad experiences with financial advisors before. Why would Anew be different?

    We hear this a lot - and we think the skepticism is completely earned. The financial services industry has a long history of putting advisors' interests before clients' interests, hiding fees, and using relationships to sell products rather than deliver advice.

    Here's what we can tell you about why Anew is different:

    • We are a fiduciary by law, and by choice. Every recommendation we make must be in your best interest or we are in legal violation of our registration.
    • Our business development officers are former first responders. They aren't career salespeople. They're peers who understand your life.
    • Our fees are posted publicly. Before you commit to anything, you know exactly what you'll pay.
    • A qualified third-party custodian holds your money, not us. You can always see your accounts independently.
    • We lead with education. Our first goal is to give you something useful, whether or not you become a client.
    • We don't ask you to trust us. We ask you to give us one meeting, and let the work do the talking.
       
  • Can my family members join the meeting?

    Yes - and we actively encourage it. The Financial Roadmap meeting is designed for both partners in a household. Retirement planning for a first responder affects the entire family, and the conversations about survivor benefits, healthcare, and income replacement are conversations both partners need to be part of.

    If your spouse or partner has been the quiet worrier about whether you're on track, bring them. They're exactly who we want in the room.

Still have questions?

Schedule a no-cost Financial Roadmap meeting and get answers specific to your situation. No pressure. No obligation. Just a real conversation about where you stand and what you can do about it.