Our Daily Show:Goldenberg Heller &; Antognoli & Stephens Planning ready for August 13th!
ALTON - A local attorney and financial advisor will team up to educate community members about estate planning and taxes.
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At 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, community members can attend an educational dinner at The Wedge in Alton for free pizza, giveaways and advice. Elizabeth “Liz” Heller with Goldenberg Heller & Antognoli, P.C., and Curtis Stephens with Stephens Planning will host the seminar, and they encourage attendees to come with questions.
“We work well together,” Heller said. “[You] should really have a good team, whether you’re a bazillionaire or not.”
The event on Aug. 13 will provide attendees with basic information about estate planning, estate taxes, and how to transfer wealth effectively. The event carries no pressure and no obligation, though both Stephens and Heller are happy to work with attendees one-on-one outside of the dinner.
Stephens, a financial advisor, “cares about his clients in the same way we care about our clients,” said Heller, who specializes in estate law. Both Stephens and Heller are proud to host seminars like this so they can help people. Heller believes it’s “important to give people information and help people understand” how estate planning works.
She encourages community members to begin thinking about estate planning as early as possible. She said people tend to “overestimate” themselves and procrastinate; after all, death and incapacity “is not something anybody likes talking about.”
But, Heller argues, it’s important for people to be prepared. Especially when you have children, she believes establishing a power of attorney or a will is “a no-brainer” so you can ensure your children are taken care of. She urges folks to begin planning earlier rather than later.
“When you’re working and you start to build some savings, you want to make sure that you’re investing those carefully and putting aside some money, to the extent you can,” she said. “Can you put $500 away or $100 away every month? That builds quickly. I don’t think any time is too young.”
Heller also noted that many legal issues can be avoided if you prepare these documents before disaster strikes. She believes it’s worth putting in the time and money to establish a power of attorney, though she emphasized that this document does not require much of either.
“It’s not expensive, and it’s not time-consuming,” she said. “A power of attorney is one of the simplest documents we can prepare.”
Heller reminds folks that you’re not done after you finalize these documents. She urges community members to go over their estate plans every few years to make sure everything is still how you want it.
She noted that relationships can change and people can come into or leave your life, so it’s best to double-check your documents. If you change your mind, a lawyer like Heller can adjust your documents so that your plans still serve you.
“Things change. Your family changes. Relationships change. Maybe your son or daughter marries a goofball,” she said. “People need to know that what we do is not written in stone. It can be amended, but it should be reviewed every couple of years.”
The estate planning and taxes educational dinner is free to attend, but registration is encouraged. To register, click here. For more information about Stephens Planning, visit their official website. To learn more about Goldenberg Heller & Antognoli, P.C., visit their official website.
This featured article is sponsored by Stephens Planning. To get your business or organization featured on www.RiverBender.com, contact us at sales@riverbender.com.
