Brian McGraw, CPWA^®, CFP^®, CBDA

Brian McGraw can identify some fundamental “necessities” for his definition of well-th. Time to play his guitars or listen to his vinyl collection. Time to enjoy a nice outdoor fire while watching his beloved St. Louis Blues. And most importantly, time to invest in personal relationships…with his family, his closest friends and his community.

Brian and his family have a multi-generational tradition of attending the Indianapolis 500—with he, his dad and his grandpa making their first trip in 1992, to this day the closest finish in race history. Indy has been in Brian’s blood ever since. He’s been blessed to share his passion with many of his friends throughout the years and is especially proud to have passed it on to his two sons, now the fourth generation of McGraw men to take part in a tradition over three decades strong. Brian appreciates that his dad, who is part of the inspiration for his career choice, is in good health and can still make the occasional race. A respected physician, Brian’s dad admits he could have planned better for saving and retirement throughout his career; while comfortable, he didn’t know what he didn’t know until he sought professional advice, and that set Brian along a path to help others avoid potholes and maintain a healthy relationship with money.

Brian once thought of being an astronaut. He still has dreams of a second career as a rock star (or at the very least, “local musician available for gigs”). But he’s truly happy in the seat he’s in—being able to step in and help a friend—a beloved teacher—unravel a confusing stack of documents left by her father with no prior instruction, so that she felt in control. Or being able to help families build a plan for ALL situations, good and bad, so they do not have to worry about financials when life deals an unexpected hand.

For Brian, well-th represents freedom and balance. Freedom to enjoy the time and earthly blessings one has been given and to pursue a life of fulfillment, balanced with a desire to give back to their communities and help others succeed.