Rick Kelley, CFP®, CSA®-Certified Senior Advisor, CMFC, has been helping clients plan for retirement and beyond since the 1990s.
As President of RD Kelley Financial Group, he primarily serves individuals in or near retirement — often navigating emotionally complex decisions around lifestyle, legacy, and long-term care. For Rick, the right financial planning software isn’t just about outputs — it’s about helping clients truly understand their options.
Since founding his firm in 2012, Rick has relied exclusively on Moneytree. Why? Because it helps him create plans that are clear, personal, and deeply human.
Background: A Practice Built on Clarity and Connection
Rick was first introduced to Moneytree by a former coworker — and he fell in love with it. When he opened RD Kelley Financial Group, he made the decision to use Moneytree exclusively, citing its simplicity and the way it supports real conversations with clients.
“Moneytree is so easy to use. And those one-page reports? They make a big difference in client engagement and understanding.”
Moneytree is now deeply embedded in Rick’s financial planning workflow — from presenting retirement strategies and lifestyle shifts to breaking down complex scenarios that are easy for his clients to understand. Whether he’s modeling a long-term retirement plan or helping someone make a time-sensitive decision, he appreciates how the software allows him to focus more on the person and less on the process.
Use Case: Modeling Real-Life Scenarios for Clients of All Ages
While most of Rick’s clients are preparing for or already living in retirement, he occasionally works with younger clients who are facing different kinds of financial planning questions.
One example involved a recent medical school graduate starting his first high-paying job and wondering how best to tackle his student debt. Using Moneytree’s what-if scenario feature, Rick was able to show the client a range of options based on repayment timelines, interest savings, and long-term goals.
Impact Story: Helping a Widow Move Forward
Rick also volunteers with Wings for Widows, an organization that supports individuals navigating the loss of a spouse. Through this work, he encountered a woman in Seattle who had inherited a large estate and wasn’t ready to let go of it.
While her desire to stay in the home was understandable, Rick’s planning showed that maintaining the property wasn’t financially sustainable. Still, she couldn’t bring herself to make the change — until a health scare forced the issue.
“She was injured and had to be airlifted out of the estate. That’s when she finally said, ‘Okay, I need to sell.’ But because we had already walked through the numbers together with Moneytree, she wasn’t panicked. She already knew it was the right move — emotionally, she just needed time.”
For Rick, that case was a powerful example of how the right financial planning tool can support both the technical and emotional sides of advising.
Why Moneytree: A Lifestyle Planning Tool That Prioritizes Ease and Empathy
Rick describes Moneytree as a “lifestyle planning tool” — one that helps clients understand how their decisions connect to their goals, values, and lives. Rick says, “Simplicity and ease of use are huge.”
If clients feel overwhelmed or confused, you lose them. Moneytree keeps things clear — which means advisors like Rick can focus on guiding the conversation, not just presenting the data.
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