A plan built like a project—with you at the center.

Your financial life isn’t a checklist; it’s a multi-step project. My role is to lead that project with a partnered team—so your plan is clear, coordinated, and built around what matters most to you.

No matter where you are—still saving, nearing retirement, or already there—I start with you and a coordinated plan to organize where your assets live, help reduce taxes over time, and manage healthcare needs and market ups and downs. Then we build the portfolio to serve that plan—understandable, transparent, durable—so you have the confidence to stick with it through good markets and bad.

I’m Bill Kinkel, an independent, fee-based Investment Advisor Representative serving families and business owners. I’m a Greenville University graduate, and my background is in operations management—identifying risks, uncovering blind spots, and building systems that keep things running smoothly. I bring that same real-world mindset to investment strategy and retirement planning.

The team approach

With 30+ years of planning experience on our bench, we’ve seen that a purpose-built, coordinated team helps clients make clearer, more confident decisions. Your retirement touches investments, income planning, tax decisions, insurance questions, healthcare planning, and legacy goals—and it’s hard for a single advisor to be the best in every lane.

That’s why I serve as your Investment Advisor Representative and project manager, partnering with CFP® professionals who architect the plan. When needed, we coordinate with insurance specialists, CPAs, and estate planning attorneys—so the right expertise is at the table. One coordinated process—so your plan and portfolio work in sync.

Why work with us

• Planning first, investments second: Your portfolio is built to serve a clear, written plan—not the other way around.

• Team-based advice: An Investment Advisor Representative partners with CFP® professionals so your plan and portfolio work in sync.

• Specialists when needed: When insurance or advanced planning is part of the solution, we coordinate with experienced specialists—so you’re not relying on a one-person shop for everything.

• Independent: No proprietary product shelf or sales quotas; open-architecture selection focused on your needs.

• Local and accessible: Brick-and-mortar offices in Alton and Bethalto, with virtual appointments across Illinois and Missouri.

• Fit and value focused: We recommend changes only when we believe they clearly improve your situation.

• Transparent fees: A clear, sliding fee schedule—negotiable where appropriate—so you always know what you pay and what you receive in return.

How we’ll work together

1. Clarity — We gather what matters, define goals, and map cash flows.

1. Alignment — We identify and manage risk, simplify accounts, and align investments to your plan.

1. Consistency — We meet regularly, adjust as life changes, and help you stick with the plan when markets don’t cooperate.

Local & accessible

Based in Alton and Bethalto, I’m proud to serve clients across Illinois and Missouri. Good advice starts with being part of the community you live in.

Q&A: How I work

What do you actually do?

I help people 50+ turn savings into a dependable plan—organized income, thoughtful tax strategy, right-sized risk, and investments built to last.

Why a team instead of one ‘do-it-all’ advisor?

Because your life is a complex project. Retirement planning often involves investments, income strategy, taxes, insurance decisions, and legacy planning. A coordinated team of specialists helps you get higher-quality answers to the same set of big questions—without relying on a generalist to be everything to everyone.

How is your approach different?

I act as the project manager. I handle the investments, a partnered CFP® team architects the plan, and we coordinate other specialists when needed. The goal: a plan you understand and can stick with—through good markets and bad.

Why does independence matter?

Independence means we’re not tied to a proprietary product shelf or sales quotas. We use an open-architecture lineup—ETFs, mutual funds, individual securities, and manager platforms—to fit your plan. If a potential conflict exists, we’ll disclose it in plain English and explain how we manage it.

Do you earn commissions on your investment advice?

No. We don’t earn commissions on our investment advice or portfolio management. We don’t receive commissions on trades, transactions, or the investments we recommend. If a solution you’re considering involves a commission (for example, certain insurance products), we’ll help you evaluate it objectively, disclose any compensation in plain English, and you can implement through us or anywhere you prefer.

What’s it like to work with you?

Calm and organized. We simplify accounts, align beneficiaries, and focus on what we can control: allocation, taxes, costs, and staying invested through market ups and downs.

Where are you based?

Alton & Bethalto, serving clients across Illinois and Missouri.