Our Mission
We are dedicated to helping our clients reach a position of significance through the maximization of their resources, both financially and personally.
Our Philosophy
Our specialty is working with individuals and families going through major life events (such as retirement, separation from a spouse through death or divorce, changing jobs, sale of a business, inheritance, etc…) and who are interested in comprehensive planning leading up to and through retirement. As a result, we build long-term relationships with our clients. With over 40 years combined experience helping people deal with these major life events, the owners of RLG will analyze all aspects of your financial life to help you create a plan that helps simplify the high level of complexity and the risks facing you in retirement.
Our Service Commitment
As a client, you will receive the highest quality of service, including the following:
- Team-oriented approach to business as demonstrated by:
- Our team of experts is fully available to each and every one of our clients
- The application of sound financial strategies
- Educating our members on textbook financial principles
- Unbiased and independent advice thanks to our relationship with LPL Financial
- Plans that will help you determine and work toward your goals
- Ongoing contact and communication through the use of:
- Planned, prearranged account and market reviews 2-3 times per year
- Periodic events aimed to provide educational and entertainment opportunities to our clients
- E-Newsletters emailed out quarterly
- Personalized website through Wealthvision that helps you organize your financial life
Our Team
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The only way to find out if there is a "match" between the services RLG provides and your individual needs is to have an initial discussion in regards to process and philosophy. This introductory meeting may be in person or over the phone. We ask that you do not bring or reveal any specific financial information during this introductory meeting as that is not the focus of the meeting. Our primary goals for this meeting are to get to know one another, hear about your prior experiences in retirement planning, and outline how we at RLG interact with our clients. At the end of the conversation we require at least 24 hours to decide whether you are a match for our client services. We recommend that you take the necessary time as well to consider whether or not working with RLG will sufficiently meet your needs.
If we decide together to go forward, there will be a series of very important initial planning meetings where we will work together to identify your retirement needs and create a corresponding comprehensive plan that will target meeting those specific needs. This will be the "foundation" from which the relationship is built. We see this planning process as the beginning of a life-long relationship between you and the RLG team!
Please take time to review the pictures below so you feel comfortable visiting our office for the first time. We are co-located with Michigan Financial Group, and welcome you to our office.
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Retirement Legacy Group is a team of financial counselors with over 40 years worth of collective experience. Our financial counselors are registered with LPL Financial, the largest independent broker/dealer in the nation (as reported in Financial Planning magazine, June 1996-2010; based on total revenues), offering us access to most any product on the market. It is this access, partnered with our long term investment philosophy that allows us to meet your complex needs. We offer complete access of our services to a small number of qualified clients; therefore, our services are not for everyone. Wondering if we could bring value to your situation? Consider the questions below:
- Are you going through a transition?
- Be it retirement, divorce, an inheritance or another major life change, we specialize in preparing you for that next step in life. As a team of financial counselors servicing a small number of clients, we specialize in personalized attention to your specific needs.
- Are you concerned that market risk will be too much in retirement?
- We believe in a tactically managed and always highly diversified portfolio created to help balance out the many risks facing you in retirement and give you the best opportunity at success!
* There is no assurance that these techniques are suitable for all investors or will yield positive outcomes. Diversification does not ensure against market risk. - Do you want a plan that will take current needs into consideration as well as legacy giving?
- As a member of Retirement Legacy Group, you will have an individualized plan that will cover the long list of complex current needs you will face leading up to and through retirement, as well as examining opportunities for legacy giving. We have over 25 years experience integrating estate plans with retirement plans to maximize the financial legacy you leave to your heirs and favorite organizations.
- Do you want a team of qualified investment counselors who can create a personalized plan and see it to completion?
- As a member of Retirement Legacy Group you can expect personalized attention to your complex retirement needs. Our team based approach allows us to provide personal attention to detail at every level of your financial plan. We are strong believers in offering education opportunities to our members as well as transparency in our operations and fee structure. We have put a continuation plan in place so that we can offer a consistent, long-term relationship to you and all our clients for decades to come. We are looking forward to the opportunity to get to know you better.
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Are you ready to set up your introductory meeting with us? Do you have additional questions that this website did not answer? Please feel free to send us a message and we will be sure to respond to you within 1 business day. Thank you!
(517) 336-7200 ext. 244
1400 Abbot Rd.
Suite 300
East Lansing, MI 48823
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directions to our offices.



Jim is an Attorney (JD) and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM. He graduated from Michigan
State University in 1978 with a B.A. degree in Business and received his J.D. from Cooley Law in 1982. For the past 20 years, Jim has been a principal for
Michigan Financial Group, overseeing the investment trading of the firm. He co-founded
RLG in 2004 and concentrates his work efforts on market research, the
development of long term business initiatives for the firm, and consistent face-to-face reviews
with the clients of RLG. In addition, he assists RLG members in creating estate plans that are
comprehensive and innovative with a focus on providing family security and reducing taxes.
Nate is a Series 7 securities registered financial consultant. He began working in the financial
services industry in 2000. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from Huntington University in
December 2002 with a B.S. degree in Business Economics.
In 2003, he joined with Jim Mason at Michigan Financial Group (MFG), and together, they
created RLG in 2004. Nate is the Director of Operations and Portfolio
Management for RLG. He specializes in the creation and implementation of comprehensive
retirement and investment plans. Also, Nate is currently enrolled in an MBA program at The
DeVos School of Management through Northwood University.
Jeremy is a series 7 registered financial consultant. He graduated from Michigan State University
with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications in December 2004 and immediately joined
RLG the following month. Jeremy is the Director of Client Service and Marketing for RLG. His
work and creativity has been the driving force between all of our client events and educational
seminars. He is currently enrolled in an MBA program at The DeVos School of Management
through Northwood University. Jeremy is also an accomplished painter whose paintings can be
seen at
Upon arrival at our offices you will be greeted by Kim. She has been a receptionist and administrative assistant for the team at both Retirement Legacy Group and Michigan Financial Group since 2004. Kim is a diligent worker with a servant heart and wonderfully positive attitude and it is those attributes plus many more that make her an integral part of who we are at RLG. Prior to working with us Kim was a sales advertising rep for the Lansing State Journal. She and her husband Jon have four children and live in Dimondale, MI.