Darren Welch knows a thing or two about money and planning for the future. As a wealth advisor for Hilliard Lyons, he shares this knowledge with clients on a daily basis. Welch spends a lot of time getting to know his clients to determine what their current and long-term needs are, and from there, he helps them understand the value of planning for retirement, wealth distribution and estate planning.

"There are a lot of great advisors in Knoxville. I would pick your advisor only after you have met with them and developed a plan for whatever your needs are,” Welch recommended. “Don’t work with someone who is in the business of accumulating as many accounts as possible. Don’t trust someone with all your money because they offered up a seminar where you ate for free or they had a shred day. That’s not financial advice; that’s being a salesman.”

Welch feels his primary mission is to make sure people understand that inflation is one of the biggest threats to anyone’s retirement.

“Many people get tricked into putting all their money in these long-term insurance products that might provide them with a payout that satisfies their needs as of today,” he explained. “However, they fail to look 10, 20 and 30 years down the line and do not realize their purchasing power is eroded by inflation. They then still have to live on the same dollar amount those annuities and contracts were paying out.”

It is this type of scenario that he and the teams at Hilliard Lyons work hard to avoid. We take a team approach. Whether that means sitting down with our Certified Financial Planners or planning for business succession with our Investment Banking team, we want to get you and your family prepared for a multitude of scenarios. We have been putting our clients first since 1854 and will continue those efforts.

When asked what his number one piece of advice is for people embarking on their adulthood and career, his advice is as “simple” as heading to the nearest bookstore. “There is a great book out there called ‘Simple Wealth, Inevitable Wealth’ by Nick Murray,” he stated.

“It’s a simple, but noteworthy read.”

As a University of Tennessee graduate, Welch appreciates Knoxville and all that the city has done to maintain its original history while providing new life and commerce in the area. He takes pride in giving back to the community he and his family call home.