Planning Approach
“It doesn’t do any good to live your whole life, make money, and not be happy.” – Terrence Bridgewater
Terry’s mission as a financial advisor is to help people experience peace and joy. His clients are intelligent people who have worked hard for their success, but they typically still have doubts about how their future will play out. They generally haven’t taken the opportunity to identify how they can enjoy everything they’ve worked for. So that’s what Terry helps people do—he has deep, meaningful conversations with clients about what they really want out of life; then he helps them organize their financial resources in a way that allows them to pursue those goals and dreams with confidence. He starts with the big picture (“What do you value most? What have you always wanted to do with your life?”), and then he identifies specific financial strategies to support their plan for a great life.
He says the most important thing he offers clients is clarity—clarity about what you really want, if you can do it, and how to make it happen. He’s passionate about showing people how to enjoy life without fear and worry, and he loves helping them create a specific plan so they can pursue their dreams with confidence. When his clients are happy, he’s happy, and he wants them to know they have an experienced professional—someone they can trust who genuinely cares about them—looking out for their future.
Industry Experience
Before his career as an advisor, Terry spent 42 years as a Certified Public Accountant and still holds his license today. He has a wealth of experience helping clients navigate the complex world of tax planning, and he leverages this knowledge regularly in his work as a financial planner. He has always had a desire to help people make the most of their success (and their lives in general), which is what led him to become an advisor.
Before 1999, the CPA code of ethics restricted accountants from becoming advisors, and when he would review his clients’ finances, he had to refer them to someone else to help them develop a more comprehensive retirement plan. Still, he saw that there was often more work to be done for the client, and in 2000, he earned his securities licenses and investment advisor registration so he could guide people through the entire financial planning process. Today, with nearly 40 years of industry experience, he provides personalized, comprehensive wealth management to help people live life with confidence and peace of mind.
Terry’S Definition Of A Happy Life
Terry lives in a small town in Missouri, where he and his wife Ellen raised their three children after a short stint in St. Louis. Terry and Ellen (who is also a CPA) have been married for nearly 40 years, and they’re the proud parents of two sons and one daughter, all of whom have children of their own. Terry cherishes spending weekends with his children, especially when they gather by the pool alongside his five (soon to be six!) grandkids.
Fun Facts
If you could only watch one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be?
“That’s really hard because I really like movies! But the first one that comes to mind is True Grit.”
If you could go back in time and give yourself advice, what age would you choose and what would you say?
“I would tell my 32-year-old self, ‘Don’t be satisfied.’ In my high school yearbook, they asked about our goals for the next ten years and I said, ‘I’m going to have my own CPA firm, build my own house, and fill it with kids.’ I did that by age 32. And honestly, I became a little complacent. I worked hard, but if I’d been more energetic, I could have been more of the public servant that I want my son Ethan to be. That’s part of the reason I chose to be in financial services—you can make a positive impact on others by doing your job.”
What is one thing every person should add to their daily routine?
“One thing I know is that you should be grateful. When I wake up in the morning, lying in bed, I think, ‘Thank God for that, I woke up.’ That’s the first grateful thing, and it just accumulates from there.”