Dean Barber, founder and president of Barber Financial Group, began his career in the financial service industry on one of the bleakest days in recent history, October 19, 1987, Black Monday. It didn’t take him long to realize that the answer doesn’t lay in how much money a person makes; it’s in how much they keep. He has built one of Kansas City’s premier financial management firms, specializing in assisting retirees, pre-retirees and business owners in building and preserving their wealth through the concepts of asset management, tax strategies and estate planning.
“The number one eroding factor in a person’s estate is taxation,” says Barber. “I believe properly controlled tax strategies and income distributions are more important than asset allocation. It’s about preservation first and growth second.”
Dean has become a nationally known authority on financial planning and advice. Since 2003, he has hosted a nationally syndicated radio program, America’s Wealth Management Show. He has been a regular contributor for many publications and broadcasts for news programs, such as the Wall Street Journal, Fox Business News, CNBC, Bankrate.com, the International Business Times, U.S. News & World Report, Forbes, Small Business CEO Magazine, New York Times.com, Investment News.com, BusinessWeek, Portfolio.com, Kansas City Business Journal, KMBC-9TV and KSHB-41TV. His weekly radio program features guests like economist Harry Dent and Ed Slott, the CPA most often quoted by the Wall Street Journal.
Dean and his family have called Kansas City home for more than 20 years. He considers his Midwest upbringing an asset in working with his clients. “Living in America’s heartland means I can create a bond with each client as I help them without sacrificing the advantages I might find in a larger city. It’s important to build solid relationships because it isn’t about selling a customer a product. It’s about helping them find solutions for achieving their dreams. I had a vision for a far better model for retirement planning, where our service continues to our primary clients’ heirs. We’re already serving many second generation clients.”
