Guiding a Family Through the Challenges of Long-Term Care
At an estate planning seminar, a woman approached Ivy League’s founder and lead advisor, Robert Nursey, in tears. Her husband had Parkinson’s disease, and she was overwhelmed and convinced they couldn’t afford a nursing home. She didn’t know where to turn.

He reassured her that the Ivy League had already put a long-term care policy in place. But he didn’t stop there. He personally went with her to tour nursing homes, helping her choose the right one and easing the transition. Though her husband initially resisted, he eventually settled in well. His hands-on support made all the difference—turning a time of crisis into a calm, compassionate solution. This is just one example of how thoughtful planning and personal involvement can bring peace of mind during life’s most difficult chapters.

A Promise Kept
After her husband passed, Maria came to us in tears, terrified she wouldn't be able to stay in the home they had built together. We reviewed everything—his pension, Social Security, the life insurance—and I built her a simple, sustainable income plan. When Rob looked her in the eye and said, “You’re going to be okay,” she wept again—this time out of relief.

A year later, she sent a Christmas card. Inside, it read: “You helped me keep the life we planned. Thank you for keeping his promise.” 

Helping a Hard Working Individual Retire in Comfort and Dignity
Bill, a longtime worker at a major airline, came to the Ivy League a few years before retirement. He had lived below his means and built a modest nest egg with a pension and rollover savings. Together, we created a retirement plan that allowed him to buy land in the country, take care of his wife, and retire with confidence.

Today, Bill and his wife—a retired nurse—are enjoying a peaceful, financially secure retirement. Bill has become more than a client—he’s a champion of our work. Over the past 30 years, we’ve had the privilege of serving three generations of his family, including his son, grandchildren, and now even his granddaughter. It’s relationships like this that make what we do deeply meaningful.

The Letter She Never Expected
When Susan lost her husband, she also lost the person who had always managed their finances. She sat in our offices surrounded by unopened statements, unsure what she owned or what to do next.

We went through everything together—line by line. Together we restructured her portfolio for income, navigate Social Security, and build a clear plan that gave her the confidence she wouldn’t outlive her money. A year later, we received a handwritten letter from her. It said, “You didn’t just help me with my finances. You helped me find peace after losing the love of my life.”

That letter still sits in Rob’s desk drawer.

The Tax Surprise That Made His Day
During COVID, Rob got an email from a client that stopped him in my tracks. It said:
“Hey Nursey, I don’t know what the hell you guys are doing over there, but ever since I moved my accounts to you, my taxes are $6,000–$7,000 lower.”

At first, I thought he was upset—so Rob called him immediately. Turns out, he was thrilled.

What apparently wasn’t clear to the client was how we always try to align the taxable nature of investments with the taxable nature of the accounts. It’s a strategy we use to minimize unnecessary tax drag every year. Honestly, even we didn’t expect it to make that much of a difference in his case.

Whether it’s investment gains or taxes saved—either way, it’s money in your pocket. And that’s exactly what we aim to do.

This section is currently being updated to better reflect the work we do with civic groups and charitable organizations. Check back soon for more details.

Preserving Dignity in the Face of Decline
David was just 62 when early-stage Alzheimer’s set in. He came in with his brother, daughter, and grandson—his hands shaking more from fear than from the diagnosis. “I don’t want to be a burden,” he said. “I want to leave something behind that helps them—not hurts them.”

Together, we protected his assets, secured the family home, funded long-term care, and built a trust for his grandson’s college. At the signing, his daughter whispered, “You didn’t just protect his money. You protected his dignity.”

The Exit Plan He Didn’t Know He Needed
Tom spent 35 years building a successful manufacturing business—but had no exit plan. “I just figured I’d sell it when I was ready,” he said.

Ivy League’s founder and lead advisor, Robert Nursey, told him, “Tom, we don’t wait until we’re thirsty to start digging the well.” We worked together to get his business valued, created a tax-efficient sale strategy, and set up a donor-advised fund to support the causes he cared about. We rolled the sale proceeds into a customized income plan that gave him and his wife clarity and cash flow for life.

When the deal closed, he called and said, “I didn’t realize how heavy it all was until it was off my shoulders.” Now, he spends his time fishing, traveling, and mentoring young entrepreneurs—his legacy intact, his future secure.