Shari Mattingly Bevan is an estate and tax planning attorney, Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU). She has worked in the field of law for more than 20 years. Her practice focus is on estate and tax planning for individuals, as well as small business and asset protection planning. She also serves as private fiduciary in the role of trustee, executor, and attorney in fact for incapacitated persons. Additionally, Shari is also a successful comprehensive Wealth Advisor.
Shari specializes in estate and tax planning, although she has experience with a wide range of legal issues. Shari has assisted over 500 clients with estate and tax planning concerns. Ms. Mattingly Bevan is well-known for providing exceptional service to her clients. She provides excellent service to all of her clients due to her superior level of care and attention to detail throughout the practice.
Shari has handled a wide range of difficult cases throughout her career, but two cases, in particular, stand out as being among the most legally challenging. Shari won a $2 million judgement for her client who was swindled by her brother-in-law in the first case. This case occurred in California. In the second and more recent case, Shari prevailed against a large investment bank that had fraudulently induced her client into an inappropriate investment.
Shari obtained a Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice from California State University Fullerton. In 1998, she earned her Juris Doctor with a concentration in taxation. In 2015, Shari became a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and a Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) in 2016.
Along with helping clients through her work as an attorney and wealth advisor, Shari regularly helps through her many philanthropic endeavors. She is a consistent supporter of Greenville County Animal Care, a no-kill animal shelter that is dedicated to promoting the compassionate treatment of animals in the community through adoption, education, and affordable spay/neuter and veterinary care. Another organization that Shari supports is Samaritans Purse, a Christian organization which meets the needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine. She also contributes to Refuge House of Prayer, an independent North Carolina ministry, as well as FOTET.org, a South Carolina independent ministry, as well as Best Friends’ Animal Sanctuary.
Shari was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona before moving to Southern California. After spending 22 years in Southern California, Shari relocated to South Carolina where she currently resides.
Shari Mattingly Bevan is a highly professional and well-respected comprehensive wealth advisor, as well as an attorney. Her commitment to assisting others goes beyond her job, as evidenced by everything she does. She is a woman who is committed to doing things with integrity and the goal of improving her community.
How did you get started in your industry?
I worked in retirement planning and insurance services while attending law school, so it was a natural evolution to become an estate and tax planning attorney after graduating from law school. When I moved from California to South Carolina I decided to work in the area of comprehensive wealth advising because I prefer this line of work, in part because I don’t have to draft all the legal documents for estate planning. Drafting legal documents is the aspect of practicing law I like least. I like all aspects of financial, investment, risk management planning and estate planning. I still assist clients with designing their estate plans, but I do not draft the documents for their plans any longer, rather I refer to a local attorney for this scope of work.
How do you help your clients?
I believe in a holistic approach to wealth management which still involves advice on estate and tax planning matters, comprehensive investment and wealth advising, asset protection planning, retirement income planning, risk management and business succession planning.
When you were starting out, was there ever a time you doubted it would work? If so, how did you handle that?
No, I did not have doubt as I knew that this was something I could do, if I set my mind to it and applied my skills.
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
When my client shares with me how their plan has helped them during a difficult time, or that years later, when a client is still utilizing the plan to make their lives better and more secure.
What’s the most challenging part of your job?
The most challenging part of my job is trying to help clients understand there is a big distinction between a financial advisor who only handles investments and engaging the services of a comprehensive wealth advisor that engages in holistic planning that assists clients with all facets of planning.
What do you think it is that makes you successful?
I believe it is my desire to serve clients well. I focus on what is important to each client, rather than trying to sell them a product or service. I also know that I have a gift working with people and my clients appreciate this about me.
What is the most common financial mistake people make?
The biggest financial mistakes people make are not having a comprehensive plan in place and reviewing it on an annual basis. Often people will only have a plan for their investments and not a comprehensive plan.
What was your road to success?
I have always been intrinsically motivated and very diligent. I am able to complete my work on time without sacrificing quality of work. I have also surrounded myself with great resources over the years which has helped me grow as a professional.
What tip would you share? The best tip I can give anyone starting out is find a mentor who will help guide your way and keep you accountable so that you achieve your best result professionally.
What’s the best advice you have ever been given?
To pursue education, work diligently, save for the future and count your blessings daily.
What do you love most about where you live?
I love my community and the location of living in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, where there is natural beauty to behold everywhere. Greenville, South Carolina is a very dynamic city with many multinational corporations and as a result, many Europeans residing there. This makes for a very interesting city to live in.
You are a very charitable person. What advice do you have for those wanting to put some of their income towards charity?
Charitable giving is very personal in nature. I encourage you to find the right charity that is supporting a cause that matters most to you.
What do you want people to take away from your experiences?
Life is a journey and you can make that journey as great as you would like it to be. The possibilities in life are endless and are open to all persons. I prefer to seize those opportunities, to be grateful, and to serve others with a glad heart.
What does the future hold for your business? What are you most excited about?
I am very excited about the future! I am constantly looking for ways to expand my business and work with other people who are also committed to providing great service to my clients.
What is your favorite quote?
The golden rule: “In everything you do, do to others as you would have them do to you” (The Bible: Matt 7:12 NIV)
What business books have inspired you?
I am an avid reader, so I have been inspired by a variety of business books, including but not limited to, Money Master the Game by the Tony Robbins, Leading an Inspired Life by Jim Rohn, The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stepehen R. Covey, and Plunder and Deceit by Mark R. Levin. My favorite personal book is the Bible.
Are you willing to be a mentor? If so, how should someone contact you?
I truly enjoying teaching people and this is part of my practice is to teach my clients new information and strategies. While I would love to assist another advisor, I am not sure I have time right now, as I am getting ready to teach a class called Women & Wealth in the OLLI program at Furman University in March 2022, but I will consider this again in the future!