Dean Stange, J.D., CFP®

Principal, Director of Estate Planning | Principals, Advisors

Dean’s role as Director of Estate Planning reflects the importance that Wipfli Financial places on comprehensive estate planning for our clients. Dean’s unique background as a former practicing attorney for nearly two decades allows him to bring a multidisciplinary approach to helping fulfill our clients’ needs.

Dean’s passion is solving complex financial planning challenges for business owners and high-net-worth individuals. “As an advisor, my ultimate goal is to have my clients be free of financial concerns to the extent reasonably possible. To accomplish this, we place primary importance on continual education on a variety of topics and use planning tools that provide clients with a clearer vision of their financial future.”

As an attorney, Dean assisted clients with both basic and advanced estate planning and represented businesses with formation and succession planning, giving him unique insight into how business ownership, tax issues and estate planning affect a client’s financial future. Dean’s passion for helping business owners and high-net-worth individuals led him to a natural career transition into private wealth management and financial planning. With his specialty in succession planning, Dean currently works with many business owners who are considering retirement or transitioning ownership to children or others. Dean prides himself on knowing his specialized experience in wealth management and planning puts his clients in good hands and provides them with peace of mind and a clearer vision for their financial future.

As a financial advisor who acts as a fiduciary, Dean also strives to make sure his clients have the knowledge they need to make informed investment decisions. He knows that investment management is not rocket science, but there is a real science behind portfolio construction and asset allocation that helps build diversified portfolios. Dean’s focus on education guides his clients away from the traditional Wall Street approach of chasing hot sectors or buying the latest trend and instead focuses on what clients can control, such as costs, taxes and portfolio allocation. “All of the academic evidence points to a diversified approach as a key to long-term investment success,” Dean says. “I work with clients to create a portfolio that meets their needs and goals, while ensuring all decisions are made with their best interests in mind.”

Outside of work, Dean is a proud member of the Madison Downtown Rotary, Coaches v. Cancer Board of Ambassadors, Mt. Horeb Basketball Club and Village of Mt. Horeb Public Works Committee. He also enjoys reading history, working with youth as a basketball coach and traveling with his wife and children. 

Dean has also been regularly featured in IB Madison’s Open Mic blog:

• Why picking stocks is likely a losing bet
• Alternative funds provide little benefit to most investors
• How a power of attorney can protect your children after they turn 18
• 10 portfolio strategies to help save on your income tax bill
• You probably don’t need this popular annuity product
• 5 investment resolutions for the new year