By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
On April 24, Athens natives Bill Mathews and Tim Chasteen will present a free seminar that is designed to teach local residents the basics of preparing for retirement when it comes to wills, probate, trusts, Social Security, and Medicare. This educational evening is sponsored by Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church, and will be held at the church. The address is 1432 Freeman in Athens, across from the cemetery around the corner from Lowe’s. The time is 6-8 p.m.; refreshments will be served, and you owe it to yourself to get this kind of educational introduction no matter your age or financial standing.
Tim and Bill have been friends since their days at Athens High School, both having graduated in 1981. They were members of the basketball team and involved in drama, and have remained friends. Bill went on to get his law degree from Samford University Cumberland School of Law in 1989, and his law practice has been located on the Courthouse Square for many years. Tim graduated from Georgia Tech. He was in software engineering and management, and lived in the Atlanta area. Tim and his wife Barcia raised their 4 kids there, and also have maintained a home here in the Rogersville area. Tim and Bill have teamed up to craft a presentation to help out our community because of a shared concern for people trying to navigate the often confusing topic of what is sometimes referred to as “pre-tirement.”
Much of what Tim has learned has sprung from his own life experiences as well as the need to prepare well for the future. He says, “A self-proclaimed ‘cash flow expert’ based on 37+ years of marriage, four adult children, and two grandsons. I’ve seen cash flow in volumes, varieties, vectors, and velocities I never imagined possible.” He also added that he and Barcia are headed straight into their Social Security and Medicare years. To gain confidence along with the desire to be able to help others, Tim attended several seminars. He decided he wanted to be able to do what he used to do when he was in the software business, and that was to “de-mystify” the topic.
Tim went on to talk about an experience he and Barcia had recently. “This fall we were discussing Social Security and Medicare with another couple we’ve known for decades. I told them that I believed they were eligible for another $7K annually is SS payments. They were very skeptical to say the least. Both are very capable and well informed, but sometimes we don’t know what we don’t know! Fortunately for them, they were able not only to increase their monthly payments by $600, but also received a nice retroactive lump sum windfall.”
Tim and I talked a good bit about something that often gets in the way of people getting financially educated, and then getting help. Simply put, it is old-fashioned shame. Everyone knows they need to prepare for their senior years, but precious few do so. And, those who are inclined to do some preparation can easily become overwhelmed with the financial lingo that at times seems to be designed to confuse. “We want people to know that we are not hear to judge or embarrass anyone. Our church is doing this in order to reach out to the community. Hopefully people will feel comfortable enough that they will want to come back.”
Tim also told me that as of January 2025, there have been some changes made to Social Security that have the potential to increase the monthly benefits of certain groups of citizens who are normally considered public servants. The Social Security Fairness Act is a law that “aims to address long-standing disparities in Social Security benefits for public sector workers,” according to Tim. What this means is that retired persons such as police officers, teachers, firefighters, and others could see both an increase
in monthly benefits, and in some cases, there could be a retroactive lump sum applied to their accounts. Obviously, this is all very new and Tim will be discussing these changes as part of his presentation.
The format for the April 24th event will be that for the first hour, Bill Mathews will cover the wills-probate-trust portion of the presentation, and then there will the break for refreshments. Tim will speak the second hour, and there will be plenty of time for questions and answers. Remember, the purpose of the seminar is not to deal with complex, individual financial situations; rather, it is to give information and encouragement. See you there!
By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
April 18, 2025
