Planning Beyond the Sale: Flexible Strategies with David Soczek, CLU, ChFC (Ep. 9)

What happens when plans meet reality and reality changes everything?

How do you prepare for outcomes you cannot predict while still making confident decisions today?

In this episode, James Knapp interviews David Soczek, CLU, ChFC, Owner and Vice President of National Benefits Group, about building flexible strategies for business owners. They explore how planning for multiple outcomes, not just ideal scenarios, shapes better decisions. David explains the importance of collaboration with advisors, attorneys, and CPAs, along with balancing simplicity and complexity. The conversation also highlights how insurance, estate planning, and business succession intersect in real client situations.

Key takeaways:

• Why planning must account for unexpected life events like death, divorce, or shifting business outcomes
• How collaboration between advisors, CPAs, and attorneys leads to more complete client solutions
• The challenge of balancing simple strategies with complex financial realities and client comfort levels
• Why fairness in family business transitions often requires separating business control from financial outcomes
• How flexibility in insurance and estate structures can create better long term outcomes for business owners
• And more!

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• [email protected]
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Connect with David Soczek:

• LinkedIn: David Soczek
• Website: National Benefits Group

About Our Guest:

Dave joined National Benefits Group (NBG) in 2004 and became an owner in 2009. His responsibilities include guiding clients through the design, implementation and administration process of non-qualified plans for both private and public companies.

Dave began his financial services career in 1992 with a local office of a national firm where he specialized in the design and implementation of individual financial plans. In 1995, Dave joined the original NBG, with an emphasis in plan administration of non-qualified plans. In 2000, when NBG was purchased by Marsh & McLennan, Dave remained with their national executive and non-qualified plan group as a client executive. While at Marsh, Dave specialized in the design and implementation of corporate owned life insurance and non-qualified plans.

Dave holds the professional designations of Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) and is an active member of the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting (AALU).

Dave resides in the northern suburbs of Minneapolis with his wife, Janet, and has survived raising two children, Samantha and Sydney, both of whom now have graduated college and on to their next adventures in life.