EAG
Senior Financial Consultant
A Personal Perspective
A Personal tragedy gave Russell David Stagg an added critical purpose in his life – to help families gain financial resilience no matter what.
“My first wife was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 35 and passed away five years later,” he explains.
The loss left a mark on him – it made him, as he puts it, “evangelical about family protection”.
Today, he specializes in life and critical illness coverage. His past has inspired him to go above and beyond in helping his clients and their families get the protection they need.
“His past has inspired him to go above and beyond in helping his clients and their families get the protection they need.”
“I not only advise clients on critical illness policies. I also own one and have claimed on one – it’s something few advisers have gone through,” he says.
His experience gives him a better understanding of what his clients are going through as he helps them through life’s uncertainties. He recounts a time where he arranged for a CEO to take on life coverage for his grandmother, the company’s co-founder. As she was 75 years old, life coverage was difficult to place and extremely expensive, but it was incomparable to what the company would lose if they lost her.
“She passed away six months later, and the insurance payout was pivotal in the continuation of my client’s company”, says Russell.
“It’s a sad story, but I think it’s one that his grandmother would look upon as a good business decision,” he adds.
“His experience gives him a better understanding of what his clients are going through as he helps them through life’s uncertainties,”
Still Going Strong
It has been over five years since Russell joined IPPFA, and he has a list of achievements to his name. For the past consecutive two years, he has earned his place at the prestigious Chairman Round Table (CRT), an award that recognises top advisers in IPPFA.
When asked about his advice to aspiring advisers, he says, “be very focused, and take a long-term view towards this career.”
“For me, persistence and hard work have brought me to where I am today,” he explains.
His clients have expressed their appreciation for his dedication:
“Russell’s clients are able to capitalise on the financial benefits of living and working in a foreign country, wherever they may decide to go.”
“Russell has been helping me with financial planning for the last four years. What I like is the transparency he gave me when assessing options and that he is a person I find trustworthy and knowledgeable. I would recommend Russell to others who are considering his services.”
“Russell has been my adviser for a couple of years now and is handling a steadily growing portfolio of financial products for me. I have the highest level of confidence in Russell’s ability to understand my needs and recommend products that are most suitable for me. His style is transparent, honest and approachable. I never feel like my consultation sessions with Russell are rushed, and there is never an element of “hard sell” attached to any solutions he might recommend. If you are considering consulting an adviser for the first time, or switching to a new one, I would not hesitate in recommending Russell.”
EAG
Russell Stagg
Today, Russell serves about 100 expatriate clients, most of whom are working.
He aims to help them enjoy their best lives while managing the challenges of working and living away from home.
“It’s simply easier to have everything managed by one person and know you are well covered!” he quips.
His personal experience as an expat comes in handy. Having worked in the UK, Netherlands, Japan, Indonesia, and now, Singapore, he is familiar with navigating expat life. From relocating to new environments to international taxation matters, culture shock and unfamiliar financial laws, his experiences and knowledge help him immensely in tailoring robust financial solutions for his expat clients.
“I help to source for international portable plans so that they are as tax-efficient as possible, but also flexible so that they can reside anywhere with minimal hassle when they retire.”
Besides advising them on their protection needs, the seasoned investor, who once owned his own trading company, also recommends solutions to grow their wealth. As a result, Russell’s clients are able to capitalise on the financial benefits of living and working in a foreign country, wherever they may decide to go.
IPP Financial Advisers Pte Ltd
78 Shenton Way #30-01 Singapore 079120 | Tel: +65 6511 8888 | enquiry@ippfa.com | 
IPP Financial Advisers Pte Ltd
78 Shenton Way #30-01 Singapore 079120
Tel: +65 6511 8888 | enquiry@ippfa.com