About the Book

After his son was diagnosed with a mental illness, Allen Giese, ChFC®, CLU®, quickly realized how many parents were struggling to care for their child, even sacrificing their retirement savings to do so. On a cross-country biking trip to raise awareness and money for mental health organizations, Allen spoke to families of children with mental illness. He heard stories of fear, confusion, frustration, and debt, and he decided to do something about it.

As a financial advisor and president of Northstar Financial Planners in Plantation, Florida, Allen already provided fiduciary guidance to help clients make better decisions about their money. He combined this longtime experience as a financial advisor with his expertise in the needs of families of mentally ill children to write When Mental Illness Strikes: Crisis Intervention for the Financial Plan.

In his book, Allen outlines strategies and shares experiences to help parents avoid the financial pitfalls that come with taking care of a son or daughter with a mental illness. His goal is to empower parents to plan for not only their son or daughter’s future but their own as well. He shows how to invest efficiently, create a systematic financial plan, and avoid jeopardizing a child’s qualifications for SSI and health care. His insights and practical advice can provide hope to parents seeking to better provide for their mentally ill child while safeguarding their own future.

About the Author

Allen Giese, ChFC®, CLU®, is the founding partner and President of Northstar Financial Planners, Inc., in Plantation, Florida. He is also the father of an adult son who has a mental illness. Allen knows firsthand the impact that a loved one’s mental illness can have on a family’s finances. He has made it his mission to help other parents struggling with balancing their son or daughter’s needs and their family’s financial well-being.

Allen started as a financial advisor in 1991, providing comprehensive wealth management services to couples and individuals. After his son’s diagnosis, Allen realized just how little financial planning information was available for parents experiencing the same challenges as he and his wife. He increasingly focused on helping families with special needs, particularly mental illness, to find stable financial footing.

After seeing the difference he was making in the lives of the families he worked for, he decided to write When Mental Illness Strikes to help even more families. He hopes the book will provide parents with financial knowledge and tools they need to feel peace of mind that they can and will be OK.

Schedule a Speaking Engagement

Allen is passionate about helping parents provide for their son or daughter with a mental illness. while safeguarding their own future. He is available to speak on a variety of topics related to financial planning and mental illness. Download the media kit today to learn more.

Our Media Page

Visit the media webpage to listen to Allen’s recent interviews and download the interviewer’s guide and images of the book and author.