Kelly Kelly

CEO of Kelly Financial Services LLC

781-849-3090, Kellyfinancial.org

Kelly Kelly's life took an unexpected turn seven years ago. She vividly recounts, "In a flash, I became a widow, a single mom, a CEO, and a client all on the same day. Life can and does change unexpectedly."

On October 15, 2017, her husband, Bill Kelly - financial advisor, author, lecturer, radio host, philanthropist, father, and co-founder of the retirement planning firm bearing their name - died suddenly. After the initial shock, Kelly and her team of wealth managers and financial planners regrouped. 

"I was determined to continue the mission that Bill and I had set out to accomplish," she says. Together, they envisioned a firm built upon, and dedicated to, two simple but powerful principles: family values combined with financial knowledge. That core philosophy still drives the company today.

Kelly Financial is a registered investment advisor with offices in Braintree and Burlington. The firm's principal business is asset management and wealth preservation - continues to grow, now exceeding $600 million. They have been serving clients in Greater Boston for more than 20 years.

The firm's "Safe Money Strategies" radio program (WRKO 680-AM) has been a Saturday morning staple for close to two decades. "Our financial show brings personal stories into the conversations," says Kelly.

Last year, Kelly published her first book, a retirement planner titled "Retire Your Fear, Plan Your Future." The time during the writing process allowed her to further reflect on her life, her company, and her industry.

"Bill's passing really underscored the importance of planning your financial future, especially for couples - I speak from personal experience." Kelly is struck by the fact that 80 percent of men die married, while 80 percent of women die without a partner, whether single, divorced, or widowed. She sees her business leadership as a means of helping couples face these realities.

"Because of these probabilities, it is important for couples to have a solid financial plan, but it is critical that their plan addresses the special challenges women are more likely to face in retirement. We have a phrase we take seriously: Women Retire Too.'"