When it comes to planning for retirement, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Who do you visit first—an insurance salesman, a financial adviser, an accountant, a mortgage broker or an attorney?

A newly formed group of Valley professionals hope to make that decision a lot easier with a free monthly lecture series beginning this fall. The talks will give locals a way to answer questions in a less formal setting than a typical office.

The group includes Glen Sypher of Windsor Financial Services, Colin Barber of Edward Jones, Alan Dance of Gothelf Dance Miller CPAs, Sean Sundwall of American Family Insurance, Matt Baker of Joner and Baker PLLC, and Scott Rhode of Reverse Mortgage Direct.

Barber, a financial adviser with Edward Jones in Snoqualmie, says members had long wanted a way to connect with others who protect and grow their clients’ most important investments.

“It hasn’t been until recently that the community has grown up to have the full complement of services,” he says.

Forming the association has helped the individual members get to know each other, explore ideas, and then help each other.

“It’s amazing how necessary our individual ventures are for each other,” Barber said. “This has built a relationship.”

“We trust each other,” added Dance. “We work with each other for the benefit of the client.”

These professionals have weathered the decade-long transformation of their industries, when it seemed like all that any customer ever needed was available online.

Today, they say that process has come full circle, back to the personal.

“There is a renewed appreciation for having a human being involved in the most important decisions we make,” says Sundwall. “You still need these face-to-face times. There’s some things that will never be replaced.”

At free monthly forums, speakers from the group address timely topics.

First up, in October, Sypher will discuss what people need to know during open Medicare enrollment. A panel discussion and question-and-answer session follow.

The discussion will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 16, at the North Bend Library, followed by a 7 p.m. session that evening at the Snoqualmie Fire Station. The presentation repeats at 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, at the Fall City Library, with a final session again at 7 p.m. that day at the Snoqualmie Fire Station.

In November, certified public accountant Dance will highlight tax rules and changes. In December, Barber will discuss end-of-         the-year investment ideas to help save on taxes. After the new year, the group will focus on the housing market before people move in the spring. And with the April 15 IRA deadline, they plan to discuss tax-advantaged saving.

“We’re trying to reach everybody, because everybody has the need for some of us,” Barber said.

To learn more about the Valley professional association, e-mail to colin.barber@edwardjones.com.

Comment on this story.