R. J. Kelly

R. J. Kelly
Founder and Chief Visionary Officer
Wealth Legacy Group, Inc.

R. J. Kelly is Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of the Wealth Legacy Family of Companies headquartered in San Diego, California. Wealth Legacy Group, Inc.® specializes in helping closely held business and professional families with the growth, management, protection, distribution and legacy issues of their wealth – their business succession & exit strategies – and creating intention and integration between their business and personal lives. Mr. Kelly is also the Co-Founder and Chair of The Center for Wealth & Legacy™, which presents the semi-annual “Leadership, Legacy & Inspiration Awards™” in San Diego.

An Honors Program graduate from Washington State University, R. J. began his career in the financial services industry in August 1977 in Spokane, WA, relocating to San Diego in November 1985.  He is a Chartered Life Underwriter and Chartered Financial Consultant, has a Masters of Science in Financial Services with an emphasis in taxation, and is an Investment Advisor Representative of Wealth Legacy Group, Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor. R. J. has taught in various university, college and business settings in advanced estate, business, and philanthropic planning concepts & tools. He is frequently relied upon as an expert witness in litigation matters in these areas and in the creation and funding of executive benefit and ERISA programs.

Part of R.J.’s time is as a writer and speaker.  He has been published in the San Diego Daily Transcript, San Diego Business Journal, Life Association News, Financial Planning Magazine, Broker’s World, San Diego County Physician’s Magazine, and has been featured or quoted in such publications as the San Diego Union Tribune, the LA Times, Denver Post, Indianapolis Star, and Yahoo Finance on such topics as dynastic/multi-generational trusts, asset protection strategies, succession planning for privately held businesses, “zero estate tax” planning, private vs. public foundations, incentive/disincentive trust planning, domestic and international Limited Liability Companies (LLC’s), retirement and executive compensation issues, and transforming “involuntary philanthropists into voluntary philanthropists.”

Speaking audiences have included Hewlett-Packard, various NAIFA chapters across the U.S., the Million Dollar Round Table, the San Diego County Bar-Business Law Section, the Lorman Business Institute, SHARP Hospital Foundation, North County Estate Planning Council, the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting in Sydney Australia, the Evangelical Development Ministry annual conference, The Center for Wealth & Legacy, as well as being featured in the PBS series, “The Financial Advisors” and the radio program, “Inside Business”.

R.J.’s other major interests include a commitment to being a wise and fun husband; performing in a contemporary Christian band; being active in community, church and international volunteer work. In 2005 he raised over $30,000 personally to help Cambodian landmine victims and a school in Phnom Penh. An eight time marathoner, he has raised over $35,000 for Leukemia-Lymphoma research through his running. Other interests include skiing, diving, reading and a passion for adventure travel. His life goals include facilitating directly or indirectly $500 million to charity, exploring Antarctica, and recently accomplished a long time dream of doing a tail hook landing and catapult take off from the aircraft carrier, USS Abraham Lincoln. Future plans include travels to Bhutan, Iguaçu Falls, Machu Picchu, Tibet, and the Amazon among many others. R. J. is blessed to be married to his beautiful wife, Vymean, a social worker and survivor of the killing fields of Cambodia, and one equally committed to making the world a better place.