About Transition
Advisory Group
A structured approach to financial planning designed to bring clarity, coordination, and confidence to your financial decisions.
More than 100+
Happy Clients
Who We Are
At Transition Advisory Group, we believe financial planning should be structured, coordinated, and aligned with your long-term goals.
We work with individuals, families, and business owners who want more than fragmented advice. Our focus is on bringing all aspects of financial decision-making together—so each strategy supports the other.
Financial life is constantly evolving—from one stage to the next, one opportunity to the next. Our role is to help you navigate those transitions with clarity and confidence.
Our Philosophy
Too often, financial decisions are made in isolation—investments, insurance, retirement planning, and tax strategies handled separately.
We believe this creates gaps, inefficiencies, and missed opportunities.
Our approach is built on three principles:
Strategy before products
Coordination across all financial areas
Clarity in decision-making
When these elements work together, better outcomes become possible.
Our Philosophy
To often, financial decisions are made in isolation—investments, insurance, retirement planning, and tax strategies handled separately.
We believe this creates gaps, inefficiencies, and missed opportunities.
Our approach is built on three principles:
Strategy before products
Coordination across all financial areas
Clarity in decision-making
When these elements work together, better outcomes become possible.
What Makes Our Approach
Different
Our work is centered on creating a coordinated financial strategy not just offering individual solutions.
Two core elements define how we work with clients:
Virtual Family Office Planning
A structured approach that aligns tax planning, risk mitigation, wealth management, legal services and business advisory into one coordinated strategy.
Insurance Assurance™
A proprietary process designed to support new policies and evaluate existing insurance contracts to guide better decision-making, while also serving as an ongoing foundation for strategic planning.
The right type depends on your lifestyle needs, risk tolerance, and overall financial strategy.
Who We Work With
We work with clients who are looking for a more structured and strategic approach to financial planning:
Business owners
High-income professionals
Families with evolving financial needs
Individuals seeking long-term clarity and coordination
Meet the Team of Professionals
John Nelson, AIF®
John graduated from the University of Minnesota, and is currently an Accredited Investment Fiduciary, Investment Advisor Representative in his own RIA firm TAG Wealth Advisors, Certified College Advisor and licensed insurance advisor. Prior to starting Transition Advisory Group LLC (TAG Wealth Advisors), John held executive management positions with Tonka Corporation and Newell Rubbermaid, a Fortune 100 Company. As a Vice President for Newell Rubbermaid, he had responsibilities for sales, marketing, and customer service. There John initiated several significant national marketing campaigns, and a customer service program called “Incredible Service”. This level of customer service has become an important part of the foundation at TAG Wealth Advisors. John originally formed TAG Insurance Advisors LLC to help individuals, companies, trusts and foundations plan, build, protect, distribute and transfer assets in the most tax-efficient manner. TAG Wealth Advisors has evolved to focus on consulting active and inactive business owners and executives on ownership, income, and legacy financial planning opportunities. John also works with families on their total planning needs; including college-bound high school families and select high net worth individuals as they prepare for and enter their independent years. In addition to the designations noted earlier, he holds Series 7 and 66 securities registrations. John lives in North Oaks with his wife Sherry. Together, they have three children; Kari, David and Sara, and nine grandchildren; Emma, Sophie, Maggie, Cecelia, Matthew, Cole, Nora, Leo and Kate.
Read MoreManaging Member/Chief Compliance Officer/Investment Advisor Representative
Bill McGuire, CLU®
Bill McGuire, has been in the insurance and financial services industry for over forty years. His early career focused on life and health insurance sales, which then transitioned into recruiting and training agents for an independent marketing organization. In 1989, Bill founded McGuire Financial Services, which specializes in wholesale distribution of insurance products to agents and brokers. Bill is sought after for his experience in complex and unique insurance cases. Providing strategies to eliminate or reduce the impact of taxes during retirement is another added value he brings to his clients. Bill is also a Registered Representative with Leigh Baldwin & Company, and an Investment Advisor Representative with TAG Wealth Advisors. When not at work, Bill enjoys traveling, golf, and spending time with his wife, Lois, and their children and grandchildren.
Read MoreInvestment Advisor Representative
Dave Freeland
Dave Freeland has been in the Medicare Insurance Industry for nearly 10 years and serves as a Broker for the major Insurance Companies in Minnesota, along with several other Midwestern and Southern States. He has assisted Medicare beneficiaries as a Service Representative for 1-800-MEDICARE; he has consulted for Senior Living Facilities in matters of Medicare compliance; and currently, he operates a large Medicare and Property/Casualty Insurance Agency in Eden Prairie, MN. Routinely, he facilitates Medicare Basics and Sales Presentations in the Metro and surrounding areas. Above all things, Dave enjoys meeting individually with clients – assessing their Medicare/health insurance needs and providing solid, affordable solutions. His client-centered approach allows Medicare-eligibles to make informed decisions among Medicare Advantage Plans, Supplement/Medigap policies, and Rx/Prescription Plans. To provide additional value to his free services, Dave assists clients with Part A/B applications, IRMAA/Surcharge and Late Enrollment/Penalty Appeals, and general Claim Representation. He is passionate about helping prospects Aging into Medicare, retirees leaving Employer/Group Coverage, and Veterans who seek to combine Medicare coverage with Tricare for Life or CHAMPVA. Dave lives in Belle Plaine, MN with his wife and three boys – Luke, Nathan, and Charlie. In his spare time, Dave enjoys hunting, fishing, exercising, and serving in his local Church.
Read MoreMedicare Agent
Melodie Gale
Melodie Gale has been in the insurance industry for over 20 years and specializes in ancillary benefit marketing and customer service. Beginning her career on the carrier side, she ran a regional sales office for over 3 years before working with a General Agent. After running that general agency office for 11 years, it was time to bring things home and be in charge of her own destiny. She branched out on her own and started her own general agency, Group Solutions, LLC, in 2010.
Working in this industry is a passion for her as she enjoys working with clients and assisting with any customer services issues that arise. Providing services such as marketing, sold case submission, enrollment services, policy review and ongoing customer service makes for an ever-changing schedule and brings new challenges to every day. There is a certain level of satisfaction experienced when there is a difficult claim that gets resolved and the employee or beneficiary receive their benefits.
Melodie lives in North Branch, MN with her husband and three children. In addition to owning her own insurance business, together they also run a small hobby farm and a horse boarding facility.
Let’s Plan Your Financial Future Together
Secure today. Protect tomorrow. Transition with confidence.
36 Summit Lane
North Oaks, MN 55127
