As Tim and Angie Culbert neared the end of their careers, they looked forward to traveling and spending more time together in the next chapter of their lives.

In 2021, with retirement on the horizon, their private banker at Bell Bank, Chris Christensen, connected them to the Bell Bank Wealth Management team in the Twin Cities to begin discussing what retirement could look like and how they could start preparing.

But in October 2023, everything changed. Tim was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Suddenly, the retirement they envisioned looked completely different.

Adjusting to a New Reality

After his diagnosis, Tim had to retire from his work as a developmental pediatrician, leaving their household with one less source of income. Tim and Angie’s wealth advisor at Bell, Tyler Swanson, worked closely with the couple to help them adapt to their new situation.

“That was an emotional time,” Tyler said. “Tim and Angie were facing a lot of unknowns and uncertainties, and for us, it felt like all hands on deck – what can we do, how can we help them navigate this?”

Tyler helped Tim and Angie plan for higher health care costs, review income sources, and evaluate Social Security disability options to help them move forward after Tim’s diagnosis.

Angie continued working full-time at a technology company until fall 2025, when she transitioned to part-time work before eventually retiring early to spend more time caring for Tim. Throughout those changes, Tyler helped talk through the implications of not having a full-time source of income, while Chris, their private banker, helped them set up a line of credit to make their home more accessible, if needed.

“The team at Bell has been so supportive,” Angie said. “They helped us look at the big picture and prioritize what we could do. They want us to succeed, and have been really compassionate about Tim’s condition.”

A Different Kind of Legacy

No longer working because of his diagnosis but still cognitively sharp, Tim wanted to put his time and skills toward something important to him. So, in 2024, he and Angie started Mental Wellness Innovations, a nonprofit focused on children’s mental health and emotional wellness that draws on his experience working with children.

“That’s what his whole career was,” Angie said. “This is Tim’s legacy project. He’s doing what he loves.”

Mental Wellness Innovations promotes mental health literacy and holistic self-care for children, teens and families. The nonprofit continues a project Tim developed earlier in his career called Feel Better Packs, which provide children and families with resources to manage stress and anxiety.

At the same time, Tim wrote a book focused on teaching kids mindful meditation, inspired by the work of Mental Wellness Innovations. The book will be released later this year.

“It’s a joy to continue helping children control their emotions,” Tim said.

As Tim and Angie worked to establish the nonprofit, the Bell Bank Wealth Management team helped connect them with local nonprofit leaders and resources, and helped consult on fundraising, galas and other nonprofit issues. Additionally, Chris will be joining their board of directors this summer.

“To be able to join something that means so much to them is very gratifying to me,” Chris said.

A Steady Partner Through Challenging Times

Nothing about the last few years has gone the way Tim and Angie expected, but their team at Bell has been an important resource to help them through the ups and downs.

“Tim and Angie started with a full wealth plan, but then life happened,” Tyler said. “It was important for us to step in and provide the service they needed to get through it.”

“That’s the goal of what we do at Bell,” Chris added. “We do what’s right for our clients, every day, all day long.”

Although things are not what Tim and Angie imagined when they thought about what retirement could look like, they are staying busy with their nonprofit, having found a new sense of purpose. Looking ahead, they are planning a trip to Ireland this fall to enjoy traveling while they’re still able, confident that they can count on their Bell team whenever they need it.

“We don’t have a long history with Bell, but they feel like friends to us,” Angie said. “When we’re nervous or need assurance, they’ve told us that we’ll be OK.”

This article was published in the Q3 2026 issue of the Bell Wealth newsletter.