BenchWealth
Steve M Moats
Wealth Management Advisor|MBA, M.S.
In the game of life, we're exactly who you want on your bench.
Meet Your Team
Our dynamic advisory team helps you keep and, more importantly, sustain your wealth. We specialize in the kind of tax strategies, distribution, and business planning you need. More than that, we’ll strengthen your bench with our expert professional advisory network curated to serve your sophisticated, evolving needs. And with the regulatory climate constantly in flux, we build your investment and planning strategies responsively, with your timeline and goals always in mind.
For you, that means more wealth sustained and no surprise liabilities at the eleventh hour. And that means enjoying more family adventures, fishing trips, passion projects, and successes throughout your lifetime, not just in your prime. Get to know your team!
In the game of life, we’re exactly who you want on your bench.
Mitchell Kurt Castillo Jr
Director of Investments
Mitch Castillo joined the BenchWealth Team in 2018 as our Director of Investments. Aside from being Steve’s right-hand man, Mitch also serves as an expert and resource in complex investment planning and solutions for our clients.
Mitch is a Colorado native born and raised in Thornton. He attended Colorado Mesa University to play basketball and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management. He began his career with Northwestern Mutual as an intern in 2013 and holds his Series 6, 63, and 7 securities licenses.
You can find Mitch playing golf, basketball or in the crowd as a fan at any major sporting event where he can get overly excited. Mitch enjoys traveling with his wife Jordyn, his daughter Hailey, and time with his dogs Tony and Zeus
Heather White
Director of Operations
Heather joined the BenchWealth team in September 2019. As our Director of Operations, you’ll likely interact with Heather at many points during our planning relationship. She enjoys cultivating meaningful relationships with our clients and provides excellent, attentive service. Heather is excited to be a part of what she calls your “financial wellness journey.”
Heather is a CO native and a Colorado State University Alumni. Go Rams! She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Apparel Design & Merchandising. With 13 years of luxury retail experience, in 2018, Heather decided to leave the industry and enjoy time off to find a new path…the “millennial” thing to do at that time. She joined Northwestern Mutual in 2018 and the rest is history!
You can find Heather at any live music concert, exploring the mountains, and sporting events with her husband, Jordan.
Meet Steve Moats
"Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don't recognize them." - Ann Landers
Over 20 years ago, at the peak of a successful career in collegiate athletics and professional sports management, I entered a crossroads. While I immensely enjoyed the sports world, I desired the opportunity to make a more meaningful impact in the lives of the many people I encountered in life.
I had always had an interest in the financial industry, and it ran in my family. In fact, I had been observing several of my family members immersed in the industry for years, admiring the work they did and the positive impact they were able to create for those around them. I knew this was a career in which I could truly make a difference in the lives of others.
I made the leap in 1997, joining Janus Capital while earning my MBA from Colorado State University to gain the right experience and education. After all, with the days long and the years short, I knew it was only through intention that I could create the change I wanted.
After time spent with Janus Capital, I had the good fortune of being introduced to Northwestern Mutual, a best-in-class firm that’s always held true to its values.
Now, after nearly two decades with Northwestern Mutual, I continue to be motivated by the incredible impact we get to make in the lives of so many. Not only do I get to help families make their own mark on the world for generations, but I also get to give back to the communities I love so deeply – those that have supported me along my way, too. I look forward to helping your family and business find the confidence to enjoy life today, knowing that your tomorrow is taken care of.
Outside the Office
I love my Denver, Aspen, and greater Colorado communities and can often be found enjoying much of what they have to offer. My family and I enjoy backcountry skiing, mountain and gravel biking, trail running, and hiking around Colorado. You can often find me participating in races like Steamboat Gravel, Copper Triangle, and Triple Bypass, as well as swimming every week with the DU Masters Swim Team. Additionally, I am a 4-time Iron Man finisher and participated in the 2009 Iron Man World Championship in Hawaii.
My family and I love DU athletics – specifically hockey – and get out to support and sponsor the team often. We also support our community’s many wonderful small businesses and events as much as possible with friends, family, and clients. Additionally, I host a summer beer club to enjoy Colorado’s local brews with good company and great conversation.
Our Areas of Expertise
As a representative of the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company, I am able to provide you with customized recommendations that will help you plan for your financial future.
Our mission is to empower our clients to be forward-thinking in their financial planning and multi-generational growth through leveraging strategic investment and tax opportunities so their reality aligns with their vision.
Retirement Planning & Income Strategies
Education Planning & Funding
Multigenerational Planning
Investment Planning & Strategies
Tax-Efficient Strategies
Business Planning & Succession
Estate Planning
Wealth Management
Expanding Markets
We can take your vision and develop a strategy to help integrate all of your opportunities. Have you explored these options?
We are very excited to offer our clients two platforms for Private Equity, Private Credit, Opportunity Zones, and Private Real Estate offerings. We have a partnership through Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company to offer these Alternative Investments to Qualified Purchasers.
Let us know if you would like to have that conversation.
All In The Family
At BenchWealth, we believe in cultivating multi-generational wealth and relationships with your entire family. From buying that family vacation home, funding your children’s education, making a game plan for your aging parents, and living with confidence in your own retirement – our team is here for you each step of the way.
There are many benefits to bringing your loved ones into the BenchWealthFamily. In addition to receiving the same high standard of care and service we provide, your family may have the opportunity to consolidate your investment fee structure, resulting in a lower percentage for everyone while retaining your individual accounts’ privacy, control, and separation.
Reach your new level of financial confidence.
I approach financial planning differently. Not only can I help you grow your money, but also protect everything you've worked so hard for-so your finances can take you further.
I'll look at where you are now, and where you want to go, tailoring your plan from a range of financial options designed to reinforce each other to get you there. Giving you the confidence to live the way you want now, and down the road. Here's what I can help you with:
Protection strategies
Wealth accumulation
Managing tax advantages
Optimizing retirement
Leaving a legacy
Charitable planning