The People and Experience Behind Security First Retirement Solutions
Proudly serving Upstate South Carolina with retirement guidance rooted in education, independence, and a genuine commitment to helping people feel more confident about the future.
Independent Retirement Guidance Built Around Real Conversations
Many people approaching retirement feel frustrated by financial conversations that seem rushed, confusing, or centered around products instead of people. Security First Retirement Solutions was built to give near-retirees and retirees across Upstate South Carolina a clearer, more educational experience where questions are welcomed and decisions are explained in plain language. Our team of independent insurance professionals combines nearly 100 years of experience helping families navigate retirement income planning, Social Security decisions, annuities, tax strategies, and legacy planning without the pressure often associated with the industry. That experience, combined with our partnership alongside FEP, a 501(c)3 nonprofit focused on financial education, helps clients feel informed, respected, and supported from the very first conversation.
Our mission is to help people make retirement decisions with more clarity, confidence, and peace of mind through education-first guidance that puts understanding before recommendations.
What You Can Expect From Us Every Day
Education Before Decisions
Retirement planning becomes less intimidating when someone takes the time to explain how everything works clearly and patiently. Our webinars and consultations are designed to help you understand your options before making any major financial decision.
Independent Guidance
Being independent means we are not limited to one company’s products or quotas. Clients benefit from recommendations shaped around their goals, timelines, and comfort level instead of a predetermined sales process.
Respectful Conversations
Many people feel embarrassed about what they do not know regarding retirement planning, taxes, or Social Security. We meet people where they are, explain things in plain language, and create an environment where questions feel comfortable to ask.
Local Commitment
Our team lives and works in the Upstate community, and many of our client relationships began through referrals from local families and neighbors. That local connection helps every interaction feel more personal and grounded in trust.
Long-Term Perspective
Retirement planning is not just about next year. We help clients think through income stability, taxes, healthcare costs, survivorship protection, and legacy goals with strategies designed to support the years ahead.
Your Retirement Income Planning Specialists
Steve Lewis, LUTCF, CPIA, CLCS
Insurance Professional & Co-Owner
Throughout his entire career, Steve Lewis has been on a mission to help retirees and business owners protect their assets, families and businesses. Steve Lewis has been serving clients in the insurance industry for more 30 years.
Steve is also an Amazon best-selling author. He has published three books covering the topics of personal tragedy and property/casualty insurance-related issues. For the last seven years, he has co-hosted a local radio show on WGTK 94.5 FM. He has also been featured regularly on WORD 106.3 FM and 930 AM in Sarasota, Florida, as well as Talk 102.3 FM in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
He is a board member of the Union County Chamber of Commerce, the Chairman of Deacons at Christian Fellowship Baptist Church, and is heavily involved in many community activities. He is a graduate of the Financial Planning School at the University of Central Florida and has a bachelor’s degree in business management.
Steve loves photography and videography. He enjoys flying drones to capture unique photos and videos. He is also avid van of college football and motorsports. Steve and his wife Becky have been married for 33 years. They have two sons, Matthew and Brandon. They also have a two-year-old granddaughter named Ellie.
Steve is a member of the Financial Education Partnership.
Dan Crider, LUTCF
Insurance Professional & Co-Owner
Dan is a Co-founder of Security First Retirement Solutions. As a financial professional, Dan provides comprehensive retirement income services. He was a guest contributor on WGTK 94.5 FM with Steve during his day's on the radio. Prior to Security First, Dan has worked as a licensed financial specialist for 32 years. Dan is a recipient and holder of the LUTCF (Life Underwriting Training Counsel Fellow). Outside of his passion for advisory and dedication to his clients, you can find Dan in the outdoors, spending quality time with family, or discovering new and seasoned music.
Dan is a member of the Financial Education Partnership.
Tammy Crider
Insurance Professional & Co-Owner
Tammy is a Co-founder and financial professional with Security First Retirement Solutions. Tammy has over thirty plus years’ experience in the financial industry. Her passion is to assist clients with accumulating and preserving their retirement assets. Her favorite part about her career is being an avid advocate for finding the best fit solutions that protect her clients. Tammy holds a license in the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Outside of taking care of her clients, she enjoys adventures to the mountains, watching her two grandsons play sports and gatherings with family and friends.
Tammy is a member of the Financial Education Partnership.
Proudly Rooted in the Upstate South Carolina Community
Security First Retirement Solutions proudly serves retirees and near-retirees throughout Greer and the broader Upstate South Carolina region with educational retirement planning support designed around clarity and trust. Many of the people we meet are preparing for major life transitions after decades of work with employers throughout Greenville County, Spartanburg County, and Anderson County, and they want guidance that feels local, personal, and understandable. Our office in Greer allows us to support families both in person and virtually while staying closely connected to the communities we serve every day. Whether someone is planning around Social Security decisions, retirement income, or protecting a spouse and family, our goal is to make the process feel less overwhelming and more manageable.
Our educational partnership alongside FEP reflects the same community-centered philosophy that guides the rest of our work. Through retirement education webinars and informational events, we aim to help people throughout the Upstate feel more informed before they ever decide whether they need additional planning support.
Families from Greenville, Spartanburg, Simpsonville, and Anderson regularly attend our educational events because they want straightforward retirement information without pressure or confusion.
