Broker Check

Around The Office - September 2018

September 20, 2018

September is Back to School Month

Well, the unofficial close of summer is in the books. Social media and our phones have been flooded with first day of school pictures and for some parents, they could not be happier.  For others, getting the kids back on the bus means having a bit more free time to add some more structure back into our daily lives.  Here at the firm, the theme for the month is just that ”Back to School.” Throughout the month our blog and social media channels will focus on those topics that are relevant to parents now that the kids are at their desks.  This is also a perfect time to reevaluate your savings goals, especially when it comes to things like college funding and how it relates to your overall financial plan.  Today, one can expect to live in retirement a lot longer than in years past.  Conversely, if all goes well, your kids will spend a short four years obtaining an undergraduate degree.  This time is just a fraction of how long your money will need to last once you enter into retirement.  A frequent conversation we have with clients is that if you plan well, you should not have to sacrifice your golden years trying to fund your children’s education. We provide our clients with the tools to help prepare for this potential financial strain.  Programs such as 529 plans that offer tax benefits are a major source of funding college goals. We know the process can be daunting, but we are here to help.  Give us a call today to get started or just to see if you are on track.

1st Annual Fairfield Police Sunset 5k – Presented by our affiliate Rocco & Associates - A HUGE Success!

You no doubt saw the social media posts and press coverage of our 1st Annual Fairfield Police Sunset 5k that was held on July 25th.  Now that the books are closed, we are happy to report that it was a huge success.  Our affiliate, Rocco & Associates,was the presenting sponsor of the event which raised over $22,000 for the two chosen charities, the Fairfield Police Union Scholarship Fund and the Friends of the Bigelow Center for Senior Activities, a board which our own Eric Johnson volunteers his time on.  Despite some weather challenges, we had nearly 800 participants who were treated to a flat and fast course and a post-race food truck rodeo that included Colony Grill, Taco Loco, along with refreshments provided by Sierra Nevada. There were games, a kid’s race, balloon twisting and a host of promotional items being distributed by the numerous sponsors. Eric partnered with Lieutenant Keith Broderick of the Fairfield Police Department to organize this and it turned out to be a truly hyper local event with careful strategic planning across several town agencies.  We had so much fun giving back as a firm that we have already set the date for next year.  Wednesday, July 24th, 2019…mark your calendars and we look forward to seeing you all there!

Always Learning…

We have had a busy summer and that’s the way we like it.  In addition to meeting with clients, creating financial plans and giving back to the community, we as a firm continuously strive to always keep learning.  Eric traveled to Florida recently to participate in a three day conference sponsored by Orion Advisor Services. Orion is our partner that provides your quarterly portfolio statements, client portal, as well as our mobile application.  Eric attended several days of breakout sessions where he was able to listen to best practices and develop new ones to further enhance our client’s experience when using these cutting edge resources. He was even able to spend a little free time bonding with other financial planners who also share this technology with their clients while taking a brief tour of The Everglades and discussing ways to improve the client experience.  If you have not set up your client portal or downloaded the mobile application, do not hesitate to reach out to the office to find out how.