CAS Team Achievements
Learn more about the recent accomplishments and community involvement of our family team.
Sharpening our Financial Acumen
In an effort to sharpen our financial acumen and remain on the cutting edge of industry best practices, our CAS family team of advisors recently attended two professional conferences in Orlando.
Both conferences focused on several key considerations that are paramount to our firm, including:
♦ Holistic Wealth Management: Designing a comprehensive plan that encompasses all of your priorities and goals, while also providing additional service offerings so we may serve all of your financial needs.
♦ Thriving in the Fiduciary Era: Navigating the new DOL rules and regulations in a manner that promotes the well-being of our client families.
♦ Advanced Tax Strategies: Examining the current tax code and identifying opportunities to alleviate your tax burden.
♦ Operational Best Practices: Maximizing efficiency in terms of our client service and processing.
♦ Current Market Environment: Closely analyzing market performance and trends.
Ray, Paul, Jill, Lynn and Tony represented Ciccarelli Advisory Services at the Advisor Group’s ConnectED conference. This year’s event featured a star-studded lineup of speakers, including Alan Mulally, former president and CEO of the Ford Motor Company; and Neil Cavuto, senior VP and managing editor of Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network.
After ConnectED, Kim, Ray, Paul, Jill and Lynn continued to the City National Rochdale conference.
We are eager to apply our enhanced knowledge and insight in a way that promotes your family’s financial wellness!
CAS Community Service Initiative 2017
Shy Wolf Sanctuary
Group #1 – Danni, Steve, Kristie, Jill, Andrew
Group #2 – Jasen, Theresa, Jess, Logan
Shy Wolf Sanctuary is a not-for-profit refuge for dozens of exotic, stray and injured animals – including wolves, wolf-dogs, cougars, coyotes and other animals.
In conjunction with United Way of Collier County, our CAS family sent two teams of volunteers to the sanctuary. We assisted with the landscaping on their beautiful 2.5-acre property, with an emphasis on removing plants that are toxic or dangerous to the sheltered animals.
We also managed to get some truly breathtaking photos of our experience! Thank you to our human and furry friends for the opportunity to serve.
Collier Child Care Resources
Andrea, Lynn, Kim, Susie, Jan, Kay
Collier Child Care Resources operates several early childhood care and education centers that serve families throughout Collier County. Driven by volunteers and donations, CCCR embraces a unique educational method that provides low-income children with the knowledge, skills and resources they need to succeed.
CAS sent a team of six volunteers to create a “documentation board” project that showcases the children’s artistic and academic work, while also assisting with sanitizing their toys and play space.
As both volunteers and sponsors of their “Business 100” program, we’re proud to support our friends at CCCR. The smiling faces of the children make it all worthwhile!
Kristie Joins CAS
We are pleased to announce the most recent addition to our growing, family-focused firm: Kristie Hulmes!
Kristie will serve as our Front Office Coordinator for our Naples office – greeting you when you visit our office, answering the phones, preparing the conference rooms for meetings, handling incoming and outgoing mail, and providing administrative support for events and other special projects.
“Kristie is a wonderful addition to our CAS team,” said Susan Hansen, Director of Administration. “Our clients are already commenting on her warm smile, positive spirit and personable nature.”
Prior to joining our CAS family team, Kristie served as an administrative support team member at Macy’s for 10 years. Originally from Staten Island, NY, she currently lives in Naples with her husband Christopher, her son Zachary and her dog Skippy.
Kristie Hulmes is not registered with either FSC Securities Corporation or Ciccarelli Advisory Services, Inc.
Kantor Recognized as Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisor
Kim Ciccarelli Kantor, CFP®, CAP®, has been recognized in the Forbes ranking of “America’s Top Women Wealth Advisors 2017”.
Kim was ranked 169 out of 200 advisors. Her placement was determined through an algorithm developed by SHOOK Research and reflects her commitment to quality, competence and core values when serving her clients.
As president and co-founder of Ciccarelli Advisory Services, Inc., Kim has more than 34 years of comprehensive financial planning experience.
To view the complete list of “America’s Top Women Wealth Advisors”, visit the Forbes website.
Third-party rankings and recognitions are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a client or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance or results. These ratings should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor by any client nor are they representative of any one client’s evaluation. Based on an algorithm of qualitative and quantitative data, rating thousands of wealth advisors with a minimum of seven years of experience and weighing factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience and best practices learned through telephone and in-person interviews. Portfolio performance is not a criteria due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. No fee was exchanged for this ranking.
Southwest Florida Out and About
Check out Kim and Paul’s interview with Southwest Florida Out and About!
Our segment airs on ABC at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, January 15.
Kay Anderson Earns CFP® Certification
We are proud to announce that Kay Anderson has earned her CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification!
By successfully completing the rigorous educational requirements of the CFP® program, Kay has mastered a wide range of topics that are essential to wealth management: the financial planning process and regulatory environment, insurance planning, income taxation, planning for retirement needs, estate planning and investment management.
She affirmed her knowledge by passing the six-hour, comprehensive CFP® examination.
Kay’s achievement exemplifies our passion for providing clients with knowledgeable advice and financial planning expertise.
“In addition to her 10 years of hands-on experience at our firm, Kay’s completion of the CFP® program has empowered her to develop a deeper understanding for how to best serve our client families,” said Kim Ciccarelli Kantor, President of Ciccarelli Advisory Services.
The CFP® designation is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious financial educational programs. In light of Kay’s accomplishment, Ciccarelli Advisory Services now has seven CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals on our team.
At Ciccarelli Advisory Services, we focus on what matters to your family because we are a family. We embrace a holistic approach to wealth management and financial planning. Our family of advisors and staff is dedicated to promoting the financial well-being of your family – today and for generations to come.
Andrea Mitchell Joins CAS
We are pleased to announce a new addition to our growing, family-focused firm: Andrea Mitchell.
As an Administrative Associate at our Naples office, Andrea will assist Kim Ciccarelli Kantor and Paul Ciccarelli by preparing client portfolios for annual reviews, generating reports and maintaining up-to-date client records.
“Andrea has been a wonderful addition to our CAS family,” said Susan Hansen, Director of Administration at Ciccarelli Advisory Services. “Her work behind the scenes and with our clients will be a tremendous asset to the firm.”
Andrea has performed a variety of administrative roles throughout her life. She worked as an administrative assistant for a local insurance broker agency for several years, and also served in a similar capacity at a retirement planning firm.
At Ciccarelli Advisory Services, we focus on what matters to your family because we are a family. We embrace a holistic approach to wealth management and financial planning. Our family of advisors and staff is dedicated to promoting the financial well-being of your family – today and for generations to come.
Andrea Mitchell is not registered with FSC Securities Corporation or Ciccarelli Advisory Services, Inc.
Jan Brown Joins CAS
We are eager to announce the newest addition to our growing, family-focused firm: Jan Brown.
As a Client Services Associate at our Naples office, Jan will work closely with Steven Merkel and his clients: scheduling appointments, handling client requests, and preparing materials for annual client reviews and other meetings.
“I’m excited to have Jan as part of my team,” said Steven. “Our clients have already given her a warm welcome and they’re excited to work with her.”
Prior to joining CAS, Jan worked in the Columbus, OH area as a client services associate and team lead senior assistant for Manning & Napier Advisors, and as an inside sales associate with Scioto Metals and Art Iron. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Ohio Dominican University.
“Jan’s experience, attention to detail and friendly personality have made her a great addition to the CAS family,” Steven added.
At Ciccarelli Advisory Services, we focus on what matters to your family because we are a family. We embrace a holistic approach to wealth management and financial planning. Our family of advisors and staff is dedicated to promoting the financial well-being of your family – today and for generations to come.
Life with Moxie
Jill Ciccarelli Rapps was featured on the radio program Life with Moxie at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Throughout her 30-minute interview, Jill emphasized her approach to serving our client families, offered practical tips to help you prepare for financial wellness, and shared her insight on recent market trends.
Enjoy these four highlights from Jill’s interview!
Look at the big picture
“Who cares about how much money you have if you can’t use it to build the kind of life you want for you and your family?” Jill said.
“The biggest question you have to answer is ‘What brings me the most joy in life?’”
She stressed the importance of identifying the key priorities in your life – whether it be family, travel, health or charity.
By encouraging our clients to articulate their purpose, passion and priorities, she assists families in bridging their deepest desires with their financial situation.
“Money and our day-to-day life are so inextricably linked. When we’re at the point where we’re overwhelmed, where we don’t feel comfortable with our money, often times those things are not aligned.”
Keep your finances organized and up-to-date
“Organization is a common challenge that I see. I’ve seen clients with a box full of financial papers, or clients who have all their financial information stored in their head.”
“It’s so important to help our clients take what’s in their head and document it in a way their family and loved ones can understand.”
Jill suggested the use of an online vault, where all of your key financial and estate planning documents can be housed electronically. The online vault is a secure, convenient method for sharing documents with your beneficiaries. This resource is especially valuable for clients who have children scattered across the U.S.
In addition to organizing your financial information, you should review and update all of your important documents at least once every two years – especially in the wake of a major transition.
“Whether it’s a divorce, whether a spouse has passed away, you really need to re-look at all the beneficiaries and ownerships and make sure they’re aligned well with your goals.”
Prepare your long-term health care strategy
“Health care expenses are the number one thing that can derail anyone’s financial plan.”
Based on her experience, Jill said one of the major concerns that middle-aged adults are facing today is taking care of our parents.
“Do you have a plan in place? Do your family members have a plan in place? If you don’t or you don’t know, your communication strategy has to begin.”
Due to the personal, often uncomfortable nature of discussing end-of-life issues, many people avoid having conversations about their health care plan with their spouse or children. This trend seems especially common among members of the “greatest generation”.
“People from that generation weren’t really communicative about those issues. I’ve seen people in their 80s, they need health care, and their kids don’t know what they have in place or what to do.”
Open communication between family members is a vital component of any effective health care strategy.
“Without communication, it’s like asking a neighbor to come into your house and understand your full financial picture within a couple of hours. It’s impossible!”
If you find it difficult to discuss your long-term health care strategy with your children and loved ones, a CAS advisor can facilitate a family meeting to address these priorities.
Don’t let fear prevent you from taking advantage of opportunities
“When we hear about the markets on TV and hear all the day-to-day news, we as the consumer tend to say the glass is half empty. People are scared, and are not taking advantage of opportunity.”
Jill acknowledged that the U.S. will likely experience modest economic growth over the next few years, and that higher volatility within the marketplace could become the norm.
However, she added that “the fundamentals in the U.S. have developed very nicely over eight years.”
Instead of worrying about market fluctuations or the impact of the upcoming election on your finances, Jill recommends focusing on what you can control.
“You should be sitting down with your advisor, reviewing your tax return, because there are ways that you can save on taxes…and develop a portfolio where you’re not affected by those short-term volatility levels.”
“Let’s be proactive with your portfolio, and see where we can save some dollars.”
To listen to Jill’s full interview on Life with Moxie, visit http://www.lifewithmoxie.com/october-8th-show-niff-jill-ciccarel. Jill’s portion of the interview starts at 29:42.
Josh Espinosa Earns Insurance License
We are pleased to announce that Josh Espinosa, one of our family-focused advisors, has earned his health, life and variable annuity insurance license.
Josh completed the required 60-hour course and studied for more than two months to obtain his License 215, which enhances his ability to assist clients with insurance review and analysis.
“We appreciate the effort and time Josh put forth,” said Kim Ciccarelli Kantor, President of Ciccarelli Advisory Services. “His commitment reflects our firm’s dedication to providing the highest level of service to the generations of families we serve.”
Josh joined our CAS family in February, and has more than 10 years of diversified experience in investment analysis, asset management and financial planning.
In addition to his recently acquired license, Josh holds his Series 7 and 66 securities registrations and earned his Certified Investment Management Analyst® certification, administered by Investment Management Consultants Association® and taught in conjunction with MIT Sloan School of Management.
At Ciccarelli Advisory Services, we focus on what matters to your family because we are a family. We embrace a holistic approach to wealth management and financial planning. Our family of advisors and staff is dedicated to promoting the financial well-being of your family – today and for generations to come.
