When I turned 13 and looked at the generous gifts I had received from my Bar Mitzvah, I was already deciding (in my head) what I wanted to spend the money on – a new snowboard. After putting that money aside, my parents immediately took me to the bank to deposit the rest of the money into a savings account and told me I was not allowed to touch any of it. I had already been earning money long before then by working in my dad’s dental offices (cleaning instruments and filing) and at the family ice cream store bussing tables. But my parents had let me spend that money without demanding I save most of it. I learned a very valuable lesson from age 13 on…the incredible value of a consistent savings strategy and paying myself first – “save first, spend second.” From then on, I always paid myself first by saving money in every job after that. I guess one could say that is when my career in financial planning began.
After watching my father suffer permanent nerve damage from a scuba diving accident when I was 15 that forced him into retirement at age 52 (in the prime of his career), I witnessed first-hand how the proper planning he had done up to that point was able to help him get through the next 30 years of his life (financially speaking) without going broke. Even though he could no longer work, he was able to maintain our primary residence along with our family home in Lake Tahoe, assist my sister and me in attending college, and retire comfortably. The ONLY reason this happened was that not only was he properly insured with great disability insurance, but he also saved in various ways that paved the way for long-term financial success. This all deeply impacted me and how I view my own planning, but also now plays such a huge role in how I approach my career in financial planning.
My role as a Financial Advisor began in 2008, a very rough time financially for so many people in our country. But I have learned that there will always be barriers to financial planning. Thus, it is my mission to develop enduring relationships with my clients by listening to their personal, professional, and financial goals and, in turn, develop a customized plan that will help them achieve a lifetime of financial security. The expert guidance that my team and I strive to provide combines both wealth management and insurance expertise, ensuring a well-balanced plan. We assist our clients by providing personal and business financial strategies throughout the implementation of the planning process.
I was born and raised in Sacramento, and after graduating from UC Berkeley and living briefly in Newport Beach and Chicago, I moved back to Sacramento in 2003. I love spending time with my kids and enjoy all aspects of fitness (especially running and cycling), enjoying time in Lake Tahoe, live music, time with friends, and being part of the wonderful Sacramento community. Additionally, I am an active board member of the Triumph Cancer Foundation.
