Don’t Let the Gender Pay Gap Derail Your Retirement

Contributed by: Laurie Renchik, CFP®, MBA

Women hold a tremendous amount of financial power and are an active part of the workforce and economy as a whole. At a time when women are assuming added responsibility for their families and finances, the gender pay gap that is a reality for many has the potential to derail security in retirement.  

Recently, Ellevate Network surveyed thousands of professional women and found that 26% of respondents worry that they are not making enough money today and 30% worry that they are not planning well enough for retirement.

If you have these concerns, here are some steps you can take: 

1. Do your homework about salary ranges for your given position and your growth prospects for the industry. Then be prepared to negotiate.

2. Leverage benefits provided by your employer.  Medical, dental, life insurance and disability are just some of the benefits that may be part of your compensation package.  Pay attention to when you become eligible.

3. Prioritize your own retirement and begin saving as soon as economically feasible. On average women live longer than men and accumulate less in retirement accounts. Don’t forget to increase your contribution every time you receive a raise.

4. Understand how your lifetime earnings directly impact your Social Security benefit. Benefits are calculated on the highest 35 years of earnings.  If there are fewer than 35 years, then zeros go into the calculation.

Shining some much needed light on the gender wage gap can make a difference for all women. In the meantime, women can adopt good financial habits early in life, set their own goals, and garner the support they need to stick to those habits over the long run. We can help you pull together the details you need to put your plan in place.

Laurie Renchik, CFP®, MBA is a Partner and Senior Financial Planner at Center for Financial Planning, Inc. In addition to working with women who are in the midst of a transition (career change, receiving an inheritance, losing a life partner, divorce or remarriage), Laurie works with clients who are planning for retirement. Laurie was named to the 2013 Five Star Wealth Managers list in Detroit Hour magazine, is a member of the Leadership Oakland Alumni Association and in addition to her frequent contributions to Money Centered, she manages and is a frequent contributor to Center Connections at The Center.

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Five Star Award is based on advisor being credentialed as an investment advisory representative (IAR), a FINRA registered representative, a CPA or a licensed attorney, including education and professional designations, actively employed in the industry for five years, favorable regulatory and complaint history review, fulfillment of firm review based on internal firm standards, accepting new clients, one- and five-year client retention rates, non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered, number of client households served.

This material is being provided for information purposes only and is not a complete description, nor is it a recommendation. Any opinions are those of Laurie Renchik and not necessarily those of Raymond James. The information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but Raymond James does not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete. Investing involves risk and investors may incur a profit or a loss.

Why Investors Get Serious at Age 40

Contributed by: Timothy Wyman, CFP®, JD

In my experience, folks tend to get “serious” about financial planning when they near age 40. The earlier you start the better, but when you near the age of 40, you may have a variety of financial issues (sometimes disguised as challenges) you are dealing with.   For the 40+ crowd retirement is no longer simply an event that is way out in the distance.  It’s time to put pencil to paper, take stock of where you are financially today, and make real plans for ultimate financial independence.

4 Steps to Getting Started at 40

During a recent consultation a new client simply needed some guidance on where to prioritize savings.  Fortunately, they had both the desire and cash flow to start feeding the retirement nest egg. Even with the ability to save, the options available can be somewhat overwhelming.  If you find yourself in a similar situation – here are 4 ideas that might help:

1. Make maximum contributions to employer sponsored retirement plans such as 401k or 403b plans.  Under current law, you are able to contribute up to $18,000 per year to said plans.  For those over the age of 50, an additional $6,000 may be contributed.  The idea is that most people are in a higher marginal tax bracket during their working years than in retirement and these plans can provide tax leverage in addition to tax deferred growth of any earnings.

2. Make use of ROTH IRAs if eligible.  Higher income earners (singles earning over $116,000 and married/filing jointly over $183,000) may not be able to make an annual contribution to a ROTH IRA. However, we have assisted some people in making “Back Door Roth IRA” contributions.  Not only is the name cool – it can add a real punch to tax free income. We’d enjoy discussing if this is a potential strategy for you.

3. Consider Taxable Brokerage Accounts. While the contributions or deposits are not tax favored, having after tax investments can provide great flexibility, especially if you are considering retirement before age 59.5.

4. Look at tax deferred annuities and life insurance.  For some higher earners using either of these tax-favored vehicles may provide additional savings opportunities.  Generally, the first three vehicles mentioned above should be utilized first.

We are here to help you prioritize and make the best use of each and every dollar. Give us a call today.

Timothy Wyman, CFP®, JD is the Managing Partner and Financial Planner at Center for Financial Planning, Inc. and is a contributor to national media and publications such as Forbes and The Wall Street Journal and has appeared on Good Morning America Weekend Edition and WDIV Channel 4. A leader in his profession, Tim served on the National Board of Directors for the 28,000 member Financial Planning Association™ (FPA®), mentored many CFP® practitioners and is a frequent speaker to organizations and businesses on various financial planning topics.

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This material is being provided for information purposes only and is not a complete description, nor is it a recommendation. Any opinions are those of Center for Financial Planning, Inc. and not necessarily those of Raymond James. The information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but Raymond James does not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete. Investing involves risk and investors may incur a profit or a loss. Investments mentioned may not be suitable for all investors. Prior to making an investment decision, please consult with your financial advisor about your individual situation. Roth IRA owners must be 59½ or older and have held the IRA for five years before tax-free withdrawals are permitted.

Family and Finances: How to Help Aging Parents Stay in Control

Contributed by: Sandra Adams, CFP®

I recently attended my daughter’s college orientation.  During one of the presentations to parents, the speaker said something that struck a chord with me:

“As hard as it may be, it is time for you as parents to let go of the reigns and give your children control of their own lives. Let them take care of things for themselves and make their own decisions. This may mean that they make some mistakes, but this is the time for them to learn.” 

Wow!  Did that hit home!  How hard is it as a parent to let go and let your child start doing things for themselves when you have been doing things for them for the last 17 – 18 years?  But isn’t this what your child has been waiting for?  To be an adult and to have control over his or her own life?  Isn’t that what we all wait for?

Why Control Matters at Any Age

As I sat and thought about the issue of control a bit more, I began to think about the older adult clients that I work with and about how hard they fight to keep control over their lives as they age.  I thought about the adult children of those clients who often feel as if, at some point, they may have to take away that control if the older adult losses the capacity to maintain control for themselves.  It can be particularly stressful for adult children to be put in a situation of needing to take over “control” for their aging parents without having a clear idea of their parents’ desires for their lives as they age.  So, what can be done to avoid this potential situation?

• Have open and honest conversations about the older adult’s plans for their future aging life; this may include a family meeting (tips here on having your own) that is led by your financial planner to include conversations about financial assets and how longer term care planning and future housing options might be funded.

• Make sure that all of the proper estate planning documents are up-to-date and that they are accessible (consider keeping copies on file with your financial planner’s office, as well).  Particularly important are Durable Power of Attorney Documents for General/Financial and Health Care/Patient Advocate.

• Ensure that all wishes and plans for the future are documented in writing.  Also make sure to have your financial affairs organized and documented.  Our Personal Financial Record Keeping System & Letter of Last Instruction is one helpful tool you can use.

Control is something we all want to have over our own lives … and something we fight to keep.  As parents of young adults, we struggle to let go of the control for fear that our children might take a few falls.  At the same time, we might be struggling with the thought of having to take control from aging parents who might be struggling with capacity issues as they age.  But, if you’ve planned ahead and helped your parents communicate their wishes, you won’t have taken their control from them at all. Instead, you will be assisting them in carrying out their own well-designed future.

Sandra Adams, CFP® is a Partner and Financial Planner at Center for Financial Planning, Inc. Sandy specializes in Elder Care Financial Planning and is a frequent speaker on related topics. In 2012-2014 Sandy has been named to the Five Star Wealth Managers list in Detroit Hour magazine. In addition to her frequent contributions to Money Centered, she is regularly quoted in national media publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Research Magazine and Journal of Financial Planning.

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Five Star Award is based on advisor being credentialed as an investment advisory representative (IAR), a FINRA registered representative, a CPA or a licensed attorney, including education and professional designations, actively employed in the industry for five years, favorable regulatory and complaint history review, fulfillment of firm review based on internal firm standards, accepting new clients, one- and five-year client retention rates, non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered, number of client households served.

This material is being provided for information purposes only and is not a complete description, nor is it a recommendation. Any opinions are those of Sandy Adams, CFP® and not necessarily those of Raymond James. The information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but Raymond James does not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete. You should discuss any legal matters with the appropriate professional.

How to Increase Your Social Security Benefit by 8% per Year

Contributed by: Nick Defenthaler, CFP®

Most people have either received their Social Security statement in the mail or have reviewed it online but do you know what your “full retirement age” is and what it actually means?  Full retirement age (FRA) is defined as the age at which a worker is entitled to 100% of their Social Security benefit.  Below is a summary of the current full retirement age “schedule” according to year of birth:

Source:  ssa.gov

The earliest you can collect benefits on your own earnings record is 62, however, the benefit will be permanently reduced, and in most cases, is not something we recommend to clients.  Each year benefits are delayed, you are entitled to a permanent, 8% increase in benefit.  You can also continue to delay beyond your full retirement age until age 70 to fully maximize your benefit. 

Knowing your full retirement age, given your date of birth, is very important because it can impact when you ultimately decide to file and what your actual benefit will be.  As many of you have noticed, several years ago, the Social Security Administration stopped mailing annual Social Security statements out to most Americans as a cost savings measure.  However, creating an account and checking your Social Security statement online has become very easy and is something we recommend to all clients who are still working.  You should check the statement for accuracy as it relates to your wages for the year and to see if your benefits have changed in any way. For step-by-step instructions to quickly set up your own online Social Security account, click here.

Social Security is a critical part of most retirees’ financial game plan, so knowing things such as your full retirement age, is important to make sure you are making the most of the benefits that you’ve earned.  If you have questions about Social Security, we’ll find the answers.  We have a team of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals who can help guide you through one of the most important financial decisions you will make in your lifetime.  

Nick Defenthaler, CFP® is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ at Center for Financial Planning, Inc. Nick is a member of The Center’s financial planning department and also works closely with Center clients. In addition, Nick is a frequent contributor to the firm’s blogs.

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This material is being provided for information purposes only and is not a complete description, nor is it a recommendation. Any opinions are those of Nick Defenthaler, CFP® and not necessarily those of Raymond James. Prior to making an investment decision, please consult with your financial advisor about your individual situation.

Pros and Cons of Qualified Longevity Annuity Contracts

Contributed by: Matt Trujillo, CFP®

A recent IRS ruling made it possible to defer 25% or $125,000 of your 401(k) and/or IRA assets into a qualified longevity annuity contracts or QLAC.  Our financial planning department here at The Center decided to explore these in greater detail to see what, if any, merits these products might have in clients’ overall financial plans.

QLAC Option 1

To start there are two main types of these QLACs. In the first, you give your money to an insurance company in exchange for substantial future payments (usually beginning at age 85). In return, the life insurance carrier gets to keep the full initial premium in the event that you pass away prior to benefits starting. This is an insurance product like auto and home-owners insurance in the sense that if you don’t use it, you lose it.  Due to this forfeiture of initial premium, this product has not been widely adopted.

QLAC Option 2

So, in order to make the product more marketable, insurance companies have recently come out with a second type of product that guarantees a return of your initial premium. However, this too has drawbacks because you are giving up any potential growth you might have had on the money prior to benefit payments commencing. Also, when benefits do finally commence, the payout is not quite as high as the first product because the insurance carrier is on the hook to return 100% of the initial premium.

Consider the Drawbacks

Essentially the drawbacks of QLACs can be summed up quite easily. If you purchase one and you die prior to benefits commencing, then you made a bad deal. However, if you purchase one and do live at least 5 years past the commencement of benefits, you rapidly recover the entire initial premium and start to draw more than you initially paid.  

Just like the name of the product suggests, these seem to only make sense as a hedge against living an above average life expectancy. If longevity risk is something that concerns you, we encourage you to speak with a professional to understand what methods can be taken to give your plan the greatest probability of success!

Matthew Trujillo, CFP®, is a Certified Financial Planner™ at Center for Financial Planning, Inc. Matt currently assists Center planners and clients, and is a contributor to Money Centered.

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This material is being provided for information purposes only and is not a complete description, nor is it a recommendation. Any opinions are those of Matt Trujillo and not necessarily those of Raymond James. The information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but Raymond James does not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete. You should discuss any tax matters with the appropriate professional. Guarantees are based on the claims paying ability of the issuing company.

Playing Catch-Up with Retirement Planning

Contributed by: Matt Trujillo, CFP®

What happens if you don’t start saving for retirement in your 20s or 30s? Recently I’ve had a few initial meetings with potential clients who have, for various reasons, had to delay their retirement planning until later in life (i.e. late 40s to mid-50s).  In many cases I heard things like, “Will I ever retire?” and, “Should I even bother trying?” I tell them: Where there’s a will there’s a way.

Here are 4 things you should be doing if you are trying to play catch-up with retirement planning.

1. Save a lot of money: This almost goes without saying.  If you have nothing or very little saved for retirement, then you are likely going to need to save at least 20-25% of your income to catch up, depending on your time horizon before retirement. 

2. Consider taking more risk than your peers: Typically people in their mid-50s who have been saving for retirement for many years, don’t need to take significant risks in their portfolio to meet their retirement income goals. Often times a balanced 60% stock and 40% bond portfolio can generate sufficient risk adjusted returns. However, if your nest egg is small, then you may not have the luxury of having this type of portfolio. If you’re playing catch-up, you may consider allocating more of your capital to diversified stocks.

3. Get a handle on cash flow: Nobody likes budgeting, but if you are going to save the percentage of income necessary to catch up, then you will need to have a good base level of understanding of where your money is going on a monthly basis.

4. Put a plan in place: Get a written financial plan so you know what you need to be doing to get on the right track! Also, consider working with someone who will keep you accountable in terms of saving money.

These recent conversations with clients have ended with a reassuring message from me: Don’t lose heart! Everyone has to start somewhere!

Matthew Trujillo, CFP®, is a Certified Financial Planner™ at Center for Financial Planning, Inc. Matt currently assists Center planners and clients, and is a contributor to Money Centered.

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This material is being provided for information purposes only and is not a complete description, nor is it a recommendation. Any opinions are those of Matt Trujillo, CFP® and not necessarily those of Raymond James. Investing involves risk and investors may incur a profit or a loss regardless of strategy selected. Prior to making an investment decision, please consult with your financial advisor about your individual situation.

What You Need to Know about Stock Options

Contributed by: Nick Defenthaler, CFP®

As a professional, there are various ways you can be compensated for your work.  Although not as prevalent as they once were, stock options still exist in many different companies and can often be negotiated into your overall compensation package.  Stock options are intended to give you motivation and incentive to perform at a high level to help increase the company’s stock price which will, in turn, have a positive impact on the value of your own stock options.  There are various forms of stock options and they can certainly be confusing and even intimidating.  If you’ve ever been offered options, your initial thought might have been, “I know these things can be great, but I really don’t have a clue what they are or know what to do with them!” For starters, there are two common forms of stock options NSOs & RSUs.

NSO: Non-qualified Stock Options

Non-qualified stock options, or NSOs, have been around and very popular for decades.  The mechanics, however, can be a bit tricky which is partly why you don’t see them quite as much as you used to.  There are various components to NSOs, but to keep things simple, the company’s stock price must rise above a certain price before your options have value.  Taxes are typically due on the difference between the market value of the stock upon “exercising” the stock option and what the stock price was when the option was “granted” to you.  Upside potential for NSOs can be significant but there’s also a downside. The options could expire making the stock worthless if it does not rise above a certain price during the specified time frame.

RSU: Restricted Stock Units

Restricted Stock Units, or RSUs, have become increasingly popular over the past 5 – 10 years and are now being used in place of or in conjunction with NSOs because they are a little more black and white.  Many feel that RSUs are far easier to manage and are a more “conservative” form of employee stock option compared to NSOs because the RSU will always have value, unless the underlying company stock goes to $0.  As the employee, you do not have to decide when to “exercise” the option like you would with an NSO.  When the RSUs “vest”, the value of the stock at that time is available to you (either in the form of cash or actual shares) and is then taxable.  Because you do not truly have any control over the exercising of the RSU, it makes it easier and less stressful for you during the vesting period.  However, because the RSUs vest when they vest, it does take away the opportunity to do the kind of pro-active planning available with NSOs.

Stock Options and Tax Planning

As you can see, stock options have some moving parts and can be tough to understand.  There are many other factors that go into analyzing stock options for our clients and we typically also like to coordinate with other experts, like your CPA because tax planning also plays a large part in stock option planning. If stock options are a part of your compensation package, it is imperative to have a plan and make the most of them because they can be extremely lucrative, depending on company performance and pro-active planning.  Please reach out if you ever have questions about your stock options – we work with many clients who own them and would be happy to help you as well!

Nick Defenthaler, CFP® is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ at Center for Financial Planning, Inc. Nick is a member of The Center’s financial planning department and also works closely with Center clients. In addition, Nick is a frequent contributor to the firm’s blogs.

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How to Apply for Social Security Retirement Benefits

Contributed by: Matt Trujillo, CFP®

There are a few different ways you can apply for social security retirement benefits. The easiest and most time efficient is simply to set up an account at https://secure.ssa.gov/iClaim/rib and apply for benefits online.  You can also apply over the phone by calling 800-772-1213 (or 800-325-0778 if you are hard of hearing). 

Of course, you can always stop down to a social security office and apply in person.  For some of the more advanced social security strategies like file and suspend and restricted application, you will have to stop into a branch as these options are not available online. You can find your local social security office by clicking this link.

If you are currently living outside of the United States you can apply for benefits by contacting the Office of International Operations. For more information visit their website here.

When to Apply for Social Security Benefits

It’s a good idea to apply for benefits a month or two earlier than you want your benefits to actually start. This is because social security benefits are paid the month after they are due.  For instance, if you want your benefits to start in July, you will receive your first benefit check in August. If you want to receive your first benefit check in July, you need to be eligible for benefits in June and tell the SSA that you want your benefits to start in the month of June so that you will actually receive a check in July.

Social security can be a very confusing topic. It’s a great idea to consult with a qualified professional before applying for benefits as your decisions in this area can be permanent and irreversible.

Matthew Trujillo, CFP®, is a Certified Financial Planner™ at Center for Financial Planning, Inc. Matt currently assists Center planners and clients, and is a contributor to Money Centered.

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This material is being provided for information purposes only and is not a complete description, nor is it a recommendation. Any opinions are those of Matthew Trujillo, CFP® and not necessarily those of Raymond James. The information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but Raymond James does not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete.

Links are being provided for information purposes only. Raymond James is not affiliated with and does not endorse, authorize or sponsor any of the listed websites or their respective sponsors. Raymond James is not responsible for the content of any website or the collection or use of information regarding any website's users and/or members.

3 Tips on Setting Up a Trust from the RJ Trust School

Contributed by: Matt Trujillo, CFP®

I recently had the opportunity to attend Raymond James Trust School in Cleveland, Ohio with about 30 other financial professionals.  It was a great refresher, but I learned some new things as well. Below are three of my key take-aways from the RJ Trust School that may help guide you in making decisions about a trust.

3 Take-Aways from the RJ Trust School:

1. Sometimes to save money people will have a will drafted which calls for a trust to be set up at their death. This type of trust is called a “Testamentary Trust”. One of the issues with structuring your estate plan in this fashion is that with a Testamentary Trust the probate period will continue until the trust terminates which could be as much as 90 years in some states!  This is a long time for creditors to submit claims against an estate, and something to keep in mind when you are considering having documents drafted.

2. Trusts aren’t just about avoiding estate taxes! There are many other reasons to have assets held in trust name. Here are a few that were mentioned at RJ Trust School:

   • If the beneficiary is a spendthrift and you are worried they might spend all the assets in a short period of time

   • If the beneficiary just doesn’t understand money well and will struggle with financial management

   • If the beneficiary doesn’t have time to manage additional financial matters

   • If the beneficiary has potential credit problems and if they inherited assets outright their creditors could seize the assets

   • If the beneficiary is in a bad marriage and inherit assets outright, a soon to be ex-spouse might have a claim

   • If the beneficiary has special needs it might be better to have inheritance held in trust so they don’t lose government funding

3. If you’re married, you should strongly consider filing form 706 electing portability at the death of the first spouse, even if you don’t have a taxable estate at that time.  With the recent changes in estate tax law a lot of people think they automatically get their spouse’s estate tax exemption as well as their own. However, as the instructor at RJ Trust School pointed out, you only get both exemptions if you file the appropriate paperwork electing for “portability” at the first death.  For example, if an estate didn’t have estate tax issues at the first death, but grew significantly after the date of death, it could now be subject to estate taxes. That’s a situation that could have been avoided by filing form 706.

If you are considering implementing some estate planning documents or amending the one you currently have in place, you should meet with a qualified estate planning attorney first!

Matthew Trujillo, CFP®, is a Certified Financial Planner™ at Center for Financial Planning, Inc. Matt currently assists Center planners and clients, and is a contributor to Money Centered.

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This material is being provided for information purposes only and is not a complete description, nor is it a recommendation. Any opinions are those of Matthew Trujillo and not necessarily those of Raymond James. The information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but Raymond James does not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete. You should discuss any tax or legal matters with the appropriate professional.

“My Social Security” Online Account Access

Contributed by: James Smiertka

Did you know you can now take advantage of the My Social Security benefits site? When you visit, you simply sign up for an account. It is a free service, and as of May 29, 2015 more than 19 million accounts have been opened.

The Benefits

If you are currently receiving benefits and/or have Medicare, you are able to:

• Get your benefit verification letter if you need proof of income, Medicare coverage, retirement status, disability, or age
• Check your benefit & payment information and view your earnings record
• Change your address and/or phone number
• Start direct deposit of your benefit or change your direct deposit info
• Get a replacement Medicare card
• Get a replacement SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S for taxes

If you do not currently receive benefits, you are able to:

• Review your Social Security Statement including estimates of your future retirement, disability, and survivor benefits
• Review your earnings once annually to verify the amounts are correct
• Review the estimated amounts of social security and Medicare taxes you have paid
• Receive a benefit verification letter if you need proof that you have never received Social security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Medicare

How to Create an Account

Below is a screenshot of what you can expect to see when you visit the website:

When you select “Create an Account” you will be re-directed to the following page:

Since you are a new user, click on the blue  “Create An Account” and enter your personal information:

On the following page you will confirm some information that is provided, such as your mortgage company, auto loan company, license plate, and current vehicle, etc. The confirmation of this information is used to verify your identity.

Next you will create your username & password as well as choose your password security questions:

Now you are ready to sign in to your My Social Security account. Below you’ll see an example of the information you can access when you sign in (included are the Overview & Estimated Benefits pages):

Keeping Your Information Secure

It is always important to keep your information safe and secure. Here are some important things to keep in mind:

• Emails about “My Social Security” and other government agencies always come from a “.gov” email address. Use extreme caution if the email you received is not from a “.gov” sender.
• Links, logos, & pictures will always direct you to an official Social Security website
  • Examples: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/ or https://secure.ssa.gov
  • Hover over a link or picture until a text box appears showing the destination address
• DO NOT respond or click any links when dealing with a phishing scam email message
  • You may forward the scam email to the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team at phishing-report@us-cert.gov
•  Look for poor grammar, wording, phrasing, and/or spelling in all email correspondence
•  Look for outlandish claims that could not possibly be true
  • If a “foreign prince” emails your from overseas offering to share his gold bullion reserves in exchange for you wiring him a few hundred dollars now for safe border passage between war-torn countries, it’s probably not a legit email
  •  If an email includes the name of a business and/or contact information, such as telephone number or website link, you can attempt to verify the legitimacy via a search engine like Google
• Speak to friends and family members if you are questioning the validity of a strange email
• DO NOT respond with any of your personal information if you believe the email may be a scam

I hope this information will be useful for signing up and realizing the benefits of a “My Social Security” account, as well as keeping your information safe. If you have any further questions, you can utilize the www.ssa.gov website or contact your local Social Security office directly.

James Smiertka is a Client Service Associate at Center for Financial Planning, Inc.

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The information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete. Links are being provided for information purposes only. Raymond James is not affiliated with and does not endorse, authorize or sponsor any of the listed websites or their respective sponsors. Raymond James is not responsible for the content of any website or the collection or use of information regarding any website's users and/or members.