In 1988 having just recently graduated from Moravian College I accepted my first job paying the grand old sum of $14,500 equivalent to roughly $28,000 dollars. Starting out back in 1988 like everyone else both then and today I felt like I had no money. I wanted to enjoy myself, I bought my first car, rented an apartment with some friends and was going to the Jersey shore on weekends. After paying the bills and enjoying myself I just felt that I couldn’t afford to invest any money for my retirement and it wasn’t until a few years later that I started contributing to my 401K account. I always knew that I needed to invest for the future but inertia had its grip on me early on like it does with so many people when it comes to planning for retirement. After seeing my investments grow in those early years I branched out to mutual funds and individual stocks in early 1995. Through investing in the stock market, I was able to grow my investments to the point where my new wife and I were able to put 20% down on our first home in 1999.
With a wife and home ownership came new responsibilities. Establishing a will, changing/establishing beneficiary forms and as nervous as I was, the moment I made that first mortgage payment I questioned why I did not purchase a home sooner? My wife and I continued to invest in our retirement accounts gradually raising our contribution amounts over time and we also continued to invest in individual stocks through a brokerage account.
In 2001 my wife became pregnant and with the knowledge that soon we would become parents I started to investigate insurance options for our new family. I was well aware of how agents are paid (by commission) and wanted to make sure that I received the right insurance for our needs. Because of this I enrolled in the Personal Financial Planning Certificate program through Moravian College (my alma mater 88’). This program brought together my excitement for investments, need for insurance and estate planning along with taxes and retirement planning. As I progressed through each section I understood the interrelationship between each area and how one needs a complete plan for their future and how a change in one area affects the others.
In 2003 after completing the certificate program at Moravian College knowing that I wanted to help people with their finances I sat for the 10 hour / 2 day Certified Financial Planner test, proudly stating that I passed on the first attempt.
After gaining the required 3 years of experience I was approved to use the Certified Financial Planner designation in 2008. During that time I interviewed with several companies and I came to the decision that I did not want to work for a company that pushed products and/or quotas at the expense of the Client. I also meet several Stockbrokers/”Advisors” who came across in a very hard sell manor. It was very obvious that they were more interested in how much money I had than in establishing a relationship and understanding my goals. So, I decided to open my own company in 2008, approved by the Pennsylvania Securities Commission in early 2009.
By going the Independent route and creating Christman Financial Advisors I know that I have taken the path less traveled, I don’t run million dollar marketing campaigns, ads on TV or in magazines but I felt then, and still feel today that I would rather have Christman Financial Advisors LLC do what is right for each Client, educate them and build my business one Client at a time and through referrals than be an “asset gatherer”/”product pusher” with set quotas to reach or lose my job. I believe that my success lies in my clients success in reaching their goals and not by selling a product today to generate a dollar in my pocket. Each and every Client of Christman Financial Advisors becomes part of my family that I am committed to seeing succeed in their goals.
If you are looking for a Financial Advisor who will do what is right and place your interests first, Christman Financial Advisors LLC may be the company for you. Call to schedule a no cost/no obligation consultation to explore the possibility of working together.
Christman Financial Advisors LLC (“Christman Financial”) is a registered investment adviser offering advisory services in the State(s) of Pennsylvania and in other jurisdictions where exempted. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. The presence of this website on the Internet shall not be directly or indirectly interpreted as a solicitation of investment advisory services to persons of another jurisdiction unless otherwise permitted by statute. Follow-up or individualized responses to consumers in a particular state by Christman Financial in the rendering of personalized investment advice for compensation shall not be made without our first complying with jurisdiction requirements or pursuant an applicable state exemption.
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