I hope you have all enjoyed the wonderful weather we have had over the Summer and into Autumn so far. It is difficult to remember a year in which we have had nicer weather! (Grandma: I really have no idea if the Summer of ’49 was nicer – it was almost 20 years before I was born!)
On both the professional and personal fronts an awful lot has happened since our last newsletter (November 2006). In January we completed the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business Retirement Planning Program. Nick, Kevin and I all attended and felt we really got a lot out of the experience. We had access to some of the best research and scholarly input in the fields of finance and retirement planning. As a result of what we learned we have made some changes to how we allocate portfolios and how we estimate the role that Social Security will play in our clients’ retirement plans.
I announced to you in our last newsletter that I would be pursuing my Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®) designation and sitting for the exam in March of 2007. I am pleased to inform you that I have passed the exam and received the designation. Despite my lengthy academic career and well-honed test taking skills I would have to admit that I found it to be a challenging and comprehensive exam (10 hours!).
The biggest news of the year has undoubtedly been our departure from AXA Advisors and the formation of our own practice. Thank you very much for your patience and understanding as we have been going through this transition. We are excited about the changes and feel that it will be a very positive experience for both our clients and us.
On a more personal note – this year has not been without its challenges. As many of you are aware –Melani and I have had the misfortune of going through 2 miscarriages this year. Although this has been extremely disappointing and emotionally trying – I am glad to report that it has truly served to strengthen the bond between my new bride and I. It has also made me realize how good of friends so many of you are to me. Thank you so much for the caring outreach, encouragement, and in many situations, sharing of similar experiences and trials. I reminded Melani the other day that we married “For Better or For Worse”. I told her that I think we’ve had our share of “For Worse” lately and that we are due some “For Better”. Life is always going to have its peaks and valleys- and I firmly believe that it becomes difficult to appreciate the peaks if you haven’t gone through some valleys as well…
Sincerely,
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