Howard Pressman, CFP®           

President’s Message

Hello and welcome to November and my second to last President’s Letter. November is an exciting month, the area is beautiful, awash in reds and oranges as the leaves change, the crisp air offers a welcome reprieve from the humidity of summer and autumn provides the last opportunities to enjoy the outdoors before the cold sets in. November also kicks off the Holiday season with my personal favorite holiday, Thanksgiving. As I reflect back on my career, I have so much to be thankful for. I ended up here not by intention, but rather by accident or perhaps circumstance. As doors opened, I entered. Often having no idea what lay behind them, guided not by a vision of my future, but by youthful curiosity and the occasional nudge from others. Amazingly, thankfully, it all worked out. I am thankful for the role others have played in my career and for the important role FPANCA and our members have played. When I started in the profession, the firm I worked for didn’t do financial planning, they did investment sales. I didn’t have anyone to look up to or guide me. This was a role that was graciously taken on by FPA members, they were my mentors gladly offering advice and guidance. When it came time for me to take the next step as a financial planner and switch firms, I met my future partners at an FPA meeting. This is why I joined the Board of FPANCA and why I became president, to give back to a group of people who have given me so much.

Take some time this month and reflect on all you have to be thankful for in your career and please, do not take your success, our profession or the FPA for granted. Changes are coming. Be they legislative, like Louisiana’s recent attempt to ban the word “Certified” from professional designations not issued by the state, or regulatory, such as revamped fiduciary rules or even changes to the FPA itself. Some of these changes will be welcomed and some, not so much. The only way you can play a role in the future of our profession is to get involved.  As the old adage goes, if you don’t have a seat at the table, you’re probably on the menu.

There are many ways, big and small to get involved. Our Board is always looking for new members and our committees could always use a hand. Our advocacy efforts often put us face to face with state and federal legislators who need to hear our perspective rather than just that of special interests. One of my favorite ways to get involved is through our Pro-Bono efforts. October saw another Metro Washington Financial Planning Day, where many CFP volunteers met with almost 100 members of the public who came looking for financial help. I spoke with many attendees and heard incredible stories about the difference this advice would make in their lives. This is where you truly feel the power of financial planning. Thank you to all who volunteered to make MWFPD a success.

November’s big event is our Happy Hour on the 15^th at the University of Virginia campus in Falls Church.  Come have a few drinks with your colleagues while learning about the role reverse mortgages can play in retirement planning and earn two CE credits.

Please join me in congratulating our own Emily Purdon whose paper “Planning for Conflict in Client Relationships” was published in the Journal of Financial Planning. In addition, we want to congratulate Lisa Kirchenbauer and Jared Jones for their cover story in the Journal, “Cracking the Code: A Blueprint for How to Work with Millennial Clients.” Also, a big congratulations and thanks to Yusef Abugideiri who was recently recognized for his efforts to provide Pro-Bono assistance to families who are dealing with a Cancer diagnosis.

Lastly, I am thankful for all that you do every day to make a difference in the lives of your clients. I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving.

All the best,

Howard

Howard Pressman, CFP®

2018 FPA NCA President

HPressman@EBWLLC.com