The Financial Planning Association of Miami-Dade

The Financial Planning Association® (FPA®) connects those who need, support and deliver financial planning. We believe that everyone is entitled to objective advice from a competent, ethical financial planner to make smart financial decisions. FPA members demonstrate a professional commitment to education and a client-centered financial planning process.

Upcoming Chapter Events

Don’t miss our July 8, 2009 dinner chapter meeting at UM’s BankUnited Center’s Hurricane 100 Room — FIDUCIARY LAW: GOOD PROCESS, BAD PROCESS OR NO PROCESS? presented by Frank Armstrong, CFP®, AIFA®, and TRANSITION ISSUES OR TAX STATUS HOKEY POKEY: YOU PUT YOUR TAX STATUS IN, YOU TAKE YOUR TAX STATUS OUT…SO WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE TAXMAN?, presented by Carlos F. Arazoza, JD, CPA. Click here to download a registration form. Click here to learn more.

Chapter News

2008 Gold Chapter
FPA of Miami-Dade was recognized at FPA’s 2008 ChapterLeaders Conference for attaining the GOLD level of achievement in FPA’s Chapter Recognition Program. This is the third time FPA of Miami-Dade has achieved gold-level status. The chapter was honored for its accomplishments and efforts in chapter operations, chapter leadership, community outreach, member outreach, membership development and special achievements. FPA President Mark E. Johannessen, CFP®, and Chapter Leadership Resource Council Chair Dwight A. Mikulis, CFP® presented the award. Debra J. Gauthier, CFP®, Director of Community Outreach; Elaine King, CFP®, Director of Media Relations & Public Awareness; Jay Pelham, CFP®, 2009 President-Elect; and Dave Moran, CFP®, Chapter President, accepted the award on behalf of FPA of Miami-Dade.

FPA Miami-Dade Grant Award
FPA of Miami-Dade has been awarded a grant from the Foundation for Financial Planning to improve, expand and sustain our Community Outreach Program for Financial Literacy. Contact the chapter office for further information and to get involved.

FPA Miami-Dade Partners with Junior Achievement
Volunteers from the FPA of Miami-Dade and the community teamed with Junior Achievement during their JA-in-a-Day at Flamingo Elementary on Wednesday, May 14th, and at David Lawrence Jr. Center on September 26th. JA-in-a-Day is a half-day event at the elementary school level. Volunteers presented Junior Achievement lessons focusing on business and finance in a condensed format in a single school day. Volunteers have included Monica Alcantara, Marilyn Brummitt, Lawrence Candelario, Amelia Garcia, Debra Gauthier, Philip Herzberg, Elaine King, Ellen Siegel, and Jason Whitby.

FPA Miami-Dade and Neighbors 4 Neighbors/CBS4
Volunteers from the FPA of Miami-Dade continued to join the Neighbors 4 Neighbors/CBS4 Financial Advising Phone Bank in April, May, July, September and October to answer viewers’ financial questions. Hundreds of calls have come through, putting many in our community in touch with resources that can help them make the most of their money during these difficult economic times. Volunteers have included Pete Blanco, Vielka Burey-Jacas, May Cheung, Elaine King, Mary Kirtland, Matt McGrath, Cathy Pareto, Javier Quinones, Charles Sachs, Ellen Siegel, Brian Thornton, and Jason Whitby.

The FPA of Miami-Dade Scholarship Fund in Honor of Randy Lee and Martin Hughes
The FPA of Miami-Dade mourns the loss of Randy Lee – a fellow chapter member, an officer of our Board, a beloved friend, and a longtime contributor to the financial planning community. In Randy’s honor, and the honor of our late friend Martin Hughes, we have renamed our scholarship fund. The funds from the scholarship are designed to help defray the cost of acquiring the CFP® designation, as well as offset the registration expenses for attending FPA's Residency Program. Further details of the program, including application criteria, will be available soon. Please contact us if you’d like to learn more, or to get involved with our Scholarship Committee.

ABOUT OUR MEMBERS

Matt McGrath (Evensky Katz) and Elaine King (Gibraltar Private Bank & Trust) were featured in the Miami Today June 18, 2009 issue in “’Sufficient’ Regulation of Planners Isn’t Always Enforced.” (click here for the story).

Lane Jones (Evensky Katz) was interviewed on June 17, 2009 by Nathalie Rodriguez on 610 WIOD AM (Click here for a soundbite).

Elaine King (Gibraltar Private Bank & Trust) was featured in the April 2009 CFP® E-Newsletter article “Four Things to Do with Your Tax Refund.” (click here for the story)

Elaine King (Gibraltar Private Bank & Trust) was featured in the Miami Herald’s April 19, 2009 issue, “Retirees Going Back to Work, Older Workers Delaying Retirement.” (click here for the story)

Dave Moran and the FPA of Miami-Dade’s 4th Annual Symposium were featured in the Miami Herald’s May 17, 2009 issue in “Uncertain Markets Keep Advisors As Well As Their Clients Guessing.” (click here for the story)

Matt McGrath (Evensky Katz) was interviewed on May 19, 2009, on CBS 4 Your Money by Al Sunshine to discuss “Credit Card Reform Bill Approved” (click here to see and listen to the interview).

Ellen Siegel (Ellen Siegel & Associates) was interviewed on March 18, 2009 by Wayne Roustan on 610 WIOD AM. (click here for a soundbite).

Elaine King (Gibraltar Private Bank & Trust) was featured in the Miami Herald’s March 8, 2009, issue, in “Money Makeover: Aiming to Retire (Nearly) Debt-free” (click here for the story).

Frank Armstrong (Investor Solutions) and Elaine King (Gibraltar Private Bank & Trust) were featured in the Miami Herald’s February 22, 2009, story “Answering Questions About Your 401(k)” (click here for the story).

Harold Evensky (Evensky & Katz) authored the Miami Herald’s February 22, 2009, article “Don’t Blame Accounts for Your Losses” (click here for the story).

Cathy Pareto (Cathy Pareto & Associates) was interviewed on February 17, 2009, by Wayne Roustan on 610 WIOD AM. (Click here for soundbites one, two, three ).

Charles Sachs (Evensky Katz) was featured in the Miami Herald’s February 8, 2009, issue, in “Money Makeover: Starting Young” (click here for the story).

Bonnie Hughes (The Enrichment Group) was featured in the January 2009, issue of Journal of Financial Planning. Click here to read Bonnie’s article “Counseling Insights from the Last Lap of Life.”

Dave Moran (BankUnited) was featured in the Miami Herald’s January 11, 2009, issue, in “Money Makeover: The final stretch: Retiring debt” (click here for the story).

Chapter members – please send items for the “ABOUT OUR MEMBERS” section of our website to Amy Miller, at info@fpamiamidade.org. We want to share your news!

Letters from the President

Chapter President Jay Pelham shares his thoughts about chapter initiatives, events, and other subjects of interest. Learn more

FPA National Events and Resources