Financial Symmetry, Inc. has recently promoted Heather Gudac to Operations Manager.

Upon graduation from NC State University with a B.S. in Business Management – Finance, Heather joined Financial Symmetry, Inc. (FSI) as their Operations Specialist and Office Manager in 2008. She began her career with the firm as a financial planning intern in late 2006.

As Financial Symmetry has continued to grow, so has Heather’s role within the company. In addition to her responsibilities of assisting with portfolio administration and growth management, and overseeing the company’s internship program, Heather’s new position includes managing a growing operations team. Working closely with FSI’s advisors, Heather coordinates new account transitions, supervises account maintenance and guides our clients though qualified account rollovers and distributions processes.  Heather also assists FSI’s primary advisors with financial planning projects by gathering and organizing data through client communications.

Heather maintains her position as FSI’s office manager, handling the day-to-day operations within the company. Going forward, she is looking forward to improving and establishing new operational processing that will benefit FSI’s clientele in each of their fee-only services- financial planning, investment management and wealth management.

For more information about Heather and what she does for Financial Symmetry, see her bio on our main site: http://financialsymmetry.com/our-team/heather_gudac/ or contact her by email, hgudac@financialsymmetry.com, or by phone, (919) 851-8200 ext. 205.

Bill Ramsay, CFP®, recently participated in his fourth Triangle Business Journal roundtable event. The 2010 Financial Roundtable: Top Triangle Investors Dissect the Market was held at the Triangle Business Journal office on November 19, 2010.  The articles discussing the event appeared in the November 29, 2010 (part one) issue and December 3, 2010 issue (part two).

In years past, Bill has participated in the Triangle Business Journal’s roundtables on September 29, 2009, August 23, 2007 and July 18, 2006.

Please contact our office if you would like a print copy of the articles.

A few of the new features include client stories, frequently asked questions and additional details of our services.

We invite you to browse our new website and hope you find it easy to navigate and helpful.  Feel free to leave comments!

Our new website is designed and managed by FatCat Strategies.

In response to the many fears and uncertainties that arose during the recent economic crisis, The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) Consumer Education Foundation sponsored multiple financial advice events around the country as part of the “Your Money Bus” tour.  On Tuesday January 19^th, the “Your Money Bus” rolled in to downtown Raleigh, in partnership with NC State Treasurer Janet Cowell’s office.

With unemployment hovering around 10% and dramatic swings in the stock market, the need for financial advice was very apparent in the crowd of more than 85 that showed up at the State Government Complex in downtown Raleigh.  The impressive turnout of people came with a wide mix of questions that dealt with everything from how much and in which accounts they should be saving to which debts they should be paying down the quickest.

Partners of Financial Symmetry, Allison Berger and Chad Smith, participated in the event for the second consecutive year.

“We’ve really enjoyed being involved with the ‘Your Money Bus’ tour over the last two years.  It’s a great opportunity to spread financial literacy and make a difference in our community.” -Allison Berger

“Volunteering our advice has been a neat way to provide people with action steps that can help them gain some peace of mind when dealing with their finances.” -Chad Smith

On November 1^st, 2009 Allison Berger completed the Rex Healthcare Half Marathon in Raleigh, NC.  She finished with a time of about 2:05:20.  Although the course was hillier than her training runs she still beat her goal of running 10 minute miles.  This was the first distance running event that Allison has participated in and she plans to do more in the future.

Our new address is:

1511 Sunday Drive
Suite 120
Raleigh, NC 27607

Thank you for your patience, we look forward to seeing you at our Open House in January! Invitations will be mailed out soon.

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Bill also participated in the Triangle Busniess Journal’s rountables on August 23, 2007 and July 18, 2006.

Please contact our office at (919) 851-8200 for a copy of the full article.

Paid subscribers of the Triangle Business Journal may click here to access the full article through their website.

The following is Will’s recent letter to our clients announcing his achievement.

When I joined Financial Symmetry a little over three years ago, I came in with a broad goal of using my extensive experience in accounting and taxation to help others achieve their financial objectives.  It soon became apparent to me, however, that having the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation would enhance my hard earned skills and allow me to better serve our clients.  I am proud to announce that upon completion of an intensive preparation course and diligent self study, I successfully passed the comprehensive national CFP® exam in July.  In the months following I completed the remaining requirements to earn the CFP® designation and now possess the necessary credentials to move into a primary financial advisor role.

To earn the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation, candidates must complete what the Board of Standards refers to as the “4 E’s”:

• Education
• Examination
• Experience
• Ethics

In addition to earning a bachelor’s degree, completing a board certified education program, passing the exam, and adhering to a strict code of ethics, candidates must also have completed three years of relevant work experience in an industry related field.  As a licensed Certified Public Accountant I was automatically eligible to apply for the CFP® Certification Examination in lieu of the education requirement.  Thirty hours of continuing education every two years is also required in order to maintain an active CFP® license.

Being part of the team here at Financial Symmetry has enabled me to build upon my experience as a partner in a local CPA firm.  Through working on plan development, personalized investment analysis, and implementing strategies in our high-level client service model, I have added the essential knowledge and skills to move into this new role with our firm.  I look forward to the new challenges and responsibilities that this opportunity presents.

For a complimentary initial consultation with Will Holt, CFP®, CPA,  please contact him at (919) 851-8200 ext. 203 or by email at wholt@financialsymmetry.com.

On Tuesday, September 15th, Allison Berger, CFP® and Chad Smith, CFP®, both partners at Financial Symmetry, Inc., returned to their alma mater to speak to NC State’s Personal Finance Club, which is based in the College of Management.

The club was created for students who are interested in careers in financial planning, who want to expand their networks and their knowledge of personal finance.

Berger & Smith talked to the group of students about how they started their careers, the importance of managing their personal finances, and some advice on finding jobs in a tough economic climate.

“Be creative.” said Berger. “Everyone has to start somewhere. If you are interested in a specific field, be open to taking an internship or part-time position if you are not able to find full-time work. This could always lead to a more permanent situation or provide you with skills that make you a more attractive candidate to other employers.”

They also encouraged students to start a 401k plan at work, citing that “Starting a savings and investment plan early in your career can help you accumulate wealth more easily than someone who doesn’t start saving until their 30’s or 40’s.”

Chad Smith & Allison Berger are NCSU College of Management alumni, both receiving bachelor’s degrees in Business Administration with concentrations in Finance (in 2000 & 2004, respectively).

To read more advice given by Smith & Berger, and learn more about the Personal Finance Club, click here for the full article.