By Jay Shareef ChFEBC℠
There are many reasons you probably chose your career. Maybe it was the excitement of future opportunities, the salary, or the flexibility. For me, my reason was simple: I saw too many people suffer the consequences of a failure to plan and decided to use my skills and passions to do something about it. We all know that money, and how you handle it, can make or break your life. I became a financial advisor so that by helping people with their money, I am helping them with the rest of their lives too.
Starting Out
That’s the big picture. Here’s how it all happened. I spent 8 years in the U.S. Army, and during my time as a federal employee, I watched many of my friends and colleagues, including my father, not make a financial plan and have to go back to work after retiring. I knew that this wasn’t inevitable and that with the right action plan and support, federal employees could create a bulletproof plan for retirement and maximize their federal benefits. I switched gears, graduating from the University of Maryland with a degree in finance and earning the Chartered Federal Benefits consultant (ChFEBC℠) designation. I spent many years as a federal benefits consultant before joining forces with my business partner, Chris Rhoads, to found Certa Advisors.
My Career Today
Now, in part 2 of my career story, I am vice president, financial advisor, federal benefits consultant, and co-founder at Certa Advisors. I spend my days serving retirees, individuals approaching retirement, and individuals managing the complex federal benefits landscape. I am passionate about helping my clients solve problems so they can experience more peace of mind and optimism for retirement, showing them strategies that protect them from risk, set them up for success, and prevent them from running out of money.
There’s just nothing as fulfilling as celebrating with a client when they finally reach that retirement milestone and walk into their future with confidence. That, in a nutshell, is why I do what I do. I go to work every day to help and reach as many people as possible. I know there are still countless people falling through the cracks, and my goal is to extend a hand of support and partner with them to get them closer to their ideal financial future.
Are You Ready To Stop Worrying About Your Retirement?
You’ve spent much of your life giving back to our country. Now it’s time for you to focus on your finances so that you feel ready and excited about retirement. We’d love to help you stop worrying about your financial future by giving you clarity and empowering you to make decisions that make your dreams a reality. If you don’t already have an advisor helping you do that, reach out to me for a no-cost consultation at (301) 798-5250 or schedule a phone call now.
About Jay
Jay Shareef is vice president, financial advisor, federal benefits consultant, and co-founder at Certa Advisors. As a U.S. Army veteran, Jay is passionate about helping federal employees create a bulletproof plan for retirement and navigate the often confusing and complicated federal benefits landscape. He spends his days educating and providing clients with unbiased insurance benefits and retirement strategies to help his clients create guaranteed income for life. As a problem-solver and trustworthy resource, Jay always puts his clients and their needs first so they can find financial peace of mind. He graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in finance and holds the Chartered Federal Benefits consultant (ChFEBC℠) credential. To learn more about Jay, connect with him on LinkedIn.