By Lee Sherbakoff, CPA/PFS, CFP®, RICP®
We all have dreams, but those dreams usually cost money, especially when it comes to retirement. It’s all well and good to picture yourself leisurely walking the beaches along Florida’s Gold Coast or funding an inheritance for your children and grandchildren, or even just enjoying a quiet and fulfilled retirement without financial worries, but it’s quite another thing to create a customized, strategic plan to make your dreams a reality.
If your blood pressure is already going up or you’re beginning to feel anxious, relax. Yes, it sounds like a lot of work, and you probably feel overwhelmed and stressed, but that’s exactly why I became a financial advisor—to help you design and implement a financial plan that gives you the best chance of reaching your financial goals and maintains the lifestyle you dreamed of when retired.
How I Got Here
I got my start in the financial industry over 20 years ago. With my Bachelor of Science in finance and my Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) credentials in hand, I started working as vice president with a local trust company. I was also a member of the U.S. Army Reserves and earned my Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College. My investment career took the back burner when I was called up on active duty, deployed in support of Operation Desert Storm (1991) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (2008-2009), and served at the Army’s highest levels on the Department of Army staff at the Pentagon.
When I retired from the U.S. Army Reserves, after a 31+-year career, I threw myself back into the financial industry with abandon. I spent some years as an investment advisor at Patriot Investment Management, earning my Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) credential and Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP®) designation along the way. Then, in 2014, I joined forces with Don Nalls to form The Nalls Sherbakoff Group, LLC, and the rest is history.
What I Do Today
Now, years later, I am a wealth manager and financial planner with Nalls Sherbakoff, a private financial planning and investment management firm. I spend my days helping pre-retirees and retirees earn sustainable long-term, real returns on their investments in order to meet their deepest and most important financial goals and objectives. Whether it’s funding a 20- to 30-year retirement, funding college savings plans for their children and grandchildren, or leaving a multigenerational legacy to their family, my experience and expertise coupled with managing investor behavior sets them up for success.
My clients may vary in background and profession, but one thing is clear across the board: they have worked hard their entire life and are now transitioning to the major retirement milestone or have recently retired. They want to work with an experienced professional who is well-versed in the financial challenges and opportunities retirees face.
How I Work
I do this by developing individually designed wealth and investment management strategies using appropriately allocated, well-diversified portfolios. Yet, this can’t be done without a financial plan. The plan is the most important part coupled with helping my clients to maintain a faithful, patient, and disciplined approach to investing.
I spend a great deal of my time on investor behavior consulting because I see, time and time again, the dangers clients face when making decisions or losing sleep over sensationalist media headlines. It’s incredibly fulfilling to provide objective guidance and education so they can make decisions with confidence, decisions that get them one step closer to the life they want to live. I work hard every day to solve problems for my clients and take some of the financial worry off their back.
What’s The Draw?
Other than a need for comprehensive retirement planning and appreciating my devotion to service, why do clients choose to work with me at Nalls Sherbakoff when they have a multitude of firms and advisors to choose from? The answer is simple. As a fiduciary and fee-only advisor who prioritizes relationships and puts my clients first, my clients know that I will not recommend anything that I would not do myself if in their situation. I am committed to my clients and their families and enjoy assisting them in growing value, attaining financial freedom, and enriching their lives by offering sound financial advice, strong ethical practices, and a deep dedication to service.
Can I Help You?
If you are getting close to retirement or have recently retired but want to ensure your finances are set up to carry you through your golden years, I’d love to help. Set up a complimentary appointment so we can see if our services are the right fit for you by calling us at (865) 691-0898 or contacting us online. Again, it’s free and the coffee is on me.
About Lee
Lee Sherbakoff is principal and financial advisor with The Nalls Sherbakoff Group, LLC, an independent, fee-only financial planning and investment management firm. He specializes in serving pre-retirees and retirees, helping them create and execute financial plans and retirement income plans that lead to sustainable long-term, real-life returns that meet their deepest and most important financial goals and objectives. Lee has a Bachelor of Science in Finance from The University of Tennessee and a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College as well as the Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Personal Financial Specialist (PFS), Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), and Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP®) credentials. Lee spent over 31 years in the U.S. Army Reserves, including serving at the Army’s highest levels on the Department of Army staff at the Pentagon and being deployed in support of Operation Desert Storm (1991) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (2008-2009). When he’s not loyally serving his clients, Lee enjoys giving back to the community and to his profession, acting as a council member of the Tennessee Society of CPAs and a member of the American Institute of CPAs. In addition, he is past President of the Knoxville Chapter of Tennessee Society of CPAs and past President of the East Tennessee chapter of the Financial Planning Association. To learn more about Lee, connect with him on LinkedIn.