Tag: Education
REPLAY: Everything You Need To Know About 529 Plans With Colleen Dwyer (Ep. 49)

REPLAY: Everything You Need To Know About 529 Plans With Colleen Dwyer (Ep. 49)

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Have you heard of the 529 plan?

It could be your new key to unlocking a brighter future for your kids while being financially efficient. 

Join Nicole Romito as she and her colleague, Colleen Dwyer share the essentials of 529 plans, the tax advantages they offer, and how they can be an integral part of securing the educational futures of your children or grandchildren. Follow along to learn who can contribute, what expenses qualify, and the benefits of starting early. 

Nicole and Colleen discuss: 

  • What a 529 plan is and how the money invested in it can be used 
  • Differences between state-specific plans and strategic decisions
  • Who and what qualifies for a 529 plan
  • The tax and financial benefits of a 529 plan and how to set them up properly
  • And more

Connect with Nicole Romito: 

Connect with Colleen Dwyer:

About Our Guest: 

Colleen Dwyer’s financial services career began in 2018. As a financial advisor at Private Vista, she develops trusted relationships with clients and collaborates to build a plan that creates financial confidence and independence. She enjoys working with a dedicated and experienced team to deliver personal and critical advice and service, so her clients can be successful both financially and personally.

Colleen loves to spend quality time with her friends and family, and actively participate in her community. She lives with her husband in Lincoln Park and enjoys all the city has to offer – frequent bike rides and trying new restaurants. When not in Chicago, she spends time in Michigan and the western suburbs visiting family. Colleen also loves to travel and looks forward to checking places off her bucket list when she can.

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Becoming a Financial Advisor with Mahogany Person (Ep. 26)

Becoming a Financial Advisor with Mahogany Person (Ep. 26)

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Sometimes, the path to a fulfilling career is far from straightforward.

In today’s episode, Nicole Romito from Private Vista dives into the career journey of Mahogany Person, an emerging talent in the field of financial advising. Mahogany began her professional life as a math teacher but transitioned into financial planning after personal experiences opened her eyes to the generational gaps in financial education.

Throughout the episode, Nicole and Mahogany discuss:

  • How the ‘aha moments’ keep Mahogany passionate about education
  • Key strategies Mahogany employs to help both students and clients achieve their own ‘aha moments’
  • The art of productive struggle in career and life transitions
  • Navigating career changes and the power of asking the right questions
  • The rewards and challenges of career transitions, and why persistence and continual learning are vital
  • And more!

 

Resources:

Connect with Nicole Romito: 

Connect with Mahogany Person:

About our Guest: 

Mahogany Person bridges the worlds of education and finance. Originally a math teacher in her hometown of Dayton, Ohio, she transitioned to financial advising after pursuing an MBA in Finance. Now close to becoming a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Mahogany has combined her love for teaching with her passion for personal finance. Her unique background allows her to simplify complex financial matters for her clients, proving that career detours can lead to unexpected, but fulfilling, destinations. 

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2023’s Mid Year Check In With Bob Westrick (Ep. 22)

2023’s Mid Year Check In With Bob Westrick (Ep. 22)

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Amidst these unprecedented times, a burning question arises: Should you maintain a diversified portfolio? 

In this episode, Nicole Romito and Bob Westrick, Partner at Private Vista, provide a mid-year market update for 2023. Together they tackle some of the pressing inquiries that have flooded their clients minds. From whether America is already in a recession or heading into one, if it will be different this time around, and whether or not diversification still works during unprecedented times.

Nicole and Bob discuss: 

  • Private Vista’s guidance amidst these extraordinary times and the unique challenges they present
  • What the difference is between the economy and the markets, and why they don’t always move in the same direction
  • The Federal Reserve’s potential measures to disrupt the current inflationary cycle
  • What type of recession is expected, and to what severity
  • Why it’s better to invest for longer term goals rather than short-term goals
  • And more

 

Resources:

Connect with Nicole Romito: 

Connect with Bob Westrick:

About our Guest: 

In 1983, Bob Westrick left a “Big Eight” public accounting firm to work for one of his audit clients. Eight years later, his entrepreneurial itch was scratched as he started a partnership in the financial services industry. Two years later, Bob co-founded WNA Wealth Advisors, one of the precursor firms to Private Vista. He is a frequent speaker and he is often interviewed on subjects ranging from economic conditions to wealth management. His experience as an accountant, business owner and financial advisor gives Bob a unique perspective to offer his clients.

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Everything You Need To Know About 529 Plans With Colleen Dwyer (Ep. 7)

Everything You Need To Know About 529 Plans With Colleen Dwyer (Ep. 7)

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A 529 plan is a college investment plan that offers tax and financial aid advantages, but what exactly is covered?

In this episode, Nicole provides an overview of 529 plans with her colleague, Colleen Dwyer. Colleen covers an overview of what a 529 plan is, the different advantages of the plan, and some of its limitations and flexibilities.

Colleen discusses: 

  • What a 529 plan is and how the money invested in it can be used 
  • How you can use the tax benefits and financial aid of a 529 plan to your advantage 
  • What it means to offer financial support to beneficiaries through a 529 plan 
  • Some of the possibilities and probabilities around the best way to use the plan
  • And more

 

Connect with Nicole Romito: 

Connect with Colleen Dwyer:

About our Guest: 

Colleen Dwyer’s financial services career began in 2018. As a financial advisor at Private Vista, she develops trusted relationships with clients and collaborates to build a plan that creates financial confidence and independence. She enjoys working with a dedicated and experienced team to deliver personal and critical advice and service, so her clients can be successful both financially and personally.

Colleen loves to spend quality time with her friends and family, and actively participate in her community. She lives with her husband in Lincoln Park and enjoys all the city has to offer – frequent bike rides and trying new restaurants. When not in Chicago, she spends time in Michigan and the western suburbs visiting family. Colleen also loves to travel and looks forward to checking places off her bucket list when she can.

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Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be With Corinne Smith (Ep. 4)

Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be With Corinne Smith (Ep. 4)

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From selecting which school to finding what extracurriculars are available, applying to college involves many important considerations. Have you checked them all off your list?

In this episode, Nicole talks with Corinne Smith, co-author of College Essay Journal: A Mindful Manual for College Applications, about college admissions. Corinne dives into why finding the right environment for a student is so important and why talking about finances with students helps them appreciate education as an investment. She then goes over the different financial-aid options available at colleges, and how she counsels students to thrive in high-pressure environments.

Corinne discusses: 

  • Finding the environment that will be the right fit for the student
  • The importance of talking about finances with students and helping them understand that education is an investment
  • The differences between merit-based aids, need-based aids, and scholarships
  • How students can not only survive, but thrive in a high-pressure environment
  • And more

Resources:

Connect with Nicole Romito: 

Connect with Corinne Smith:

About our Guest: 

Corinne has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Sociology as well as a Masters in Higher Education Administration and Policy from Northwestern University. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Diversity and Equity in Education through the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Corinne works as an undergraduate admissions officer at Yale University. During her time in the Yale and Northwestern admissions offices, she has read thousands of applications and served as a voting member on both domestic and international admissions committees.



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