Top 3 Financial Mistakes Filipino Professionals Make
As a first generation Filipino-American I take great pride in giving back to the Pinoy community. I have a tremendous passion for providing world class objective financial advice. It bothers me to see some of our community struggle financially.
Below are the top 3 financial mistakes made by Filipino professionals.
Mistake 1:
Helping Family Without a Plan
We care for our family—young and old, here and abroad. Many Filipino households are proud of their children’s college aspirations. We also care for our elderly in the comfort of our own home and sometimes send money to the Philippines. I understand this all too well. By keeping these expenses in mind and factoring them into a personalized financial plan, families are able to sleep better at night. Through proactive cash flow management and properly positioned assets, we can care for our loved ones, plan for college, as well as achieve our own long term goals such as retirement. I provide this kind of comprehensive planning and create solutions tailored to our unique community.
Mistake 2:
Using the Wrong Professional
No dedicated service exists to educate other Filipinos across the United States on financial literacy. Some might ask a relative, their local insurance agent or bank for financial advice. Is retirement planning their area of expertise? Are they obligated to pressure you into products from their own company’s limited selection? By practicing as an independent Certified Financial Planner I provide professional advice without a corporate agenda. This means I am not restricted to a single product. Instead, we work together on a customized strategy based on your individual needs and draw from an unlimited range of solutions to maximize benefits.
Mistake 3:
Not Recognizing the Specific Needs of Health Professionals
Many Filipinos serve as nurses, physicians, and other health professions. These occupations have special considerations such as large student debt, higher liability and taxes, complex disability needs, etc. Health workers devote their career to serving others, but are burdened with these financial obstacles. I help many medical professionals in all areas of financial planning including asset protection, insurance needs and optimizing employer retirement plans.
If you are one of the many Filipinos struggling with any of these financial issues, let’s talk. It would be a humble honor to discuss how we can help. Click the button below to schedule a no-obligation, complimentary appointment that works for your schedule.
- Dustin Javier,
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™
This article is from Dustin's previous firm
CHICAGO | September 12, 2016
Certified Financial Planner Dustin Javier, owner of Dean Johnson Advisory, LLC in Downers Grove, IL, announces financial and retirement planning services designed specifically for Chicago’s distinct Filipino population. Dean Johnson Advisory is the first financial consulting firm to focus on educating and empowering the Chicago-area Pinoy community, assisting families with retirement strategies, college planning and investing for financial growth.
While earning his Certified Financial Planner (CFPÔ) certification, Javier identified a tremendous unmet need for superior financial consulting that could rise to the complexity of Chicago’s vibrant Filipino community. Chicago-born first generation Filipino-American and independent fiduciary planner, Javier offers a fundamental understanding of the Filipino experience and their economic challenges and objectives.
“Within our community, previously neglected by the financial industry, the demand has been overwhelming for our firm’s personalized CFP-level consulting,” Javier says. “No other firm in the Chicago area focuses solely on helping fellow Pinoys, and we help fill that void by providing unbiased comprehensive solutions to meet their needs.”
As an independent financial planner, Javier is not obligated to any single “big box” investment company, which means he can provide financial solutions to clients that best meet their needs, rather than restricting them to the limited products distributed by large commercial companies. As a fiduciary, Javier also has a legal and ethical obligation to act in his client’s best interest.
“I chose to start my firm based on the value of Family,” Javier says. “Filipino-American families strive to provide a good life for their children and enjoy a retirement of financial freedom for themselves. My parents decided to leave Manila in 1976 to give their three boys a better opportunity here in America, and I chose to honor their decision by focusing on a career in which I can give back to our Filipino family heritage.” Javier’s two brothers are physicians practicing in Chicago. Through Dean Johnson Advisory, they are seeking to retire in half the traditional career span.
Javier meets with people every day of the week in his Downers Grove office, at their homes, or through virtual technology to make access to his services as easy as possible. He designed his firm for maximum accessibility in order to make sure his clients have a dependable means to communicate with him about how best to achieve their retirement goals, avoid student debt, and save enough money to visit family and friends in the Philippines as they please.
Javier takes a proactive approach to financial planning that includes analyzing each individual client’s current financial situation including 401(k) contributions, and evaluating how well all their investment accounts work together to meet their ultimate goals.
Offering personalized guidance and planning, Javier acts as his client’s personal CFO. “Financial markets will fluctuate, financial products will innovate, and for that reason my services are designed to provide the one constant families can depend on.”
A former boxer, Javier channels lessons learned in the ring to fight for his clients’ financial dreams. “Filipino children fight hard and make sacrifices to fulfill the dreams their parents had for them. As their financial and retirement advisors, we understand these cultural complexities and have the tools to empower them toward their goals.”