Certified Financial Group

by Kevin Fritz

With economic changes sweeping the world and more people than ever re-evaluating their goals and priorities, financial planning has become a necessity for many, not simply a fleeting thought.

“With the changes brought on by the pandemic, people are looking at their finances more than ever,” says Joseph “Joe” Bert, founder of the Altamonte Springs-based Certified Financial Group, Inc.* “People are rethinking their jobs and looking at what their retirement looks like. They want to know if they are going to be okay.” 

With roots that date back to 1976, Certified Financial Group’s growth in the past few years saw the company cross the $2 billion mark in funds managed for their clients.

“We had a record year in 2021,” says Joe. “We are now managing money for clients in 36 states.”

To keep up with the growth, Certified Financial Group is hiring three additional CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals to expand its staff. The company also added 4,000 square feet of space to its now 8,000-square-foot building on Douglas Avenue, the property that the team has called home since 2004. 

Completed last year, the two-year, full-scale renovation created new office space and a 30-seat learning center where the Certified Financial Group hosts free public workshops to help people wade through the intricacies of financing and investing. 

“The workshops are very popular,” Joe says. “People are looking for education. We help them avoid financial disasters and introduce them to what we do as CFP® professionals to help ease their fears.”

The next public workshops are scheduled for March 26 (Healthcare Options in Retirement) and April 2 (Will Your Savings Last a Lifetime?), both of which take place from 10:00 a.m. to noon at Certified Financial Group on 1111 Douglas Avenue in Altamonte Springs. To register, visit FinancialGroup.com/events.

For those interested in learning more, the Certified Financial Group’s call-in radio show, On the Money, airs Saturdays, 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on WDBO, found on the dial at 107.3 FM and 580 AM. 

Financial & Investment Planning

Certified Financial Group, which currently employs 14 CFP® professionals with more than 400 years of combined experience, is home to a total of 35 hardworking men and women. The firm specifically hires CFP® professionals to manage its clients’ finances, thereby offering a wealth of supplementary knowledge.  

The firm’s CFP® professionals are proficient in all facets of financial planning including risk management, tax, retirement, investment, and estate planning. These planners are often quoted in The Wall Street Journal, Money magazine, and the Orlando Sentinel and appear as regular guests on Orlando’s local television stations.

All of the firm’s planners are active members of the Financial Planning Association and ascribe to a formal code of ethics and continuing education schedule as required for all CFP® professionals. They are also required to act as fiduciaries, which means they must work only in the clients’ best interests. 

Joe says the planning aspect of his firm’s work sets it apart, which is a major reason for the company’s success. He notes that without the proper planning, proper investments can’t take hold.

“We sell advice,” Joe adds. “Our fees are for financial planning and investment management. We are not selling a product.”

Joe says that while financial planning focuses on the big picture by looking at all of the elements that make up one’s life, investment management creates a portfolio based on the planning so one can live the life they wish to have.

The majority of Certified Financial Group’s business – about 85 percent – is earned from individual financial planning and investment management. Employer-sponsored services are available for corporations, nonprofits, and government entities, too. Employers interested in retirement plans are managed through the firm’s Certified Benefits Corp. Prospective clients of Certified Financial Group can schedule a free, no-obligation visit with a CFP® to discuss their financial goals.

Joe, who is originally from Cleveland, Ohio, and moved to Central Florida in 1975, became involved in the business because of financial mistakes he made as a young man, and he wanted to help others avoid pitfalls along the way.

“I saw a need and built a base from there,” he says, noting the financial-planning industry was just getting off the ground when he started. “I still enjoy helping people, and I love seeing my colleagues helping people to and through their golden years!

*Financial planning and investment management offered for a fee through Certified Advisory Corp, a registered investment advisor. CFP Board owns the marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ in the U.S.