Erik Alexander
As a kid I dreamed of being a firefighter, a Blue Angel pilot or pro baseball player. None of these was the career I chose, but their attractions remain with me today: working as a team toward a winning goal, with a focused game plan and others counting on me.
Being a trusted financial advisor for my clients, I enjoy the accomplishments we achieve together – creating a plan to solve their complex problems, and being counted on for their and their families’ financial well-being.
I have an extremely strong work ethic, and in helping clients pursue their goals I get to experience the direct results of the hard work we put in together. The more I experience this, the more it motivates me to ensure they realize their dreams and aspirations.
My clients include professionals and executives who run business teams or divisions and are compensated through various forms of company stock. They most often have partners or families and because they have more money than time, they struggle to balance the key aspects of their lives. Most have reached the point where their decisions affect others, and feel a huge responsibility towards making them wisely.
I love being able to provide them a clear view on how to optimize their stock positions & minimize their tax obligations: also to pay for their children’s college and for their family’s protection (should life throw them a curveball). Many face caring for aging parents and wonder how this will impact their reaching retirement readiness. How long can they work in their current role given its busyness, stress and responsibility? What options do they have and when can they afford to downshift without compromising their financial futures?
I lend my experience and attention to detail to develop a personalized financial plan that grows and adapts with them. My extensive knowledge of employer programs, combined with continuous monitoring of their financial plans helps to build enduring relationships based on foundations of confidence and trust.
Outside of work from time to time I “throw” ceramic pots on the wheel. I trained for the New York Marathon in 2012 which was cancelled due to hurricane Sandy. I retrained in 2013 and was able to complete it. My wife and I took a trip to Iceland (December 2019), where we hiked on glaciers and into an ice cave. Once deep enough for it to be dark, our guide says to us “sometimes these collapse with little to no warning.”
My favorite hobby is skiing, and I ski the most at Schweitzer in northern Idaho. The most beautiful resort I’ve skied is Lake Louise in Banff National Park, Canada. I’m also an avid golfer. My favorite course in the state is Gamble Sands. I never missed a day’s school from kindergarten through 12th grade. If breakfast food is an option on a restaurant menu, I’m most likely ordering that.