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Hal Smith, CDFA®
Senior Wealth Manager
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Hal has a BA in Economics with a Minor in Psychology from the University of Georgia. He has also earned a graduate certificate from the Bryant University financial planning program, the NSSA designation National Social Security Advisor and the LTCP Long Term Care Professional designation, CA Health and Life Insurance license, and the Series 65, Registered Investment Advisor Representative license.
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Hal started his career in the financial services industry in 1985 with Charles Schwab & Co., where he excelled at managing Branches and Regions for 20 years. Hal spent his next 8 years at Fidelity Investments where he rose to manage Fidelity’s most affluent clients in
Southern California.
After spending 30 years in management helping advisors with clients, Hal chose to become an advisor himself and joined a LA based Registered Investment Advisor as a Senior Wealth Manager. For almost 6 years he found his market and financial planning knowledge, problem solving skills and desire to help others created deep and rewarding client experiences.
Hal’s formula for success with each client is simple. Listen, listen, listen and then build the best plan for each individual client.
“The important thing is to not stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing”
– Einstein
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
– Dr. Seus
What are two interesting facts about you?
I love to research ideas and problem solve which is great for finding tax efficient strategies, financial planning and estate planning but it also means I have a lot of soporific knowledge on a wide variety of subjects.
My biggest accomplishment is my family. I’ve been married to my wife (Ria) for over 20 years and we have 3 fantastic boys. The oldest is in college and our twins are in high school.
What is something people in the financial world have to deal with that you want to fix?
I’d like to see commissioned products go away, (especially in the insurance world) and see the regulators take a more aggressive approach to the industry’s bad apples.
What do you do at Bridge?
As a Senior Wealth Manager my goal is to listen and build a plan for each client which helps them live their dreams and alleviates their fears. I hope to earn the role of financial steward for each family and guide them through the complexities of financial planning, investments, taxes, insurance and estate planning.
What are your credentials/past experience, for working in your position?
I have been helping individual investors for over 30 years with retirement planning, investment management, financial planning, tax efficient strategies, insurance, social security, college planning, required minimum distribution strategies and estate planning. I started in the industry in 1985 and have lived through the 1987 crash, the “dot com” bubble, the 2008/2009 recession and multiple bull markets where I learned not to confuse a bull market with I.Q. Besides learning the incredible value of active listening and asking good questions, I have a B.A. in Economics, National Social Security Advisor and Long Term Care Professional designations, graduate certificate in financial planning from Bryant University, FINRA series 65 investment advisor representative license and a California health and Life insurance license. In the past I have held the FINRA series 24 supervisory principal, series 9/10 branch officer supervisor, series 4 options principal, series 7 advisor license and series 63 state license.
What’s your Archetype?
Architect INTJ-A
What do you like about working at Bridge?
The people, the resources, the shared values, the comradery, and the desire to be the best in our field while no one takes themselves too seriously.
I joined Bridge Advisory because we share the desire to always place the clients best interest above all else and understand we need to continue to develop solutions for clients as their needs change and the industry changes for the better.
What are the Bridge Advisory Core Values that drive you?
Always working for the clients best interest and innovating to develop solutions for clients as their needs change and the industry changes for the better.
Your top three favorite Podcasts/Books?
My usual podcasts are the WSJ, The Economist, Freakonomics Radio, The Daily, and Against the Rules with Michael Lewis. While I read alot of fiction, my most memorable books are The Leadership challenge by James Kouzes and Barry Posner, The Innovator’s Dilemma by Clayton Christensen, Lincoln by David Herbert Donald, Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power by Jon Meacham and Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
Spending time outdoors with my sons, walking our dog, enjoying the beach, fishing, traveling, spending time with friends, college football, reading, researching and home projects.