For 25 years, the Financial Planning Association® has been the leading membership organization and trade association for CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professionals and those engaged in the financial planning process. FPA is proud to be your partner in planning by helping you realize your vision of professional fulfillment through practice support, learning, advocacy, and networking.

We have many fun things in store to commemorate FPA’s 25th anniversary throughout the year, and we hope you will join us! From members sharing their heartfelt sentiments on FPA through video on the 25th of each month to special 25th-anniversary member perks, we will mark the occasion in style. Some are already available below.

Whether you’re a long-time member or just discovering what we have to offer, FPA membership is designed to help you grow, connect and succeed! Don't miss this opportunity to discover everything FPA has to offer - on us! Click on the following link or scan the QR code to access the form below to enter for your chance to win. There will be one drawing each quarter during 2025. All winners will be notified by email.

FPA Puget Sound is excited to announce that we are on the lookout for passionate and innovative leaders to join our leadership team! We are currently seeking a PR/Marketing Director who can help elevate our brand and outreach efforts, as well as multiple committee members for our 2025 initiatives. This is a fantastic opportunity for individuals who are eager to make a meaningful impact within our organization and the financial planning community. If you have a experience in public relations and/or marketing and are ready to take on a leadership role, or if you want to contribute your skills and ideas to our committees, we would love to hear from you!

Join us in shaping the future of FPA Puget Sound and help us achieve our goals for 2025 and beyond.

Shoutout to our remarkable #FPAPugetSound chapter leaders (Courtney Hastings, 2024-2025 President; Ben Andrew, Symposium Director & 2025 President Elect; Melisa Hall, Executive Director) who made the journey to Denver for the annual FPA Chapter Leaders Conference (CLC)! This event served as an excellent platform for collaboration, strategizing, and fostering connections that will make a lasting impact on our professional community. 

The conference provided invaluable opportunities for leaders to share insights, discuss best practices, and explore innovative ideas that can propel our chapter forward. We are immensely grateful for the dedication and passion exhibited by each leader, which is essential as we continue to work together towards achieving great things. 

As part of our FPA chapter Pro Bono program, we are excited to share the incredible efforts of our chapter members and highlight volunteer opportunities available to you.

This spotlight provides a look at the impactful work being done with Savvy Ladies, an organization dedicated to providing free financial education programs and a Helpline to help women build the knowledge and confidence they need to thrive and develop a financially stable future.

Founded in 2003 by financial planner Stacy Francis of Francis Financial Inc., Savvy Ladies was born out of Stacy's personal experience witnessing her grandmother remain in an abusive relationship due to financial instability. Determined to prevent other women from facing similar situations, Stacy established Savvy Ladies to empower women through financial education.

Our chapter member, Lisa Eaton, has been involved with Savvy Ladies and is passionate about their mission. Lisa has contributed to connecting women with the resources they need to achieve financial stability and independence.

The Savvy Ladies Helpline allows women to submit their financial questions and get connected with a volunteer financial professional. Questions cover a range of topics from cash flow management to handling finances after a divorce. Volunteers can choose the types of questions they are interested in addressing and initiate contact with the women seeking help. Interactions can range from brief email exchanges to more in-depth phone or Zoom meetings, depending on the client's needs.

In addition to the Helpline, Savvy Ladies offers live, virtual webinars presented by financial professionals on various topics, including financial wellness, divorce and money, social security, and more. The organization also maintains a blog featuring articles written by financial experts.

Becoming a volunteer for Savvy Ladies is straightforward. There is a one-hour training session to orient you to the dashboard and review policies for client interactions. Volunteering on the Helpline can be as small or large a time commitment as you want, allowing it to fit easily into your schedule. If you are interested in contributing to Savvy Ladies or if there are any other community groups you believe we can help through financial planning, please let us know.

We will continue to provide spotlight pieces on other pro bono causes our members are engaged in, along with volunteer opportunities. If you are interested in participating in our chapter Pro Bono efforts, please contact us at info@fpapugetsound.org.

2025 Title Sponsor

Featuring Two Back-to-Back Opening Keynote Sessions

Michael Kitces, MSFS, MTAX, CFP®, CLU, ChFC®, RHU, REBC®, CASL®

Kitces.com

Closing Keynote

Danika Waddell, CFP® Xena Financial Planning

If you were unable to attend FPA NexGen Gathering in August, you missed out on an incredible event! Make sure to mark your calendars for FPA NexGen Gathering 2025, which will take place at the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista from August 26-28, 2025. This fantastic property is an Official Walt Disney World Hotel, and attendees will get to enjoy exclusive Disney benefits, including direct access to Disney Springs. Early bird registration for FPA NexGen Gathering is now open, offering significant savings, so be sure to register now! 

If you want growth, connection, and inspiration, attend FPA Retreat 2025, April 28–30, at the beautiful Hilton Chicago Oak Brook Resort and Conference Center. Set on a 150-acre estate, this stunning venue features an Audubon-certified golf course, lakeside pool, tennis and basketball courts, a luxurious spa, and more—providing the perfect environment to recharge and connect with fellow professionals. Advance registration is now open, so secure your spot today with the lowest current registration rate!

With the public awareness campaign’s media strategy guaranteed to generate at least 1.3 billion impressions, now is a great time for CFP® professionals to create or update your “Find a CFP® Professional” profile on LetsMakeAPlan.org. Our recent consumer research found that it is important to include a photo in your profile. Consumers viewed profiles with a photo as more trustworthy, and they were more likely to contact CFP® professionals who provided a photo.

If you are not currently featured on the tool, you can log into your CFP Board account today to review how to be included. If you are already featured and want to review your information, you can log into your directory profile in your CFP Board account to review and make any update.

Welcome Our Newest FPA Puget Sound Members

We are proud to announce and warmly welcome our newest members to the FPA Puget Sound community! Your decision to join us marks the beginning of an exciting journey together, filled with opportunities for networking, professional development, and collaboration. As part of our organization, you will have access to a wealth of resources, events, and a supportive community of financial planning professionals. We encourage you to get involved, participate in our upcoming events, and connect with fellow members. Together, we can continue to advance the financial planning profession and make a positive impact in our community. Welcome!

Celebrating February Member Milestones

We are pleased to announce that we are celebrating the following member anniversaries! We appreciate your loyalty and support, and we want to recognize your commitment to the Financial Planning Association. Thank you for being a part of our chapter. We look forward to many more years of success together.