Greetings Ashley,



At Woodward Financial Advisors, we’ve kicked off 2025 by celebrating our growth and looking ahead to what’s next. This year promises exciting opportunities, fresh goals, and a continued commitment to serving you with the highest level of care and expertise.

As we share our first newsletter of the year, we want to begin by thanking you for being part of our journey—we’re grateful for the trust you place in us and look forward to another great year together!

Below you will find a list of our features in this newsletter:

• We kick our Quarter 1 newsletter off with some exciting updates at Woodward Financial Advisors!

• As we find ourselves in the thick of tax season, Taylor Cole, CFP® offers why your tax return is important to the financial planning process -- and how to securely get your documents to us in "Your Tax Return: The Secret Ingredient to Smart Financial Planning"

• Derek Ellison, FPQP®, Client Experience Specialist, highlights steps to keep your information safe when using checks as a form of payment in his latest installment of "Security Corner"

• In our "Getting To Know WFA" section, we share more about our newest team member, Jaye Kendzior!

• Lastly, our Business Operations Manager, Ashley Abdalla, FPQP®, wraps up our newsletter with ways to stay connected to WFA. Including:

1. Quarter 1 blog posts
2. Quarter 1 "Your Money in 20" podcast episodes
3. WFA Social Media and Updates



Introducing Jaye Kendzior, our newest team member at Woodward Financial Advisors!

Jaye joins us as an Associate Advisor, bringing a strong background in wealth management and financial planning. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a Minor and Specialization in Wealth Management from the University of Florida. She furthered her education with a Master of International Business from the University of Florida.

We’re excited to have her on board! See her personal piece below to read more about Jaye.

Announcing the Promotion of Courtney Cubbin to Senior Financial Planner!

We’re excited to announce that Courtney Cubbin, FPQP®, has been promoted to the Senior Financial Planner role at Woodward Financial Advisors! Courtney is in her 2nd year as part of the Woodward team, and she has taken on increasing levels of responsibility and evolved within our advisory team structure. As one of our firm’s Wealth Advisors, Courtney will continue to advise clients and mentor our newer advisors, and we’re eager to watch Courtney continue to flourish at the firm.

Please help us celebrate this huge achievement for Courtney!

Announcing the Promotion of Ashley Abdalla to Business Operations Manager!

We are pleased to announce the promotion of Ashley Abdalla to Business Operations Manager at Woodward Financial Advisors! In this new role, Ashley will coordinate Human Resources and lead business development initiatives, playing a key role in the firm’s continued growth and success.

Her responsibilities will continue to include coordinating client events, enhancing client communication, and refining business strategies to strengthen operational efficiency. With a background in education and leadership, Ashley brings a valuable skill set that supports both organizational excellence and client relationships.

Please join us in congratulating Ashley on this well-deserved achievement!

Chapel Hill Magazine's Best Of Nomination

For the second year in a row, we are so proud to share that we have been nominated for Chapel Hill Magazine's Best of Chapel Hill! We love our clients and love what we do.

If you'd like to show your support, please follow

this link to vote for us!

More detailed steps shared below!

Tax season is here again, and while your accountant might be dreaming of a well-earned vacation, we’re just getting started! At Woodward, we view your tax return as a vital piece of your financial picture. If you’ve already sent yours to us - thank you! If not, no worries—skip to the bottom for easy ways to securely provide your return. Read on to learn how we incorporate tax planning into our work and why it matters for your financial future.

Why We Review Your Tax Return

Your tax return is more than just numbers—it provides valuable insights that help us make informed recommendations. Here’s how we put your return to work for you:

• Accuracy Check: We verify that key transactions from your accounts that we know about, such as Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs), Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs), and gifts from taxable accounts, are correctly reported.

Fact: Each year, we identify at least one discrepancy amongst our client base, making this review a crucial step.

• Strategic Tax Planning: We document high-level details from your return in our client reporting software, allowing us to reference key figures when making tax-sensitive financial decisions, like realizing capital gains.

• Advanced Tax Analysis: Using robust tax planning software, we analyze your return to identify planning opportunities, understand where you fall within different tax brackets, and model potential tax-saving strategies such as Roth conversions.

• Comprehensive Financial Planning: By reviewing your return annually, we enhance the financial planning process, helping you optimize tax efficiency and make strategic moves for the years ahead.

How to Submit Your Tax Return Securely

There are multiple ways to get your return to us safely:

1. Request It from Your accountant: Send an email copying your accountant, asking them to securely provide us with a copy.
2. Upload to Your Secure Vault: Log into your Personal Financial Website and upload a PDF to the “Shared Documents” folder.
3. Send a Password-Protected Email: If you prefer email, please use password protection to keep your sensitive data secure. You can use this online tool to password-protect the file before sending it.
4. Drop It Off: Stop by our office, and we’ll make a quick copy while you’re here.

If you have filed an extension, send us a quick note to let us know.

We look forward to using your tax return to continue building a plan that works for you!

Check fraud is nothing new, but criminals are increasingly sophisticated and constantly improving their methods to commit these crimes.

In 2023, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network announced that this type of fraud had more than doubled since 2020. Even worse, successful check fraud can often be the gateway to other fraud attempts. After all, each check includes your name, address, and bank account number (in some cases, even

your driver’s license number and date of birth.) There is also the threat of this information being resold on the dark web for another criminal to use for other fraud attempts or identity theft.

The best way to prevent these frauds is to follow the steps below to make your checks more secure.

“Joining Woodward Financial Advisors has been an amazing experience! When I was career hunting, I sought a firm that offered more than just wealth management – I wanted to work with a team of warm, welcoming professionals who held a deeper passion and curiosity for financial services. At Woodward, I’ve already been given countless opportunities to learn and apply my skills for our clients’ benefit. Every day, I look forward to walking into the office, being greeted by friendly faces, and beginning to develop relationships with our clients. I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of such an incredible team!"

– Jaye Kendzior

Getting to know Jaye:

Tell us about your family? I was born and raised in Bradenton, Florida and I am a big family person. I grew up on the same street as my grandparents and my cousins, and the rest of my extended family all lived within a 15-minute radius. I have two sisters—one lives in Michigan and works for General Motors, while the other lives in Orlando, FL, where she works as an In-Venue Producer for the University of Central Florida.

Do you have pets? My family has two cats, Nyla and Buddy. I grew up with chickens so one day, when space allows, I hope to raise my own.

What is your favorite recipe to make? My all-time favorite dish to both eat and cook is Indian butter chicken. It’s a meal I love to share because it’s so comforting and homey. Whenever I move to a new place or form a new friendship, it’s my go-to first meal to cook and share.

Favorite vacation destination? Anywhere in the woods or mountains—basically, if you have to take a dirt or gravel road to get there, it’s my kind of place. Some of my favorite spots to revisit are Blue Ridge, Georgia, and Sevierville, Tennessee.

Favorite board game? I love playing “engine builder” board games, like Ticket to Ride and Wingspan, because they challenge you and force you to think ahead.

Best concert you’ve been to? I haven’t been to a traditional stadium or arena concert, but I love attending local performances. In my college town, I frequented a jazz club called Baby J’s where I could enjoy live music. The best live music I’ve experienced was a jazz nonet performance at Cliff Bell's, a jazz club in Detroit, Michigan. 

What are your pet peeves? I’ve always been frustrated by people who don’t commit to things.

Goals for 2025 or beyond? My goals for 2025 include making progress towards my CFP, exploring the Raleigh area, and successfully maintaining a garden.

Favorite quote? One of my current favorites is this quote by Morgan Harper Nichols “Let July be July. Let August be August. And let yourself just be even in the uncertainty. You don’t have to fix everything. You don’t have to solve everything. And you can still find peace and grow in the wild of changing things”



At Woodward Financial Advisors, our team members are always brainstorming interesting blogs and podcasts to share with our clients. If you missed any this quarter, use the links below to catch up!

If you have an idea for a future blog or podcast, please email us!

Blog Post by:

Alex Richani, CFP®, Wealth Advisor

Follow this link to read more

Blog Post by:

Taylor Cole, CFP®, Wealth Advisor

Follow this link to read more

Blog Post by:

Alex Richani, CFP®, Wealth Advisor

Follow this link to read more

Blog Post by:

Taylor Cole, CFP®, Wealth Advisor

Follow this link to read more

Blog Post by:

Jim Miller, CFP®, Wealth Advisor

Follow this link to read more

Blog Post by:

Laura Neal, CFP®, Wealth Advisor

Follow this link to read more

Are you following Woodward Financial Advisors on all platforms? Use the information below to connect with us and follow along!



Check out a few posts we've shared below!

Every day is Employee Appreciation Day when you've got a team like ours ... but we made March 7th a little extra special by giving our group an afternoon off to enjoy a little free time. Work hard, play hard!

In January, we celebrated Vic Colella, CFP® in honoring his 5 Year Anniversary with Woodward Financial Advisors! This new Dad of two is such an important leader at WFA, we can't imagine the office without him.

Also in January, we celebrated Derek Ellison, FPQP® and Ashley Abdalla, FPQP® in honoring their 1 Year Anniversary with Woodward Financial Advisors!

Fun Fact: Derek and Ashley began on the same day together!

Smart Financial Decisions. Professional Guidance.

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