Carrie Fellon joined JoycePayne Partners as a Financial Strategist in our Bethlehem, PA office in September. Carrie has a variety of experience in financial planning and expertise in developing holistic plans that will serve our clients well. We sat down with Carrie and here’s what we learned:
JPP: What aspect of your job do you enjoy most?
CF: The relationships with people. I love getting to know clients on a personal level – understanding what is important to them; what they are trying to accomplish in life and how money plays a part in that.
I also enjoy working with women. I find that women often want to talk through the issues they are experiencing with an advisor. I appreciate this preference and like to listen and really help them work through a problem or opportunity.
JPP: What is the one issue you are most excited to help clients address at JPP?
CF: The transition from the accumulation phase to the income phase. It’s such a pivotal time in your financial life that helping clients achieve peace of mind throughout this transition is something I thoroughly enjoy. I find that most of the time, clients are making good decisions and getting it right. Helping them recognize this success and optimize their financial strengths is always rewarding.
JPP: What is the most interesting financial planning issue you have ever dealt with?
CF: I had a client who was going into the hospital in three days for a very risky, experimental surgery. Before going, we reviewed his wills and learned they were out of date. Since his chance of surviving the surgery was 60%, we made it a priority to completely update his estate documents before he was admitted.
I took him to an attorney’s office and coordinated the review and update of all documents. He was relieved going into surgery knowing that, no matter what happened, his wife would be empowered to get information and make decisions about his care or carry on their desires for his estate. He survived the surgery, though unfortunately succumbed to his cancer several years later.
JPP: What experience in this industry has been most memorable to you?
CF: It has been all the experiences I have gained along the way. I first had the chance to talk to people about their money and their life when I started working with a mutual fund company. Then, I started my own company and learned to “wear all the hats.” Now, I’ve moved to a collaborative environment in which people work together as a team. It creates a strong succession plan for us as professionals and pleases me to know there will be no gap in the care we provide to clients or in their life transitions.
JPP: You are involved in several organizations in your community. Out of all the opportunities you have, how do you determine where to commit your time and energy?
CF: You’re right, there are a lot of opportunities to be charitable in the Lehigh Valley. For me, I first have to believe in the mission of the organization. Two deciding factors are whether it resonates with me personally and if I believe they are effectively working to accomplish their mission. It’s also important for me to see that those in the group have the common goal of fulfilling that mission. Over time, successive leaders may lose sight of what the group was founded to accomplish. It’s challenging to maintain an unwavering course.
So I tend to visit an organization a few times before I commit to becoming involved. If everything feels right and matches my expectations, I dive in. And I love the charitable organizations I’m involved in. It gives me a greater understanding of the larger community and of the life experiences of those receiving assistance.
JPP: In addition to working at JPP, you are also an adjunct faculty member at Northampton Community College. What do you teach there and what do you find most interesting about teaching?
CF: I teach social security strategies for baby boomers and college planning strategies. I love to make the classes interactive, and I encourage attendees to ask questions. I appreciate it when attendees recognize the applicability of the session to their specific situation. I am also an avid learner. I enjoy learning by preparing for class, and I’m fascinated to find that I continue to learn while delivering the lesson and speaking.
JPP: Thank you for your time today, Carrie. We look forward to watching you build new relationships with your clients here at JoycePayne Partners.