Jeff Troll joined Pinnacle Advisory Group in 2005. He had been in the industry as a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) and a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) when he decided to make the move to Wealth Management. He pursued and earned his designation as a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), and then went searching for the right firm. “I was looking for a group I would give my money to myself,” he said. “I wanted a company that offered comprehensive financial advice, that managed investments actively, and that provided financial planning but didn’t sell insurance or other products.”
He found Pinnacle and has been an important part of our Wealth Management team ever since.
How did you get involved in wealth management?
When my father passed away in 2002, I knew my mother would need help managing her finances. Unfortunately, when I tried to find her a qualified advisor, I hit a wall. Some of the candidates had no background in investing, while others were just incompetent. One guy told me he could manage her money so that she would run out when she turned 84. I asked him what she would do if she lived longer than that, and he said, ‘I don’t know.’ As a Chartered Financial Analyst, I knew I could do better than that.
How do you work with clients?
Every case is unique. While a client’s situation may be similar to others you’ve encountered in the past, that doesn’t mean they will necessarily have the same result. The key to every financial plan is identifying the client’s core issues—everyone has at least one or two. Those are the areas where you need to focus your attention.
What surprises clients the most about wealth management?
Most people come to Pinnacle for the investment advice, but it turns out that they get the most day-to-day benefit from the financial planning. Insurance planning, tax recommendations, planning for college, estate planning—these are the things they didn’t expect to be so valuable.
What’s your favorite part about your job?
We become great sounding boards for people. We’re knowledgeable confidantes who can give them objective advice. They can call about anything—financial or not—and receive impartial advice that they just can’t get from their friends and family members.
