Rod L. Smith, LUTCF
Financial Advisor, Raymond James Financial Services
Rod L. Smith, LUTCF®
Financial Advisor, Raymond James Financial Services
Managing Director, Advanced Planning Wealth Management Group
As a Financial Advisor with The Advanced Planning Group, Inc -Raymond James, Rod and his highly skilled team of professionals specialize in educating U.S Government Retirees on how to maximize their multiple retirement income sources during the 3 major phases of retirement: the go go years, the slow go years, and the no go years.
For over 25 years, Rod and his team have helped thousands of U.S Government Agency Retirees in both the Civil Service and the Federal Employees Retirement Systems. Moreover, Rod’s clients are representative of many of the major branches of the U.S Government, including the USPS, CIA, SBA, DOD, IRS and the Social Security Administration, just to name a few.
When working with clients, Rod and his team use a comprehensive approach, based on expert knowledge in the Government Retirement Benefits Space, to create an individualized Retirement Strategy tailored to each client’s unique needs, and to help them maximize their Pension Benefits by showing them ways to minimize cost for benefits in retirement. Rod and his team utilize state of the art Government Benefits Calculation Reporting Software, Money Guide Pro, as well as their access to a broad array of Raymond James Financial Services resources—including research analysts and economic and market experts—to help his clients make informed investment decisions based on their specific needs and goals.
Rod, and his team, really take the time to get to know each of their clients personally, because for most of them retirement is a life-changing event. Moreover, society has defined most of us by our careers, and retirement removes us from that definition and purpose, which can bring about strong feelings of uncertainty as we enter the retirement chapter of our lives. By asking the right questions and listening to clients, Rod and his team can help clients get through this period of uncertainty. As most often, the retirement challenge is not just a financial one for Government Retirees, but rather more about understanding how their Civil Service, and, or Federal Employee Retirement System works, and about redefining their purpose in this new exciting chapter of their lives.
Rod holds the designation of Life Underwriters Training Council Fellowship (LUTCF®) and served as an Advanced Planning Specialist during his seven years with the Prudential Insurance Company of America. During said tenure, Rod was honored as Prudential’s Rookie of the year, in 1989, and set numerous production records with his firm. Rod also served three years as a Divisional Manager for the Prudential.
In 2012 Rod took his talents, and clients, to the Private Client Group of Wells Fargo Advisors, where he continued to thrive, qualifying as a Premier Advisor for seven of the eight years of his tenure with Wells Fargo Advisors, where he served his clients as a Senior Vice President-Investment Officer and Managing Director level Advisor.
After 2 ½ years of Due Diligence, in 2020, Rod and his team made the move to Raymond James, a firm that allows him, and his team, to offer premier services through a superior open Architect Platform of product offerings, and a client-first culture – all without the pressure to offer other products or services. This gives Rod, and his team, the freedom and flexibility to better serve their valued clients’ best interest, and to always put their clients’ needs first, before any Firm or Corporation.
Rod conducted his undergraduate studies in Business and Economics at the University of Redlands, and Pepperdine University; where he earned a partial academic scholarship. In addition, Rod earned his Associates Degree in Liberal Studies from Los Angeles Harbor College.
Rod is also a Member of the Investments & Wealth Institute, and he has been a featured guest speaker at State and National Conventions for several Government Agency Associations, including the National Association of Postmasters of the United States (NAPUS), and the National Association of Postal Supervisors (NAPS).
In his spare time, Rod enjoys working out, reading, writing poetry & short stories, the ocean, music, playing the saxophone, basketball, red wine, and as much time as possible with his children, grandchildren, extended family and friends.
Life CA Ins. Lic# 0762936