CLEVELAND, Ohio (October 1, 2014) – Planned Financial Services (PFS) and Plax & Associates Financial Services today announced the completion of a merger combining the two established Cleveland-based financial planning and investment advisory firms to create a preeminent, independent wealth advisory firm operating under the Planned Financial Services name. The firm’s newly unified client base will benefit from an enhanced suite of services and a team approach to providing timely, relevant and actionable advice personalized to each client’s needs and goals. Frank Fantozzi, CPA, MT, PFS, CDFA, AIF®, the founder of Planned Financial Services, will continue in his role as President and CEO of the combined firm.
Plax & Associates Financial Services founder, Elisabeth C. Plax, CFP®, said the two firms embrace independence and objectivity as core values. “Planned Financial Services is a good fit for our clients and our team,” Plax said. “We share the same philosophy and emphasis on helping clients pursue and maintain financial well-being through the delivery of objective, conflict-free financial and investment planning advice.”
“We welcome the talent and expertise Elisabeth and her team bring to PFS,” Fantozzi said. “Our newly expanded team enables us to bring individuals, families and businesses in Cleveland and throughout the U.S. even greater depth of knowledge, the benefit of multiple advisor perspectives and increased strengths across financial disciplines. This is central to delivering on our outcome-based multi-advisor team approach.”
Fantozzi, a Cleveland native and the son of Italian immigrants, said that he and his team are “grateful for the opportunity to advise a growing number of individuals, families, entrepreneurs and corporations seeking personalized financial guidance and investment advice tailored to their needs.”
The merger comes on the heels of Planned Financial Services’ landmark anniversary in 2014, celebrating 20 years of helping individuals, families and business owners pursue and improve the Return on Life® they desire. Since 1994, Planned Financial Services has broadly expanded the professional services and resources offered to both individual and corporate clients, continually enhancing the award-winning personalized service the firm seeks to provide. This commitment to service has resulted not only in exponential growth in new client referrals and assets under management, but repeat industry and community recognition and awards by organizations including: 1The Weatherhead 100, NEO Success, COSE 10-Under-10, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Planned Financial Services is one of the nation’s 300 Most Influential Defined Contribution Plan Advisors by 401kWire, providing further evidence of the firm’s commitment to its corporate clients.
“Our ability to bridge insightful, broad-based financial advice with well-crafted investment portfolios has helped guide our clients through some of the toughest market and economic conditions over the past two decades,” Fantozzi said. “This is a testament to our philosophy that successful financial management is never about investment returns alone—it is about how your financial investment decisions work to further the individual Return on Life® you seek. That was the premise for launching Planned Financial Services and what we continue to help clients achieve today—a full 20 years later.”
In closing, Fantozzi stated, “We have always believed that the value of our firm is measured by the collective net worth of our clients—our family. As a result, we continually challenge ourselves to enhance the best-in-class, personalized service and objective investment advice provided to our clients.”
About Planned Financial Services
Planned Financial Services has had a strong presence in Northeast Ohio since 1994. The independent financial planning and wealth management firm advises clients in more than 16 states, employs 11 team members and provides individual and corporate clients with access to a full suite of financial advisory and investment services.
Planned Financial Services
7000 Fitzwater Road, Suite 300
Cleveland, OH 44141
440-740-0130
www.PlannedFinancial.com
