This post is sponsored and contributed by Patch Spotlights, a Patch Brand Partner.

Community Corner

​McKinley Carter Is Simplifying Clients' Financial Lives

Learn more about the wealth management company that's committed to providing services to individuals, families, businesses and nonprofits.

Patch Spotlights, Brand Partner
(McKinley Carter Wealth Services)

This Patch article is sponsored by McKinley Carter Wealth Services.

McKinley Carter is an SEC-registered independent wealth management firm that provides wealth management services for individuals and families committed to growing and protecting their wealth. The firm offers retirement plan services for businesses focused on the long-term financial success of their owners and employees, as well as nonprofit advisory services for nonprofit organizations seeking long-term financial security and sustainability.

Patch caught up with Brian Lipton, CFP®, CPA, PFS, AIF®, regional director of McKinley Carter Wealth Services, to learn more about the firm that was also recognized as one of the nation’s leading RIAs in Financial Advisor’s 2020 Ranking.

Find out what's happening in Bethesda-Chevy Chasefor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Patch: How long have you been in the financial business and what attracted you to this profession?

Lipton: I started my professional career as a CPA forty years ago. As a young CPA, I was surprised that many people were not planning for their retirement, although doing well with their careers and businesses. I was too young to see how life can interrupt planning and gained valuable experience working with clients at the early stages of the financial planning profession. As a natural outgrowth of being a tax advisor to entrepreneurs, I became a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, licensed to help people become better financial stewards with their investing.

Find out what's happening in Bethesda-Chevy Chasefor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Brian Lipton, CFP®, CPA, PFS, AIF®, regional director of McKinley Carter Wealth Services

Patch: If you had to sum up your business mission to a stranger, what would you say?

Lipton: To simplify and improve the financial aspect of people’s lives.

Patch: What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced in your job?

Lipton: Noise. There are a lot of outside influences that may interfere with a long-term strategy. Overconfidence, a barrage of media hype and headlines, and a strong desire to confirm existing convictions are just some of the biases we seek to avoid. Biases can derail smart decision-making, especially when it comes to investing. As advisors, we are on the lookout for our own potential for bias, as well. By exploring why certain beliefs are held, we can strengthen adherence to longer term strategies. This work is best done in advance of stressful markets to build foundational habits.

Patch: What’s the most satisfying part of your job?

Lipton: Seeing someone retire successfully on time or early, or weather a market downturn with confidence because of their long-term strategy.

A few years ago, a former tax client showed me the retirement plan worksheet we had established 35 years earlier. He was one of my very first clients, so I was cognitively thrilled that I actually remembered the worksheet, but mostly I was proud to see the successful results of a plan that was started a lifetime prior. Today, his kids have all graduated from college and he’s in a strong position for a very successful retirement.

Patch: How would you say your firm distinguishes itself from the others?

Lipton: While many of our advisors are in different locations, we invest a lot of time and energy in sharing ideas and challenging each other. Many professional firms might find their regions, offices or teams working in silos where information and ideas are disseminated through the ranks. At McKinley Carter, however, we actively learn and “workshop” ideas that will enhance the client experience, along with our satisfaction and effectiveness as financial advisors.

Patch: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given when it comes to success?

Lipton: Problems are often a breeding ground for opportunity, and solving problems is a key to success. A “technique” to solving problems that will also lead to greater outcomes is to devote most of your problem-solving time delving into layers of the problem or question at hand.

Patch: How can Patch readers learn more about your work and business?

Lipton:

This post is sponsored and contributed by Patch Spotlights, a Patch Brand Partner.

More from Bethesda-Chevy Chase