A Day in the Life of Walsh & Associates

By Carol Bizozowski
April 2021

At 4:30 a.m., Walsh & Associates CEO Joe Walsh Jr. gets his day off to a strong start at the gym. Although he’s off the clock, Joe can’t help but talk through financial challenges his gym buddies and their loved ones are facing. Helping them makes Joe feel like a hero. By 9 a.m., Joe arrives at work with two tumblers of home-brewed coffee, which he nurses until he leaves the office at 6 or 7 p.m. Long days don’t burn him out because he’s never bored.

“The more complex a client’s circumstances, the more interesting, he says. “I enjoy combing through someone’s financial life looking for ways to save them money, time or strife. Whether they are a small business owner, in a second or third marriage, getting divorced or planning for a special needs heir, each situation has its unique challenges.”

Joe grabs a legal pad, draws a pie chart and labels it: Retirement, Estate, Investments, Taxes, Health or Education, Insurance. “These are the components of a comprehensive financial plan,” he says. “The goal is to help grow and protect your assets from now to retirement to death. Our job isn’t finished until your heirs get their inheritance along with a lecture on financial responsibility.”

Every day in a financial advisor’s life is as different as the needs of each client. The daily goal is helping clients avoid the hundreds of possible financial mistakes they could make. Case in point: Joe recently spoke with a client redoing her trust. “I read the draft. There aren’t any protections for her special needs child if the client also becomes disabled,” he says. Joe plans to call the woman’s attorney, but first he returns a call regarding someone’s Social Security collection strategy.

Joe’s cheerful greeting and subsequent laughter on the phone makes it hard to ascertain whether he’s talking to a client or old friend. It’s easy to see why Joe was recognized as a 2021 Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisor. Advisor Michael Walsh, Joe’s middle son, watches a webinar summarizing the latest stimulus bill, a hot topic for clients wanting to know how government legislation might impact their finances.

Earlier, he met with a couple to review their portfolio performance and discuss tax strategies around recent major life events. “The pandemic forced the husband into early retirement,” Michael explains. “Then they relocated to Florida from up North.” After the webinar, Michael calls a client seeking advice following her spouse’s death. Then he catches up on market news while eating a lunch of leftovers from the previous day’s home-cooked meal.

In an office down the hall past several friendly paraplanners and administrative assistants is advisor Joe Walsh III, Joe’s oldest son, also known as ‘Little Joe.’ His day entails simplifying clients’ complex financial situations. “Sometimes a client asks me what they think is an investment question, and they’re surprised to get a tax or retirement answer,” he says. “We manage money, but the money is just the fuel that runs the engine.

“It’s important for clients to share openly about their lives. Our custom financial strategies are dependent upon knowing and understanding all the parts of the engine so we can keep it running smoothly.” Advisor Tom Walsh, ‘Big Joe’s’ youngest son, occasionally soothes client concerns about market volatility and whether they should move their money.

“I remind them to defer to their brains and not their stomachs when making investment decisions,” he says. “If you can’t stomach the market, you’ll always have heartburn!” Big Joe insists that being a financial advisor doesn’t feel like ‘work.’ “The job is stimulating,” he says. “I get to work alongside my three sons and a great group of employees. To top it off, I spend my days meeting clients or potential clients, which feels like I’m talking to friends or potential new friends. “I didn’t go into Finance to be a product salesman, but to help others navigate this difficult subject. I can honestly say I sleep pretty good at night.”

Joe Walsh Jr. holds an MBA in Finance and CFP®, CFA®, CTFA, AIFA®, CRPC®* and CPWA® designations.

Walsh & Associates
941.952.1188
2350 Fruitville Road, Suite 201
www.walshandassociates.com