Long before founding Harford Retirement Planners, Joe had a dream of opening his own business on Main Street in his hometown of Bel Air, MD.
He started his career in 2007 working for several financial advisors and firms, collecting the best the industry had to offer when it comes to helping clients pursue their goals. Starting a career as a financial advisor right before one of the worst financial crises in modern times taught invaluable lessons. Lessons that continue to serve clients during uncertain times and uncertain futures.
Joe rebranded his practice and created Harford Retirement Planners, eventually renovating a historic property on Main Street in his hometown of Bel Air. Rebranding of the office took place in March 2020, days before COVID turned the world upside down. Volatility struck again in 2022, when renovations began on the future (now current) home of Harford Retirement Planners. Construction costs doubled while the market dropped 25%. Taking lessons learned from 2008, Joe navigated these challenges successfully.
Expecting the unexpected is something Joe weaves into every client’s financial plan and has walked the walk with his business pursuits. Knowing what it’s like to set lofty goals and achieve them, Joe is enthusiastic about helping clients pursue their personal goals.
During his career this enthusiasm for financial planning has led to writing a book on the topic, Decades & Decisions: Financial Planning At Any Age. He has appeared on several local tv news stations, multiple publications including The Wall Street Journal, Kiplinger, Yahoo! Finance and Investopedia, among others. He also earned the InvestmentNews Top 40 Under 40 award, which he is extremely proud of.
To say he loves meeting with clients to help pursue their dreams, is an understatement. Over the decades he has seen what the power of financial advice can do for people to get the very most out of life.
In meetings with Joe, you can expect lots of stories, analogies and whiteboard drawings (of questionable skill). It is important to educate clients and bring them along in the decision-making process knowing that the folks across the conference room table are not financial experts.
Outside of work, Joe spends as much time as he can with his wife, Jane, and three young children, Blake, Grayson and Piper. You can find Joe on the sidelines of his kids’ sports games, probably cheering a little too much. He loves to cook and learn new dishes to make from YouTube videos, Chef Jean Pierre is his favorite.