Clark & Associates, Inc. Financial Solutions

08/14/2024

Most of us aren't heading back to school this fall, but that doesn't mean that we can't keep learning! Today is National Financial Awareness Day, so we want to highlight the important of financial literacy.

There are so many ways to gain knowledge and information, whether it be books, podcasts, workshops, or conversations with those who know. Knowledge is meant to be shared, and it's not a limited currency. Everything that you learn can benefit your family, particularly the next generation, as you share that knowledge with them!

To celebrate today, recommend a book, podcast, or resource in the comments that has taught you something valuable!

08/06/2024

If you’re a client of Clark Financial and looking at the markets today and the numbers are triggering an emotional response, we want to assure you of three things!

1) Your plan was built with your goals and strategy in mind, and our advisors are monitoring the situation closely.

2) The markets cycle. It can be alarming, but it’s a natural part of the economic cycle.

3) We are here for you! Our team genuinely cares about you and making sure that you will have a bright financial future. We are here to support you and your family!

It is hard to not stay glued to the news on days like these, but we encourage you to spend time with your family and be present with them.

07/30/2024

Twinning Tuesday!

Laura and I (Michelle) were on the same wavelength when we picked out our dresses for a recent in office training day!

07/22/2024

You don’t need to wait until you’ve hit a certain benchmark to begin investing. The power of compounding interest means that even small investments made over time will make a big impact!

If you start investing early, you can accumulate more wealth with less capital than if you start investing later on. Begin with a small amount - $50 to $100 a month - and increase as you earn more. Investing regularly allows your money to work even harder than you.

We can help you set up automatic investments so your withdrawal is taken out of your bank account on payday. Discuss with your advisor what type of account is the best for your financial goals.

07/16/2024

We had such a great time on Friday setting goals for the rest of the year and training together as a team! We believe it’s important to take this time together so that we can be even stronger as a team! Goal setting and training is vital as we work collaboratively to achieve the Clark mission, which is to help our clients achieve their goals and not have to worry about whether they’ll have enough money when they retire!

07/10/2024

Please don’t keep us a secret! If you have had a great experience with us, we would love for you to recommend our services to anyone you think could benefit from our knowledge and services.

By recommending us to your loved ones, you would become a part of our Advocates Club. Every year, we have a celebration party to honor our club members, and we also send out invitations to other exclusive events throughout the year.

Our past Advocate Celebration Events have included renting a suite at a Washington Nationals game, dinner parties with a cocktail hour and dancing, a tent with delicious food at the Virginia Gold Cup, a cruise on the Potomac, and a casino royale night. We look forward to this annual event to thank these clients for truly advocating for us in their community.

The biggest compliment you can give your advisor is recommending them to a friend, family member, or coworker who could use our help.

07/04/2024

Happy Fourth of July! We hope you have a fun and safe day today!

Our office is closed today so our staff can enjoy the day with their families, and we will reopen at 9 am tomorrow.

06/28/2024

This week's Meet the Team spotlight is Ryan Scott, who is a Client Service Specialist on our team!

What's your favorite snack?
- Nature Valley Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Protein Chewy Bars

What's the most unique thing you have on your work desk?
- A framed Washington Capitals championship photo set in front of my family pictures.

Where is one place that you have not visited that you really want to go?
- Anywhere on the Mediterranean Sea!

06/26/2024

Do you know your risk number? This number tells your financial advisor what type of investments are best suited for you. If you don’t know what your risk number is, call our office and ask to take a complimentary Riskalyze questionnaire!

06/21/2024

This week’s Meet the Team post is about our delightful Client Service Specialist Suniya!

What’s your favorite snack?
- Cinnamon gummy bears and Hot fries.

What’s the most unique thing you have on your work desk?
- Positive quote card that Megan Clark, our CEO and Boss gave to me. It’s very inspirational and motivational in times of need. The little card reads as follows:
“ I am wonderful. I rejoice in the Truth of my Being.”
I accept it and so let it be.”
“I let my light shine. “

Where is one place that you have not visited that you really want to go?
- Maldives and Egypt and so many others on my bucket list.

06/18/2024

Our office will be closed tomorrow in observation of Juneteenth. We will reopen on Thursday, June 20th at 9 am.

06/14/2024

We’re continuing our meet the team series with Daniel, who is one of our advisors and financial planners!

What’s your favorite snack?
- Almonds

What’s the most unique thing you have on your work desk?
- A message from my wife. It reminds me of all the good things in life 💙 (it is shared as the picture with this post)

Where is one place that you have not visited that you really want to go?
- Singapore

06/12/2024

Did you know that Clark Financial Solutions was founded in 1987? Since then, we have grown as a company and added many additional services! We are proud to be able to offer annually renewable financial planning services as well as wealth management. Our advisors make specific and individualized recommendations for each prospective client’s needs, and we don’t believe in cookie cutter portfolios.

If you want more information about the services we offer or know someone who would be a good fit for our firm, give us a call! We are here to help.

06/07/2024

Meet the Team!

Next up in our meet the team series is Michelle Abate, our Marketing Manager!

What’s your favorite snack?
- Sunflower seeds or air-popped popcorn!

What’s the most unique thing you have on your work desk?
- A cat-sized cowboy hat 🤠

Where is one place that you have not visited that you really want to go?
- Quebec!

06/05/2024

Just like how different recipes call for different types of tomatoes, every person needs a unique investment plan!

You don’t have the same goals and financial concerns as someone else, so you deserve a holistic strategy tailored to you. At Clark Financial, we don’t use one-size-fits-all approaches.

If you don’t feel like your investments are custom-tailored to you, call us to schedule a no-obligation review of your investment strategy.

05/31/2024

Over the next few weeks, we will be re-introducing you to the wonderful members of our team! First up is our Director of Client Relations - Laura DeVita!

What's your favorite snack?
- Korean Squid "Jerky" or Korean Fish "Jerky"

What's the most unique thing you have on your work desk?
- New dishware set that I've had for months waiting on the start of my kitchen remodel - I have a very large work desk so lots of space!

Where is one place that you have not visited that you really want to go?
- Greece and Italy are tied for number 1

05/29/2024

Starting a new job likely means you need to roll over your 401K from your prior employer!

When you work with Clark Financial, our subject matter expert on rollovers, Laura DeVita, will work beside you to call into your 401K company and process the rollover.

If you have any questions about rollovers or have old 401Ks that you want to consolidate, reach out to our firm to see how we can help!

05/22/2024

We had so much fun spending time as a team on Saturday at Shred Day! This is one of my favorite events that we have every year!

05/18/2024

We hope to see you today! We will be at our office from 10 am-12 pm!

1984 Isaac Newton Sq W, Reston, VA 20190

05/16/2024

Do you have stacks of old documents piling up? Your friends at Clark Financial Solutions are here to help! Shred your stress during our 2024 Shred Day!

THIS SATURDAY May 18th from 10 am-12 pm
1984 Isaac Newton Sq W, Reston, VA 20190

Don't miss this cutting-edge opportunity to declutter your home office or junk drawer at no cost!

This will be a drive-through event so don't let the rain stop you from stopping by! When you pull up to the shred truck, our team will grab any bags or boxes of items to be shredded and carry them over to the truck for you. Then they'll be securely shredded on-site!

See you there!

05/12/2024

To the moms on our team - Laura, Suniya, and Megan, happy Mother’s Day! Ryan and Michelle also wanted to shout out their moms today for being awesome!

To all of you who are moms, who wish to be moms, who have complicated feelings about today, for whom today brings grief, or who are fur moms, we see you. ♥️

05/07/2024

Are you and your partner on the same page about your finances? If your partner was to predecease you, do you know the "why" behind your financial strategy?

It is important to make sure that both partners know the reason behind their investment strategy and how to access their accounts. We also offer our clients a secure document vault as part of their client portal where they can store important documents like account statements, logins, and important contact information.

05/03/2024

A money lie that many of us tell ourselves is that “we’ll save more later”. According to a study from Bankrate.com, 1 in 6 people are saving 15% of their income, and 1 in 5 aren’t saving anything.

Putting off saving is prioritizing the present over your future, and it can catch up to you on a rainy day or when you start thinking seriously about retiring.

If you aren’t sure what changes you can make to cut down your expenses and start saving or you aren’t sure what to do with the savings you are accruing each month, financial planning is an excellent solution. Our financial planners can work through a budget with you and help you identify financial strategies for your savings that align with your risk tolerance and retirement target.

Call us for more information!

04/26/2024

Tax season happens at the beginning of every year, but tax planning can happen all throughout the year! If you have been considering a ROTH conversion, let us know that you'd like to discuss whether it makes sense in your portfolio in your next review!

04/24/2024

Reminder, our annual shred event is being held on Saturday, May 18 from 10 am-12 pm!! It will be held at our office - 1984 Isaac Newton Square W, Reston, VA 20190.

This event is open to the public so please share with anyone in the Northern Virginia area who has items to be shredded!!

04/22/2024

🌎 Earth Day 🌎

Our team loves to spend time outside when they’re not at work!

Photos 1-2: Laura recently ran in the Cherry Blossom 10 miler in DC!

Photos 3-4: Ryan enjoys the beach and skiing in the mountains!

Photos 5-6: Michelle shared two pictures from her hiking trip with her sister last fall!

04/19/2024

Diversification is one of the most important things in investing! Are your eggs all in one basket or do you have asset class diversification in your portfolio? If you are unsure or want a second opinion, we are here to help! Call our office to set up a complimentary meeting with one of our advisors.

04/16/2024

Join us in wishing Ryan a very happy birthday!!

04/15/2024

Loved the thoughts shared by our local firefighters and excited about more safety around our office!

Hope you all are having a wiehle great day!

Firefighters at FS25, Reston, located on Wiehle Avenue, are super excited about the new bridge placed on the Washington & Old Dominion Trail this weekend.

04/13/2024

Happy International Plant Appreciation Day!

Do you have a green thumb?