CHARISSA CUMMINGS CFP®, EPC, Senior Wealth Advisor, Servus Wealth Strategies, Aviso Wealth, Red Deer, AB
CHARISSA CUMMINGS
“Going above and beyond for clients is business as usual”
If Charissa Cummings hadn’t become a Financial Advisor, she could have been a private detective. Her desire to dig deep and leave no stone unturned ongoingly leads to new opportunities and solutions for clients. Her ability to see what many others might have missed would easily make the most seasoned investigator look like an amateur.
Fortunately for clients, Charissa’s path led her to the finance industry. Now a Certified Financial Planner and Senior Wealth Advisor with Servus Wealth Strategies in Red Deer, Charissa began her career in 1998 at ATB, working in customer service management. She soon realized her passion was to coach people one-on-one. “I would meet with people and help with investment decisions,” she says. “I realized this is what I wanted to do, and focus on helping people on a personal level.”
With a genuine desire to help, combined with a real curiosity and a near obsession for details, Charissa routinely discovers new and often unforeseen ways to benefit her clients. It’s a process that goes beyond talking about goals and planning a strategy. Charissa spends time with people to understand their situation, make informed decisions to reach their financial goals, and help protect their path towards those goals from being derailed unexpectedly.
“When I meet someone, I create a financial analysis for them based on what they want to achieve, where they’re currently at and how to get there most efficiently,” she says. “I dig really deep to understand someone’s situation,” she says. “It also helps me find out what real opportunities they might be missing, and not just at the surface level.”
Building the big picture, piece by piece
Her approach has been likened to completing a jigsaw puzzle. Says a former co-worker: “She builds the framework of what her clients’ goals are, then fills in the puzzle with all the pieces to ensure the finished picture is the end result the client is striving to achieve. She is very visual with her clients, explaining her role to bring the puzzle pieces into place and the process to help guide them through.”
And like any good puzzler, if she discovers a piece is missing, she won’t stop until she finds it.
That’s one of the reasons Charissa takes a holistic approach, considering all aspects of a client's financial situation with a keen eye for detail.
Just one example: “I've discovered a great deal of people who are eligible for the disability tax credit, and they’ve either never heard of it or did not realize it could be applicable for them,” she says. “On average, the people that I have encouraged to apply have received a $20,000 refund. That’s significant.” In one week, three people told her that, based on their conversation, they applied and were approved by CRA for this tax credit. Between the three of them, they received tax refunds of more than $75,000. “I’m continually finding strategies that people are not aware of,” she says.
Charissa also has a particular interest in philanthropy, and she provides guidance to clients in their charitable giving. Again, Charissa’s need to look beyond the surface of a situation enables her to see unique opportunities. “People know what they want to do, but they don’t always know how to do it,” she says.
Charissa speaks about a client who wished to donate land to a charity. She recommended instead to donate “in-kind investments”, with an agreement to purchase the land with the proceeds. A way of giving that requires a few extra steps, but would save thousands in taxes.
Using all resources to go even further
Charissa expands her expertise to uncover further solutions that might otherwise not be found. In addition to the skills and experience she’s gained through her designation as a Certified Financial Planner, in 2019 she added Elder Planning Consultant to her list of designations, so she could better serve clients as they age.
“I wanted to see things from a different perspective,” she says. “I needed to understand the challenges people will likely face at different stages, so I could better coach and guide them.”
She’s now working to attain the new Master Financial Advisor Philanthropy designation, which will enhance the philanthropic strategies and planning she does for people.
Charissa’s desire to go above and beyond expands to her life outside of her practice. Her volunteer work has taken her to Guatemala 10 times. She played a key role for Sewing Seeds Canada to set up a sewing lab in a Guatemalan high school and, through the Rotary Club created a Rotary International project and delivered 800 water filters to a community with no clean water. Her work with the Stettler Rotary Club earned her the Paul Harris Fellows Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions.
Healthy body, healthy mind
When Charissa’s not going the extra mile for clients, she’s going the extra mile for herself – literally. With her husband, she bikes and hikes in the mountains. And for three years in a row, she participated in the Spartan Race, which is, essentially, a gruelling cross country run with challenging obstacles. “It's so important to stay active. Signing up for the Spartan Race is ongoing motivation to continue to train for strength and endurance!”
Charissa has a favourite quote for inspiration, both professionally and personally: ‘refuse to worry and keep your body healthy’. “Just as there are small choices we can make now to live a more healthy lifestyle as we age, there are small changes we can make in our finances to be better positioned as time goes on. Many things in life are out of our control, and worry doesn't change a thing.”
Easing clients’ worries is a pillar of Charissa’s practice, and her efforts to always dig deeper to bring that peace of mind are rewarded tenfold when she sees that she’s making a difference. “I get great satisfaction when I work with someone and they’re so thankful with the time and process we went through to ensure things are in order. I love being able to help people make informed decisions, and find ways to help them in the future.”
Clients have been vocal about their appreciation for Charissa’s caring and determined approach to their financial well-being. Here’s one of many client comments: - "Charissa makes us feel valued at each review time. She is extremely interested in our financial concerns and is always suggesting looking at the bigger picture when making any decisions. She is so professional at all times but is also interested in us personally."
Big picture thinking, a detective’s mindset, and a deep desire to uncover the best solution for her clients – for Charissa, that’s just business as usual.
Janice Tuff is a professional writer and communicator who got her start in radio copywriting.
Three decades later, she continues to draw upon the valuable lessons learned in her radio days: grab your audience’s attention quickly and always tell an engaging tale.
Charissa Cummings, CFP®, EPC
Senior Wealth Advisor
Servus Wealth Strategies | Aviso Wealth
67 Clearview Market Way
Red Deer, AB, T4P 0N1
t: 587.876.0274
Servus Wealth Strategies Ltd. Is a subsidiary of Servus Credit Union Ltd. Offering financial planning, life insurance and investments. Mutual funds and other securities are offered through Aviso Wealth, a division of Aviso Financial Inc.