Jeff Buffum, CFP®, ChFC®’s Post

To all our clients and friends - on July 23rd, we welcomed our second son, Enzo! Ursu, Luca and I could not be happier! 😊

Did you see the latest news? Northwestern Mutual announced that it expects to deliver a company-record $8.2 billion in dividends to its policyowners next year. This $8.2 billion payout is projected to be the largest in the industry and more than three times the size of the nearest competitor. It will include the highest amounts in company history for policyowners across whole life insurance ($7.1 billion), disability insurance ($560 million), and annuities ($350 million). "This historic dividend payout to policyowners is possible because of our exceptional investment performance, careful underwriting and prudent financial management," said John Schlifske, Northwestern Mutual chairman and chief executive officer. "We stand out in the marketplace because we offer Americans world-class insurance products that deliver industry-leading value alongside a full suite of sophisticated investments — all elegantly combined in a comprehensive, personalized plan by an expert advisor." What a privilege to be part of such a strong organization!

Congratulations to Hannah Sobieski on passing her Life, Accident, and Health Insurance exam! 🎉 Your dedication and hard work have paid off. We're all incredibly proud and excited to see all the great things you'll achieve this year!

Our team gathered for a beautiful summer evening at Watermark NY last week! 🌞🌊 We always love being able to spend time with each other outside of work hours. I hope everyone is enjoying the summer!

I am honored and excited to announce that for the third straight year I have been recognized by Forbes as a Best-In-State Financial Professional for 2024. Thank you to my incredible team for making this possible… I couldn’t have done it without you. Lastly, a huge thank you to our clients for your continued trust and confidence.

We are truly honored to receive this thoughtful gift from two of our valued friends, Barry and Laura of O’Brien Vineyards. Barry and Laura, it’s a pleasure to support you! We loved the wines! Cheers to many more years of partnership and success! Everyone, check out their page and be sure to order some of their wines. Family run and truly delicious!🍷🍇 You can find them with the following links! LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/eX3nKTdr  Facebook: https://lnkd.in/dacMpY_C Address: 1380 Yellow De, Traverse City, MI 49684  https://lnkd.in/e_fYMvfD #ClientAppreciation #WealthManagement #OBrienVineyards

10 years ago, in 2014, I barely qualified for the worldwide industry conference, Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), which is a global conference of top 10% financial advisors. Advisors qualify based upon their production in their respective country, permitting the opportunity to go this worldwide conference, which at the time was in Toronto. Not many Northwestern Mutual advisors go to this conference, however I wanted to see what it was all about and learn everything I could from the top advisors in the industry. Little did I know, I would end up meeting my wife, Ùrsula Navarrete Buffum, salsa dancing at the Latina Party on June 10th, 2014. Ursu had qualified based upon her production in Mexico and after 3 years of long distance between NYC and Mexico City, we got married on June 10th, 2017. Fast-forward, now 10 years later, we went back to MDRT after I qualified for Top of the Table, which is top 1% of financial advisors in the country. It was great to be back, but more importantly to celebrate 10 years after meeting my wife at the same conference! Thank you, MDRT, for everything you’ve done for me. You’ve changed my life! Now, we have 1 son, Luca, and another on the way!

A big “CONGRATS” to Rachelle Motter, CFP®, ChFC® and Ryan Meyer, CFP on passing their most recent licensing exams! They’re both on their way to obtaining their RICP® certifications – Rachelle has passed 1 of 3 exams, and Ryan has passed 2 of 3 🎉 Your hard work is paying off and we couldn’t be more proud – here’s to more team successes in 2024!

Last Tuesday was our Team Meeting! We don’t all live in the same city, but we try to have these reunions every 4 months. It’s great to get back together – we have found that these meetings strengthen our work-family! After a day of strategy discussion, we decided to head to T-Squared Social across the street from our office in Manhattan to let loose and, of course, enjoy some friendly competition. Days like these remind us why we do what we do and just how strong we are, together!

Latest Economic Data Underscores the Fed’s Tough Task Ahead Solid economic growth and more signs that inflation is moving higher will make it hard for the Fed to cut rates. Here’s our look at what that might mean for the future: https://lnkd.in/eHj6FnDA