Southbay Magazine

Angela Dorsey was recently featured in the May 2022 edition of Southbay Magazine.

Dorsey Wealth Management is a fee-only financial planning firm providing wealth management and retirement planning for women and couples.

The firm’s founder, Angela Dorsey, and her team partner with clients so they are confident with their decisions about their money and can enjoy retirement without worrying and maintain the lifestyle they’ve worked so hard to achieve. A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, Angela has invested for family and friends for more than 25 years and opened Dorsey Wealth Management in 2011. She earned her undergraduate degree in computer science from Loyola Marymount University and an MBA from the Anderson School of Management at UCLA. She became a Certified Compensation Professional and served as a senior compensation consultant in corporate America for 20 years before following her dream of starting a financial planning firm.

WHY DID YOU START YOUR FIRM?

I started my firm because I had a lifelong passion for financial planning. While in the corporate environment, I helped many of my friends who were smart and successful professional women. But I noticed many didn’t have the knowledge and confidence to manage personal finances well. Many felt embarrassed and ashamed about their finances while promising to get their finances in order “someday.” From this experience, I saw the need for financial planning for women and followed my dream of starting a financial planning firm.

WHAT DISTINGUISHES YOUR PRACTICE FROM OTHERS?

We help women retire in style to a life they love! As a woman-owned firm, our personalized approach to wealth management addresses the unique financial planning needs of women who are single or who take the lead in managing their household’s finances. Typically, our clients are planning to retire, recently lost a spouse, or received an inheritance or settlement.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST BENEFIT CLIENTS GAIN FROM WORKING WITH YOUR FIRM?

Financial peace of mind. Enjoying the retirement that you love without fear of running out of money is priceless.

IN WHAT WAYS IS YOUR WORK MEANINGFUL?

I take the time to understand my client’s priorities and values. I then ensure that the work we do aligns their money with their priorities and values. Helping clients achieve or maintain the lifestyle they desire is incredibly meaningful.

HOW DO YOU HELP CLIENTS BE MORE TAX EFFICIENT?

Being tax efficient begins with the investment strategy. Having a well-diversified portfolio of low-cost mutual funds with a long-term perspective is a time-tested strategy proven to be better than trying to time the market. For my clients who are near retirement, we analyze the tax impacts of doing annual Roth IRA conversions. Meaning, does it make sense to pay taxes now or in the future? For clients in retirement, we work to ensure they are making tax-efficient withdrawals from their portfolios.

WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON MISTAKES PEOPLE MAKE WITH THEIR MONEY?

The most common money mistakes I see are letting fear and greed drive financial decisions. That is why it’s so valuable to have a trusted advisor on your side to prevent you from making those mistakes and remind you of your priorities and values. Some might call it “talking you off the ledge.”

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR CLIENTS WHEN THE MARKET SEEMS CHAOTIC?

Market turbulence is normal. Prepare for turbulent markets before they occur. By creating an investment strategy consistent with a client’s priorities, values and risk tolerance, we focus on long-term factors that you can control, rather than market turbulence.

DOES YOUR FIRM SPECIALIZE IN A PARTICULAR MARKET NICHE?

Our niche is helping successful women in the South Bay retire in style. Our clients are primarily South Bay women a few years from retirement. We help them implement a plan so they can retire to a life they love. Our focus on the South Bay allows us to have a local network of experts to help clients navigate life’s twists and turns. Being a South Bay resident allows me to be intimately familiar with the joys and challenges of preparing to retire here.

WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOUR FIRM?

Visit our website and subscribe to our free monthly newsletter, Finance and Fun – How to Retire in Style in the South Bay. The newsletter provides monthly guidance on how to retire to a life you love and have fun along the way, with financial tips and interesting things to do in the South Bay.

WHAT IS ON YOUR BUCKET LIST FOR THE REMAINDER OF 2022?

I look forward to a family vacation in Miami Beach. We all went to Kauai last year and had an amazing time! Being able to spend time with those you love and experience the fun and adventure of a vacation together is priceless!