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About Me

Hi, I’m John Weninger, CFP® and welcome to my blog.

I built this site to be a resource for executives and employees of large companies who have questions and want to learn more about their company’s retirement plan. Since your 401(k), stock option, or executive compensation plan is often the main account people use to save for retirement, it’s very important to be aware of the features!

Most people who find this site may have already heard or know something about me. If you don’t though – here’s a quick rundown chronologically of what I’ve been doing.

  • I was born in a small town of less than 3,000 people called Lomira, Wisconsin – right in the heart of Wisconsin farm country.
  • I grew up in a farming background and learned from a young age the value of hard work, community and helping your neighbor.
  • I love sports and playing them has been a huge part of my life, the pinnacle of which was a successful collegiate football career.
  • I went to St. Norbert College and was able to study finance and investing, hands on, through the heart of the Great Recession and Financial Crisis.
  • I started my career in financial advice at Merrill Lynch in 2010.
  • In 2011, I became a independent financial advisor with ING Financial Partners.
  • In 2011 this blog, MyCompanyRetirementPlan.com was launched.
  • In 2013, I founded & registered Vision Wealth Partners with the State of Wisconsin and started working with clients both in Wisconsin and throughout the U.S.A.
  • In 2017 I completed and passed the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ exam. CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ is the “gold standard” for training, education and ethics in the financial advisory profession.
  • In 2017 my company Vision Wealth Partners was acquired by Endowment Wealth Management, Inc. You can learn more at www.endowmentwm.com

How’s that for full disclosure?

I started this blog in 2011 as a way to help people answer the big questions about their company retirement plans. The most common questions people have are:

  1. How should I invest my 401(k)?
  2. Am I on track to retire?
  3. I’m about to retire, what should I do with my 401(k), stock options or pension?

I love helping people answer their investing and retirement questions! I know that might sound a bit cheesy but I really enjoy making retirement planning and investing simple for people. It probably goes back to my small town, always help your neighbor out, upbringing.

Thanks again for checking out my blog. The feedback I’ve received and the people I’ve helped since launching the site has made all the countless hours of research worth it.

Be great,

John Weninger, CFP®

Where I’ve Been Featured

Not only do I write about company retirement plans but I’ve been featured in some major publications on other investment and business related topics. Here’s just a few of those places:

  • Yahoo! Finance
  • CNBC
  • TheStreet.com
  • U.S News
  • MSN Money

About CFP®

The CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, CFP® and federally registered CFP (with flame design) marks (collectively, the “CFP® marks”) are professional certification marks granted in the United States by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (“CFP Board”). The CFP® certification is a voluntary certification; no federal or state law or regulation requires financial planners to hold CFP® certification. It is recognized in the United States and a number of other countries for its (1) high standard of professional education; (2) stringent code of conduct and standards of practice; and (3) ethical requirements that govern professional engagements with clients.

To attain the right to use the CFP® marks, an individual must satisfactorily fulfill the following requirements:

  • Education – Complete an advanced college-level course of study addressing the financial planning subject areas that CFP Board’s studies have determined as necessary for the competent and professional delivery of financial planning services, and attain a Bachelor’s Degree from a regionally accredited United States college or university (or its equivalent from a foreign university). CFP Board’s financial planning subject areas include insurance planning and risk management, employee benefits planning, investment planning, income tax planning, retirement planning, and estate planning;
  • Examination – Pass the comprehensive CFP® Certification Examination. The examination includes case studies and client scenarios designed to test one’s ability to correctly diagnose financial planning issues and apply one’s knowledge of financial planning to real world circumstances;
  • Experience – Complete at least three years of full-time financial planning-related experience (or the equivalent, measured as 2,000 hours per year); and
  • Ethics – Agree to be bound by CFP Board’s Standards of Professional Conduct, a set of documents outlining the ethical and practice standards for CFP® professionals. Individuals who become certified must complete the following ongoing education and ethics requirements in order to maintain the right to continue to use the CFP® marks:
    • Continuing Education – Complete 30 hours of continuing education hours every two years, including two hours on the Code of Ethics and other parts of the Standards of Professional Conduct,
      to maintain competence and keep up with developments in the financial planning field; and
    • Ethics – Renew an agreement to be bound by the Standards of Professional Conduct. The Standards prominently require that CFP® professionals provide financial planning services at a fiduciary
      standard of care. This means CFP® professionals must provide financial planning services in the best interests of their clients. CFP® professionals who fail to comply with the above standards and requirements may be subject to CFP Board’s enforcement process, which could result in suspension or permanent revocation of their CFP® certification.
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