About

Henry L. Becker, Jr., CFP®

Beginnings

After finishing high school in Pittsburgh, PA (born and raised) I enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and was fortunate enough to travel extensively on the military’s dime. In 1992, shortly after my four year enlistment ended, my financial services career began in Pittsburgh with a large life insurance company. Still wanting to travel more I agreed to take a position with the company in England serving the military market.

Getting smarter and honing skills

After returning from England I put my career on pause to attend college. I enrolled at The University of Pittsburgh in 1994 and finished my BA in West European History in three years. I graduated in 1997 and took a job in Denver with a large financial services company that provides pensions and retirement plans to non-profits.

Plans and surprises

An old friend contacted me early in 1999 about going back to Pittsburgh to partner up with him so I left Denver to return to Pittsburgh. Before I went back to Pittsburgh I spent a month and half traveling around France, Italy and Spain. In the last days of this trip to Europe the business plans back home fell apart but I met a great person who one day would become my wife. Upon return to the U.S. Tracy (the woman who would become my wife) recognized I was at a crossroad in life and suggested I move to Maryland.

Maryland

Upon moving to Maryland I began working for a small non-profit that provided financial services to members of the National Security Agency (NSA). Tracy and I grew closer and set a wedding date and planned a year long, round-the-world, adventure for our honeymoon. In July of 2000 we were married and by August of 2000 we left for our year long honeymoon that took us through dozens of countries.

More study

Immediately after returning from out global travels I spent two years working as a financial planning assistant while studying for my Certified Financial Planner™ designation. In 2004 I earned my CFP® designation and shortly there after started working for a large investment management firm.

Breaking away

I have always dreamed of working for myself and in the market collapse of 2008 I saw my opportunity. The market collapse made it very clear that the financial services industry was failing its clients and I could no longer take directions from above. In the spring of 2009 I struck out on my own. A large factor in my decision to strike out on my own was that along the way Tracy and I have had three boys and I wanted more time with the family.

Simply stated, my role as an investment advisor is to make investment decisions that I believe are in the best interest of my clients. I retired from following the propaganda and misguidance of financial services companies that have failed their clients.

Life and a blog

When not working I can be found skiing, mountain biking or traveling with my family.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and CFP (with flame logo)® in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.