Aaron Foster

Associate Financial Planner

What do you enjoy most about financial services?

I enjoy learning about clients and the purpose behind their wealth. Meanwhile, staying informed on anything about financial services and sharing relevant topics with others.

What are the biggest challenges?

One challenge to overcome is taking the finance out of “Financialese.” I feel that explaining financial analysis and recommendations can often get away from the main point. Understandably presenting complexity is a signature of one’s knowledge and experience. Another challenge is being an active listener. It is easy to over-speak, correct, or dominate a conversation with information as a financial professional. Instead, I believe that engaging with clients by listening and asking the right questions develops a deeper level of understanding.

What professional accomplishments are you most proud of?

Obtaining my CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ in 2019 and completing the master’s degree in Personal Financial Planning from the College for Financial Planning.

What quality of yours makes you best suited to do what you do?

Being responsible is important to me, to those around me, and especially to the clients that I serve. Like many other industries and professions, responsibility go a long way to develop trust, confidence, integrity, and relationships. As I always tell clients; if I am not certain or do not know the answer to a question, I will find an answer.

How should people think about their wealth?

I believe that wealth is both objective and subjective to everyone. There is objectivity and certainty in knowing one’s income, expenses, net worth, investments, and insurances. On the other hand, the interpretation of wealth is subjective as experiences and attitudes towards money differs from person to person. As a financial professional, my goal with clients is to help quantity their wealth while also championing their financial needs and goals.

What do you love to do outside of work?

I love spending time with my wife, our dog Layla, and visiting family. During my free time you will usually see me taking walks, running, exercising, participating in sporting activities, traveling, spending time with others, or reading books.

What’s the most influential book you’ve read?

“Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman.

What would you be doing if you didn’t work in the financial industry?

I would probably be in the construction management field. I enjoy seeing how things fit together and building on a vision for a future result.

Education and accreditations

  • B.S. in Business – Finance, Lucas College and Graduate School of Business, San José State University
  • M.S. in Person Financial Planning, College for Financial Planning ® – a Kaplan Company
  • CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) Professional
  • Master Planner Advanced StudiesSM (MPAS®) designee
  • Accredited Wealth Management AdvisorSM (AWMA®) designee

Aaron Foster, Associate Financial Planner