Company updates

September 21-22, 2009 -- Steve, Carol and Stacie attended the NAPFA Core Competency Conference in Lombard, Illinois. The intense two day conference focused on Estate and Retirement Planning, including speaker Natalie Choate who shared some of her retirement planning ideas, planning opportunities and case studies of practical ideas for real life situations. Some of the key breakout session topics included market updates, Roth Conversions in 2010, special needs planning, and estate planning for second marriages.

September 21, 2009 -- Carol and Stacie presented a pre-conference session entitled Ethical Excellence at the NAPFA Core Competency Conference. Their audience was a group of Fee-Only financial advisors and the material reviewed the principles and standards that are required to be upheld by all CFP^® certificants. Carol and Stacie shared a number of ethical examples which fostered discussion on challenging situations. The presentation also reflected on expectations consumers have for financial advisors.

July 1, 2009 -- As founder, Carol C. Pankros, CFP^® has continually reviewed the firm business plan and goals, making sure clients are at the forefront of every decision. As of July, Steve Roberts, CFP^® joined the CCP team as a financial advisor and new owner. Carol still remains at CCP as a financial advisor, doing what she loves - financial planning. As the new owner, Steve has become part of the team, dedicated to providing clients with high quality, Fee-Only financial planning and portfolio management services. We welcome Steve to our team and are very excited about this new opportunity and future growth of CCP.

May 29, 2009 -- Stacie attend the NAPFA study group session which focused on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The group of local Fee-Only planners reviewed of some of the programs put into place in 2009 and shared various real life scenarios and discussed client alternatives. Estate Planning issues were also discussed in light of the repeal of the estate tax in 2010.

April 23-24, 2009 -- Carol, Carin and Stacie helped educate local consumers when the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) Money Bus came to town at the College of DuPage and DePaul University. The program is meant to help inform consumers of the need to save and to promote the need for financial literacy. As part of the Money Bus Tour (www.yourmoneybus.com), Fee-Only financial advisors across the country conducted free education events and symposiums where you can learn what you need to do to start saving and get your financial life in order. The coast to coast program was sponsored by the NAPFA Consumer Education Foundation (NCEF), TD AMERITRADE, Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, and FiLife.com to take this important message on the road.

November 9, 2008 -- Carin participated as a guest panelist on Bill Moller's Sunday afternoon "Your Money" (formerly "The Money Show") on Chicago's WGN Radio 720. Carin, along with another local Fee-Only Financial Planner, took listener's calls providing general consumer education.

October 15, 2008 -- Carol was honored to represent Fee-Only financial planning as one of five women panel participants during The Women Advisors Forum held in Chicago. The panel members discussed obstacles they faced breaking into the planning industry, as well as when they finally realized they had become rainmakers. Carol enjoyed the interaction with the diverse panelists and the opportunity to share her experiences with attendees.

September 24-26, 2008 -- Carol and Carin attended the Charles Schwab IMPACT Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. The theme of the conference was "Activate Your Network" and sessions were organized to promote interaction among attendees and connect advisors with various types of resources. With breaking news and market volatility on all attendees' minds, there were presentations on continued diversification, possible impacts of the 2008 US Presidential election, investment principles and trends, inflation and wealth preservation, working with clients of all ages from Baby Boomers to Generation Y, and leadership through challenging times. Speakers included Ted Turner (CNN Founder), Lou Dobbs (CNN Newsperson), Ken Dychtwald (Author of Age Wave), Liz Ann Sonders (Schwab's Chief Investment Strategist), David McCullough (author of John Adams, Truman and 1776) and many others. There were also opportunities to network with Masters and PhD candidates in Financial Planning and sessions on best practices for managing your business.

June 16, 2008 -- Carol and Carin attended the Charles Schwab Wealth Advisor Forum in Chicago, an intimate conference designed to share thoughts from the endowment investment community and alternative investments.

June 5, 2008 -- Carin attended the Financial Planning Association (FPA) Financial Forum in Oakbrook, where she heard various presentations regarding best business practices and market updates and had opportunities for networking with other local advisors.

May 13-16, 2008 -- Carol, Carin and Stacie attended the NAPFA National Conference in Long Beach, California. The intense conference was designed around the theme of "Your Business as a Reflection of You". Conference presentations and breakout sessions focused on direction of the financial planning industry, the economy, ethics and practice management. There were also educational sessions focusing on technical financial planning topics such as asset allocation, insurance, estate planning and business succession planning. Networking and discussion with other Fee-Only planners from around the country was an important aspect of the conference. Information and updates were brought back to the office to educate and update the CCP professional staff as well.

April 3, 2008 -- Carin participated in a Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA) study group meeting. A presentation by DFA focused on the implications of volatility, structure and diversification. The program also provided review of 2007 fund performance, volatility and specific review of fund key principles and disciplines.

March 14, 2008 -- Carol was invited to participate in a NAPFA video documenting the celebration of the organization's 25^th year. Carol continues to enjoy her participation in NAPFA over the past 17 years, and this was a wonderful opportunity to share some of her most memorable moments of the organization. Carol also shared where she anticipates the Fee-Only Financial Planning industry headed in the future.

January 25, 2008 -- Carin was a volunteer Fee-Only financial advisor as NAPFA (National Association of Personal Financial Advisors) teamed up with Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine to offer "Jump-Start Your Retirement Plan Days". Individuals around the country were able to call into the hotline number to talk with Fee-Only financial advisors regarding their financial planning and retirement questions. Carin enjoyed the opportunity to educate consumers and serve the community.

January 5, 2008 -- Carin and Carol were honored to participate once again as guests on Bill Moller's Saturday afternoon "The Money Show" on Chicago's WGN Radio 720. They took calls from listeners regarding their finances and various financial planning topics.