Michael is originally from central Iowa, and graduated from Morningside College with a BS in Business and Economics. He went on to earn his MBA from the University of Nebraska-Kearney. He continues to look for opportunities to grow his knowledge base, including completing a certificate program from the University of Wisconsin, retirement planning recognition from Lorman Education Services, and others.
Michael has as over 18 years in experience in the financial services industry – having served initially with Edward Jones Investments, and later joining Wells Fargo Investments in a number of different roles. Upon leaving Wells Fargo in 2009, he went on to launch Advantage Financial & Tax Services.
Michael continues to look for opportunities to share his experience and expertise in a teaching capacity. As a proponent of financial wellness, he hosts group learning sessions in workshops either offered through employers, or sometimes to the general public. He regularly teaches various financial planning adult education classes at DMACC and other venues.
He holds two important industry designations:
ENROLLED AGENT: An Enrolled Agent (EA) is a federally licensed tax practitioner who has proven technical expertise in the field of taxation. Enrolled Agents are empowered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury to represent taxpayers before all administrative levels of the I.R.S. for audits, collections, and appeals. Only EA’s, attorneys and CPA’s may represent taxpayers before the I.R.S.
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER ™: A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional or a CFP® practitioner is a financial professional who meets the requirements established by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. While others may call themselves financial planners, only those who demonstrate the requisite experience, education, and ethical standards are awarded the CFP® mark.