Students taking the Core elective “Financial Literacy” were recently visited by Certified Financial Planner Ryne Vickery of Buckingham Strategic Wealth for a comprehensive discussion on financial wellness.

In addition to providing the soon-to-be young professionals with helpful tips on how to set healthy financial goals, Vickery discussed the business of LGBTQ+ financial planning, which requires special consideration not often given in traditional financial planning.

Over his 13 year career, Vickery noticed a lack of understanding about the LGBTQ+ community from fellow wealth advisors. With often-changing legislation — and even personal bias — affecting how members of the LGBTQ+ community can form a family, understanding how this affects clients can be key to crafting a personalized financial plan. Does the client want to have kids either via adoption or surrogacy? Is a client married to their life partner or not? Does the client need help finding attorneys well-versed in LGBTQ+ estate planning?

Ryne Vickery presents to students

“The LGBTQ+ community has been overlooked historically when it comes to financial planning,” says Vickery. “It’s important to understand where your clients have come from — to be able to relate and empathize with them.”

Privy to some of the most important decision of a client’s lifetime, a financial advisor is often considered a close confident. Naturally, according to Vickery, that responsibility should be upheld with a level of grace and understanding.

In his work, Vickery helps develop comprehensive wealth management plans for his clients. Once he learns their goals, values and concerns, he helps set realistic milestones to help clients work towards them.

Drawing on his many years of experience in the financial planning field, Vickery took time to address students’ questions and concerns about personal finance, demystify common misconceptions and offer suggestions about how to get started.

“Ryne gave insightful advice on what students can do today to build financial wellness,” says Samantha Sick, CPA. “He is a leader in his firm — especially when it comes to advising LGBTQ+ clients through their unique financial situations. His messages to students on money and on embracing differences is a great fit for this Core elective. We’re grateful he came in from St. Louis to be with us!”