Featured Entrepreneur: Stacy Francis
by David Schnurman, True NYC
2008

"The first couple of years in business are not easy, the best advice I can give to anyone out there is to talk with individuals who have their own business."

Click to watch the interview

“Making "Joe The Plumber" Your Best Client “
by Anne Field – Insurancenewsnet.com
December 1, 2008

Article also at registeredrep.com

As we all know, the Holy Grail for most advisors is the high-net-worth client. But Stacy Francis has a different idea. While Francis, who runs Francis Financial, a New York-based firm, serves some affluent families, she also focuses on decidedly less well-to-do households, those with $100,000 and less in assets. About 50 percent of her profits come from such accounts, whom she charges $275 an hour. (Wealthier clients pay a fee on assets under management.)

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“Being Proactive at the Numbers Game“
by Stacy Francis – Women and Biz
November 25, 2008

Finding and Understanding Your Credit Score:
In an environment where even major banks go under, it is no wonder that lenders pay attention to their customers’ credit reports. They don’t want to go out of business, so they need to know that they will get their money back when they lend it. We all know what this means. If we ever want to be able to borrow money again, we need to make sure that report is tip-top. You need to be proactive about beefing up your credit score to protect you and your business during the current recession.

Read the article here

“Optimism Abounds at the Savvy Ladies Gala“
by Pauline – The Women’s Mosaic
November 2008

The Women’s Mosaic is a great organization to be a part of for many reasons. One of them is learning about other organizations that are run by people who are as dedicated to women as TWM is. Savvy Ladies is one that focuses on promoting financial education for women. On a rainy night the day after the presidential election, I was fortunate enough to attend Savvy Ladies' Holiday Gala on the Upper East Side in New York City. As I walked into the main room with a glass of champagne in hand, I knew immediately that many of the attendees were in a "giving" state of mind. Kekla and I bought raffle tickets and participated in the silent auction, both of which benefited the Savvy Ladies' scholarship fund.

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“Selling Stock in a Bad Economy“
by Stacy Francis – BettyConfidential.com
October 2008

For portfolios we make a move (before the negatives hit the market) of transferring 10 percent of our Large company stock exposure to cash. We also sold our commodities positions as well as the emerging market bond positions and put them in cash.

Wishing you prosperity and happiness,
Stacy Francis, Betty's Money Expert

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"TODAY, Weekend Edition"
by Lester Holt, anchor - Today Show
Originally aired October 11, 2008

Stacy appeared on The Today Show, Weekend Edition as a member of an expert panel of financial planners, including Jean Chatzsky, to answer viewers' finance-related questions.
Stay tuned for a link to watch the show segment.

Visit the Weekend Edition home page

“The Seven No Fail Secrets to Investing in a Volatile Market “
by Stacy Francis – Women and Biz
September 2008

First off, what is a volatile market? Volatility is best described as the ups and downs of a market. These ups and downs are typically include irregular price fluctuations and increased trading.

However, except for the very obvious catalysts, like a natural disaster, there are no consensus views on what actually causes market volatility. We do know that volatility exists as a part of the stock markets natural cycle and as such every investor has developed their own way of dealing with it.

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“Staying smart with your investments“
by William Lynott – Gulf News
September 19, 2008

Mistake No. 1: Panicking over market fluctuations "Fluctuations in the market are a natural part of our economic cycle," says Stacy Francis, Certified Financial Planner and founder of Francis Financial in New York. "When the market is in a downturn, it may seem logical to cash out and go home, but before you do that you may want to think about your long-term goals for that money."

Read the article here

“6 Deadly Investing Mistakes”
by admin – Personal Finance News and Spicemoney
September 5, 2008

Mistake No. 1: Panicking over market fluctuations
“Fluctuations in the market are a natural part of our economic cycle,” says Stacy Francis, Certified Financial Planner and founder of Francis Financial in New York. “When the market is in a downturn, it may seem logical to cash out and go home, but before you do that you may want to think about your long-term goals for that money.”

Read the articles here
Personal Finance News and Spicemoney

“Palin pick forcing women to balance gender vs. issues”
by Marlene Naanes – am New York
September 2, 2008

"I have to decide if it's worth it for me to almost ignore where I stand on certain issues to have a powerful female in the White House," said DiMonda, a member of a women's financial empowerment group. "I think it's probably the most important time in the history of the presidential election, and women have to pay attention to where each candidate stands, especially on women's issues."

Read the article here

“Howell grad thriving in N.Y.”
by Lisa Roose-Church - Livingston Daily
August 20, 2008

Howell High School graduate Stacy Roose Francis is making a big splash in the Big Apple.
The Wall Street wizard has started her own nonprofit organization, Savvy Ladies, which is dedicated to empowering women through financial education.

"I wanted to talk about a taboo subject that women don't typically talk about — money — so women could finally feel comfortable about money so they wouldn't feel embarrassed or intimidated like I did," Francis, 33, said. "It's for the average person who doesn't have $1 million under their mattress.

Read the full article

“Money: Women Aren't Saving Enough”
by TV Guide
August 13, 2008

'Typically women save, they don’t necessarily invest. Women need to have their money work for them because they are living longer.'

Click to watch the interview

“5 Ways to Recession Proof your Practice”
by Amy Buttell Crane - Financial Planning Association
August 2008

For Stacey Francis, CFP®, CDFA™, president of Francis Financial Inc. in New York, speaking engagements and fee-seminars for clients are bringing in a substantial amount of money, even though both efforts are new to her practice. "There are a number of women who come to me in need of services, who can't afford fee-based financial planning," she says. "Instead of turning them away, I decided to try offering a 10-week boot camp for these women so that they could work on a financial plan and on figuring out their financial goals at a price they could afford that would work for me."

Francis expects the first camp to sell out at $850 a person and that revenues from this camp and subsequent offerings should increase firm revenue by $75,000 a year. She is on track to net $30,000 in the first several months of the year in speaking engagements, even though she is new to that business.

Full article

“Before you Buy that…”
by today.com
July 13, 2008

You’ve heard that skipping the daily Starbucks latte can save you millions, but this is only the tip of the iceberg. “Giving up little things on a daily basis can lead to major savings,” says CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Stacy Francis, who holds financial seminars aimed to people in their 30s.

But this is just the beginning. There are many important questions consumers can ask to save money. Read on for painless ways you can save money and enjoy the extra padding in your pocketbook.

Full article

“Advisors to test active ETFS”
by Jacob Daniels - Fund Action
July 7, 2008

We are starting to dip our toes into the actively managed ETFs, but we’re being conservative”, said Stacy Francis, president of Francis Financial. She is preparing to invest client money in the offerings and recently taught a class on active ETFs for investors.

PowerShares’ Active Low Duration Fund charges an expense ratio of 29 basis points, its Active Mega Cap Fund charges 75 basis points and the Wisdom Tree Dreyfus Chinese Yuan Fund charges 45 bps. Francis said and active offering will likely have higher turnover than a passive one, which leads to higher taxes.

Read the article on page 11 + 12

"Tips on budgeting and saving from Stacy Francis of Francis Financial, Inc."
by Vicki Salemi - She Knows
June 23, 2008

“This is a perfect time to re-evaluate where you’re spending your money. Fixed expenses are increasing at tremendous paces,” says Stacy Francis CFP, CDFA, president of both Francis Financial, Inc, a financial advisory firm and Savvy Ladies and Empowerment Circles, which run groups across the country that empower women to become knowledgeable about money. In fact, her empowerment circles promote the ability to talk about finances, create a supportive environment, and even call directly into Stacy one day per month for free input.

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"Working Dad: Rough times call for a tough family talk about money”
by Paul Nyhan - Seattle Post Intelligencer
May 29, 2008

A rocky economic period, though, is a good time for families to revaluate their finances and even teach the kids a few things about money. Mom, Dad and Junior can scrub the household budget together, questioning everything from daily lattes to DSL broadband.

"Have a financial date night, a date night between couples, and have your children attend and really talk about 'This is the amount of money we have and these are our options,' " said Stacy Francis, a certified financial planner and columnist for BettyConfidential.com, a new Web site for moms.

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"Don't Leave Your Estate to Uncle Sam"
by Cindy Perman - CNBC
May 29, 2008

Financial advisors say the No. 1 mistake people make with estate planning is that they don't quite get around to it.

"It's right up there with cleaning the toilet for a lot of people," says Stacy Francis, president of Francis Financial and founder of Savvy Ladies, an organization aimed at educating women about finance.

Just 64 percent of Americans making $75,000 or more have a will, according to a 2005 Gallup poll; that number drops to half for those earning less.

Everyone has their reasons -- too young, not wealthy enough, high hopes for immortality!

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"Big financial commitments waning in economic downturn"
by Marlene Naanes - AM New York
May 20, 2008

As recession fears have spread, the desire to jump into large financial commitments has waned and emergency funds like Landman's have grown, said financial planner Stacy Francis.

"It's affecting people more pervasively whether it's the rise of gas prices, food prices, losing a job, or looking at your stock portfolio and watching it dwindle," Francis said. "It all adds up to one big ouch and all of those factors play into people's spending behavior."

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"New Yorkers plan to battle recession"
by David Freedlander - AM New York
May 18, 2008

Stacy Francis, a New York-based financial planner, said savvy New Yorkers can weather the storm by looking for deals, like two-for-one specials at restaurants and discounted tickets.

"The worst thing you can do is feel deprived," she said. "It comes down to understanding what's really important to you and asking yourself if your spending really reflects your values."

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"Frugality helps consumers deal with rising prices of necessities"
by Eileen Alt Powell - Associated Press
May 03, 2008

The word “frugal” might sound a bit old-fashioned, but the concept is as modern as today, said New York financial planner Stacy Francis.

“Keeping track of where your money goes is the most important financial task you can undertake,” she said. “It really doesn’t matter what you make. It matters what you spend.”

She said many people did not worry much about money when the stock market was rising, home values were soaring and the job market was solid. Those conditions have changed, and “when cash is tight, spending needs to get tighter, too,” Francis said.
Some people have turned frugality into a lifestyle.

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"Boot camp recruits women"
by Andrew Coen - Investment News
April 28, 2008

A new web-based financial training program developed by Stacy Francis, a New York-based financial adviser, is designed to help women become smarter investors. The 10-week financial-fitness boot camp is aimed at investors who can't afford a fee-only adviser, said Ms. Francis, whose Francis Financial Inc. of New York manages $12 million in assets.

Debt management, retirement saving, investing and estate planning are covered, and she provides assignments and work sheets, as well as one-on-one sessions either in person or on the phone.

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"Frugal living helps consumers handle rising fuel, food prices"
by Eileen Alt Powell - Associated Press
April 13, 2008

Financial planner Stacy Francis, president of Francis Financial Inc. in New York, says frugal living requires that you minimize your spending, maximize your income and set achievable savings goals. Some strategies:

- "The most important thing people can do is sit down, bring out their calculator and discover exactly where their money is going," Francis said. That requires looking at your checkbook, debit card and ATM receipts, and credit card statements.

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"Are you among the 38% who haven't filed?" and
"Some last minute tips as deadline nears"
by Patricia Kitchen - Newsday
April 11 and 12, 2008

First: You can do it -- if you turn that tax return mountain into a series of molehills. Stacy Francis, president of Francis Financial Inc. in Manhattan, says it's time to stop viewing your tax return as an ordeal and instead as a project that has a series of small, do-able steps. Focus on one at a time, she says, starting with assembling and categorizing your bills, statements and receipts

Read the articles
Are you among the 38% who haven't filed?
Some last minute tips as deadline nears

"5 Tips To Filing Taxes Post-Divorce" with Stacy Francis
by First Wives World
April 08, 2008

Tax Day is only a week away. Do you know everything you should about filing solo? From reporting alimony to claiming dependents (rather than dependence), finance expert Stacy Francis provides some crucial last-minute advice on filing smart.

Watch the video or the YouTube clip

“Learning to Live Frugally”
by the Associated Press
April 2, 2008

Articles also at JSOnline, WTOP News, The Washington Times, Townhall.com, Yahoo News, Chicago Tribune, Middletown Journal, Houston Chronicle, The Huffington Post, Washington Post, NewsDay, Forbes, FoxNews, Philadelphia Inquirer, Precise News, San Francisco Chronicle, Mail Tribune - Medford,OR,USA

Financial planner Stacy Francis, president of Francis Financial Inc. in New York, says frugal living requires that you minimize your spending, maximize your income and set achievable savings goals.

Read the article

“Boot Camp Recruits Women”
by Andrew Coen, High Beam Research
April 2008

A new web-based financial training program developed by Stacy Francis, a New York-based financial adviser, is designed to help women become smarter investors.

Click to read the article

"First Time Homebuyers"
OpenHouse NYC, Floorplan
Originally aired March 29, 2008

Watch as Stacy Francis, president of Francis Financial explains the research that goes into searching for a potential home of your own.

“From 'You're fired' to 'You're hired”
by Elizabeth Lazarowitz - Daily News
March 24, 2008

So what if your job ends up on the chopping block? Don't react hastily. "Obviously, losing a job is a traumatic," said Manhattan financial planner Stacy Francis. "Be wary of making rash judgments." Getting walked out the door by security isn't uncommon, so if you think your job is in jeopardy, make sure you've gathered contact info ahead of time for anyone who might find you a new gig.

If your company is taking a longer view and offering severance packages, try negotiating a better deal and asking for outplacement help, experts said.

View the article.

“Divorce can put dent in retirement savings
Correctly valuing marital assets key to secure retirement”
by Janet Kidd Stewart - Chicago Tribune
March 23, 2008

Many couples are unaware that former spouses typically are eligible for Social Security spousal benefits if the marriage lasted at least 10 years, even if the higher earner remarries, said Stacy Francis, co-founder of the New York chapter of the Association of Divorce Financial Planners Inc.

Read the entire article.

"Avoiding Common Pitfalls"
Edited by Diana Shepherd - Divorce Magazine
March 2008

Stacy's quoted on her advice to make the best use of your lawyer, "You can help your lawyer (and cut your costs) by making sure you have copies of all important financial documents related to your marriage, and by keeping track of expenses during the divorce process. Remember that your lawyer is not your psychiatrist: there is no point in telling your lawyer all the feelings you have towards your soon-to-be-ex-spouse. Letting your lawyer hear about your feelings will only make your wallet thinner..." continue reading and check out the other advice online.

"Practice Management: Advisors Help Ease Pain of Job Loss"
by Jaime Levy Pessin and Kristin McNamara
A Dow Jones Newswires Column - CNN Money
March 4, 2008

In this article illustrating the psychological aspects of being a financial advisor during times of high unemployment and recession, Stacy is quoted as saying, "that one of her first priorities when working with new clients is to set up emergency funds that will take them through a job loss," and goes on to describe how she established a year-long emergency fund for one of her clients.

To read the entire article, click here.

"How to beat the high cost of food"
by Rosemary Black, Daily News
February 25, 2008

'I prepare all my meals for the week on Sunday nights so we don't have to eat out,' says Stacy Francis, founder of Savvy Ladies, a non-profit group that helps educate women financially.

Click to read the article

"Secular vs. Cyclical"
by Michael J. Panzner - Forex Hound
February 25, 2008

Stacy Francis, president of Francis Financial in New York, finds that many of her clients are "digging a little more deeply in their soul," asking whether their spending really reflects their values.

"For most people, where they're spending their money has little or no correlation to what's really important to them," she says. "They're really surprised at the amount they're spending on things that don't really matter, that don't add to their happiness." Visit the Forex Hound website to read the entire article.

"Less now, or more later"
by Fran Hawthorne - Newsday
February 19, 2008

In this article discussing whether one should start collecting Social Security sooner rather than later, Stacy shares her experiences with why people are contemplating the issue. "They don't trust that Social Security will be around." To read the whole article visit Newsday.com.

"Divorce and the Home: To stay or not to stay, this is the question."
by Stacy Francis - Divorce 360
February 5, 2008

There are many questions about a marital residence that you may ask at the time of divorce. Here are the typical questions that arise and how they may be best addressed.

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"Leveraged/Short ETFs Offer Big Rewards -- and Risks"
Smart Money
January 31, 2008

Quoted in Smart Money's ETF Focus, "[These funds] make me nervous," says Stacey Francis, who runs $12 million at her New York City firm Francis Financial. "If a client has the disposable funds I may encourage them to go ahead. But I don't like the risk." Read the entire article on Smart Money's web site.