Advisor Spotlight- Susie Panduku, CPA, CFP®

By Andrea Young on November 21, 2023

What is your role at LWM?

My role as a wealth advisor is to help clients navigate life’s inflection points. My goal is to educate clients so they feel confident in the decisions they make along the way.

Do you have a specialty we should know about?

I am a CPA* as well as a CFP® so I have a strong tax background. Many of my clients have tax complexities that are unique to them. Specifically, I have experience working with business owners. I can help them understand their own tax situation and come up with strategies to better position them from a personal financial planning, tax, and estate planning perspective. 

How important is overall financial planning with your clients?  

Out of everything we do for our clients – tax planning, estate planning, insurance – overall financial planning is the most important. There is a reason we lead every client relationship with financial planning. It allows us to dive deeper and understand the client and their goals. It also helps the client recognize certain aspects of themselves that can help set them up for success. It is especially important to revisit the financial plan at least annually. Life circumstances change, and that’s okay. Having a financial plan to fall back on and the reassurance that you’re still on track is comforting, especially during times of stress.

If you were to listen in on your clients’ conversations with their friends and family, what would they say about you?

I would hope they’d say nothing but good things! I pride myself in being relatable, a good listener, and most importantly trustworthy. I’d hope my clients would say that I truly have their best interests in mind and at the end of the day, we just try to do the right thing.

What is the biggest lesson you have learned in your career?

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is one that I learned early on. It is okay to say I don’t know. The advice we give is very important, so it is never a bad thing to double-check and confirm something we might not be 100% sure about.

Favorite hobbies and/or special interests?

I love to run and be outside. When I feel happiest and most at peace, it is when I’m running (usually by the ocean) with my husband, daughter, and dog.

*Licensed CPA but not practicing.

Click HERE to learn more about Susie.

Hightower Advisors, LLC is an SEC registered investment adviser. Securities are offered through Hightower Securities, LLC member FINRA and SIPC. Hightower Advisors, LLC or any of its affiliates do not provide tax or legal advice. This material is not intended or written to provide and should not be relied upon or used as a substitute for tax or legal advice. Information contained herein does not consider an individual’s or entity’s specific circumstances or applicable governing law, which may vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and be subject to change. Clients are urged to consult their tax or legal advisor for related questions.