Michael Hess, RICP®, is a Vice President and Wealth Management Advisor with WestPac Wealth Partners, based in Encino, California. For 30 years he has helped business owners across Los Angeles and Southern California to help them plan for the preservation and transfer of their wealth.
Michael specializes in closely held business owners, with a focus on three areas that work best together: year-round tax efficient strategies coordinated with the owner's CPA, retirement plan design including cash balance plans for high-earning owners and exit and succession planning that begins years before a sale. He collaborates with an owner’s CPA, attorney, and plan administrators to help coordinate business, tax, and retirement planning.
Michael began his career at Merrill Lynch in 1996 and later spent years in institutional sales working with variable annuities and 401(k) plans, before joining WestPac. He holds the Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP®) designation from The American College of Financial Services.
A former Honorable Mention All-America basketball player at Ithaca College, Michael believes every family and business needs one coordinated game plan. In 2014 his wife, Samantha, was diagnosed with breast cancer. She has since recovered and remains cancer-free, and the experience deepened his commitment to helping families plan early. Michael and Samantha have two daughters, Josselyn and Hillary. Outside the office you'll find him on the golf course, out for a run, or with his family.
Specialties
• Financial planning for business owners
• Cash balance and defined benefit plans
• 401(k) and profit sharing design
• Business exit and succession planning
• Tax strategy coordination
• Retirement income planning
• Estate planning and asset protection
Service area
Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley, and Southern California in person. Business owners throughout California by video.
Registered Representative and Financial Advisor of Park Avenue Securities LLC (PAS). OSJ: 5280 Carroll Canyon Rd., #300 San Diego, CA 92121 619.684.6400. Securities products and advisory services offered through PAS, member FINRA, SIPC. Financial Representative of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® (Guardian), New York, NY. PAS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Guardian. WestPac Wealth Partners, LLC is not an affiliate or subsidiary of PAS or Guardian. Insurance products offered through WestPac Wealth Partners and Insurance Services, LLC, a DBA of WestPac Wealth Partners, LLC. CA Insurance License #0E36678 | 8406507.2 Exp. 09/28