By Mark Ambrogi
Joel Harris’ practice, Summit Financial & Insurance, is built on education. So it was natural he would started a series of financial literacy workshops.
“I’ve been on my own for five years,” Harris said. “I was at a large Wall Street bank. I decided my practice is going to be predicated on education. The main goal is to teach the community and if people want to reach out to me (afterwards) they can. If not, they come and get some valuable information they can use.”
The financial literacy workshops will be held Tuesdays at 11:45 a.m. starting on Sept. 22 and running through Oct. 13 at the Monon Community Center’s East Building. The cost is $25 for the four sessions. Attendees are invited to bring their lunch.
“I teach people about budgeting, investing, estate planning and risk management,” Harris said. “It’s basically a holistic financial planning workshop. I’m going to focus on saving and paying off debt. I also talk about investing and 529 (college savings) planning.”
Harris has been conducting the classes at the Monon Center for four years through the Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation Department.
“The classes continue to grow,” Harris said. “I get anywhere from 15 to as many as 40 people come.”
Harris will hold Unlocking Social Security sessions from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. p.m. at the MCC’s East building on Sept. 22 and Oct. 15. The cost is $10.
“There is a lot of misunderstanding about social security,” Harris said.
Harris said the social security sessions have the highest attendance.
Harris will hold Retirement Income Planning sessions at 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 13 and Nov. 17 at the MCC’s East Building. The cost is $10.
To register, visit apm.activecommunities.com/carmelclayparks/Activity_Search. The keywords are social security, retirement income planning and financial planning.
