A financial plan built for the life you actually have

For banking executives, high-earning professionals, and business owners who want clarity, coordination, and a long-term plan, not one-off product recommendations.

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Vlad Shafir, RICP®
Vlad Shafir, RICP®Financial Advisor
Vlad Shafir, RICP®

Vlad Shafir, RICP®
Financial Advisor

About Vlad

Why I do this work

I grew up in Soviet-era Ukraine, in a system where financial planning didn't exist because choice didn't exist.

My parents worked steady jobs in state enterprises. Life looked predictable, but only because everything was predetermined: where you lived, what you did, what was possible. You couldn't really plan for the future, because the future wasn't yours to design.

When I came to America, what struck me wasn't the wealth. It was the optionality. Choices compound over time, if you're intentional about them. Without that intention, freedom can easily turn into noise, complexity, and missed opportunities.

That contrast shaped how I think about money.

Today, I work with professionals and business owners who've done many things right (built income, careers, and businesses) but often feel that their financial decisions evolved reactively instead of deliberately. Accounts exist, policies exist, plans exist... but they weren't designed to work together or to adapt as life changes.

My role isn't to chase "optimal" strategies or sell prefabricated solutions. It's to help bring clarity, coordination, and flexibility to financial decisions, so money supports your life instead of quietly constraining it.

Built for people with complex financial lives

Banking Executives & High-Income Professionals

Your income is strong, but your planning has grown up around employer benefits, a once-a-year bonus, and advice from people who never talk to each other.

Sound familiar?

  • Your bonus arrives once a year, and the tax bill follows.
  • More of your net worth sits in company stock than you ever planned.
  • Your life and disability coverage lives at work, and would disappear if you left.

How I help

  • Life insurance & family protection planning
  • Income protection & disability planning
  • Tax-efficient retirement strategies
  • Coordinating benefits, investments & insurance
  • Planning around equity compensation
  • Concentrated stock diversification
  • Social Security, Medicare & Roth conversion planning
  • Estate planning coordination with your attorney
  • Retirement income planning

Business Owners

Business owners and partners who need their personal and business finances to work together, not compete with each other. Planning that accounts for the full picture on both sides, including the benefits that help you attract and keep the people who make your business competitive.

Sound familiar?

  • Your business is your biggest asset, and also your retirement plan.
  • Your buy-sell agreement hasn't been looked at since the day you signed it.
  • You're competing for good people, and your benefits package isn't helping you win.
  • You're thinking about an exit, but don't know what the business is worth today.

How I help

  • Business retirement plans (SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA, Solo 401(k), 401(k), profit sharing, defined benefit pension, fully insured plans)
  • Group employee benefits (health, disability, life, dental, voluntary plans)
  • Key person & buy-sell planning
  • Personal vs. business cash flow coordination
  • Exit and succession planning
  • Business overhead expense coverage
  • Executive retention (Section 162 bonus, SERPs, split-dollar)
  • Business valuation

What sets this approach apart

One advisor, full picture

You work with me directly, backed by a team of CFP® professionals and advanced planning specialists. I know your whole situation, not just the account I manage.

Clarity over complexity

I help you understand what you have, what it's doing, and why, so you can make decisions with confidence, not anxiety.

Plans that adapt

Life changes. A plan built for your life three years ago may not fit today. I keep things updated, connected, and forward-looking.

Get to know me ...

Vlad Shafir, RICP®

Vlad Shafir, RICP®

Financial Advisor

I didn't grow up wanting to be a financial advisor. I grew up watching my parents navigate financial decisions without a roadmap. That experience taught me something important: most people don't need someone to sell them products. They need someone to help them think through decisions clearly, without the pressure or jargon. That's what I do. I work with professionals and business owners who are earning well but want to make sure they're making smart, intentional choices with their money. I don't require asset minimums because good planning shouldn't be reserved for people who've already figured everything out. When I'm not working with clients, you'll find me creating educational content on YouTube or spending time with my family.

Registered Representative and Financial Advisor of Park Avenue Securities LLC (PAS). Financial Representative of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® (Guardian). CA Insurance License Number - 4112620.

... and my team

Amy Salo, CFP®, CAP®, CExP™

Managing Partner, General Agent, Registered Principal

Amy Salo is a Managing Partner with Forest Hills Financial Group (FHFG), passionate about guiding clients, developing advisors, and helping the next generation thrive. She serves on the Finseca board and multiple industry committees, holds the CFP®, CAP®, and CExP™ designations, and has built a successful career with Guardian since 2008. Now partnered with FHFG, Amy leads as an educator and mentor, building strategic alliances that elevate people both personally and professionally.

Registered Principal and Financial Advisor of Park Avenue Securities LLC (PAS). General Agent of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® (Guardian).

Bryan T. Davis, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, and IRS Enrolled Agent

Director of Advanced Planning

Bryan Davis is the Director of Advanced Planning at Forest Hills Financial Group (FHFG), where he provides collaborative case support and education to help associates deliver exceptional client outcomes. A Drexel University graduate with a background in pension actuarial work, Bryan quickly earned his ChFC® and CFP® designations and continued expanding his expertise through additional credentials. After a decade of case consultation and technical research in Guardian's Business Resource Center, Bryan now focuses on helping FHFG advisors create superior planning experiences and position clients to live their best lives.

Financial Representative of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® (Guardian).

Hector M. Rivera, CFP®, CLU®

Director of Investments and Financial Advisor

Hector Rivera is the Director of Investments and a Financial Advisor at Forest Hills Financial Group (FHFG), serving clients from both the NYC and Melville offices and helping them plan for the goals that matter most. With over a decade of wealth management experience, Hector simplifies the planning process for clients while training advisors on investment strategies and guiding them through changing market conditions. He collaborates closely with the firm's advisors to analyze portfolios, address inefficiencies, and bring people and resources together, strengthening relationships and supporting meaningful financial outcomes.

Registered Representative and Financial Advisor of Park Avenue Securities LLC (PAS). Financial Representative of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® (Guardian).

Questions people ask before we meet

Straight answers, so you know what working together looks like before you book a call.

Do you require a minimum amount of assets?

No. I don't require asset minimums because good planning shouldn't be reserved for people who've already figured everything out.

Will I be pressured to buy something?

No. My role isn't to chase "optimal" strategies or sell prefabricated solutions. It's to help bring clarity, coordination, and flexibility to your financial decisions, and the decisions stay yours.

What happens in our first meeting?

We start with a conversation about what matters most to you. From there, we bring your accounts, policies, benefits, and business interests together in one place so your full financial picture begins to take shape.

Will you replace my CPA or attorney?

No. I work alongside them so everyone is working from the same plan. Tax and legal advice stays with your CPA and attorney; my job is to make sure the pieces fit together.

Who do you typically work with?

High-income professionals, such as physicians, attorneys, and executives, and business owners who want their personal and business finances working together.

Let's Talk

Ready to bring your financial picture into focus?

Schedule a no-pressure strategy session to see if we're a good fit.

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