Marshall W. Gifford

I grew up in a small town in North East Iowa. My parents were both successful business owners. My father ran an insurance agency and my mother ran an antique and gift shop. It wasn't until 1989, during my senior year of high school, that I learned how quickly life can change. In February 1989, I was diagnosed with Lupus Nephritis, a disease of the autoimmune system. In the middle of basketball season and recruiting trips, my season ended. At 6' 4", my weight dropped to 126 pounds. The next seven months I spent in and out of hospitals. I was very fortunate to fully recover physically in late 1989 and have been healthy since then. The experience, however, will never be forgotten. It serves as a reminder to make sure I take care of those closest to me and live every day because you never know when life will deviate from your plan. The best you can do is to be prepared.

My mission is to reach people who are too busy excelling at other areas of life to take time to understand the complex financial issues that face them.

I know that when communicated in a relatable manner using simple terms, analogies, and stories, the complex can be made understandable and relevant.  Without convenient access to this information, many people put off making key financial decisions and the unintended results can be devastating for them, their families, and businesses.

The information age has also intensified the dissemination of financial advice. It is interesting to consider that twenty-five years ago financial news may have made top headlines two or three times throughout the year when the stock market would do particularly poorly or well, or if there was some other major economic news. Today, however, we have news programs and websites dedicated to nothing else 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Every day our media sources need to come up with something to keep you watching or reading, however, there is a big difference between wisdom and information. It is my mission to help people acquire the wisdom to make sense of all the information.

I am confident the resources of my practice will help you attain your financial goals and enjoy having a sense of financial security along the way.

^{Marshall is a registered representative and investment advisor representative of  Cetera Advisor Networks LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC}