About Annie

^{ABOUT ANNIE CHEN · ARISPRING FINANCIAL}
An advisor who
actually gets to
know you.

Annie Chen has spent more than 15 years building something most financial advisors talk about but few deliver: genuine, long-term relationships with clients who trust her with the most important financial decisions of their lives.

She founded Arispring Financial on a simple but powerful belief — that the best financial advice starts with truly understanding the person across the table. Your goals, your family, your business, your fears, your values. Not a risk questionnaire. You.

Outside of work, Annie is an avid reader and traveler who enjoys exploring different cultures through great food and meaningful experiences. She is fluent in English and Mandarin Chinese and also speaks Fuzhounese, allowing her to connect naturally with clients across cultures and generations.

"I pride myself on truly getting to know each client — because your goals, not a template, should drive every recommendation I make."

Schedule a Meeting With Annie

^{ANNIE'S APPROACH}
The beliefs behind every recommendation.

Annie's approach to financial planning is shaped by more than credentials and technical expertise. It is shaped by her deep conviction that great financial advice is, first and foremost, a deeply human endeavor.

Goals before products — always.

Annie never starts with a product or a portfolio. She starts by understanding what you are trying to accomplish — and then works backward to find the strategies and tools that genuinely serve those goals.

Complexity deserves real expertise.

Business owners and high-net-worth clients face challenges that require specialized training. Annie has invested years earning credentials — particularly the CEPA® designation — specifically to serve the clients whose situations are most complex.

Partnership, not transactions.

Annie measures her success by the long-term outcomes of her clients — not by the products sold in a single meeting. Most of her client relationships span years or decades, evolving as life changes.

Empowerment through education.

Annie believes that an informed client makes better decisions. She takes the time to explain not just what she recommends, but why — so clients feel genuinely confident, not just compliant.

A lifelong resource, not a one-time advisor.

Life changes — and so do financial priorities. Annie's goal is to be the trusted advisor her clients call first when something significant happens, and who proactively prepares them for what's coming next.

"My goal is to empower every client to build financial freedom and live the life they've envisioned. I aim to be a lifelong resource — guiding you confidently through every stage of your journey."

— Annie Chen, CEPA^® · Founder, Arispring Financial

Genuine Care

Every client relationship is built on authentic interest in that person's wellbeing — not just their portfolio.

Excellence

Six professional designations earned and maintained — not as credentials, but as a commitment to mastery.

Integrity

Transparent about fees, honest about limitations, and clear about conflicts of interest — always.

Community

Deeply committed to the communities she serves — both professionally and personally.

^{Professional Designations}
Six credentials. One commitment to mastery.

Each of Annie's professional designations represents a significant investment of time and study — earned not for marketing purposes, but to deepen the quality of advice she provides to clients whose situations demand genuine expertise.

^CEPA®
^{Certified Exit Planning Advisor}
Exit Planning Institute

The premier designation for advisors working with business owners on value building, exit strategy, and ownership transition. Held by fewer than 5,000 advisors worldwide — covering business valuation, tax-efficient exit structures, succession planning, and post-exit wealth management.

Why it matters: Most advisors are not trained to address the unique complexity of a business owner's financial life. This designation is specifically designed for those who are.

^LUTCF®
^{Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow}
NAIFA / The American College

One of the foundational designations in financial services, covering life insurance, risk management, business planning, and financial analysis. The LUTCF® represents comprehensive training in the protection strategies that form the foundation of any serious financial plan.

Why it matters: Risk management is not an afterthought — it is the structure upon which all other planning rests. This credential ensures Annie's protection advice is grounded in deep technical knowledge.

^FSCP®
^{Financial Services Certified Professional}
The American College of Financial Services

A comprehensive professional designation covering financial planning principles, insurance, investments, tax strategies, and client advisory skills. The FSCP® demonstrates broad knowledge across the full landscape of financial services.

Why it matters: Financial planning is multidisciplinary. Breadth of knowledge across all planning areas enables Annie to see — and address — the connections between every dimension of a client's financial life.

^RICP®
^{Retirement Income Certified Professional}
The American College of Financial Services

Advanced training in retirement income planning — covering Social Security optimization, withdrawal sequencing, tax-efficient distribution strategies, long-term care planning, and the management of longevity, inflation, and market risk in retirement.

Why it matters: Accumulating wealth for retirement and distributing it wisely are two very different skills. The RICP® ensures Annie's retirement income advice is based on the most current research and strategies in the field.

^BFA™
^{Behavioral Financial Advisor}
Think2Perform · Morningstar

Training in the psychology of financial decision-making — understanding how cognitive biases, emotions, and life experiences influence the financial choices clients make. The BFA™ equips Annie to help clients navigate their own behavioral tendencies and make better long-term decisions.

Why it matters: The best financial plan in the world fails if the client cannot stay committed to it. Understanding the human side of money is what separates great advisors from technically proficient ones.

^WMCP®
^{Wealth Management Certified Professional}
The College for Financial Planning

Advanced training in comprehensive wealth management — covering investment planning, portfolio management, tax-efficient wealth strategies, estate planning integration, and the holistic management of complex, multi-asset client portfolios. The WMCP® is designed for advisors who serve clients with significant and multifaceted wealth management needs.

Why it matters: High-net-worth clients require more than investment selection — they need a coordinated wealth strategy across every asset class, tax situation, and planning dimension. The WMCP® equips Annie to address that full complexity with depth and precision.

^{The Team Behind Annie}
The reach of an institution. The care of a boutique.

Through Arispring Financial's partnership with Barnum Financial Group, Annie's clients have access to a team of Vice Presidents and subject-matter specialists across every major discipline of financial planning and wealth management.

This means that when your situation calls for expertise in advanced estate planning, portfolio management, worksite benefits, or retirement income solutions, Annie can bring the right specialist into the conversation — without you having to find and vet another advisor.

Barnum Financial Group

A national financial services firm serving over 280,000 clients, with offices across the United States. One of the largest companies of its kind in the country.

7 VP-Level Specialists Available to You

Covering investments, risk management, advanced markets, retirement planning, financial planning, worksite benefits, and more — each a recognized expert in their field.

Coordinated, Not Compartmentalized

Annie coordinates the specialists around your needs — you get integrated advice, not disconnected recommendations from multiple sources you have to manage yourself.

Beverly Wright

Vice President, Worksite Products

Brian Parmelee, CFP^®

Vice President, Risk Management

Greg Wachter

Vice President, Risk Management

Jeremy Hus, MSFS, CFP^®, ChFC^®, CASL^®, CLU^®

Vice President, Financial Planning

John Foreman, MBA, CIMA^®

Vice President, Investments

Kate Cassidy

Vice President, Advanced Markets

Niko Vamvakas

Vice President, Retirement Planning Solutions

_{Specialists listed are employees of Barnum Financial Group and are made available to Arispring Financial clients through our strategic partnership.}

^{Community & Service}
Beyond the balance sheet.

Annie's commitment to the people she serves extends beyond her client relationships. She is an active participant in the communities that matter to her — both professionally and personally.

The Chinese-American Community

Annie has deep roots in the Chinese-American community in New Jersey and the greater New York area. She is committed to serving clients who come from this community — bringing both professional expertise and genuine cultural understanding to every conversation. Many of her most meaningful client relationships have been built within this community over more than a decade.

The Business Owner Community

Annie is a regular participant in business owner networks, entrepreneur forums, and small business organizations across New Jersey. She believes that business owners deserve advisors who are present in their world — not just at annual review meetings. Her involvement in these communities keeps her deeply connected to the real challenges her business owner clients face every day.

Professional Development & Education

Annie is a lifelong learner — a belief that is reflected in her six professional designations and her commitment to ongoing continuing education. She regularly attends industry conferences, advanced planning seminars, and professional development programs to stay current with the strategies, tools, and regulatory changes that affect her clients. She also volunteers time to financial literacy education in her community, believing that access to sound financial knowledge should not be limited to those who can already afford professional advice.

^{Beyond the Office}
The person behind
the advisor.

Annie believes that the best financial advisors are not just technically excellent — they are people their clients genuinely enjoy spending time with. Understanding who your advisor is as a person matters. Here is a little of who Annie is outside of work.

Annie lives in New Jersey with her family. She is deeply proud of her roots and sees her work as an extension of the values she was raised with: hard work, integrity, commitment to family, and a deep respect for what people have built through years of effort and sacrifice.

When she is not meeting with clients or studying the latest developments in exit planning and tax strategy, Annie enjoys spending time with her family, exploring the cultural richness of the New York metropolitan area, and staying connected to the communities that have shaped who she is.

Outside of work, Annie is an avid reader and traveler who enjoys exploring different cultures through great food and meaningful experiences. She is fluent in English and Mandarin Chinese and also speaks Fuzhounese, allowing her to connect naturally with clients across cultures and generations.

"The name Arispring carries something personal — Ari from my own name, rise from the journey I help clients take, and spring from the hope that comes with a plan built for the life you actually want."

Family First

Family is the foundation of everything Annie does — personally and professionally.

Lifelong Learning

Six designations and counting — because great advice requires ongoing investment in knowledge.

Cultural Roots

Deep connection to the Chinese-American community — both personally and professionally.

Community Service

Committed to financial literacy and community engagement beyond client relationships.

^{Contact Arispring Financial}
Ready to work with an advisor
who truly gets to know you?

No pressure, no pitch. Just a genuine conversation about where you are and where you want to go.

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