We Are Hiring!
We are hiring for our Client Service Manager position. Kendyl is taking on more responsibilities within the company, and we are excited to be adding another member to our team. If you know someone looking for a job with strong attention to detail who would enjoy being part of our close-knit team, please encourage them to apply! The job description is here.
Reminder to Send Us Your Tax Documents
The tax filing deadline is less than one month away. If you haven’t provided us with your tax documents, please send them to us as soon as possible.
Networking & Continuing Education
Columbus Young Professionals
Chandler attended several Columbus Young Professional (CYP) events this past month. Most recently, their Coffee with a Cause event focused on Diversity, Inclusion, & Equality, moderated by Mikaela Hunt. The panelists brought awareness to many issues facing the LGBTQ+ community and encouraged us all to continue advocating for equal access to healthcare, housing, and employment. For attendees looking for actionable ways to make a difference, the panelists suggested reaching out to their own employers to add inclusive anti-discrimination language to their employee handbooks. NorthAvenue stands firmly on principles of acceptance and respect for all people, and we’re proud that our employee handbook now makes that even clearer. Following the presentation, NorthAvenue joined Ohio Business Competes, a nonpartisan coalition of businesses committed to achieving nondiscrimination policies at the state level in order to attract the best talent, increase Business-to-Business & Business-to-Consumer relationships, and to grow Ohio’s economy.
NAPFA
Chandler and Martina attended the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) Midwest Region Symposium, Wednesday, 3/6/19, held here in Columbus. Various financial planning topics were presented including updates on the CFP® Board’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct, tax planning strategies surrounding the Tax Cut & Jobs Act, and the latest tactics on cybercrime prevention for both your business and personal life. More below on how to protect your children's identities from being stolen!
FPA
Kristen, Chandler, Martina and T.J. attended the monthly meeting of the FPA of Central Ohio. There they heard a presentation from Amber Gilsdorf, a college planning consultant with Estrela Consulting. Gilsdorf shared strategies for finding a college or university that meets each student’s educational goals while being within their parents’ budget. For example, Gilsdorf said that private schools should not be written off as too expensive, as many give a significant amount of money to students based on both merit and need, as defined by each school. She also shared that becoming a resident advisor (RA) might be the best-kept secret for keeping college costs down, as RAs get free room and board on campus.
Cybersecurity Tips: How to Keep Your Children’s Identities Protected
Did you know that the people most susceptible to having their identities stolen are children? This is because no one is typically monitoring their credit activity. The cybersecurity expert at the NAPFA Midwest Region Symposium suggested a few tips for keeping your children’s identities safe.
Check their credit with all credit bureaus. You should receive NOTHING back. Reports shouldn’t even show that they have good credit. If their credit score is good, it means there is a line of credit open. The presenter suggested freezing your child’s credit until they are old enough to use it themselves.
Keep a look-out for warning signs like credit card offers, debt collection calls, or IRS notices in your child’s name. This could mean that someone is operating under their identity.
Be more discerning of where you share your child’s SSN. The presenter gave the example that when he went to enroll his kids in an extra-curricular activity, the organizers asked him to fill out participation forms which requested SSNs. When he inquired further about their need for SSNs, he was told that they didn’t actually need the SSNs and were just using a form that they found online to gather contact information.
Big Brothers Big Sisters 2019 Bowl for Kids' Sake
On Saturday, March 2nd, the NorthAvenue team and their families donned their bowling shoes at the Columbus Square Bowling Palace for the 2019 Bowl for Kids' Sake event benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio's mission is to "provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one mentoring relationships that change their lives for the better, forever." NorthAvenue LLC proudly sponsored this event alongside Jerseys of Hope, a local "non-profit organization committed to inspiring a sense of community and well-being in hospitals, through the donation of new and gently used athletic jerseys to be worn by patients rooting for their favorite team."
*More photos on our Facebook page in the 2019 Bowl for Kids' Sake Photo Album.
March is National Women's History Month
Our office is celebrating National Women’s History Month by recognizing the women, current and throughout history, who have inspired us.
Kristen - Ruth Bader Ginsburg Chandler - Rosalind Franklin & Beyoncé Kendyl - J.K. Rowling & Lady Gaga T.J. - Sonia Delaunay Martina - Master Cheng Yen Bobbie - Eleanor of Aquitaine, Duchess of Aquitaine in her own right, plus Consort of Henry II and Mother of Richard the Lionheart
St. Patrick's Day
We celebrated everyone's Irish heritage (because everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day) by bringing in an array of green foods, listening to Celtic music, and wearing green. We hope you tested your luck a little and got to enjoy your own festivities!