JBA Video Library
John Berzellini, CFP®, CLU, CPA
John's background in taxation (which includes an eight year tenure as IRS agent), brings unique perspective on financial planning not easily found in the marketplace today. As a highly competent financial advisor, he provides personalized consultations that help clients build and preserve wealth. Clients benefit from his broad knowledge of tax and accounting and his extensive experience in advising individuals, company executives and business owners on financial and retirement issues.
As principal of JBA Financial Advisors (JBA); John provides clients with an objective and comprehensive approach to financial planning. In his capacity as principal, John also provides supervisory services to individuals and businesses offering financial planning services through the JBA Advisory Platform.
John Berzellini started his professional career as an Assistant Director of Economic Research at the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Baltimore. He began to specialize professional growth in the areas of accounting and taxation gaining firsthand knowledge of tax laws and how they are enforced by working as an auditor for the Comptroller’s of Maryland and as a IRS agent.
John began with the IRS in a split-group of Income Tax Agents and Gift and Estate Attorneys, progressed to an assignment in Technical Review Staff, and then to responsibility for coordination of audit activities of Review Agents in income tax examinations of small- to midsized businesses. While there, he taught review agent training, as well as accounting at Essex Community College.
In 1993, John began to re-focus his extensive background in tax and accounting on advising individuals, company executives and business owners on financial and retirement planning issues. He is experienced in agent sales with Minnesota Mutual Life Insurance and Securities, AXA Advisors, LLC, and the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the U.S., and was an Advanced Underwriter with Summit Financial Group, Inc.
In July 2003, John became a registered representative of Jefferson Pilot Securities Corporation (JSPC) and in July 2004, he became an Investment Advisor Representative of the firm. JPSC was acquired by Lincoln Financial on July 1, 2008. John continued on with Lincoln as an Investment Advisor Representative until completing his transition to an independent investment advisor.
In July, 2007, JB Advisory Services was established to provide for-fee financial consulting services. At that time, money management services were offered through Lincoln Financial Securities Corporation. John completed his transition to an Independent Investment Advisor in July, 2010. At that time, the firm's name was changed to JBA Financial Advisors and clients' account custody arrangements were established with SSG Institutional, clearing through Pershing, LLC, a subsidiary of the Bank of New York Mellon.
In June, 2012, John was appointed as a general agent of Ohio National Life Insurance Company and merged his life insurance practice with JBA Financial Advisors.
Licenses
- Registered Investment Advisor
- Financial Industry Regulatory Agency (FINRA) Financial Industry Regulatory Agency (FINRA) Successfully completed the FINRA sponsored Series 7, Series 6, Series 63, Series 65 examinations.
- Maryland Health and Life Insurance License
- Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
Certifications
- Certified Financial Planner, (CFP®)
- Certified Life Underwriter, (CLU)
Education
Bachelors: Towson University, Maryland
Major areas of study: Economics, Business Administration
Professional Affiliations
- Member, Financial Planning Association
- Member, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
JBA Advisory Platform.
"Big business security with small business service."
Shareholders Service Group (SSG):
Shareholders Service Group (SSG) provides brokerage and custodial services exclusively for independent registered investment advisors (RIAs). SSG uses the custody and clearing services Pershing LLC, and provides JBA with a full range range of brokerage, and back office service support with a robust technology platform and access to a full suite of investment vehicles.
SSG's management team has a proven record of building and managing brokerage and custodial platforms. The team includes executives who were in charge of custodial platforms at Jack White & Company, TD Waterhouse and the former vice president of Advisors Technology Solutions at Charles Schwab and Company.
Pershing LLC. a subsidiary of The Bank of New York Mellon:
Client accounts held at Pershing/BNY are protected up to $1 billion for securities and $1.9 cash awaiting investment. This is the highest asset protection in the industry, for more information click here. JBA has direct access to Pershing's Bond Inventory and the firm's fixed income trading expertise. Pershing and AAM (see below) assist in the custom construction of income portfolios for JBA Clients. Clients have secure access to their accounts 24/7 via Pershing’s NETXInvestor web site. To take a tour of Pershing's Brokerage Accounts, click here.
MoneyGuidePro:
JBA maintains a licensing agreement with PIEtech, for the use of their award winning financial planning software, MoneyGuidePro (MGP). We utilize MGP, to help clients define their financial goals, track progress to those goals, stress test their portfolios, and bring to light issues concerning estate taxes, long term care needs, and life and disability insurance needs.
MGP's sophisticated software produces understandable written and interactive web based financial plans and statements. Monte Carlo Theory Simulations are used to stress test clients' portfolios. To see how return variability impacts your investment account click here to play MGP's Monte Carlo Card Game.
Clients can securely obtain a view of their net worth, asset allocation, and financial plan. MGP uses account aggregation services to provide our clients with a comprehensive portfolio view of assets and liabilities held within their financial accounts. This utility creates a living financial plan and puts an up to date financial picture at our client’s finger tips 24/7.
JBA's principal, John Berzellini, working with other investment advisors and brokers provide clients with investment and cash management service. John primarily works with Blackrock, State Street Global Advisors, Vanguard and AAM to provide investment services. JBA offers strategic asset allocation ETF portfolios and custom designed income portfolios. Cash management services are provided thru SSG and Pershing/BNY Mellon Brokerage Operations.
Morningstar Investment Services:
Morningstar Investment Services Inc. (MIS) is an investment advisor affiliated with of one of the industry's largest mutual fund research firms, Morningstar. The research firm is famous for its Five Star Mutual Fund Rating System.
At the retail level, JBA offers clients MIS's Managed Account Portfolios and ETF Portfolios. Charles Schwab provides custodial services for these portfolios. (For more information click here)
At the institutional level, JBA partners with MIS to deliver an advisory-driven, open architecture, 401(k) plan. JBA provides plan servicing and participant education. Morningstar, acting as the plan's co-fiduciary, provides investment management services. To see what we do for businesses, click here.
Matson Money/Dimensional Fund Advisors:
John Berzellini was first introduced to Mark Matson in 2004 by Lincoln Financial Securities Corporation. Since that time, John, and now JBA offers clients access to Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA) thru the investment advisor, Matson Money. Charles Schwab provides custodial services for these portfolios.
Matson Money's portfolios are supported by a proprietary investor education program. JBA is a licensed presenter of the program, which strives to create investor "peace of mind" by explaining how markets work. For information on Dimensional Fund Advisors, click here.
Advisor Asset Management:
Advisor Asset Management (AAM) assists in designing JBA Custom Income Portfolios. John Berzellini was introduced to AAM's fixed income capabilities by Lincoln Financial Securities Corporation and has continued that relationship with his firm.
AAM, formerly Fixed Income Securities, has been deeply rooted in the fixed income markets for almost 30 years. The firm provides JBA with unlimited access to bond markets, proprietary unit investment trusts, as well as efficient trading support. Custodial services for JBA's Income portfolios are provided by Pershing LLC(see above).
Ohio National Financial Services:
John Berzellini is a general agent of Ohio National Life Insurance Company. Ohio National is a prestigious insurance company domiciled in Cincinnati offering whole life insurance and other traditional fixed insurance products. JBA makes use of Ohio Nationals fixed line of insurance products.
In addition to his general agency relationship with Ohio National, John maintains direct relationships with other prestigious life insurance companies and insurance brokers.
JBA makes use of John’s access to insurance industry experts in individual and business planning engagements. Insurance company expertise is particularly useful in the area of estate and business planning.
We believe insurances products such as life insurance, disability insurance, long term care insurance and annuities are an integral part of our comprehensive financial planning platform.
Santa Fe Trust Company:
JBA works with Santa Fe Trust (SFT), an independent trust company, to provide clients corporate trust administrative services. With Santa Fe Trust, clients have the right to hire or fire investment advisors now and in the future. The client, their children, their children's children and their children's children's children will not be locked into an unsatisfactory bank trust program.
Santa Fe Trust Company is listed on Pershing Advisors Solutions Trust Network.
Donor Advised Funds:
JBA works with the American Endowment Foundation (AEF), an independent sponsor of Donor Advised Funds. AEF enables clients to design and conduct their charitable activities effectively and efficiently as possible.
Many donor advised fund programs are simply charitable arms of for-profit financial institutions. We fully agree with the AEF assertion that true independence improves reliability and enhances the flexibility of a Donor Advised Fund Program. Be sure to view their video.
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Disclosures.
This site has been designed for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security which may be referenced on the site. Such offers can only be made where permitted under the applicable law.
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