Authors of Financial Books for Women

Ellen S. Rogin, CPA, CFP

Ellen S. Rogin, a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Financial Planner, is Founder and President of Strategic Financial Designs, Inc., a North field, Illinois-based registered investment adviser and an independent financial advisory firm established in 1990. She is also President of Rogin, Fox and Theodore, Inc., an advisory firm providing financial and tax planning strategies for individuals going through the process of divorce.

Rogin is affiliated with the EDSA Group, a national network of financial advisers providing financial education programs to corporations and associations. She is a Registered Principal with FSC Securities Corporation, which is a registered broker-dealer and a member of NASD and SIPC.

A former public accountant, Rogin’s interest in helping people take charge of their financial futures led her to the more proactive arena of financial planning. An important segment of her clientele comprises single or newly-single individuals who regard her as a valued partner in their future decision-making processes.

In her more than 15 years in the financial profession, Rogin has established a reputation as a nationally known expert in the field of personal financial planning, and as a sought-after speaker and columnist. A seasoned financial adviser as well as a lively author and presenter, she is driven by a mission to educate her readers and audiences on wise financial practices and the options available to them in achieving their financial goals.

Rogin’s monthly column on money management issues for women, carried by The Pioneer Press, appears in all 48 of its suburban Chicago newspapers, and her writings have also been published in the Chicago Tribune. Often called upon to offer expert financial advice, she has been quoted in a wide range of national and local publications including Money magazine, Business Week, Working Woman, Chicago Lawyer, Ladies Home Journal, Working Mother, Winning Strategies, and Mademoiselle.

Rogin is a frequent speaker before corporate and organizational audiences — from CF Industries and the Women’s Bar Association to the Chicago Finance Exchange, the National Association of Women Business Owners, Women in Finance and the Network of Women Entrepreneurs — on issues of maximizing personal wealth. In addition, she was recently featured in a broadcast television news segment on Women and Divorce airing on Chicago’s ABC affiliate.

Rogin’s professional and community involvement reflects her desire to educate people and show them the tools for self-reliance. She served as Technical Editor for Cliff Notes for the First Time Investor, and participated in a Calvert Mutual Funds advisory board charged with developing an educational program on women and money. She served as program chair for the Chicago Area Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners, and is a past president of the Network of Women Entrepreneurs. A former board member of the Chicago North Shore Chapter of the International Association for Financial Planning, she currently serves on the board of The Lilac Tree, a nonprofit organization serving women who are in the process of divorce.

Before becoming a financial planner and an entrepreneur, Rogin was part of the Entrepreneurial Services Group at Arthur Young & Company (now Ernst & Young), and later was a Vice President with TIS Financial Services. She is a Phi Beta Kappa Graduate of New comb College at Tulane University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, and holds an MBA in Accounting from New York University.

Ellen Rogin can be reached at 1-800-567-8421
Also visit Ellen Rogin’s website at www.sfd-inc.com

1. What led you to write this book?

   N/A

2. What do you feel to be the biggest challenge facing women today when handling their finances?

   For some women it is the time and for others it is the confidence. Women are great money managers, but some don’t know this about themselves! Many of us were not brought up with money issues discussed in our homes, didn’t learn about finances in school and were thrust into adulthood with no real money management skills. Once women take the time to learn more about money and how it works in their lives, most are quite able to handle their money.

3. How has the atmosphere changed for women investors in the last 10 years?

   In the past 10 years the investment community has started to take women seriously. Women control a great deal of money in this country and are beginning to get the respect they deserve when it comes to managing their own money. Money management is no longer just for “the boys.” Women have a lot more avenues to obtain information about investing and managing money and many of them are taking advantage of these resources.

4. How will the atmosphere change for women investors in the next 10 years?

   I hope that within the next ten years there will be no distinction between men and women investors. Women’s goals may likely be different, as they have longer life expediencies than men; however, their level of experience and confidence will likely be more evenly matched.

5. Where did you start your career and how did it lead you to where you are today?

   I started my career in public accounting. As an auditor at a large public accounting firm, I spent my time analyzing the past for my clients. After a while I realized I wanted a more proactive relationship, assisting people in planning for their futures. (Please see my attached bio for additional information.)

6. How much money do you need to start investing?

   An investor can start with as little as $25 per month. What is most important it to begin the process.

7. How should a woman get started investing with no investment experience?

   The first step is to determine what her goals are for the investment. For example is this investment intended for a short or intermediate term goal such as buying a home? Or, is the investment earmarked for a long-term goal such as retirement?. The next step is to educate herself on investment options that will match her goal.

8. If a woman has debt, at what point should she become an investor?

   This depends upon what type of debt she has. If her debt is consumer (credit card) debt, and she is paying a high interest rate, in general it would be good advice to pay off this debt before beginning an investment program. An exception to this would be contributing to a retirement plan at work, such as a 401k plan. Her contributions would be tax deductible and there could even be a match of her contributions by the employer. This is likely an opportunity she would not want to miss.

9. Have you published any other books before this one? If so, what are they?

   N/A

10. What are your future book writing plans?

Ellen S. Rogin’s website address is www.SFD-Inc.com.