YORKTON - A local business owner has received a national award for helping people with their finances.
Kristen Zubko, a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Yorkton, was named one of 38 Rising Stars under 35 in the wealth management industry by Wealth Professional Magazine.
"It's an honour. I think it really speaks that in Yorkton, we have the service level that competes across Canada. Our clients and our business are essentially as successful as those that are in bigger centres. I think that is something to be proud of coming from Yorkton," Zubko said. "It's exciting to be mentioned in a national award, particularly being from Yorkton born and raised, and opening my business here really speaks to the level of service that we are able to provide to our clients and that we are top tier in regards to that level of service and the success our business has had."
The magazine, which is a national finance magazine, said via their website that young professionals working in the Canadian wealth management industry were forced to navigate choppy waters at an early juncture in their careers.
"The COVID-19 pandemic sparked a market crash in March 2020, workforces went remote, and investors were left biting their nails and questioning their portfolio decisions. However, the tumult allowed skilled advisors of all ages to rise to the occasion. For up-and-coming wealth professionals, it was a chance to prove they had the ability to thrive. Whether it was rebalancing portfolios, taking advantage of market dislocations, designing new products or talking panicked clients through their financial plan, young professionals across the country excelled. To uncover the bright young stars who shone during a particularly testing year."
Zubko explains what she does to help residents in and around Yorkton.
"I help people that are either retired or nearing retirement build a plan, so they know if their money is going to last in retirement," she said.
"Most people have a variety of investments in various accounts across different institutions, so I sit down with them and put their information all together and present one big financial picture for them."
"I notice that just sitting down with somebody and having a look at their finances can really change things in the long run; little changes that you do today can make big differences down the road," she noted.
As one of the countries' Rising Stars, Zubko gave people some advice.
"Sitting down with someone that you actually trust is going to be really good to make sure that they understand what your goals are and what is important to you, and that can help you build a plan based on that," she explained. "A common theme that I see with folks is not understanding the full capabilities of a tax-free saving account; people tend to invest more quickly into an RRSP, and based on what their goals are, it might be appropriate to use a tax-free savings account. People need to make sure that they have their planning in order and have a will. Regardless of whether you are old or young, you need to have a will in place and need to have proper beneficiaries that are reviewed after life events, and learning about the many investment options available to you."
Zubko added that she is grateful to everyone who had helped her from when she was door-knocking to now receiving the award.
