Investment Class Delivers Soup to Nuts

    SAN RAFAEL, CA, April 16, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- What does food have to do with investing? More than you might think.

Take a look at our informational video on YouTube titled Financial Planning: Lessons From the Kitchen - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8b4K8HOXWKU

Course creator, Marin-based financial planner Jeff Stoffer, says, "I encourage people to think about their investments as a very special meal they are preparing for their best friends (themselves) for which they select the finest ingredients with an eye not only to what is it they want, but also with regard to what is good for (financial) health. Just as a menu at a great restaurant includes diverse flavors and ingredients, so, too, will a good investment portfolio."

A former chef at Chez Panisse, in Berkeley, CA, Mr. Stoffer came up with the idea of the "four-course investment menu" as a tool to help people understand their investments. It is helpful to think of asset allocation in terms of the menu metaphor. The four "courses" are Cash, Bonds, Stocks and Real Estate/Other. Mr. Stoffer goes on to say: "When someone hands you a menu, you know intuitively what to do. You make choices based upon your preferences and what your body needs. It is a bit more complex with investing, but investing, like planning a menu, also begins with your preferences, needs and values."

Mr. Stoffer left the professional kitchen over 15 years ago. He now helps individuals and families with their investments and retirement planning. Mr. Stoffer brings together the enthusiasm and expertise of his two passions - cooking and investment strategy - in this unique class, Cooking Up A Healthier Financial Future. Of the class he says, "People can relate to food. It helps them to warm up to a subject that can seem intimidating."

Cooking Up A Healthier Financial Future, an introductory course on investing, is offered quarterly through Tamalpais Adult and Community Education. The next class is on April 29th.

Stoffer Wealth Advisors is a financial planning and investment advisory firm serving individuals and families in Marin County. Visit our website at www.stofferwealthadvisors.com.

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