Catherine J. Calandra, CDFA®
Vice President, Wealth Management,
Financial Advisor,
Certified Divorce Financial Analyst
Direct:
(203) 894-3021(203) 894-3021
My Mission Statement
With Catherine's guidance, clients can confidently navigate life's transitions, ensuring a secure financial future while making informed decisions along the way.
My Story and Services
Catherine focuses on helping individuals and families navigate significant financial transitions, including retirement, career-driven wealth events, inheritance, widowhood, and divorce. She works with clients to bring clarity to complex financial decisions and develop integrated investment and planning strategies designed to support their long-term financial security.
Her approach combines comprehensive financial planning with portfolio management, tax-aware investment strategies, retirement income planning, estate planning strategies, and risk management. Catherine works closely with clients and their other professional advisors to help coordinate the many financial decisions that often accompany periods of significant change.
As a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst®, Catherine has developed particular experience in the financial complexities of divorce. She works with individuals before, during and after divorce to evaluate settlement alternatives, understand their short- and long-term implications, and develop a financial strategy for the next stage of their lives.
Catherine’s perspective is also shaped by her experience outside of wealth management. After graduating from Fordham University in 1991, she began her career in the insurance industry and later founded and operated an independent investigation and claims firm in Westchester County. That experience as a business owner gives her an appreciation for the financial decisions facing executives, professionals and entrepreneurs whose personal wealth may be closely connected to their careers or businesses.
Catherine joined Morgan Stanley in 2011 and today advises clients on investment management, retirement planning, estate planning strategies, education planning, and other complex wealth-management needs. Her goal is to help clients understand not simply what they own, but how the different pieces of their financial lives work together—and to make informed decisions with greater confidence.
Outside of the office, Catherine is classically trained in piano and enjoys traveling, golf, pickleball, live music, and cooking, as well as spending time with her husband, children and two golden retrievers, Bailey and Zuzu.
Disclaimer:
The use of the CDFA designation does not permit the rendering of legal advice by Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors which may only be done by a licensed attorney.
Her approach combines comprehensive financial planning with portfolio management, tax-aware investment strategies, retirement income planning, estate planning strategies, and risk management. Catherine works closely with clients and their other professional advisors to help coordinate the many financial decisions that often accompany periods of significant change.
As a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst®, Catherine has developed particular experience in the financial complexities of divorce. She works with individuals before, during and after divorce to evaluate settlement alternatives, understand their short- and long-term implications, and develop a financial strategy for the next stage of their lives.
Catherine’s perspective is also shaped by her experience outside of wealth management. After graduating from Fordham University in 1991, she began her career in the insurance industry and later founded and operated an independent investigation and claims firm in Westchester County. That experience as a business owner gives her an appreciation for the financial decisions facing executives, professionals and entrepreneurs whose personal wealth may be closely connected to their careers or businesses.
Catherine joined Morgan Stanley in 2011 and today advises clients on investment management, retirement planning, estate planning strategies, education planning, and other complex wealth-management needs. Her goal is to help clients understand not simply what they own, but how the different pieces of their financial lives work together—and to make informed decisions with greater confidence.
Outside of the office, Catherine is classically trained in piano and enjoys traveling, golf, pickleball, live music, and cooking, as well as spending time with her husband, children and two golden retrievers, Bailey and Zuzu.
Disclaimer:
The use of the CDFA designation does not permit the rendering of legal advice by Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors which may only be done by a licensed attorney.
Services Include
- Portfolio Management
- Alternative InvestmentsFootnote1
Securities Agent: MI, LA, VT, SD, NC, DC, OH, MO, MN, MA, DE, WI, UT, HI, CT, RI, NM, NJ, MS, GA, TX, SC, FL, AL, VA, PA, IL, CA, ME, KS, CO, AZ, WA, TN, NH, MD, NY, NE; General Securities Representative; Investment Advisor Representative
NMLS#: 2497308
NMLS#: 2497308
Check the background of Our Firm and Investment Professionals on FINRA's BrokerCheck.*
Portfolio Management Process
Upcoming Firm Events
The Lessons in Leadership Virtual Event Series will continue throughout 2025.
Check back soon for details on upcoming events.
Women and Divorce
The end of a marriage is a tumultuous time. However, for women, divorce and widowhood can raise a unique set of challenges. Women take on many roles and often navigate complex lives. A solid financial foundation can help women manage their financial future and simplify their financial life. The articles below can be used as a resource to help you through this often difficult transition.
Planning for Your Financial Future
It’s natural to feel overwhelmed by all the life events we need to prepare for. But women are tough, and we’re smart, and we’re planners. Feeling in control of your finances can propel you in so many other areas of your life, so you owe it to yourself to define your goals, start a dialogue with your loved ones and create a game plan. The modern face of wealth is female, so walk confidently into your financial future.
Read Here
Life After Divorce
Divorce is almost never easy. The more you know and the better you understand your options, the more prepared you will be to make sound decisions. This will help you take control of your financial life and prepare the way for greater confidence and flexibility in the future.
Read Here
Navigating Divorce
It is important to evaluate the impact divorce can have on both your personal and financial matters. The better you understand your options, the more likely you are to make sound financial decisions. This placemat will help you learn how to build a solid financial strategy that may help provide you with greater confidence and flexibility in the future.
Read HereLocation
90 Grove St
Ridgefield, CT 06877
US
Direct:
(203) 894-3021(203) 894-3021
Wealth Management
Global Investment Office
Portfolio Insights
This is a video content
Retirement
Working with you to understand your life goals and develop a personalized wealth strategy. Today and for the years to come.
- 401(k) Rollovers
- IRA Plans
- Retirement income strategies
- Retirement plan participants
- Annuities
A Simple Six-Step Retirement Checkup
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Investing
Working closely with you to guide your wealth and investments through the most challenging market cycles.
- Asset Management
- Wealth Planning
- Traditional Investments
- Alternative Investments
- Impact Investing
Iran Conflict: Seven Takeaways for Investors
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Family
Creating customized financial strategies for the challenges that today’s families face.
- Estate Planning Strategies
- 529 Plans / Education Savings Planning
- Long Term Care Insurance
- Special Needs Planning
- Trust Services
529 Plans: A Powerful Tool to Save for Education
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Business Planning
Helping you on key aspects of your business such as ownership, liquidity and developing opportunities.
- Succession Planning
- Business Planning
- Qualified Retirement Plans
Financial Planning for Life After Selling a Business
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Philanthropy
Making sure your philanthropic dollars are managed with the same high quality service as the rest of your wealth.
- Endowments
- Foundations
- Donor Advised Funds
- Impact Investing
Financial Wellness
Enhancing Financial Wellness enables your workforce to do their best work. Companies that invest in financial wellness have an opportunity to:
- Reduce employee stress,
- Improve retention and engagement, and
- Set themselves apart by offering comprehensive financial wellness benefits.
Ready to start a conversation? Contact Catherine J. Calandra today.
1Alternative Investments are speculative and include a high degree of risk. An investor could lose all or a substantial amount of his/her investment. Alternative investments are appropriate only for qualified, long-term investors who are willing to forgo liquidity and put capital at risk for an indefinite period of time.
Check the background of our Firm and Investment Professionals on FINRA's BrokerCheck*.
The information, products and services described here are intended only for individuals residing in states where this Financial Advisor is properly registered as described in this site.
Morgan Stanley reserves the right, to the extent permitted under applicable law, to retain and monitor all electronic communications. Morgan Stanley will not accept purchase or sale orders via any Internet site, social media site and/or its messaging systems. Morgan Stanley does not endorse and is not responsible and assumes no liability for content, products or services posted by third-parties on any Internet site, social media site and/or its messaging systems. All electronic communications are subject to terms available at the following link:
https://www.morganstanley.com/disclaimers/mswm-email.html. Any profiles and associated content are for U.S. residents only.
The securities/instruments, services, investments and investment strategies discussed in this material may not be appropriate for all investors. The appropriateness of a particular investment, investment strategy or service will depend on an investor's individual circumstances and objectives. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC recommends that investors independently evaluate particular investments, strategies and services, and encourages investors to seek the advice of a Financial Advisor or Private Wealth Advisor. This material does not provide individually tailored investment advice. It has been prepared without regard to the individual financial circumstances and objectives of persons who receive it.
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Individuals should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for legal matters.
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”) is not implying an affiliation, sponsorship, endorsement with/of the third party or that any monitoring is being done by Morgan Stanley of any information contained within the website. Morgan Stanley is not responsible for the information contained on the third-party website or the use of or inability to use such site. Nor do we guarantee their accuracy or completeness.
The views, opinions or advice contained within third party websites or materials are solely those of the author, who is not a Morgan Stanley employee, and do not necessarily reflect those of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, or its affiliates. The strategies and/or investments referenced may not be appropriate for all investors as the appropriateness of a particular investment or strategy will depend on an investor's individual circumstances and objectives.
*References to length of service at Morgan Stanley include years at Morgan Stanley and predecessor firms.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Center for Financial Planning, Inc. owns and licenses the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the United States to Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., which authorizes individuals who successfully complete the organization's initial and ongoing certification requirements to use the certification marks.
The use of the CDFA designation does not permit the rendering of legal advice by Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors which may only be done by a licensed attorney. The CDFA designation is not intended to imply that either Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors are acting as experts in this field.
Awards Disclosures | Morgan Stanley
Check the background of our Firm and Investment Professionals on FINRA's BrokerCheck*.
The information, products and services described here are intended only for individuals residing in states where this Financial Advisor is properly registered as described in this site.
Morgan Stanley reserves the right, to the extent permitted under applicable law, to retain and monitor all electronic communications. Morgan Stanley will not accept purchase or sale orders via any Internet site, social media site and/or its messaging systems. Morgan Stanley does not endorse and is not responsible and assumes no liability for content, products or services posted by third-parties on any Internet site, social media site and/or its messaging systems. All electronic communications are subject to terms available at the following link:
https://www.morganstanley.com/disclaimers/mswm-email.html. Any profiles and associated content are for U.S. residents only.
The securities/instruments, services, investments and investment strategies discussed in this material may not be appropriate for all investors. The appropriateness of a particular investment, investment strategy or service will depend on an investor's individual circumstances and objectives. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC recommends that investors independently evaluate particular investments, strategies and services, and encourages investors to seek the advice of a Financial Advisor or Private Wealth Advisor. This material does not provide individually tailored investment advice. It has been prepared without regard to the individual financial circumstances and objectives of persons who receive it.
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Individuals should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for legal matters.
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”) is not implying an affiliation, sponsorship, endorsement with/of the third party or that any monitoring is being done by Morgan Stanley of any information contained within the website. Morgan Stanley is not responsible for the information contained on the third-party website or the use of or inability to use such site. Nor do we guarantee their accuracy or completeness.
The views, opinions or advice contained within third party websites or materials are solely those of the author, who is not a Morgan Stanley employee, and do not necessarily reflect those of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, or its affiliates. The strategies and/or investments referenced may not be appropriate for all investors as the appropriateness of a particular investment or strategy will depend on an investor's individual circumstances and objectives.
*References to length of service at Morgan Stanley include years at Morgan Stanley and predecessor firms.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Center for Financial Planning, Inc. owns and licenses the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the United States to Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., which authorizes individuals who successfully complete the organization's initial and ongoing certification requirements to use the certification marks.
The use of the CDFA designation does not permit the rendering of legal advice by Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors which may only be done by a licensed attorney. The CDFA designation is not intended to imply that either Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors are acting as experts in this field.
Awards Disclosures | Morgan Stanley
CRC 4665150 (8/2025)
