Daniel A. Aruca, MBA, CFP®, QPFC

Following his graduation from Boston College, where he received a bachelor's degree in Finance, Dan chose an entrepreneurial path to launch his professional career. With about $300 in his bank account, he moved north in 1999 to create, organize and manage the first direct charter flights between New York and La Habana, Cuba. With the success of this new program, operations were expanded shortly thereafter from Miami, Florida. By 2002, the company was generating approximately $36 million in annual revenue.

This unique opportunity would forever change his life. Knowing it was a politically sensitive industry, those early years taught Dan the importance of disciplined financial planning - an approach that he carried into developing his financial practice and still uses today as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and FAMILY WEALTH DIRECTOR for Morgan Stanley.

In 2013, Dan and his family lost their father. Like many others who experience such loss, he was thrust into a role to make sure that everything was in order while helping to protect and ensure his mother’s future well-being. His father was educated, hard-working and an excellent saver. Still, it came as a surprise to the family how little preparation had been made for such a day - one that frankly comes to all of us.

Dan shares that this experience became the catalyst that brought him back to his collegiate roots and true calling - becoming a Financial Advisor. He realized that numbers by themselves can be cold, but they start to become warm when we can use them to solve real problems in people’s lives. This became the why for what he does as a profession. More than a decade later, “I still enjoy waking up each morning and going to work for my clients. I really take great pride in what I do.”

In addition to traditional portfolio management, Dan built his practice with a specialization in working with affluent families to help meet their estate, trust, and tax-planning needs as well as designing sophisticated retirement plans for their small-business owners with more than $1 million in annual net income. It’s a sound, financially practical approach to accumulating wealth. As Dan explains, “If we can help you save close to 40% on every dollar in taxes, everything we achieve in the actual accounts is gravy.” His focus is on educating his clients, helping to protect them and their families, and collaborating with them throughout their financial journeys to help achieve their lifetime goals.

By 2024, Dan’s practice had evolved to also include professional athletes and entertainers. “For me, it just felt like a natural fit”, he says. “It brings together 2 worlds I am passionate about and that have had a profound impact on my life – sports & finance.” As a 1992 graduate of Westminster Christian High School (Miami, FL), Dan was the school’s first undefeated state championship wrestler and later coached its second state champion. He also participated on Westminster’s first national championship baseball team alongside former teammates including Alex Rodriguez, Doug Mientkiewicz and current University of Miami Head Baseball Coach, J.D. Artega. Dan believes this athletic background, along with the influence of his parents, helped forge the strong work ethic, discipline, and planning mindset that have served him well throughout his professional career.

Dan also takes great pride in being an active father to his daughter, Anaya, and sharing life with his partner, Fernanda. During his free time, he enjoys supporting friends and community members, balancing his dedication to personal fitness with his appreciation for great meals, and attending live sporting events and performances.

The video above highlights the importance of having a financial professional by your side for this journey. For a courtesy review with Dan, please contact him at 305.476.3351 or daniel.aruca@morganstanley.com.