
Victoria Hayward, CEPA®, CPWA®, CIMA®, CRPS®, CRPC®, CDFA®, CFP®
With more than 30 years of experience helping business owners formulate and implement successful succession strategies, I have helped dozens of business owners transition to the next stage of their lives and careers with greater certainty and likelihood of success. I have a team of consummate professionals that work with me as we help business owners:
In addition to working on succession planning strategies with business owners and their attorneys, accountants and other advisors, I have provided senior corporate executives, retirees and affluent individuals with the guidance they needed to surmount the obstacles standing between where they are and where they hope to arrive someday. Many of these clients have been primarily concerned with volatile markets and changing tax law. Others have been 401(k) and other retirement plan sponsors looking for guidance in plan design, provider selection and participant education.
As you'll see from the long list of acronyms that appear after my name, I have earned a number of industry designation throughout my career. These include the Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA®) designation that I received from The Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania, the Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA®) designation that I obtained from Yale School of Management, and the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®) designation, that attests to my knowledge of business succession strategies. Clearly, education is important to me and a key part of what I do. I find it especially gratifying that my efforts have led to recognition from Forbes, the well-known financial publication. Specifically, I have been named to its lists of Top Wealth Advisors Best-in-State for 2024 and 2025 and Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-in-State for 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.
For more information and sound advice, please feel free to contact me.
2022-2025 - Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In- State
Source: Forbes.com (Awarded 2022-2025). Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on 12-month time period concluding in Sept of year prior to the issuance of the award.
2024-2025 - Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors
Source: Forbes.com (Awarded 2024-2025) Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based 12-month time period concluding in June of year prior to the issuance of the award.
…And so does experience. I bring 30 years of financial experience to every client I advise. Equally important, I have made a conscious effort throughout my career to enhance my knowledge and advisory acumen through rigorous courses of study that have earned me the following industry designations:
This certification provides me with the credentials to develop comprehensive, personalized plans that encompass not only investing, but retirement planning, estate planning, cash flow management – in short, virtually every aspect of your financial life.
Exit planning means exiting your business by selling your company to a third party (such as a private equity firm) or transferring ownership to family members - or to employees, through Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs). Business succession is complex and requires a thorough understanding of multiple financial disciplines.
I earned this certification through the Yale School of Management in order to better serve my clients and their families with deep and advanced knowledge - in specialized areas of wealth planning and preservation, sophisticated tax management and wealth transfer tools, and considerations for legacy planning, along with family dynamics.
I obtained my CIMA® designation through the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. It attests to my proficiency in not only investment manager research and selection but portfolio construction and asset management. With thousands of investment considerations competing for my clients' business, I felt it was critical to be able to analyze them beyond performance.
I earned this designation to provide plan sponsors with knowledgeable advice on maximizing the effectiveness of their qualifed retirement plans. It has greatly enhanced my ability to provide these clients with guidance on plan design, administration and maintenance.
Awarded by the College for Financial Planning, this designation assures my clients that I am well versed in developing both pre-and post-retirement strategies. Clients look to me for advice and guidance in such disciplines as retirement income and distribution planning, as well as employer-sponsored retirement plans.
This credential signifies my ability to help divorced clients understand and address the issues on which their future financial security depends.
Disclosure 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.
My clients include predominantly business owners (whether current or retired) - as well as corporate executives, professionals, and retirees concerned about living well in retirement and leaving a meaningful legacy to their loved ones and community.
Business Owners face risks that involve not only the future of their practices or businesses, but the financial security of their families. The comprehensive planning process we work on together can help you identify your most pressing challenges and address them with customized strategies that consider both your personal financial objectives and business ambitions. Moreover, my team and I have helped numerous business owner clients:
Corporate Executives face challenges that other people don't. Their personal wealth is linked inextricably to the fortunes of their companies. Their investment portfolios often consist largely of employer stock and stock options or restricted stock units (RSUs) that are subject to a myriad of rules of which they may only be vaguely aware. As an experienced Financial Advisor, I understand the risks, as well as the rewards, of employer stock ownership and the need to integrate your corporate benefits with the rest of your finances. Specifically, I can help you address such issues as generating liquidity when you need it, reducing over-concentration in your employer's stock, understanding RSUs and stock options, and making the right decisions when you eventually separate from service.
Retirees seem to be at that stage of life when financial challenges are all behind them. Often, however, that is not the case. Retirees have decisions to make about:
It is imperative that all business owners have a plan for exiting/selling their business or transitioning their business to the next generation. These plans can change over time and will likely change many times over the course of the business owner's life, but a failure to plan (even if the plan is liquidation) can leave spouses, beneficiaries, employees and customers lost and without many viable options.
Whether the plan is to transfer your business to the next-generation or your employees - or engage a third party to purchase your business, having a plan is critical and communicating that plan is equally as important. Regardless of the path forward, there are certain considerations all business owners must address, including proper estate and tax planning, key person retention, family harmony and sufficient cash flows for surviving spouses and family members. Planning early results in better financial outcomes and more opportunities. It also allows the business owner to enjoy their retirement and see their business flourish in the hands of their children, or in the hands of new owners.
Owners work their lives to build a business because they believe in the work, the opportunities it gives to those they love and to create a legacy for future generations. Our goal is to help guide you as you make critical decisions on how, when and to whom your business should pass. And we want to help you determine the estate planning strategies, charitable and tax planning strategies to employ while on this journey.
The sale or transfer of a business must be carefully planned to maximize the value of the business, while planning for income and estate tax ramifications. The earlier you start to plan, the more options and flexibility you will have in structuring the transition, mitigating taxes and retaining top talent to ensure the on-going success of your business. A carefully selected team of professionals is critical to the successful sale or transfer of a business.
Those core team members may include a Broker/Investment Banker, Attorney, CPA, Investment Advisor, and Valuation Expert. There are many other professionals who could be involved in the process on an as-needed basis.
There is a multitude of other considerations, such as:
What is an ESOP?
We help business owners access their wealth, maintain their legacy, and reward their employees through Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOP) and other exit strategies.
... Of Seasoned Professionals - to help owners optimize their life's work - with many steps which may be involved along the way, such as:
Access to the deeply experienced and appropriate advisors and professionals to help the business owner:
I've always believed that I have a responsibility to provide my clients with insights and knowledge that will help them prepare for the future. Investing, retirement planning and other financial issues have clearly been a major focus, but I've also tried to share innovative perspectives from well-known experts in technology, leadership and the factors that can lead to increased human performance.
That's why I developed The Visionary Lecture Series. My objective is to bring world class thought leaders to the people who depend on me for guidance. Some of our recent speakers have included: