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"My dad has said 'your attitude is your altitude. I strive to do the very best in everything I do."
Chris Cordoba
Founder & Financial Life Manager | CFP™, RFC®, CFS
CA Insurance License #0B09076
(310)-643-7472 Chris@cradvisors.com
Christian Cordoba is a Certified Financial Planner and the founder of California Retirement Advisors, which he founded in 1997. Chris is driven to compassionately empower successful people to live a better life. He firmly believes that smart financial knowledge and decision-making can help people be even better stewards of their money and will significantly impact their standard of living.
Chris's passion for financial planning and wealth management comes from his upbringing. Born in Ecuador, Chris's father was also in financial services.
His father served in the US Army, and he went to Vietnam so he could acquire a visa and establish himself in the United States. He was a single father at 34 who raised two kids as an immigrant until his stepmom came into their lives. Chris's incredible work ethic, drive, and compassion come from his dad.
Chris founded his company with a focus on integrity and respect. “I don’t have a lot of gifts,” he says, “but the one gift that I seem to have picked up is that I am a good judge of character. I am fortunate and blessed to know the quality people I know. I look for the good in people and give everyone a fair, equal chance.” As a leader, his expectations of his team are high. They therefore operate with integrity, honesty, compassion, and diligence.
Who Chris Serves
Chris works with a select group of successful individuals who have created their own wealth over a lifetime. With three decades of experience as a financial planner, he has a track record of growing clients’ wealth, protecting their assets, and allowing them to focus on living life without having to deal with the complexities of strategic financial management.
Chris has deep, holistic knowledge of financial planning and is an expert in navigating the tax system and ever-changing rules and regulations within the financial landscape.
His Perspective
Chris’s background shaped the way he operates both in business and in his personal life. As a high schooler, he had a passion for racing street cars and go-carts. It turned out to be a formative hobby that shaped his perspective. He recalls:
When I was 17, I had put all my minimum-wage money into my car. The car I was driving was street legal, but I totally rebuilt the car from the ground up. It was everything to me at the time. I was proud of it, I spent everything I had and all of my energy building that car. I was planning to go to racing school one morning, but at 4AMwe got a knock on the door. I opened it and a police officer asked, “Do you have a red Mazda RX7? It was stolen.”
Everything that I had that I thought was valuable and important was stolen overnight. I realized it was just a thing. It's just stuff. Be happy about your relationships, your health, and the people in your life.
Chris’s Clients
Chris's client base comprises successful people who want to grow and protect assets, income, and inheritance, but don't have the time, knowledge, or desire to do it themselves. His mission is to provide sound financial advice and guidance that aligns with his clients' long-term goals and objectives.
"I don't think of people as a data-set,” he says. “I don't look at clients and see dollar signs. My clients are real people, and really nice people. That's who I want to spend my knowledge and expertise working to help."
Ready to Retire?
Areas of Expertise
Financial Planning
The foundation to a confident and successful retirement begins with a customized financial plan-design based on your unique situation, values, wants, needs, dreams, and resources.
Investment Advice
Because your goals are unique, I believe your investment portfolio should be, too. You and I will engage in a collaborative process that takes the guesswork out of investing.
Tax Reduction
I proactively minimize taxable events before they occur and position your money to be as tax-advantaged as possible based on your unique situation. It’s not about what you make, it’s what you keep.
Retirement Guidance
Start preparing for the best years of your life. If you are too busy and don’t have the time, knowledge, or interest to confidently plan for your own retirement, I will help you do it.
IRA & 401(K) Rollovers
From early, required, in-service and charitable distribution planning, to Roth conversions and legacy planning, to avoid complicated tax traps for your heirs, I will help navigate this complex and constantly evolving landscape with care and precision.
Insurance Management
From long-term care, to annuities, life insurance and more, I can help you understand, plan for and implement appropriate insurance strategies.
Income Distribution & Planning
How you take your money out matters! I will help you design an income plan that mitigates tax risks, provides flexibility, and maximizes your net income.
Inheritance & Estate Planning
From maintaining current designated beneficiary forms and titling on your accounts, to organizing essential financial and legal documents, to working with estate planning attorneys to implement legal work to ensure your wishes are seamlessly carried out—I aim to address all these considerations as part of a comprehensive approach.
Testimonials
Chris has taken the stress and worry out of financial planning by being a trusted steward of your financial well-being. He takes a holistic approach to your goals in life and makes sure you feel included, educated and empowered. I used to stay up often at night, perplexed about my current and future financial health. Working with Chris has given me a new lease on life, by alleviating my concerns and focusing on what's really important in life - me!
- Pulin A. Sheth, M.D.
University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine
Associate Clinical Professor of Radiology for 23 Years
Chris Cordoba has been managing our money for over ten years as part of his whole “team” concept he uses for investments, insurance, inheritance trust and taxes all being parts of the retirement puzzle. Chris has found means to create income from our investments to supplement our retirement investments. Chris and his team listen carefully to our concerns and inputs at all times. We always know where we stand and have a good understanding of where we are headed in terms of our investments. Chris doesn’t make any moves without informing us of the pros and cons, patiently explaining the rationale for any recommendation. Chris regularly provides educational opportunities so we are a better informed investors. We highly, and without hesitation, recommend Chris Cordoba and CRA to all of our friends.
- Carol Christensen worked for Boeing 30 years as the Chief of Staff for the Vice President of the Satellite Development Center.
-Mike Millar worked for Boeing 27 years as a Senior Engineer/Project Manager
My Team
L to R - Noah Fratello, Arcadia Berjonneau , Anthony Fratello, Sherri Delaine, Maili Bergman Nguyen Le, Ricky Ackerman, Michelle GosnerCenter - Chris Cordoba
C O M M U N I T Y
Chris is proud to volunteer
Next Steps
Once we meet, here is what is next on the journey.
Create Your Discovery Questionnaire and Asset Map
We'll have a productive conversation and you'll receive a visual summary we can build on together.
Meet With Me
Share your story and your financial goals. I will ask and answer questions to learn how I can best help you achieve your goals.
Are We a Good Fit?
This is a no-pressure relationship! We each consider if I am a good fit to realistically help you meet your financial goals. If so, we can discus how to begin working together.
Review Service Offerings
You'll learn our planning philosophy, process, service options and costs.
Engage on Your Terms
You'll receive our financial planning agreement based upon the service you select to begin.