Michael DeMassa, CFA, CFP®, AEP®
Fee-only fiduciary advice for families with $1M+ in investable assets
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Serving Clients Nationwide
Fee-only fiduciary advice for families with $1M+ in investable assets
Areas of Focus
- Estate Planning
- Financial Life Planning
- High Net Worth
- Investment Management
- Retirement Income Planning
- Retirement Planning
- Social Security Optimization
- Taxes
About Michael DeMassa, CFA, CFP®, AEP®
Hi, I'm Michael DeMassa, Founder & Principal of Forza Wealth Management.After growing up in Connecticut and graduating from MIT, I headed west to Napa, California where I worked as a Lab Technician for Robert Mondavi Winery for two "harvests." Working for a family company that had recently gone public sparked my interest in learning more about investments and finance.
Why I Became a Financial Advisor
While searching for a biotech research analyst role, I was offered a financial advisor trainee position. I took it, thinking I'd stay for two years to learn personal finance and gain a lifelong skill. But I quickly realized how much I enjoy working with clients and helping them make informed financial decisions—and it's a privilege I still enjoy to this day.
I think markets are fascinating things, an amazing creation. It is where millions of participants can express their views. Being able to use markets as a tool to deliver on what a client says they want their future to be is very gratifying and is why I became a financial advisor.
I love working on complex problems to find a simple solution that can be communicated to clients and implemented. My diverse work experience of more than 17 years at a major brokerage firm, a local broker/dealer and a global trust company inspired me to start my own investment firm to provide independent objective advice to my clients.
Prior to founding FORZA in 2015, I was Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager at The Northern Trust Company where I managed over $400 million in assets for high net worth investors, foundations, and institutions.
I am a graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and hold the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®), Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), and Accredited Estate Planner® (AEP®) designations. I specialize in locally managed custom stock, bond and ETF portfolios to help my clients achieve their retirement and income goals.
The most powerful lesson I learned about money: leverage is like turbo jets—it propels you faster, but not always in the direction you intended.
My wife and I moved to Sarasota in 2001 after a family reunion at Siesta Key beach. When not busy with our three children's activities, we enjoy running in local races.
Professional Designations
- Accredited Estate Planner (AEP)
- CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER ®
- Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
Affiliations
-
CFA Institute
- Fee Only Network
- Financial Planning Association
- National Association of Personal Financial Advisors
- Fee Only Network
Primary Location
5605 Marquesas Circle, Sarasota, FL 34233
Video
Meeting Options
- Video Conference
- In-Person
- Phone
Compensation Methods
- Fee Only
- Percentage of Assets Managed
What to expect in the first meeting
Click the Book Intro Call button above to schedule a complimentary introductory meeting. During our initial consultation, we will evaluate your current finances and investment situation and create a proposal demonstrating the ways we can add value to your financial situation. You will have the opportunity to learn about our fee-only fiduciary approach, ask questions, and determine whether Forza Wealth Management is the right fit for your needs. I look forward to speaking with you.About Forza Wealth Management
Forza Wealth Management is a fee-only, SEC-Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) based in Sarasota, Florida, specializing in investment management and financial planning for clients with investable assets over $1 million.At Forza, we understand how frustrating it can be not having direct access to the person making investment decisions that affect your financial future. We believe a personal relationship with your trusted financial advisor is essential to helping you reach your financial goals. We put clients first in the investment adviser relationship without competing interests from related firms or shareholder profits. Compensated only by the client, we do not earn commissions of any kind on product sales or referrals.
Structured as an independent registered investment adviser, we offer our clients the flexibility to customize portfolios based on dividend income, growth, tax-managed, and environmental, social, and governance factors. Clients work directly with the CFA professional responsible for managing their assets—a structure that eliminates a layer of sub-advisor fees commonly found at other firms. We also work together with your attorney, CPA and other professionals for an integrated wealth management approach. The number of client relationships for each adviser is limited to 75 families to maintain a high level of personal customization.
FORZA is an Italian word with English translations of strength, force, spirit and might—values that flow through our core commitments: Strength in Service, Strength in Expertise, and Strength in Independence.
Education
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, BS, Biology
Hobbies and Interests
- Family
- Running
SEC Lookup
View DisclosureWho We Serve
- Baby Boomers
- Corporate Executives
- Couples
- Dual Income Family
- Families
- Gen X
- Individuals
- Intergenerational Families
- Living in Retirement
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