Melissa Sotudeh has a special passion for guiding clients to achieve peace of mind on their financial journey. She has extensive experience in the development of retirement, investment, tax management and estate planning strategies. In particular, she works with clients as they transition through life stages, from paying for children's college expenses to maximizing financial opportunities as an empty-nester, as well as guiding clients through sudden family changes.

As the Director of Advisory Services at Halpern Financial, Melissa ensures that clients consistently receive the highest quality wealth management guidance from every member of the advisory team. She leads the advisory team in developing best practices and implementing successful wealth management strategies for all of Halpern’s clients.

Melissa received her BA in Economics from the University of Texas in Austin, and her MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Phoenix, Arizona.\n\nShe has over twenty years of experience in a variety of business and community service activities. Beginning her career at the World Bank in Washington, DC, she then went on to serve in the Office of the Executive Director at The US Securities and Exchange Commission for six years. In 2006, Melissa began a career as a financial planner. \n\nIn 2010, Melissa received the Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) designation from the CFP Board of Standards. After several years of service as a volunteer with CFP Board, she was appointed to the 2019 CFP Board Council on Examinations. In 2019, Melissa earned the Accredited Investment Fiduciary ® designation. Melissa was named 2020 Planner of the Year by the FPA National Capital Area.

Melissa has penned syndicated articles for nationwide publications, including the Wall Street Journal, and has been quoted in Bloomberg, US News and CNBC. She has also appeared as a guest on Sirius XM Radio’s “Your Money” and the “Martinis and Your Money” podcast.

Halpern Financial takes pride in helping clients bridge the gap from where they stand today to reach the financial goals of tomorrow. As fee-only fiduciaries, they provide unbiased advice for the large and small financial decisions faced by high net worth individuals and families. Halpern Financial clients enjoy the sum of the team’s talents in wealth planning, portfolio management, and personal finance education over a lifetime, from optimizing retirement saving to creating a legacy for generations to come.