DOUG LINDSEY, CFP®

Q&A with Doug

Describe a time when it was challenging for you to be a fiduciary.

Fiduciary is a fancy word that simply means we must legally do what is right for our client, not what is best for our business or just what is easiest for me. A few years ago, in December, I was helping a local small business start a retirement plan. Turns out one of their employees had a criminal record which caused problems getting his paperwork approved at our custodian, Fidelity. I called the employee to discuss the situation and he asked me not to bring this up with his employer. I felt stuck. If I don’t tell the owner, I’ve left her at risk. But if I do tell the owner, she might terminate the employee. Merry Christmas, you’re fired. As a fiduciary, my duty was clear but still uncomfortable. I considered my options, took a deep breath, and phoned the owner. Turns out she already knew about the employee’s criminal past. She generously stated, “my employee has paid his debt, I’m giving him a chance to move forward.”

Describe your pro-bono or community work.

I enjoy teaching, simplifying complicated ideas, sharing information, being on stage. I love seeing people laugh and learn. I’ve been teaching at our local continuing education program for many years. I give classes on Social Security and Medicare. Almost everyone will eventually use these complicated government programs, but most don’t understand how they work. I wanted to fix that. More recently, I’ve been teaching a beginner’s investment class at a local non-profit, Saranam. Their mission is to empower families to end homelessness. They provide an innovative, transitional living program which includes a home, an education, and intensive case management. I am proud of the students in this program and teaching them gives me that warm, fuzzy, satisfied feeling like nothing else can.

Describe a situation where you’ve changed your mind about something important.

I used to hate insurance. I despised the idea of insurance, the cost, the complexity. I hated interacting with the state bureaucracy, the continuing education, the insurance companies, and the mind-numbing paperwork. I’ve changed my mind. Many reasons. My mentor, Jim, patiently, repeatedly describing how a certain feature worked and why he thought this was a good choice for the client. My other mentor, Mary, exclaiming “Will you look at the leverage on this life policy?!” Thoughtful, intelligent insurance agents explaining why they thought a particular policy was a good idea. And a retirement income professor named Wade Pfau. Wade says there are two types of advisors. The insurance guy who thinks every client problem can be solved with a new policy. And the investment lady who thinks stocks and bonds are the only solution. Turns out both have their place. Wade’s open-minded research encouraged me to create our Retirement Pyramid, a unique framework for making decisions about what is most important to a retiree. And now I’m giving due consideration to both insurance and investments, which work together to make our clients unbreakable.

What do you like to do for fun?

I love board games. The pieces. The rules. The strategy. The laughter. The time together with friends and family. Finding a way to win! At last count, we had more than 100 games. I enjoy teaching new players how to play, although my son says I’m bad at it. Probably because my mind has already drifted to “How Will I Crush You?” Current favorites include Splendor, Terraforming Mars, Everdell and Agricola. My kids hate Agricola. The only time I get to play it is on my birthday when I force them. Let me know if you’d like to play? I also cherish reading. I’ve been in a book club for 20+ years. I read everything: fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels (yes, comic books, but no superheroes!). My favorites tend to be science fiction or fantasy and “how-to” business books. I’ve mostly made the switch to reading on my kindle. But when Amazon wants to charge me $5 more for the e-book, then I order up a physical copy and cram it onto my overflowing shelves. I also like vinyl, ice cream, mountain biking, dark chocolate, dark beers, and dark starry nights around a campfire. And, of course, anything with my family. Thirty+ years with my wife Cindy. Four wonderful kids. Amazing daughter-in-law and three perfect grandkids. Ask me, I’ll tell you.

person

Biography

Doug has worked for many companies over his 25-year career, including IBM, Albuquerque Public Schools, and Intuit (creator of Quicken, Quickbooks, and Turbotax). He is a member of the local chapter of the Financial Planning Association (FPA) and recently accepted a position on the FPA board.

Doug moved to Albuquerque from Illinois after he married his wife, Cindy, in 1991. They have four awesome children – Nic, Sam, Ben, and Ellie – and one lovely daughter-in-law named Lindsey. Nic married his childhood sweetheart, Lindsey, and her name is now Lindsey Lindsey, yes really. Lindsey is expecting Doug’s first grandchild mid-2014.

The three younger kids still live at home where they keep their full-time mom young and busy. Sam is in high school at the Academy, loves reading, computers, and his dog, Loco; Ben is also at the Academy and loves architecture, swords, and video games, especially Minecraft; Ellie is at Double Eagle and loves art, soccer, and ice cream and recently came in 2nd place at the Albuquerque city-wide “Battle of the Books.”

Doug loves running and mountain biking in the foothills and belongs to a book club where he enjoys reading everything from post-apocalypse fiction to philosophy, science, and humor. He was an avid water skier in his youth and wishes Albuquerque had more lakes. He enjoys pop-up trailer camping in the mountains with Cindy and the kids, playing cards and strategy games, dark chocolate, and dark beer. He is learning to play the electric guitar (mid-life crisis). Doug is a certified referee for his daughter’s AYSO challenge soccer team and claims to understand the offside

Education

Doug Lindsey is a Certified Financial Planner™ professional and has been with MGM since 2008. Doug has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and is one of the four advisors at MGM to have the CFP® certification. Doug loves helping clients align their money with their personal goals and specializes in retirement income planning and social security issues. He has the heart of a teacher and is currently teaching Social Security classes at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UNM Continuing Education.


email

Email Doug

Please take care not to include any information that is confidential or sensitive. Details of your financial picture can be discussed in person or over the phone.


Our Communities