Lee Pelko, CFP®, CRPC®, CFC™

Lee has been a Rodgers & Associates’ financial adviser since 2004. Before her tenure at the firm, she was employed at Miller & Miller CPAs and began her finance career in 1992 as a tax adviser for H&R Block. She became an adviser because it presented the oppor­tunity to interact with people and use analytical math skills. Working at Rodgers & Associates gives her the ability to implement changes to improve efficiency and outcomes more quickly than she would be able to with a larger firm.

Lee believes that a big challenge facing retirees is under­standing the best way to draw income during retirement. Many people are comfortable spending their Social Security or Pension. The hard part is spending an appro­priate portion of their investment portfolio and coordi­nating minimum withdraw rules. The SECURE Act added to the complexity by changing the rules for withdrawals and benefi­ciary planning. Lee says there is nothing more satis­fying than helping her clients navigate the complexity of retirement in order to reach their financial goals.

In 2015, Lee assumed the respon­si­bility of Lead Financial Adviser at the firm based on her depth of knowledge and experience with complex retirement issues. She gener­ously shares her time and talent with the community and currently serves on the Investment Committee of the United Disabil­ities Foundation. She previ­ously served the community as a Board member of the United Disabil­ities Foundation, a member of the Lancaster Hospice and Community Care Planned Giving Council and as a student mentor through the Lilly Endowment Theological School Initiative to address Economic Challenges Facing Future Ministers (ECFFM) at the Lancaster Theological Seminary. Lee is a classi­cally trained pianist and resides with her husband in Lancaster County. When she is not using her problem-solving skills for her clients, you might find her studying the Civil War and visiting historic sites related to the conflict.