Our Qualifications

Richard McCallister is the President of McCallister Financial Group.

Mr. McCallister is Certified Financial Planner (CFP). He has specialized training in financial planning, estate planning, tax planning, insurance planning and investment planning through the CFP Professional Education Program administered by the National Endowment for Financial Education.

The CFP is recognized and respected throughout the financial services industry. The title tells clients that the individual has proven through a series of exams that he understands the business and the products and services associated with it. The reason Mr. McCallister became a CFP was to bring real value to his client relationships. Anyone can be a planner, or for that matter a broker, but not everyone can be consistently up-to-date on tax changes, product changes and planning issues as is someone who is certified and keeps that certification in good standing through continuing education. Additionally, and as importantly, maintaining the CFP requires strict adherence to ethical conduct standards that are important to clients.

The Certified Fund Specialist (CFS) designation is a similar designation that requires one year of study and additional testing in the areas of mutual funds, annuities and asset allocation. Mr. McCallister obtained this certification to bring all the expertise he possibly could to his clients.

Mr. McCallister has worked in the financial services industry for 15 years. He has held management positions with Andersen Consulting and Deloitte & Touche, as well as performed management consulting work with local mutual fund companies, savings and loans and life insurance companies, including American Funds, Pacific Life, Home Savings & Loan, Home Federal Bank and Mitsui Manufacturers Bank.

As a CFP specializing in teachers, he focuses on educating teachers to make smart financial decisions. He has held dozens of workshops throughout Southern California in cooperation with many different school districts and teacher`s unions, including United Teachers Los Angeles, South Bay United Teachers, Torrance Teacher`s Association, Beverly Hills Teacher`s Association, Inglewood Unified Teacher`s Association, Culver City Unified Teacher`s Association, and Santa Monica Malibu Teacher`s Association.

As a professional planner, it is Mr. McCallister’s mission to help teachers and other individuals reach and maintain a comfortable retirement by providing the most complete retirement, investment and insurance planning available to teachers - and the best ongoing communication and service.

Rick, his wife Mona, and children Michael, Megan and McKenna, long time Southern California residents, live in Rancho Palos Verdes with their miniature goldendoodle, Noodles.

Items of note include:

Certified Financial Planner (CFP)
Certified Fund Specialist (CFS)
FINRA Series 7 Securities License
California Health and Life Insurance License (OB24703)
California Authorization for Variable Contracts
Graduated Cum Laude from University of Southern California
Member of the NTSAA (National Tax Sheltered Accounts Association)
Member of MENSA Society