Get to Know the Team:  Norman Mangina, CFP®

Illumination Wealth takes tremendous pride in the contributions made by each member of our team. Norman Mangina, CFP® joined the Illumination Wealth team in 2015 with a diverse financial background. He recently became a Certified Financial Planner™ professional after completing the education, experience, exam, and ethics requirements as established by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards. We thought you might like to get to know Norman a little better and hear why he became a financial planner.

Tell us a little about yourself.

When I was growing up, my grandfather gave me some old coins that he had been saving. I would sit in my room for hours looking up each coin to determine its value and how many were made. I collected more coins and checked their prices each month in a coin magazine. This was the beginning of my fascination with money and things that increase in value over time.

I grew up in the South and moved to Chicago in my 30’s to experience life in a bigger city which I really enjoyed. I got my Masters Degree in Accounting, specializing in tax from the University of Georgia. I worked in public accounting for a few years then in corporate finance after that. I’m really happy to be back working with individuals and families and helping them make great financial decisions.

I moved to San Diego in 2014 and married my amazing husband Matt in 2017. When I’m not helping people with personal finances, I like to cook, go on vacations at the beach, and learn about new technology.

What brought you to SD?

The weather. Need I say more? That, and I’ve always wanted to live by the beach.

Why did you decide to become a financial planner?

When I moved to San Diego I knew it was an opportunity for me to re-evaluate my career path and profession. So I asked myself what I was passionate about and what I was good at. Passionate about: technology, investing, problem solving, budgeting, challenges, and seeing others succeed. Good at: math, numbers, process improvement, explaining things to others, using technology, and organization. Financial planning hits on all of those!

How has being a part of Illumination Wealth impacted you?

It’s brought me personal satisfaction by giving me the opportunity to do what I’ve always wanted to do…help people make good financial decisions. I realized that even the smartest and most successful people still need someone to help them with financial decisions. I also feel very fortunate to work with people who care just as much about helping others as I do.

What do you enjoy most about being a financial planner?

I really enjoy talking to clients about their goals and dreams and helping them come up with a plan to reach them. All of the financial decisions we make are somehow tied to moving us forward toward a goal whether that is retirement, buying a home, supporting a family, or even just having peace of mind.

What one piece of financial advice would you give to our readers?

Spend your money according to what YOU value. Don’t look at what others are doing with their money. If you spend based on your values, you’ll be happy regardless of how much or how little you spend.