Daniel B. Rohlfing, CFP®
Principal, Senior Financial Advisor
What inspired you to work at Lantz Financial and when did you join the team?
I have known Mike Lantz since I was in college. As we were both former basketball players for North Central College our paths crossed frequently. I was already in the financial industry and working with an independent planning firm for five years when Mike approached me about joining his team. It was clear very quickly that working with Mike to help build the Lantz Team was exactly where I needed to be. Our core values of putting clients and families first have been aligned from day one. That client first approach has been the driving principal of this team and now this firm. As a fully independent firm, Lantz Financial capitalizes on our deep industry experience while having the flexibility to develop our own tools and resources for the direct benefit of our clients and not any corporate interests. We’ve grown our team with like-minded individuals who are all committed to these same values and have the same passion for working with our clients and their families.
What is your background including any unique skills or characteristics that you want to share?
In college, I earned degrees in both Computer Science and Finance. I started out like every computer science major thinking I was going to make (play?) video games for a living. As it happened, computer science was not what I thought! But finance? I loved it from the start and have never looked back. Before I came to work with the Lantz Team, I was fortunate to get a strong background in the analytical side of financial planning by working my way up from entry level to advisor at a previous firm. During that time, I also worked to become a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM Professional. My analytical background and attention to detail helps me work with our clients to identify solutions to each of their unique needs throughout the planning process. At Lantz Financial we specialize in helping clients lead up to, into, and through retirement. Every single retirement income plan for each family is completely different; it takes the experience and the willingness to explore multiple ideas to help each plan come together.
What are one or two things you do for clients on a day to day basis?
I split most of my time each day between working directly with clients on their long-term plans and the analytical side of those plans. When I work directly with clients it is to help them identify the objectives for their plan. We want to know what is most important to our clients and families and how they can live their best life. Then we help them develop a plan that works towards those goals and track the ongoing progress. In the analytical space, it is time spent finding solutions at multiple levels to really make each of the plans work. In some cases, the solutions are broad based, but often they are specific to each client’s personal situation. Finding those unique solutions is what I find most rewarding about being a financial advisor.
Outside of the office, what would someone find interesting about you?
People are often surprised to learn that I wrote and published a fiction novel when I was in my 20s. It was a story I wrote in memory of my father. It was a lot of work and took a long time to finish, but it is something I will always be proud of accomplishing.
Is there anything personal you wish to share?
I graduated from North Central College where I was a four-year varsity basketball player. I’m married to my high school sweetheart, Mandy, who teaches high school math, and we have three amazing children. In my free time I spend it on a basketball court, a volleyball court, a baseball field, or in the backyard batting cage working with the kids. I love every second of it!
