Local Support
Wealth Strategies Team
Our Wealth Strategies Team is available to our financial professionals as a case consultation resource. With their vast knowledge and experience covering everything from investment, annuity, and life insurance program design and support to business and estate planning strategies, they are able to guide our financial professionals in providing clients with the finest recommendations and potential strategies. We aim to make a difference in the lives of others by helping our clients reach their goals. Our Wealth Strategies Team is one resource provided to our financial professionals so that our clients have an enhanced experience.
Meet the Wealth Strategies Team
Jim Frank, J.D., LL.M, Director of Financial Planning
CA Insurance Lic. #0E45795
Jim is an innovative wealth planning strategist with over 35 years of experience in business and personal estate and gift planning, primarily for high net worth individuals and families with closely-held business interests. He has worked with clients and their legal and tax advisers to implement individual and business financial plans. He also has experience in the design and operation of qualified and non-qualified retirement plans. Jim has authored numerous articles and training programs for financial professionals regarding financial, investment, and estate planning. He received his B.S. from the Pennsylvania State University, his J.D. and LL.M (taxation) from Temple University School of Law, and is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, Philadelphia Estate Planning Council and The Financial Planning Association.
Brian M. Sharkey, MSFS, ChFC, CLU, President & CEO Karr Barth Administrators, Inc.
CA Insurance Lic. #763122
Brian was educated at Benjamin Franklin University in Washington, D.C., with a strong emphasis in Accounting and Economics. Brian has been involved in the field of non-qualified benefit plans since 1979. He joined Karr Barth Associates in 1984 to provide specialized computer and accounting support for complex corporate-owned life insurance plans. Brian is the primary architect of Karr Barth’s Auto-Hedge valuation system. The combination of his thorough understanding of the complex accounting, legal and tax issues on non-qualified plans, together with his experience in product design and development of prototype proposal and administration systems, makes Brian widely recognized as a leading technical expert in the industry.
Jason Meiser, ChFC, CLU, Director of Wealth Management
Since joining the company in 2007, Jason has positioned himself as a resource working closely with his fellow financial professionals in Equitable Advisors and Karr Barth. He is focused on coordinating investments with needs-based financial planning recommendations. Jason has a breadth of knowledge and experience with annuity, mutual fund, fee-based accounts and brokerage products, as well as life, disability, and long-term care insurance. He is skilled at utilizing various financial planning tools and software platforms for complex case design and presentation.
Timely Personal Planning
It is one of life’s ironies that the more time we spend making money, the less time we have to manage it. Yet the efficient use of time – planning – is a key factor in the creation and preservation of wealth.
To realize our goals – a good education for our children, financial security, a comfortable retirement and a well-protected estate – we must begin by clearly defining our objectives and establishing a sound plan to achieve them.
Few of us, however, possess the time or knowledge to research and organize into a sound plan the exhaustive range of insurance and investment options now available. If you are like most people, you have assembled a patchwork of financial products and providers as time permits. Invariably, there are gaps. Missed opportunities. Everyone is rowing, but no one is steering the ship.
Regardless of your age or income, Karr Barth financial professionals can show you many ways to help you accumulate greater wealth and to better protect your family, home and business. Moreover, a Karr Barth associate can help you preserve another equally precious asset: your time.
Karr Barth Administrators, Inc. is not owned or operated by Equitable Advisors or any of its affiliated companies
Sound Planning for Growing Businesses
For professionals and entrepreneurs, personal and business wealth are usually closely intertwined. At Karr Barth, we understand the risks and the opportunities you face. Our associates and professionals serve closely-held businesses. They can help you to protect your assets, insure the long-term stability of your business and provide cost-effective benefits to attract and retain valued employees. In addition, Karr Barth financial professionals can provide benefit planning for large corporations, as well as hospitals and school districts. Our associates are experienced at developing and implementing funding concepts for non-qualified benefit plans and other benefit liabilities often left unfunded.