Proof of Integrity A Record Worth Looking Up
Selecting an advisor means placing significant trust in someone's judgment and integrity. Jeff makes that easier to do by being open about his professional record from the start. His compliance history is publicly available through FINRA BrokerCheck, and you can review it anytime using CRD number 2141917. You'll find no client complaints, no regulatory actions, and no disclosures of any kind. That information is shared upfront because the decision to work with an advisor should be based on the full picture.
As a financial fiduciary, Jeff is legally and ethically required to act in your best interest. Every recommendation he makes is held to that standard.
Meet Our Founder The Standards That Shape Every Decision
Founder of Planning Financial Futures, and the advisor who has set its standards from the beginning.
Jeff runs Planning Financial Futures on the same principles he brings to every client meeting. He explains what he knows clearly, acknowledges the limits of what can be predicted, and prioritizes a client's understanding of their own situation above all else. Those standards have been consistent since the firm's founding and continue to shape every decision made within it.
Jeffrey C. Lewis, RICP®, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®
Founder & President | Director of Financial Planning & Wealth Management
Two things shaped how I think about money, risk, and what people actually need from a financial advisor. The first was surviving leukemia as a kid growing up in Smithtown. The second was an economics elective I took at SUNY Binghamton when I was supposed to be on the pre-med track. Both experiences left me with a clear sense of what it means to face an uncertain future and how much it matters to have someone in your corner who genuinely knows what they're doing.
After graduation, I joined Mutual of Omaha, where I spent five years, including time as a field medical underwriter. That background still informs how I work, particularly with clients who are sorting through long-term care options, healthcare costs in retirement, or insurance decisions that most advisors don't have the training to explain well. In 1995, I founded Planning Financial Futures in Melville, and I've been working with Long Island families and clients across the country ever since.
My practice covers everything money touches, from retirement income and investment management to insurance, estate planning, and long-term care. The clients who come to me are often at a real transition point, whether that's retirement on the horizon, the end of a marriage, the loss of a spouse, or a long-overdue reckoning with finances they've been putting off. They want a straight answer about where they stand and a plan that makes sense when they take it home. The feedback I hear most often is that I keep things simple and get back to people quickly. That's exactly how I want it to be.
A few years back, a client called me after her husband passed away unexpectedly. She hadn't known he had a life insurance policy. I tracked down the carrier, processed the claim, and brought her the check. Those are the moments that keep me here after 36 years.
My wife, Maddie, and I live in Huntington. We have raised four kids and cater to our two Ragdoll cats. I'm a certified fitness trainer and spend most of my free time playing tennis, weight training, and continuing education. There's more overlap between physical conditioning and financial planning than people might expect. Both reward patience, penalize impulsiveness, and produce the best results for people who stop looking for shortcuts.
- B.A. in Economics, SUNY Binghamton
- Series 6, 63, 7, and 66 Securities Licenses
- Multi-State Insurance License
Laura J. Burns, Esq.
Partner, The Burns Law Group, P.C.
LauraJBurns@TheBurnsLawGroup.com
I didn't come to elder law and estate planning by accident. After earning my law degree from Hofstra on scholarship, where I focused on health law and served as an editor for the Journal of International Business and Law, I knew I wanted to practice in an area where the work actually changed outcomes for families. Estate planning and elder law turned out to be exactly that.
At The Burns Law Group, I work with clients on the full range of issues that come up when people are planning ahead or facing a difficult transition. That includes creating and updating estate plans, Medicaid planning for home care and nursing home care, asset protection, guardianships, and estate administration after the loss of a loved one. A significant part of what I do involves helping families understand their options before a crisis forces their hand, and then being there when it does anyway.
The clients who call me are often dealing with something they weren't fully prepared for. A parent who needs more care than the family can provide. A spouse who passed away without a clear plan in place. Adult children who are trying to do right by an aging parent while managing their own lives. I practice regularly before the Supreme Courts and Surrogate Courts of New York, which means I know how these situations play out in the real world, not just on paper.
My goal has always been to build relationships with clients that last, not just hand over documents and move on. The legal part matters, but so does making sure people leave with a clear understanding of what they have, what it does, and what comes next.
- J.D., Hofstra School of Law (Scholarship Recipient)
- Certification of Excellence, Health Law Studies, Hofstra School of Law
- B.A., Binghamton University
- Admitted to practice before the Courts of the State of New York
- Admitted to practice before the U.S. District Courts for the Southern, Eastern, and Northern Districts of New York
- Admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- Member, New York State Bar Association
- Member, Queens County Bar Association
*Laura Burns is not affiliated or registered with Cetera Wealth Services, LLC. Any information provided by Laura is in no way related to Cetera, its affiliates, or its registered representatives.
Sandra J. Grinspan, CFP®
Executive Vice President
(631) 420-4243
sgrinspan@northridgewealth.com
I've spent more than 20 years building an estate, investment, and planning practice from the ground up, which means I understand what our advisors are dealing with because I've dealt with it myself. That firsthand experience is what I bring to my role at North Ridge.
As Executive Vice President, I work closely with our representatives on practice management and product strategy. I analyze products, develop tools and resources, and help advisors think through the kinds of decisions that directly affect their clients' outcomes. It's practical work, and I prefer it that way.
Earlier in my career, I worked at Dreyfus Service Corp. and the Professional Planners Group in New York City, which gave me a strong foundation before I went on to build my own practice. That combination of institutional experience and independent practice has shaped how I think about both the business side and the client side of this work.
- B.A., State University of New York at Albany
- CFP®, LIU/CW Post CFP® Program
- Series 6, 7, 24, 53, and 63 Securities Registrations
- Investment Adviser Representative