Stuart Armstrong has been a practicing financial planner for 40 years, launching his career in the mid-1980's as the AIDS epidemic was ramping up.  His focus in those early years guiding clients in crisis established an authentic approach that has proved invaluable to his client engagements for decades to come.  Very importantly, those experiences built a foundation for him to make a meaningful difference for the betterment of many communities with volunteer work on multiple local and national boards and councils, including the PridePlanners, FPA, the CFP Board Center for Financial Planning and Mass Audubon.

Crystal Alford-Cooper, CFP®, CDFA™, CRC®, currently serves on the board of directors for the Financial Planning Association® (FPA®), the leading membership organization for CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals and those engaged in the financial planning process.

Always interested as a child in saving and investments, Alford-Cooper recently rejoined Law & Associates Wealth Management and Planning as Director of Financial Planning after previously being with the firm for almost 20 years. She loves talking to everyone and likes to say that she has “no sense of stranger danger.” Her appreciation for others, blended with her lifelong passion for financial wellness, has made helping others forge a path to a sound financial future a way of life for Alford-Cooper.

Alford-Cooper has been a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner since 1996; having graduated from the College of Financial Planning’s CFP® program.  She is also a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA®) and a Certified Retirement Counselor (CRC®).  She is a registered representative with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. and holds the designation of Investment Management Consultant from Raymond James’ Institute of Investment Management Consulting (IIMC). She holds a Maryland license for life, health and variable life insurance.  She also has held an adjunct faculty position at Howard Community College.

Alford-Cooper has served in several key leadership roles.  Her previous board volunteer involvement includes the CFP Board Council on Education (Committee Member), Financial Planning Association of Maryland (Chair 2018), Association of African American Financial Advisors (Past President) and Howard County Police Foundation (Director). Alford-Cooper is also a graduate of Leadership Howard County’s Leadership Premier program and a women’s ministry team leader for her church in Columbia.

Raised by a phenomenal single Mom, Alford-Cooper remains inspired and proudly carries on her Mom’s legacy – her love for family. She loves spending time with her husband and best friend, Dennis.  Both are proud parents to a son serving in the United States Navy. 

Ed Slott, CPA, America’s IRA Expert, is a nationally recognized speaker, television personality & best-selling author known for his unparalleled ability to turn advanced tax strategies into understandable, actionable and entertaining advice.

 Named “The Best Source for IRA Advice” by The Wall Street Journal, he is the go-to resource for media, regularly providing insight on breaking news affecting retirement and tax planning laws and strategies.

Mr. Slott is a Professor of Practice at The American College of Financial Services and has been recognized by leading industry organizations for his significant thought leadership and contributions. He is one of the top pledge drivers of all time with his popular public television specials. Mr. Slott is the creator of Ed Slott’s Elite IRA Advisor Group℠ — celebrating its 20^th year in 2025 — and a best-selling author with his latest book, The Retirement Savings Time Bomb Ticks Louder: How to Avoid Unnecessary Tax Landmines, Defuse  Latest Threats to Your >span class="outlook-search-highlight">Retirement Savings & Ignite Your Financial Freedom (Penguin Random House, 2024). Ultimately, through all of these efforts combined, Mr. Slott has taught millions of Americans (and their financial professionals) how to get the most out of their retirement savings.

Thomas Connolly is an independent Medicare and health insurance specialist with over 40 years of experience in the financial services industry. He began his career at John Hancock, where he helped individuals and families build financial plans and protect their long-term security. Over the years, he transitioned to independent practice, working directly with consumers, employers, and advisory professionals to improve healthcare decision-making within retirement planning.

For the past 15 years, Mr. Connolly has focused his work exclusively on the Medicare marketplace, now serving clients across 17 states nationwide. His expertise includes Medicare Coordination, Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy comparisons, Medicare Advantage (HMO/PPO) strategies, Part D drug coverage analysis, and financial assistance integration through Medicaid and Medicare Savings Programs.

A core part of his professional mission is to demystify Medicare for financial advisors and their clients. Mr. Connolly has authored multiple educational guides explaining how:

• Payroll tax history funds Medicare Part A,
• Medicare Part B functions as a pay-as-you-go model,
• Supplemental coverage is required to fill the 20% cost gap,
• Standalone Part D plans coordinate drug benefits,
• Medicare Advantage plans integrate ancillary benefits such as dental, vision, hearing, OTC, and transportation.

His national Medicare “cookbook” series provides step-by-step visual illustrations of Medicare Part A, Part B, supplemental plans, and Part D drug coverage, alongside real-world cost modeling, out-of-pocket exposure analysis, and carrier-based enrollment considerations.

Mr. Connolly is also one of the few Medicare planners who integrates Medicaid and income-based financial assistance into Medicare planning. His training outlines how the Medicare Savings Program (MSP) and other financial assistance mechanisms can reduce or eliminate Part B premiums, drug copays, and other medical costs—critical information for financial advisors seeking to retain clients and control healthcare-related spending in retirement portfolios.

His curriculum further teaches advisors to navigate the complex enrollment pathway for workers delaying Medicare past age 65, including employer coverage verification, SSA portal registration, multi-factor identity verification, credible drug coverage documentation, penalty avoidance strategies, and state-level underwriting restrictions for Medigap transitions.

Mr. Connolly’s philosophy is simple: Medicare is not just insurance — it’s a financial planning event. A well-structured Medicare plan protects retirement income, preserves client relationships, and prevents avoidable penalties and gaps in care.

Crystal Alford-Cooper, CFP®, CDFA™, CRC®, currently serves on the board of directors for the Financial Planning Association® (FPA®), the leading membership organization for CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals and those engaged in the financial planning process.

Always interested as a child in saving and investments, Alford-Cooper recently rejoined Law & Associates Wealth Management and Planning as Director of Financial Planning after previously being with the firm for almost 20 years. She loves talking to everyone and likes to say that she has “no sense of stranger danger.” Her appreciation for others, blended with her lifelong passion for financial wellness, has made helping others forge a path to a sound financial future a way of life for Alford-Cooper.

Alford-Cooper has been a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner since 1996; having graduated from the College of Financial Planning’s CFP® program.  She is also a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA®) and a Certified Retirement Counselor (CRC®).  She is a registered representative with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. and holds the designation of Investment Management Consultant from Raymond James’ Institute of Investment Management Consulting (IIMC). She holds a Maryland license for life, health and variable life insurance.  She also has held an adjunct faculty position at Howard Community College.

Alford-Cooper has served in several key leadership roles.  Her previous board volunteer involvement includes the CFP Board Council on Education (Committee Member), Financial Planning Association of Maryland (Chair 2018), Association of African American Financial Advisors (Past President) and Howard County Police Foundation (Director). Alford-Cooper is also a graduate of Leadership Howard County’s Leadership Premier program and a women’s ministry team leader for her church in Columbia.

Raised by a phenomenal single Mom, Alford-Cooper remains inspired and proudly carries on her Mom’s legacy – her love for family. She loves spending time with her husband and best friend, Dennis.  Both are proud parents to a son serving in the United States Navy. 

Mr. Pon is a Certified Financial Planner, Certified Public Accountant, Personal Financial Specialist, and Accredited Estate Planner in Redwood Shores, CA.   

Mr. Pon has been practicing since 1986.  He provides the latest advanced tax and financial planning strategies to financial planners so they can be knowledgeable with their clients.

Mr. Pon received his BS in Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley and MS in Taxation from Golden Gate University in San Francisco.

Mr. Pon is a long time member of the Financial Planning Association and speaks frequently to the San Francisco and Silicon Valley Chapters.

K. Jeremy Ko brings over two decades of experience across behavioral finance, predictive modeling, and retirement planning. As CEO of ShoreUp Retirement Solutions, he builds and deploys cutting-edge models that predict lifespan and other client outcomes to power more accurate financial planning. His career includes senior roles at Edelman Financial Engines—the nation’s leading robo-advisor—and the AI-driven consumer lending firm Upstart. He previously served as a senior economist at the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission and as an assistant professor of finance at Penn State University.

Dr. Ko holds a Ph.D. in financial economics from MIT’s Sloan School of Management and a BA in Physics from Harvard University.

Daniel is a French attorney (avocat à la cour) and US attorney-at-law (New York) who runs a law firm in Paris for French-inbound immigration, called Tostado Avocats. Daniel’s firm handles French visas, residency permits, and naturalization applications. His law firm offers both consultations or full-on assistance depending on the needs of each applicant. Born and raised in San Diego, California, Daniel went the immigration process himself and has become a naturalized citizen in France. Daniel Tostado would be more than happy to help you make your dream of moving to (or staying in) France long-term a reality. His team of lawyers and jurists knows intimately every category of French immigration and how to best navigate the system to obtain visas and residency permits for you, and can consult with you in English.

Amy Mullen, CFP® is President of Money Quotient, Inc., an organization founded in 2001 that teaches financial professionals how to bring science to the art of relationship. In this role, Amy conducts training, provides individualized consulting, and frequently presents at national financial industry conferences on the benefits and effectiveness of a values-based approach to financial planning, understanding clients' financial motivations and how to guide them through change, and creating long-lasting client-planner relationships. All programs and consulting provide a multi-disciplinary, evidence-based approach to financial planning that take into consideration both the practical and emotional aspects that promote financial well-being and life-satisfaction. Outside of the office, Amy enjoys hikes, photography, live music, and cooking.