Professional Advisor Spotlight: Dan Byles-Smith

When it comes to his clients, Dan Byles-Smith, CPA, CFP® and Principal at Waterford Advisors LLC, strives to add value to their lives. “In a way, I hope to show clients a new world where they can see something different,” he said.

Born in England, Dan moved to the United States when he was nine years old. He lived in New Jersey and in the Midwest before coming to Western New York with his wife, who is from Hamburg, where they currently reside on an alpaca farm in the Village with their young children.

Dan’s career began in public accounting, and over the years, he continued to develop his skills at local accounting firms. In 2016, he landed at Waterford Advisors, where he started out as a tax manager before moving into his current role as Principal and shareholder.

“We’re a comprehensive tax-focused financial planning firm, where we manage people’s investments to complement their spending goals, and perform all tax planning and compliance in-house“ Dan said. “We’ve figured out a way to combine tax and investment disciplines in a way that allows us to control transactions on a multi-year level, ultimately significantly reducing lifetime taxes. The challenges associated with integration of both planning disciplines together, combined with the excitement clients get from seeing this unique planning come together, and how it impacts their lives, is really part of what I enjoy most.”

Dan was introduced to the Community Foundation by both Cheryl Jankowski, his former colleague at Chiampou Travis Besaw & Kershner and a Community Foundation Board member, and David Luzon, Chair of its Professional Advisor Council. The Council is a group of local attorneys, certified public accountants and financial professionals who work toward gaining a deeper understanding of the Community Foundation’s services and its role in Western New York, and provide feedback to enhance its ability to be a preeminent resource on charitable giving for the professional advisor field. Dan joined the Council himself shortly thereafter, in 2019.

Since that time, he appreciates the opportunity being part of the Professional Advisor Council has given him to be more connected to Western New York and sees the value in the Community Foundation’s deep and meaningful relationships that ultimately benefit the region as a whole. “I love the education that the Community Foundation provides to our community and the exposure it gives you,” he said, adding that charitably-minded individuals can leverage the Community Foundation’s knowledge and experience to maximize their impact.

When clients approach Dan with their charitable planning goals, he noted that utilizing his relationship with the Community Foundation and, in turn, a broader network, helps them explore all possibilities together. “The Community Foundation is a great place to start conversations about charitable giving,” said Dan.