Professional Advisor Spotlight: Nickole Garrison

“It’s so rewarding to work with multi-generational families who are engaging in philanthropy together,” said Nickole Garrison, CPA, CFP.

Nickole spent many years in auditing and consulting roles at large accounting firms before pivoting to what she calls her “mid-life career change.” She currently serves as Chief Client Service Officer, Chief Compliance Officer and Vice President of Garrison Murphy Wealth Management, LLC, which provides outsourced family office services to families seeking a professional partner to oversee the management of their net worth through time and across generations. Here, Nickole develops deep relationships with her clients who she says “literally become family and dear friends.”

When it comes time to supporting her clients’ charitable goals, Nickole believes in a comprehensive approach, where CPAs, attorneys and other advisors partner to ensure those goals are met.

Sometimes that prompts her to reach out to the Community Foundation.

“Because our clients are all multi-generational, a number of them started private foundations as a part of their overall tax and estate planning. Some of those private foundations have run their course and it’s time to unwind them because they might be clunky now in comparison to the donor advised fund option. Sometimes a client is looking to donate a unique asset, and the Community Foundation can work with them on that,” Nickole explained. “And on the financial side of things, there are tax advantages to being able to gift appreciated stock and take that significant donation up front.”

Nickole has a long-standing relationship with the Community Foundation, dating back to her early career, when she served on its Professional Advisor Council, 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.

Today, she remains not only involved from an advisor perspective, but also on the client side, as she serves on the Boards of local organizations that are also Community Foundation clients.

“I would encourage all community members, but especially all professional advisors, to develop a relationship with the Community Foundation and understand the resources that are offered to both our region at large, and also to individual donors and their families,” Nickole said.