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Josh Sterling2023-12-07T02:38:10+00:00
Wealth Strategist Josh Sterling

Josh Sterling, CLU®, AEP®, CEPA®, CLTC®, CCFS®

Hi, I’m Josh Sterling,

A dedicated Wealth Strategist and partner here at Camas Advice. With several designations to my name and a proven history of orchestrating wealth for my clients, I come equipped with an abundance of knowledge and experience to help you navigate your wealth-building journey with confidence. I believe in a holistic approach, taking the time to understand your unique circumstances to deliver personalized advice that works for you.

As your Wealth Strategist, my goal is to provide you with top-notch strategies and solutions for a range of scenarios you may face. Whether it’s building your wealth, designing a customized life insurance policy, planning for your retirement, providing you with tax reduction strategies, helping you transition out of your business, funding your kid’s education, or establishing your long-term care plan, I’m here to help you make the most out of the resources that I can provide. I’ve had the pleasure of working with businesses, estates, and high-net-worth individuals, as well as their advisors, each presenting unique challenges that I am proud to have solved.

Whether you are a high-net-worth household, a business owner, or a trusted advisor, I am confident that I can help you.

Designations

Chartered Life Underwriter®

 Chartered Life Underwriter®

Certified Exit Planning Advisor®

CERTIFIED EXIT PLANNING ADVISOR

Accredited Estate Planner®

Accredited Estate Planner®

Certified in Long-Term Care®

Certified in Long-Term Care®

Certified College Funding Specialist®

Certified College Funding Specialist®

Helping Individuals and Couples, Empowering Businesses Owners, and Collaborating with Trusted Advisors to Orchestrate Your Wealth.

Your wealth-building journey is unique, and it deserves a personalized approach. Whether you’re an individual or a couple with ambitious financial goals, a business owner seeking to boost growth and secure your future, or a trusted advisor aiming to provide your clients with comprehensive solutions, I’m here to collaborate with you. So, no matter which category you fall into, you can leverage my expertise to provide you with insights, resources, strategies, and solutions that resonate with your specific needs and aspirations. Let’s embark on this journey together and orchestrate your wealth!

“As the Senior VP at Financial Independence Group, one of the largest independent long-term care groups in the US, I get to work with thousands of long-term care insurance agents. I think Josh is one of the top advisors I work with. Josh is able to address all the specifics and details around long-term care insurance products, but it is the planning that makes him one of the best. He always works from a holistic planning approach. Sure, he sells long-term care insurance, but you can see he is more about helping people find good emotional and financial answers to a scary problem. “

Alecia Barnette, Senior VP Financial Independence GroupAlecia Barnette, Senior VP Financial Independence Group

“I am a trust and estates attorney in the greater Bay Area and I have worked with Josh and Rick for many
years. They are experts in the area of providing strategic options and insurance planning for folks with large estates. They are not only specialists in utilizing life insurance as an effective estate planning tool but they are well versed in long-term care insurance and planning in order to ensure that their clients and their loved ones are well taken care of. Navigating the tax and estate arena can be very complex and these two know their craft. They are not only extremely knowledgeable and professional, but they are caring and kind to all of their clients. I would recommend them to anyone looking to plan for their estate, seeking additional insurance and long-term care planning.”

Erika Copenhaver, EsqErika Copenhaver, Esq., Galan & Copenhaver, Inc. A Professional Law Corporation

“Josh and Rick truly care about their clients. Their frequent interactions and attention to detail are invaluable in plans of all sizes, but they have particular expertise working with high-net-worth individuals. They have unparalleled expertise in sophisticated insurance planning, as well as discussing a client’s overall wealth planning picture. They stay current with changes to products and with possible changes to tax laws. You can trust Josh and Rick to provide your clients with comprehensive, understandable advice.”

Ron Wargo Estate Planning Attorney and Partner at Friedemann Goldberg Wargo Hess LLPRon Wargo, Estate Planning Attorney and Partner at Friedemann Goldberg Wargo Hess LLP

“I have worked with Josh on quite a few estate planning cases for my clients and to be honest he is more versed in estate, business transition, and gift planning strategies than many estate planning attorneys I have worked with. Yes, Josh sells insurance and in many cases, an insurance policy becomes a tool that his clients can use in their overall estate plan, but he does so much more than that for his clients, and the value is really in the overall strategy that he helps provide versus the actual insurance policy.”

Carli Ortiz CPA | AEP® | PFS |CGMA Partner Linkenheimer CPAs and AdvisorsCarli Ortiz CPA | AEP® | PFS |CGMA, Partner Linkenheimer CPAs and Advisors

“I’ve had the privilege of witnessing Josh Sterling’s exceptional expertise in advanced case design and college funding firsthand. His ability to tailor innovative solutions for clients’ unique financial situations is truly remarkable. Josh’s dedication to helping families achieve their higher education goals without the burden of overwhelming debt is both commendable and inspiring. That’s why I asked him to join our advisory board at the Association of Certified College Funding Specialists. I wholeheartedly recommend Josh to anyone seeking expert assistance in wealth strategy and college funding.”

Ron Them, CCFS® CSLP® - Founder of the Association of Certified College Funding SpecialistsRon Them, CCFS®, CSLP®, Founder of the Association of Certified College Funding Specialists

“This theme really can do anything. Easy to learn – and although I’m not a professional, I’ve worked with 5 other themes. Avada is without a doubt the most flexible and fun to use.”

James Parker

Avada Company

  • Buy/Sell Structure Planning and Review
  • Buy/Sell Funding Options
  • Key-Person Protection
  • Employee Retention and Recruitment
  • Tax-Free and Tax-Deferred Savings Planning
  • Succession Planning
  • Reserves and Liquidity Planning
  • Debt and Leverage Planning 
  • Cash Flow Planning in coordination with your CPA and/or Bookkeeper  
  • Asset Protection Planning 
  • Introduction to Advanced Planning Strategies as needed
  • Strategies to reduce taxes and tax planning in coordination with CPA
  • Discussion and review of Trusts, Wills, Health Care Directives, Powers of Attorney
  • Beneficiary structures
  • Estate and Inheritance Tax reduction and planning 
  • Income/tax/withdrawal planning for Survivor, Marital, and Bypass Trusts
  • Lifetime Gifting strategies
  • Multi-Generational Planning
  • Asset Protection Planning 
  • Special Needs Planning 
  • Coordination of Planning with Attorneys
  • Discussion of Charitable Planning Desires
  • Identify Charitable Planning Options/Strategies
  • Assess and discuss Charitable Planning options
    • Tax benefits
    • Charitable Legacy
    • Flexibility
    • Lifetime Income Benefits 
  • Implementation and maintenance strategies
  • Review/audit existing policies
    • Identify areas of concern/weaknesses
    • Identify opportunities for improvement
  • Insurance needs and gap analysis
  • Term Insurance vs Permanent Insurance analysis 
  • Tax diversification planning using cash value life insurance  
  • Independent access to most carriers in the United States and several outside of the United States
  • Premium financing to leverage premium payments
  • Advanced life insurance planning strategies for:
    • Business Owners 
    • Estate planning
    • High Net Worth
    • High-Income Earners
  • Cost Analysis 
  • Consequences Planning 
    • Financial/Emotional
    • The financial impact on long-term planning
  • Review existing long-term care insurance policies
    • Identify any concerns/weaknesses
    • Identify any opportunities for improvement
  • Introduction to new solutions and design of a plan to pay for care
  • Implement agreed-upon strategies/solutions
  • Identify Strategies to Mitigate/Reduce taxes
  • Reallocation of Assets:
    • Tax deductible
    • Tax-deferred
    • Tax-free
  • Strategies to reduce estate, gift, and generation-skipping taxes
  • Business owner tax reduction strategies
  • Qualified Plan strategies
  • Commercial/Rental Building strategies

Career Highlights

  • Top of the Table in Million Dollar Round Table

  • Former 40 of 40 for Pacific Life

  • Past President of Redwood Empire Estate Planning Council

  • Member of ProVisors and Sonoma County’s Trusted Advisor Group

  • Advisory Board member for the Association of College Funding Specialists

  • Founding member of North Bay Trusted Business Advisors

  • Volunteer for Santa Rosa United Soccer Club as Vice President and Finance Committee Chair

“As the Senior VP at Financial Independence Group, one of the largest independent long-term care groups in the US, I get to work with thousands of long-term care insurance agents. I think Josh is one of the top advisors I work with. Josh is able to address all the specifics and details around long-term care insurance products, but it is the planning that makes him one of the best. He always works from a holistic planning approach. Sure, he sells long-term care insurance, but you can see he is more about helping people find good emotional and financial answers to a scary problem. “

Alecia Barnette, Senior VP Financial Independence GroupAlecia Barnette, Senior VP Financial Independence Group

“I am a trust and estates attorney in the greater Bay Area and I have worked with Josh and Rick for many
years. They are experts in the area of providing strategic options and insurance planning for folks with large estates. They are not only specialists in utilizing life insurance as an effective estate planning tool but they are well versed in long-term care insurance and planning in order to ensure that their clients and their loved ones are well taken care of. Navigating the tax and estate arena can be very complex and these two know their craft. They are not only extremely knowledgeable and professional, but they are caring and kind to all of their clients. I would recommend them to anyone looking to plan for their estate, seeking additional insurance and long-term care planning.”

Erika Copenhaver, EsqErika Copenhaver, Esq., Galan & Copenhaver, Inc. A Professional Law Corporation

“Josh and Rick truly care about their clients. Their frequent interactions and attention to detail are invaluable in plans of all sizes, but they have particular expertise working with high-net-worth individuals. They have unparalleled expertise in sophisticated insurance planning, as well as discussing a client’s overall wealth planning picture. They stay current with changes to products and with possible changes to tax laws. You can trust Josh and Rick to provide your clients with comprehensive, understandable advice.”

Ron Wargo Estate Planning Attorney and Partner at Friedemann Goldberg Wargo Hess LLPRon Wargo, Estate Planning Attorney and Partner at Friedemann Goldberg Wargo Hess LLP

“I have worked with Josh on quite a few estate planning cases for my clients and to be honest he is more versed in estate, business transition, and gift planning strategies than many estate planning attorneys I have worked with. Yes, Josh sells insurance and in many cases, an insurance policy becomes a tool that his clients can use in their overall estate plan, but he does so much more than that for his clients, and the value is really in the overall strategy that he helps provide versus the actual insurance policy.”

Carli Ortiz CPA | AEP® | PFS |CGMA Partner Linkenheimer CPAs and AdvisorsCarli Ortiz CPA | AEP® | PFS |CGMA, Partner Linkenheimer CPAs and Advisors

“I’ve had the privilege of witnessing Josh Sterling’s exceptional expertise in advanced case design and college funding firsthand. His ability to tailor innovative solutions for clients’ unique financial situations is truly remarkable. Josh’s dedication to helping families achieve their higher education goals without the burden of overwhelming debt is both commendable and inspiring. That’s why I asked him to join our advisory board at the Association of Certified College Funding Specialists. I wholeheartedly recommend Josh to anyone seeking expert assistance in wealth strategy and college funding.”

Ron Them, CCFS® CSLP® - Founder of the Association of Certified College Funding SpecialistsRon Them, CCFS®, CSLP®, Founder of the Association of Certified College Funding Specialists

Posts by Josh

2804, 2023

Professional Teamwork!

Coming to you from Austin, Texas, where I'm attending my son's soccer event, I've been reminded of the essential role that teamwork plays in both our personal and professional lives. Watching these young athletes work together on the

1204, 2023

Josh Sterling Becomes Accredited Estate Planner® Designee by NAEPC: Providing Tailored Solutions to High Net Worth Individuals and Businesses

Josh Sterling, Accredited Estate Planner® Designee by NAEPC Josh Sterling, a comprehensive Wealth Strategist, has been certified as an Accredited Estate Planner® (AEP®) designee by the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils (NAEPC) on April 12th, 2023. The

110, 2018

Recap of the 2018 Pacific Life Educational Symposium

It was a great honor for Rick and me to be invited to the Pacific Life Educational Symposium at the Hyatt Regency in Huntington Beach, California. The invitations were earned by 400 of the top independent life insurance producers

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