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Financial Advisor
Nancy, previously president of Effert Financial Solutions, Inc. merged her financial advisory firm with Essex, LLC in late 2023. She joined them because of their shared vision and approach for Planning Based Money Management. Before starting her own firm in 2006, Nancy had over 20 years of experience focusing on technology, actuarial and management consulting developing her skills in corporate leadership, strategic planning, and problem-solving for Fortune 500 companies.
Nancy is a result-driven strategic consultant with a signature goal-based approach to wealth management and financial planning. She is honored to be recognized for 12 years as a Five-Star Wealth Manager* (2014-2025) and has been profiled in Forbes & Fortune Magazines, the Wall Street Journal, and the Chicago Magazine.
Nancy is as engaged in the community as she is with her clients. She is proactive in supporting non-profit and business leadership organizations as a volunteer, fundraiser and trailblazer. Nancy was the president of the Rotary Club of Fox Valley Sunset 2022-2023. Also honored as Rotarian of the year in 2022. Has contributed her time and talents to multiple non-profit organizations including the Marine Corp Scholarship Foundation, Joshua Mission, Chicago and YWCA of Lake County. Nancy also served as a committee member or officer for the local Chambers of Commerce including Northern Kane County’s Women in Business, Algonquin’s Alliance of Professional Women and Barrington’s Women’s Business Network.
Nancy lives in Cary with her husband Dave and her rescue dog Brion. When she isn’t working, you can find Nancy competing on the golf course, enjoying local music with her more talented friends and traveling to local and exotic places.
*FIVE STAR AWARD DISCLAIMER * This award was issued on 10/01/2025 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 01/01/2025 through 08/01/2025. Fee paid for use of marketing materials. Self-completed questionnaire was used for rating. This rating is not related to the quality of the investment advice and based solely on the disclosed criteria. 6399 Chicago-area wealth managers were considered for the award; 362 (6 % of candidates) were named 2025 Five Star Wealth Managers. The following prior year statistics use this format: YEAR: # Considered, # Winners, % of candidates, Issued Date, Research Period. 2024: 6,273, 400, 6%, 10/1/24, 1/9/24 – 8/9/24; 2023: 5,549, 405, 7%, 10/1/23, 1/9/23 – 7/31/23; 2022: 4912, 384, 8%, 10/1/22, 1/24/22 – 7/29/22; 2021: 5635, 386, 7%, 10/1/21, 12/28/20 – 8/6/21; 2020: 4636, 356, 8%, 10/1/20, 1/6/20 – 8/7/20; 2019: 5430, 429, 8%, 10/1/19, 1/7/19 – 8/9/19; 2018: 5449, 435, 8%, 10/1/18, 1/12/18 – 8/17/18; 2017: 3781, 438, 12%, 10/1/17, 12/16/16 – 8/3/17; 2016: 3411, 726, 22%, 9/1/16, 2/26/16 – 8/19/16; 2015: 5833, 716, 12%, 10/1/15, 2/4/15 – 8/3/15; 2014: 8161, 744, 9%, 10/1/14, 2/4/13 – 8/3/13; 2013: 3998, 772, 19%, 10/1/13, 2/4/12 – 8/3/12; 2012: 2970, 780, 26%, 10/1/12, 2/4/11 – 8/3/11. Wealth managers do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final list of Five Star Wealth Managers. The award is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility criteria – required: 1. Credentialed as a registered investment adviser (RIA) or a registered investment adviser representative; 2. Actively licensed as a RIA or as a principal of a registered investment adviser firm for a minimum of 5 years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by FSP, the wealth manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, pending, dismissed or denied complaints with any regulatory authority or FSP’s consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or complaints registered through FSP’s consumer complaint process; feedback may not be representative of any one client’s experience; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. Filed for personal bankruptcy within the past 11 years; E. Been terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria – considered: 6. One-year client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Education and professional designations. FSP does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. The award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not manage their clients’ assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by FSP or this publication. Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager or any wealth manager is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by FSP in the future. Visit www.fivestarprofessional.com.