Lou has been helping clients achieve their lifetime and business goals for over 30 years. Lou and Cannataro Family Capital Partners (CFCP) have received national recognition being named to Forbes Top 250 Securities Professionals and Financial Times Top 400 Advisors across the nation. Lou is an credentialed advisor with nine advanced degrees and/or certifications in personal and business planning. He has a long history of becoming a well trusted family advisor not only for individual families but for his business owners as well. Lou is uniquely certified and more importantly, very experienced in creating synergy between personal and business planning.
After Lou finished his MBA in finance, he founded CFCP within Northwestern Mutual. He was the leading first year advisor out of his region, and has never looked back. Lou has always accredited his success to focusing on the development of long-term relationships with his clients. His "no nonsense" approach coupled with sound, consistent advice, has propelled his team to the top echelon of practices within Northwestern Mutual’s Wealth Management Company.
Not only has CFCP continually received accolades for outstanding performance each year, Lou's practice received the inaugural Financial Security Award (FSA) led the Eastern region then and has received the award every year since—the prestigious FSA is awarded annually for well-rounded financial planning and comprehensive competency.
A standout in the industry, Lou brings over 60 thousand hours of face to face meetings/experience to each meeting. His ability to utilize this experience and level of empathy demonstrated for his client’s goals an mission in life is evident in every conversation. Lou is known for his low-key, no nonsense approach to planning. He brings clarity to complex issues and provides transparency to the inner workings of each topic.
Professional Designations
- The Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®) designation focuses on the comprehensive financial planning process as an organized way to collect and analyze information on a client's total financial situation; to identify and establish specific financial goals; and to formulate, implement, and monitor a comprehensive plan to achieve those goals. The ChFC program provides financial services professionals with in-depth knowledge of the skills needed to perform comprehensive financial planning for their clients.
- The Registered Employee Benefits Consultant (REBC®) designation is the undisputed professional credential for persons working in the dynamic fields of employee benefits, health insurance, incentive compensation, and retirement plan funding, installation and administration. The REBC® designation signifies that an individual working in these fields has attained comprehensive knowledge of the following subject matter: pensions, retirement, planning group medical plans, health insurance, long-term care, executive compensation, personnel management, and much more. The REBC designation is granted by The American College to individuals who successfully complete a challenging six course curriculum and meet additional expertise and ethics requirements.
- The Accredited Estate Planner (AEP®) designation is available to attorneys, Chartered Life Underwriters, Certified Public Accountants, Certified Trust and Financial Advisors, Chartered Financial Consultants, and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional. The AEP® designation is awarded by the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils to recognized estate planning professionals who meet special requirements of education, experience, knowledge, professional reputation, and character.
- The Chartered Advisor for Senior Living (CASL®) designation focuses exclusively on providing you with comprehensive knowledge on the full range of financial, health, psychological and sociological issues confronting older clients. In earning the CASL® designation, you gain a thorough understanding of health and health care insurance-related issues, long term care insurance, planning for pension distributions, suitability of investments, federal estate taxation and counseling on key family decisions.
- The Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®) designation has long been recognized as the fundamental and foremost educational credential for life insurance professionals. Since 1927, more than 94,000 individuals have earned their CLU, helping them build a successful life insurance practice by providing clients with knowledgeable and ethical advice. For financial representatives, field management, home office personnel, and others involved in providing life insurance products to the public, the CLU designation symbolizes continuing growth and commitment to professionalism.
- The Certified in Long-Term Care (CLTC®) designation is the long-term care insurance industry's only independent professional designation. Created in 1999, the program is focused on the field of long-term care planning and provides legal, accounting, insurance and financial service professionals the critical tools necessary to create a plan that preserves the emotional, physical, and financial wellbeing of a client's family should care be necessary. Once established, options to fund that plan--including Medicare, Medicaid, the Veterans Administration, self-funding and long-term care insurance--are reviewed and recommended where appropriate.
- The Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP®). The RICP educational curricula is the most complete and comprehensive program available to professional financial advisors looking to help their clients create sustainable retirement income. The rigorous credential helps advisors master retirement income planning, a key focus area not fully covered in other professional designation programs. From retirement portfolio management techniques and mitigation of plan risks to the proper use of annuities, employer-sponsored benefits and determining the best Social Security claiming age, the RICP provides a wealth of practical information for advisors.
- The Wealth Management Certified Professional (WMCP®) designation prepares advisors to build long-term wealth management plans. Advisors with a WMCP® designation have a deep understanding of wealth and investment management, and expertise on a wide array of topics, including portfolio theory, investment tools, tax rules, and wealth management strategies. Rather than focusing solely on investment choices, the WMCP® program ingrains complex wealth and investment management concepts through real-life simulations and state-of-the-art digital coursework. In an age of disruptive technology, the WMCP® program prepares advisors to deliver on clients’ highest expectations. The WMCP® designation provides your advisor with the education needed to deliver service and expertise aligned with your expectations, and to help you make informed financial decisions aligned with your long-term financial goals.
- The Chartered Special Needs Consultant (ChSNC®). A Chartered Special Needs Consultant has the specialized training and experience required to help manage the unique legal and financial planning needs for individuals with disabilities. ChSNCs take pride in ensuring they can adequately address the concerns, hopes, and goals of special needs families.
Education
- Manhattan College - Finance (M.B.A.)
- Manhattan College - Marketing (M.B.A.)
- College of Mt. St. Vincent - Business (B.S.)
Awards and Recognition
- FORBES TOP 250 Security Professional
- Financial Times Top 400 Advisor
- Life Time MDRT Member Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), the Premier Association of Financial Professionals
- Qualifying life member of the Northwestern Mutual Forum, recognizing the highest level of productivity and excellence since 1998
Associations and Memberships
- National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA)
- Society of Financial Service Professionals
- National Association of Estate Planning and Council
Personal
- Learn more about Lou -
Lou and his wife Colette reside in West Nyack, NY. Louis enjoys his family life. Colette and Lou spend the weekdays in NYC and the weekends down shore with their children Louis Frank, Caroline, Jack, Kate.
Lou enjoys his family life, skiing, fishing, golfing, biking, ice hockey, the Jersey Shore and catching up with Colette when she is back from her photography trips!?? Instagram: colettecannataroimagery
Lou has also been featured in major media outlets such as Barron’s, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Yahoo! Finance, Newsday, U.S. News & World Report.
