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Dutchess Man Channels Inner Pastor As Financial Planner

PAWLING, N.Y. - A Pine Plains pastor has put his skills to work as a financial advisor - and while the two professions may not seem compatible, there are more parallels than you might think.

Paula and Bruce Cote are ready to help you plan for retirement at Stratos Wealth Partners in Pawling.

Paula and Bruce Cote are ready to help you plan for retirement at Stratos Wealth Partners in Pawling.

Photo Credit: Contributed
Bruce Cote at work in his Pawling office (info on computer screen is for photo purposes and not real).

Bruce Cote at work in his Pawling office (info on computer screen is for photo purposes and not real).

Photo Credit: Contributed
Stratos Wealth Partners in Pawling.

Stratos Wealth Partners in Pawling.

Photo Credit: Contributed

Pine Plains residents Bruce and Paula Cote started doing business as Stratos Wealth Partners in Pawling on January 30. "We help people with retirement planning," Cote told Daily Voice. "We help people plan for the future."

Cote has been involved with financial planning "on and off," as he puts it, since 2003. During the off time, between 2001 and 2011, he was a Pastor with a congregation at two different Pittsburgh area churches, spending five years at each.

What got the Pastor interested in financial planning, and how does one impact the other?

"It's really amazing how many parallels there are," he said. "You talk to people about what they want to accomplish... their frustrations, regrets. It's all part of the planning process - to get them where they want to go."

When a client wants to plan for the future, they need to open up - about their finances - so Cote can help.

"When people reveal their finances, it's a very revealing process," he said. "It's really a good look under the hood. People feel they should've done better... So when they don't feel a sense of judgment from me, I think that's a relief. They know I'm just looking to help them."

Wearing his Pastor hat, or as a financial advisor, Cote gets his satisfaction from helping people achieve their goals.

"I'm always a pastor," he said. "You don't have to have a congregation to be a Pastor.

"And they say that one of the greatest things you can do in life is helping people," he added. "If I can help people with their financial goals, I really feel like I've succeeded."

Stratos Wealth Partners is located at 88 Rt. 22 in Pawling, and can be reached at 845-350-0828.

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