Mike Velasco, Community Contributor

Biography

Michael G. Velasco, Managing Director

Red Oak College Planning

Mike is based in Central NJ and has over 30+ years of experience in the financial services industry. His firm Red Oak College Planning is affiliated with the College Planning Network ("CPN ") and together they have helped numerous parents successfully navigate the college admissions and financial aid process so they can comfortably afford to send their children to college…..regardless of the cost.

CPN is the Nation's largest and most reputable college admissions and financial aid servicing center and has averaged nearly $19,075/year in college aid for our average family.

After a nearly twenty year career on Wall Street, Mike started his own financial planning firm in New Jersey - Red Oak Capital LLC. He has helped numerous families in the areas of Retirement planning, College financial planning and Estate / income protection.

Prior to his Wall Street career, Mike spent six years with a large CPA firm as a Manager in their financial services group. Mike obtained his CPA certification while employed there and gained valuable experience in the financial services world. Mike graduated with a degree in Public Accountancy with honors from the Lubin School of Business at Pace University.

Mike is a frequent speaker on College Financial Planning at many local NJ Libraries, Church groups and Community Centers. He is a noted lecturer for many of the NJ County Bar associations and is considered one of the leading College Financial Aid speakers on the topic of divorce and its impact on college financial aid planning. He is also a noted writer on the topic of College Financial Planning in the Patch /New jersey .com blog.

Mike is a resident of New Jersey. He has three children, a daughter Haley age 23 who is presently enrolled at Northwestern University in the Master’s of Journalism program two son’s Michael 21 a junior at Wesleyan University and Matthew 17 a junior at Ridge High School.

Mike’s personal interests are reading, physical fitness, golf, fishing and youth sports. Mike is the founder and co–director of the April A. Stumpf children’s foundation which helps the families of children with rare skin diseases. Mike and his family are also very involved with Childrens Specialized Hospital in central NJ as family mentors.