Mana Financial Life Design

Erica James is a CFP® professional with five years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Mana Financial Life Design. Her prior roles include positions at Signify Wealth LLC, Creative Planning, LLC, SBSB Financial Advisors, and The Wolf Group. Outside of her advisory work, she has experience as a property manager. Mana Financial Life Design provides financial life planning, discretionary investment management, employee benefit plan advisory, and estate planning support to individual, high-net-worth clients, and employer plan sponsors. The firm incorporates a long-term investment approach with active tax management and client education through seminars, workshops, and a bi-weekly newsletter.

Mana FLD offers professional financial advice that empowers you to protect and celebrate your hard earned money. We start with our clients' hopes and dreams: getting an intimate view of their values, attitudes, and feelings towards money and its connection to lifestyle. Next comes smart planning: as we work one-on-one with each client to learn your finances inside and out, resulting in deep knowledge sharing, and ongoing support capable of shifting attitudes and building wealth. The outcome is freedom through partnership: our clients are supported to grow, develop and stand strong through life’s transitions, as we build new strategies for self-awareness and personal identity. Throughout the journey, we help turn clients' dreams and goals into reality.

Stephanie Bucko is a CFA® charterholder with nine years of industry experience. She is currently a financial advisor at Mana Financial Life Design in Glendale, CA, where she has worked since 2018. Bucko also serves as Chief Information Officer and Manager of Mana Management Partners, overseeing the distribution of financial education programs through the Mana Money School. Mana Financial Life Design serves individual and high-net-worth clients as well as employer plan sponsors, offering financial life planning, discretionary investment management, employee benefit plan advisory, estate planning support, and project consulting. The firm employs a goals-based investment approach that combines long-term perspectives with active tax management and selective use of leverage and derivatives, alongside client education and engagement initiatives.

Janet Gerlings is a CFP® professional with nine years of industry experience. She joined Mana Financial Life Design in 2023 after seven years at Foothills Financial Planning, Inc. Mana Financial Life Design serves individual and high-net-worth clients as well as employer plan sponsors, providing financial life planning, discretionary investment management, employee benefit plan advisory, estate planning support, and project consulting. The firm employs a long-term investment approach focused on liquid, low-cost ETFs and mutual funds, combined with active tax management and selective use of more active strategies consistent with client objectives.