Bob Chitrathorn
CFO / VP of Wealth PlanningWealth Planning By Bob Chitrathorn of Simplified Wealth Management
Member Since December 2023
Skills
About
Suthipong Robert Chitrathorn (or Bob for short) came from humble beginnings. Born to parents Puttachart and Sakul Chitrathorn, Bob was raised in a mobile home park in Colton, CA. His parents migrated to Michigan from Bangkok, Thailand in 1974, before settling in Southern California. As a child, Bob didn’t realize how good others had it until he ventured out of the ghetto and went over to friends’ birthday parties. There he’d witness the luxuries of living the American dream and of the possibilities that lay ahead. To the Chitrathorns, life in America was a gift and they were proud owners of property in America. They worked hard to put food on the table and to put Bob and his younger sister, Crystal, through school. Bob ate sandwiches with nothing but cheese on them, but he was blessed nonetheless. He learned that perspective made all the difference in life. In his mother’s words, “education is money in the bank.” She teaches nurses still to this day, but she and Sakul, a factory worker, sacrificed to make a better life for Bob and Crystal. They paid for both kids to go through private high school and then helped pay for college. Their dedication and sacrifice didn’t go to waste. Bob received a full ride scholarship for his first year at La Sierra University, before transferring to California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB). He received his B.S. in Finance, as well as a B.S. in Real Estate, while minoring in business administration. Despite the rigorous course load, Bob graduated magna cum laude and was named part of the Golden Key Honor Society. In 2004, Bob became a financial advisor, which was an opportunity to make a good living, while helping others make the most informed decisions for their own financial lives. He had a short stint at H&R Block and also considered real estate, but he found his passion in personal finance. While Bob was attending CSUSB, his parents were working with an agent at New York Life. Bob always sat in on their meetings. He found that by listening to his parents’ goals and conveying the pros and cons of their decisions, that they would listen to him more often than their own advisor. When Bob became an advisor, it was a no brainer that Puttachart and Sakul would work with their son, who always listened to their needs. With over 19 years of industry experience, he now has many clients beyond his parents to guide and influence. In 2016, Bob contributed a chapter to best selling author and esteemed motivational speaker, Brian Tracy’s book. The book, “Success Manifesto: The World’s Leading Entrepreneurs & Professionals Reveal Their Secrets to Mastering Health, Wealth & Lifestyle,” was an opportunity for Bob to share his love for planning and for his clients. He holds the Series 6, Series 7, Series 63 registrations with LPL Financial, and Series 65 registration with Mariner Independent Advisor Network. Additionally he has life, health and long-term care insurance licenses. Bob has been married to the love of his life, Brittany, for ten years. They live in their Riverside, CA home with their rescue dog, Mazy, a pool, putting green, and a Pittsburgh Steelers themed bar that’s perfect for Sunday Night Football. If you’re looking for Bob at 6:30 or 7 pm on a weeknight, more often than not, he’s prepping for a case or making phone calls still. His parents’ work habits weren’t lost on him and he’s usually the one at the end of the night setting the alarm and turning off the lights. Bob Chitrathorn is a registered representative with, and Securities and Retirement Plan Consulting Program advisory services are offered through LPL Financial, a registered investment advisor, member FINRA/SIPC. Other advisory services offered through Mariner Independent Advisor Network (MIAN). MIAN, and Wealth Planning by Bob Chitrathorn are separate entities from LPL Financial.
Bob Chitrathorn
Published content
expert panel
Be someone your clients can trust and learn to lean on for some of their most personal decisions. Growing at a rate much faster than the average rate for all other occupations, the job outlook for personal financial advisers entering the field is a bright one, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. And while no industry seems immune from technological and cultural changes, many of the factors that made someone a successful financial adviser years ago are likely to make someone successful now. It’s all about understanding your clients and offering a service they can’t get from anyone else. Having each been in the financial industry for some time now, the advisers and financial experts of Kiplinger Advisor Collective know what it takes to build successful businesses in the advising space. Below, they offer their top tips for anyone new to the industry on what they can do to set themselves apart and launch a profitable business from the ground up.
expert panel
Don’t wait until you’re no longer working to determine where your new income will come from. One of the biggest questions on the minds of soon-to-be retirees is, “Will I have enough money to live on when I retire?” Leaving the workforce and finally gaining back all your time for rest and relaxation is an exciting prospect, but being unsure about where your money will come from and what you will live off of can quickly turn a blessing into a nightmare. Whether you’ve been saving for retirement for years or you’ve only recently started, the uncertainty around whether or not you will have enough money to sustain you throughout the rest of your life can be truly terrifying, causing some people to delay retirement for longer than they’d like or to keep working well into their elderly years just to have the certainty of a regular income. But according to the financial experts of Kiplinger Advisor Collective, taking the time to craft a plan for your retirement income can help ease — or even eliminate — those fears. Here, they each share their top piece of advice for creating a retirement income strategy that works and explain how having a well-thought-out plan will help give you peace of mind.
expert panel
Getting aligned early on is the best way to set you and your spouse up for a successful future. In marriage, it's all about being on the same page. Will you purchase a home in the suburbs, or rent a condo in the city? How many children will you have, if any at all? What values are most important to you? There are many important topics to discuss and align on (or at least compromise on) if you want your marriage to stand strong against the pressures of time. But one area many couples struggle to agree is money. Whether that means how to spend it day to day, or what goals to start saving toward, disagreement in this area can spell disaster for even the best relationships. If you’re having a hard time getting your spouse to engage in financial discussions or get on board with the financial plan or goals, the experts of Kiplinger Advisor Collective are here to help. Below, they offer up their top tips for how couples can approach financial alignment in a way that will strengthen their relationship for the long term.
expert panel
Even when the market ebbs and flows, you can keep your retirement investments stable with these proactive strategies. With unpredictable markets and economic uncertainty, it's important to take steps to safeguard your retirement savings. Market volatility can lead to significant losses if you’re not properly prepared, but there are many effective strategies for protecting your hard-earned nest egg. According to the financial professionals of Kiplinger Advisor Collective, you can help shield your retirement funds from the impact of market fluctuations with a few strategic moves. If you’re looking to secure your future, consider these expert-recommended tips for managing retirement savings during turbulent times.
expert panel
Taking a non-traditional path may mean thinking outside of traditional savings options. One of the best parts of gig work or other self-employed work is being your own boss. Not only do you get to set your own schedule, but you also get to set your own rules for how and when your work gets done. However, being your own boss means you have to take care of all the administrative work as well. Where an employer would normally provide a retirement account option for you — and maybe even contribute a match — when you’re self-employed, you have to take care of that all on your own. But this doesn’t necessarily mean it’s impossible to save for retirement, or even difficult. However, there are tips you’ll want to know if you plan to take this route. Here, nine financial experts from Kiplinger Advisor Collective each share one important thing self-employed small-business owners and gig economy workers should know about saving and planning for retirement.
expert panel
Even small changes can make a big difference to your financial journey. As with tackling any new goal, it helps to have the right habits in place to help lead you across the finish line. Whether you’re saving up for a house, thinking about retirement or just hoping to achieve a feeling of security, building the right habits is crucial to ensuring you have the tools you need to accomplish your goal. And while there are some habits you may be able to identify for yourself, there are others financial experts wish people would give more thoughtful consideration. Here, 11 members of Kiplinger Advisor Collective discuss some of the most important money habits they think more people should cultivate and why they’re so essential to building true wealth throughout your life.