Although we have made great strides towards reducing gender inequality worldwide, there is still much to be done in order to close the gender gap—particularly when it comes to investing and financial planning.1 To mark Women’s History Month, XML Financial Group hosted an important webinar to discuss the challenges and unique opportunities of financial planning and investing for women.

On March 16, 2022, Michelle Cooper JD, MBA (Partner & Director, XML-W) and Jennifer Prosser (Market Strategist, Goldman Sachs Asset Management) joined Sharon Abbey (Wealth Advisor, XML) for a must-see conversation on empowering women investors. The webinar featured insights into:

*References to the term “partnership” in this presentation are not intended to connote a type of organizational structure or any type of legal relationship between Goldman Sachs and XML. Any reference to “research” in this presentation relates to analysis conducted by Goldman Sachs Asset Management’s Strategic Advisory Solutions Team.

The webinar featured insights into:

• Womenomics – The power and impact of women in the global economy
• Common financial planning challenges affecting women
• EMPOWER the Female Investor - How women can improve their confidence as investors
• Understanding your financial dreams and working on making them into a reality

Jennifer Prosser

Jennifer Prosser is a Market Strategist with the Strategic Advisory Solutions team at Goldman Sachs Asset Management. She and her team provide perspectives, insight, and analysis on the latest macroeconomic and market trends, developing actionable investment ideas for clients across a range of markets. Jennifer also focuses on political strategy, womenomics, and ESG and impact investing. Jennifer earned a Bachelor in Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame, majoring in finance and political science with a concentration in international business.

Michelle Cooper JD, MBA

Michelle Cooper JD, MBA is the Director and Co-founder of XML-W, a division of XML Financial Group that focuses on the planning and financial needs of women at all stages of their lives. She brings to XML-W over 25 years of experience in the estate planning, finance and tax fields. Prior to joining the XML team, she worked for Merrill Lynch and U.S. Trust (both entities are now owned by Bank of America) as a Director, helping high-net-worth clients design and update their estate plans. She also had the responsibility of educating over 650 financial advisors on estate planning and trust services. Michelle recently wrote a book called I’ve Still Got Me – A Widow’s Journey to Love, Happiness & Financial Independence. In this book, Michelle shares her personal story of resilience after the sudden loss of her husband to suicide. By sharing her journey and the life lessons learned along the way, she hopes to empower women to become more active and involved with their finances and estate plan so they can live more healthy and secure lives. Michelle has been featured on several local and national media outlets and was recently named one of JWI’s 2019 Women to Watch.

Sharon Abbey

Sharon Abbey is a Wealth Advisor and the Branch Manager of the Breckenridge, Colorado office. She provides brokerage and investment management services along with insurance solutions. In addition, she serves as the Insurance and Options Principal of the firm. She has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. She specializes in providing high-level service and strengthening client relationships. In 1997, Sharon earned her associate degree in Accounting from the Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton, Wisconsin. She then moved to Colorado, where she started working in the financial planning business. She later furthered her education by completing the Registered Paraplanner designation and obtaining the FINRA series 6, 7, 66, 24, 4 and the Life and Health Insurance licenses.

*This webinar is for educational and informational purposes only. Content is not intended to be a recommendation or solicitation for the sale or investment in any product, strategy or service nor should it be perceived as individual advice.