Chuck is married to Kristie and they live in Fox River Grove with their three children: Nicholas, and identical twin boys, Max and Jack. Outside of financial planning Chuck enjoys spending time with his family, which typically involves practicing his back swing on the golf course with his boys completing his foursome.
PlanWise Wealth Management
Chuck Janka
Founder & Wealth Management Advisor|CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®
Get a financial plan that prioritizes your priorities.
I’ll take the time to listen to what’s important to you and understand your needs. Then drawing upon a broader perspective and financial expertise, I’ll tailor your financial plan to fit your priorities and goals. From planning to implementation, my recommendations always follow a fiduciary standard, so I’ll act in your best interests, not mine. I’ll be transparent about what my planning services will, and will not include, so you’ll know exactly what you’re getting upfront. And when it comes to the cost of our services, I’ll let you know upfront about that, too.
Here's how I’ll build your personalized plan:
Look at where you are today
Your plan will help you make the most of what you already have, no matter where you're starting from, and give you a snapshot of your financial big picture.
Identify where you want to go
Whether it's shorter-term goals like managing your debt, or longer-term ones like saving for a new home, or retirement, your financial plan will show you how you're tracking, help you understand what's working, and point out any gaps you might have.
Put together range of options to get you there
Looking across all your goals, you'll get personalized recommendations and strategies to grow your wealth while making sure everything's protected. And I'll help you determine the right moves to make today and later on. And as your priorities change throughout your life, I'll shift the financial strategies in your plan, too. So your plan always stays flexible, and you stay on track to consistently meet goal after goal.
Professional
Chuck began his career as a wealth management advisor in 1987 after graduating from Illinois State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing/Finance.
Chuck believes in continuing education to keep the professional edge that makes him a valuable resource. Complimenting his continual quest for improvement is a dedication to honesty and integrity in all business dealings. Chuck has earned the following professional industry designations:
CFP® CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™
CFP® is a formal recognition of expertise in the areas of financial planning, taxes, insurance, estate planning, and retirement (such as with 401(k)s). Owned and awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., the designation is awarded to individuals who successfully complete the CFP Board's initial exams, then continue ongoing annual education programs to sustain their skills and certification.
CLU® Chartered Life Underwriter
The CLU® designation has long been recognized as the fundamental and foremost educational credential for life insurance professionals. Since 1927, more than 94,000 individuals have earned their CLU® helping them build a successful life insurance practice by providing clients with knowledgeable and ethical advice. For financial representatives, field management, home office personnel, and others involved in providing life insurance products, the CLU® designation symbolizes continuing growth and commitment to professionalism.
ChFC® Chartered Financial Consultant
The ChFC® designation focuses on the comprehensive financial planning process as an organized way to collect and analyze information on a client's total financial situation; to identify and establish specific financial goals; and to formulate, implement, and monitor a comprehensive plan to achieve those goals. The ChFC® program provides financial services professionals with in-depth knowledge of the skills needed to perform comprehensive financial planning for their clients.
Here are my team's areas of expertise.
Advisory Services
Financial Planning
Wealth Management
Tax-Efficient Strategies
Retirement Planning & Income Strategies
Multigenerational Planning
Insurance Protection Strategies
Estate Planning
How Northwestern Mutual helps you live the life you want.
When people feel better about their money, good things happen—they become more confident and feel more secure. For more than 160 years, Northwestern Mutual has helped people achieve the financial flexibility they need to live more and worry less.
Being a mutual company means Northwestern Mutual reports to its clients, not Wall Street. They don't believe in chasing fads or taking undue risk for short-term gains. Instead, they take a long-term approach—both in the way we help people plan to reach their goals, and in the way they do business. This has served their clients (and mine) well through all kinds of economic ups and downs, including wars, recessions, even the recent pandemic.
It's why I'm happy to be part of a company that's in it for the long-haul and prioritizes clients over profit.
Personal
Lending a hand in my community.
As part of Northwestern Mutual, I'm proud to help accelerate the search for better childhood cancer treatments while supporting families undergoing treatment, and survivors from late effects. Here are some of the organizations we partner with:
Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer (ALSF)
ALSF funds cancer research, raises awareness, and supports the families of children with cancer. Chuck is dedicated to this amazing cause to help give child cancer patients the treatment the need, both locally and nationally. Since 2012, Northwestern Mutual, its employees, and financial professionals like me have donated more than $20 million to support ALSF and fund over 400,000 research hours.
Ronald McDonald House Charities
During the month of February, Northwestern Mutual Chicagoland collected non-perishable food for children receiving cancer treatments at Ronald McDonald House Charities. Chuck and his team donated in support of these adorable and brave young children. Using the non-perishable food items donated, meals were made on site for the children and their families.
Beads of Courage
Beads of Courage is an art-in-medicine program that helps kids with cancer tell their unique treatment story through colorful beads that are symbols of their courage.
