The sharp economic downturn, paired with a long, slow recovery has driven people to seek professional help with their finances. For the lucky ones, that search leads to Maria Cabral, whose financial advisory services company, Contempo Financial Solutions LLC, has been expanding despite the tough fiscal climate.

Whether Cabral's clients find themselves unexpectedly downsized and need to rollover 401(k)s into a safe place, or want relief from those “record low-interest-earning bank accounts,” Cabral points them in the right direction. “[Baby Boomers] are tired of the volatility in the market; they want safety in their money, and people are looking for guarantees, making them look into indexed annuities and cash-value life insurance as an alternative.”

The bursting of the U.S. housing bubble – called in hindsight “the pop heard 'round the world” – happened in 2007, the same year that Cabral opened Contempo. Prior to that, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac extended the dream of owning a home, complete with tax breaks, to countless low- and moderate-income Americans. A housing frenzy ensued, taking on more risk and becoming increasingly unwieldy, with a toxic mixture of low interest loans, constantly rising housing prices and shady mortgages, until the bubble burst, leaving taxpayers holding the bag and many people without homes. Contempo was able to do better than survive this housing debacle.

In fact, Cabral's most spectacular successes are in the area of mortgages. Whether clients want to avoid bankruptcy and stay in their homes, pay down their debt, or pay off a mortgage in record time while saving on interest, in this economy many are afraid to make any kind of move, thinking they can't afford it. This is where Cabral really helps. The almost magical mortgage acceleration software, “My GPS for Money,” turns the tables on mortgage payment schedules.  According to Cabral, banks load 80% of interest payments at the front of the payment schedule. By almost reversing that, the “My GPS” algorithm works to the homeowner's advantage, netting clients more in real gains than almost any other investment vehicle available today. The testimonials are overwhelming.

Cabral's portfolio of services also includes Medicare and long-term care insurance. Since standard health insurance does not include any provision for long-term care, she stresses how much it “helps the insured maintain their independence and freedom of choice over how and where their care services are provided, and allows them to protect their assets and be sure their long-term care need does not create a physical or financial burden on the family.” In a related observation, Cabral notes that increasingly, clients are concerned that their remaining assets actually get to designated beneficiaries. “That’s something,” she explains, “people also look for from my services.”

Cabral said she gets most of her business through referrals, adding that 100 percent of her clients have expressed satisfaction with her services. “That is something that I’m very proud to say.”

For more information, please visit: www.contempofinancial.com