Joseph A. Lapps, CRPS

Joe is a Partner and Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist with The Plan Advocate at Independence Square Advisors. He has over 28 years of experience as a financial advisor, 22 years of that with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney (legacy Smith Barney) as a Corporate Retirement Director and Vice President Wealth Management.

As a Corporate Retirement Director, Joe led The Lapps Group at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, a practice focused on serving corporate retirement plans including 401(k), profit sharing, defined benefit, and nonqualified deferred compensation. He helped organizations evaluate, manage, monitor, and improve their retirement programs.

Today, Joe uses his extended experience to bring clients independent advice, comprehensive strategies, and the ability to act as a stated co-fiduciary to plan sponsor clients. He strives to minimize a plan sponsor’s efforts in running a comprehensive retirement program, while helping to manage investment fiduciary liabilities and empowering employees through financial wellness programs. Joe works to support individuals in their retirement planning, help them understand the retirement they are headed towards, and how they can affect and manage it.

Joe is a Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist®. He holds FINRA registrations through LPL Financial for the Series 7 and 63. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Pennsylvania State University in Civil Engineering.

Joe enjoys living near West Chester, PA with his two sons. He has been involved with East Side Little League Baseball, is on the board of Rustin Ice Hockey and is a member at Westminster Presbyterian Church.