Each month we spotlight members of the Community Foundation of Broward’s Professional Advisors Council.

The PAC includes attorneys, CPAs and financial planners who help their clients achieve their charitable goals by collaborating with the Community Foundation. Council members have referred clients who establish charitable funds at the Foundation or who include the Foundation in their estate plans.

This month’s Q&A features Professional Advisors Council Chair Marianela Collado, CPA/PFS, CFP®, CDS®

Marianela is a senior wealth advisor and CEO and co-owner of Tobias Financial Advisors in Plantation. In addition to serving as PAC Chair, she serves on the Community Foundation Board of Directors. She has also served as a Board member of Nova Southeastern University’s Planned Giving Council, Planned Giving Council of Broward and Gilda’s Club South Florida.

Professional & Philanthropy

Q.What inspired you to enter your field?

I originally thought I was going to become a teacher. I’ve always loved learning and helping others understand complex ideas. While in college I was introduced to accounting and quickly realized how much I enjoyed it. Over time, I discovered that financial planning allowed me to combine both passions, working with numbers while also educating and guiding families through important decisions. Today, I still see a big part of my role as helping clients understand their financial lives so they can make thoughtful decisions with confidence.

Q.What areas of planning do you focus on?

My work focuses on comprehensive financial planning for high-net-worth individuals, families and business owners. Much of what we do involves coordinating investment management, tax planning, estate and legacy planning, and risk management so everything works together. I also spend a lot of time helping clients navigate major life transitions, whether that’s selling a business, planning for retirement, navigating divorce or thinking about how they want to support future generations.

Q.What do you enjoy most about helping clients with long-term or legacy planning?

What I enjoy most is helping clients connect their financial resources with what truly matters to them. Legacy planning is about more than numbers. It’s about family values, goals and the impact people want to have during their lifetime and beyond. When a plan comes together in a way that supports both a family’s future and the causes they care about, it can be incredibly meaningful.

Q.Why is philanthropy important in a strong estate or financial plan?

Philanthropy can play a powerful role in helping families define what their legacy will look like. A well-structured charitable strategy can support important causes, bring families together around shared values and create meaningful impact in the community while also integrating thoughtfully with tax and estate planning goals.

Q.Are there causes or community issues that are especially meaningful to you?

I’m passionate about organizations that support families and strengthen our local community. I’ve been particularly involved with organizations like Gilda’s Club South Florida, which provide support to individuals and families impacted by cancer, as well as groups that support children, families and individuals with developmental disabilities. These organizations provide critical resources and remind us how important it is to support one another as a community.

Q.What drew you to engage with the Community Foundation of Broward?

The Community Foundation of Broward plays an important role in connecting donors, advisors and nonprofits in a thoughtful and strategic way. As advisors, we often work with clients who want to give back but may not know the best way to structure their philanthropy. The Foundation provides incredible insight into community needs and helps ensure that charitable giving is both meaningful and impactful.

Q.What advice would you offer advisors looking to include charitable planning in their practice?

Start by focusing on the client’s values and the impact they want to have. Charitable planning should never feel transactional. When advisors approach these conversations with curiosity and genuine interest in what matters to their clients, it naturally becomes an important part of the broader financial planning process.

Personal & Fun

Q.What area of Broward/South Florida do you call home?

Weston, Florida.

Q.What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?

Many people are surprised to learn that I originally planned to become a teacher before discovering my passion for accounting and financial planning. In many ways, though, that original goal never really went away because a large part of my work still involves educating clients and helping them understand their financial decisions.

Q.How do you like to spend your time outside of work?

Outside of work, I spend most of my time with my husband and our three very active boys. Between sports, school activities and family time, life is busy but incredibly rewarding.

Q.What is a favorite Broward restaurant, coffee spot, or local gem?

I always enjoy spending time around Las Olas in Fort Lauderdale. It’s a great place to walk, enjoy the waterfront, visit galleries and try some of the local restaurants and cafes.

More about the PAC

Our PAC is an elite group of tax and estate attorneys, CPAs and financial advisors who collaborate with the Community Foundation to achieve their clients’ charitable goals. Council members have referred clients who establish charitable funds at the Foundation or who include the Foundation in their estate plans. Working together, we help their clients to make a lasting impact through grantmaking support from their charitable funds at the Community Foundation. PAC members are invited to networking opportunities, continuing education sessions and special Community Foundation events.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ALL OF OUR PAC MEMBERS.