Karen Altfest (CFP®, MA, PhD)

Planning Specialties

Karen Caplan Altfest, CFP, Ph.D., is a Principal Advisor at Altfest Personal Wealth Management. She helps many of the firm’s clients on a variety of investment and financial planning issues.

Karen is a former Chairperson of the Northeast Region of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) and a former President and Chairperson of the New York Chapter of the Financial Planning Association (FPA).

Karen is frequently a speaker on the subject of women and money and conducts educational seminars for recent widows and people looking to retire. Her Financially Savvy Woman™ programs, including the Women’s Financial $pa™, are popular with clients.

In 2017, Forbes named Karen Altfest to the inaugural list of "America's Top 200 Women Advisors." Investment News identified her among the "Top 20 Most Influential Women to Watch" in 2015, and Financial Times placed Karen on their list of "Top 100 Women Financial Advisors" in 2014. Previously, InvestmentNews recognized her with their Community Leadership Award and in 2013, Financial Planning recognized Karen for empowering women and pushing the financial planning industry to higher levels.

Karen holds the CFP® designation. She serves as Treasurer of Temple Shaaray Tefila in Manhattan. Karen is a member of the Professional Advisory Council of the Central Park Conservancy, sits on McGill’s Alumni Board of New York, and is a founder and former chair of the Yorkville Common Pantry.