Jodi Perez, CFP^®, CEPA^®

Named on the 2025 Top Best-in-State Women Wealth Advisors List by Forbes

President & CEO, IFS

Wealth Manager, RJFS

With over 40 years’ experience, Jodi understands how critical financial planning is when collaborating with clients in helping them achieve their financial and personal goals. Since 1990, she has held the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®) certification which is the standard for financial planning. CFP® professionals meet rigorous education, training and ethical standards, and are committed to serving their clients’ best interests today to prepare them for a more confident tomorrow. 

Jodi is also a CERTIFIED EXIT PLANNING ADVISOR (CEPA®), a credential from the Exit Planning Institute concentrating on the Value Acceleration Methodology. This systematic approach 

allows Jodi to help business owners create more valuable businesses by aligning business and personal goals, especially as they plan an exit away from the business.

As a Wealth Manager with Raymond James Financial Services, Jodi has access to the incredible resources of one of the largest financial services companies. As a global firm, Raymond James focuses on providing trusted advice and tailored, sophisticated strategies for individuals and institutions. Her professional registrations include Series 7, 24, 63, 65 and Florida Life, Health & Variable Annuity insurance licenses.
In 2025, Jodi was named to the Forbes Top Best-in-State Women Wealth Advisors List for Florida. The Forbes ranking of Best-In-State Women Wealth Advisors, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative criteria learned through telephone, virtual and in-person due diligence interviews, and quantitative data such as revenue trends and assets under management. The algorithm additionally weighs factors such as service models, compliance records and industry experience, and focuses on those who encompass best practices in their approach to working with clients.

Jodi is President of the Business Transition Council of Tampa Bay (BTC), a non-profit organization founded in 2008 by professionals with a common goal of helping small businesses succeed. BTC offers crucial support to local business owners especially in the areas of business transition, succession and exit. She is also active in the Institute for Business Owner Excellence (IBex), an elite program offered by Raymond James Investment Banking.* The purpose of Ibex is to equip financial advisors with best practices for adding value to business owner relationships through the use of investment banking opportunities.
As a member of the Financial Planning Association (FPA), and past President of the FPA of Tampa Bay, Jodi is very connected in the planning community and involved in mentoring the next generation of financial planners. She is on the Advisory Council for the Personal Financial Planning Degree program at University of South Florida’s Muma College of Business and was previously a FPA Student Chapter Mentor.

In her free time, Jodi loves to go “glamping” in her fifth wheel. Yes, you read that right — a more glamorous way of camping and enjoying the great outdoors! She enjoys playing golf with her husband and every several years plans a golf “bucket-list” type trip. She also enjoys teaching her friends and family how to make fresh pasta and mozzarella cheese. She’s been known to have them bring their Kitchen-Aide mixers into her kitchen so they can learn all the tricks to making fresh pasta!

Raymond James Financial Services is not affiliated with the above independent or charitable organizations.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Center for Financial Planning, Inc. owns and licenses the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the United States to Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., which authorizes individuals who successfully complete the organization’s initial and ongoing certification requirements to use the certification marks.

*Raymond James Financial, Inc. (NYSE: RJF) is a leading diversified financial services company providing private client group, capital markets, asset management, banking and other services to individuals, corporations and municipalities.
Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services are offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. Independent Financial Services is not a registered broker/dealer and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services.

The 2025 Forbes ranking of Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In-State, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative and quantitative data, rating thousands of wealth advisors with a minimum of seven years of experience and weighing factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience and best practices learned through telephone and in-person interviews. Portfolio performance is not a criteria due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. This ranking is based upon the period from 9/30/23 to 9/30/24 and was released on 02/11/2025. Research Summary (as of February 2025): 48,220 nominations were received and 2,436 women won. This ranking is not indicative of an advisor’s future performance, is not an endorsement, and may not be representative of individual clients’ experience. Neither Raymond James nor any of its financial advisors or RIA firms pay a fee in exchange for this award/rating. Compensation provided for using the ranking. Raymond James is not affiliated with Forbes or Shook Research, LLC. Please visit https://www.forbes.com/lists/best-in-state-women-advisors/?sh=64b505e81d11 for more info.