Deborah Feldman

Deborah Feldman

CFP®
Wealth Advisor, Managing Director
dfeldman@htsw.com
847-353-6526
Buffalo Grove
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Certification(s) & Designation(s)

  • CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®)

Awards

  • Five Star Wealth Manager (2015-2025)1
  • Best-in-State Advisor by Forbes-Shook Research (2018-2025).2
  • Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In-State list (2017-2026).3

1Wealth managers do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final list of Five Star Wealth Managers. The Five Star award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not manage their clients’ assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by Five Star Professional. Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager or any wealth manager is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by Five Star Professional in the future. Five Star Professional is not an advisory firm, and the content of this material should not be considered financial advice. For more information on the Five Star award and the research/selection methodology, go to www.fivestarprofessional.com.

2This rating was provided on February 11, 2025 by Forbes/SHOOK Research. It covers the period of January 1, 2024-September 30, 2024. There was no compensation exchanged in consideration for or the use of this rating. For more information, please click here.

3The Forbes ranking of “Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-in-State” list was developed by SHOOK Research, based on an algorithm of qualitative data, provided through surveys and interviews. With a minimum of seven years of experience, advisors are evaluated according to best practices, level of service, investing models and compliance records, as well as quantitative data such as revenue trends and assets under management.

Signature Move

Helping widows rebuild what comes next; one decision, one piece, one step at a time.

About Deborah

Deborah joined Hightower Signature Wealth (formerly known as Leonetti & Associates and then Fairport Wealth) in 1984.

Deborah is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional, an investment advisor representative, and a member of the Financial Planning Association.

Widowed at 31 with two young sons, Deborah turned her own experience into a calling: helping widows and others facing sudden loss rebuild what comes next, one decision at a time. She shares her insights through her blog, which has become a trusted resource for anyone navigating life after loss.

Deborah has received recognition for her work in the finance industry. She has been recognized as a Five Star Wealth Manager (2015–2025) and has appeared in Chicago Magazine (2015–2025). Deborah was also recognized as a Best-in-State Advisor by Forbes-Shook Research (2018–2025)* and on the list of Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors Best In State (2017–2026).

Articles written by or about Deborah have appeared in Chicago Sun-Times, The Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Money, Crain’s Chicago Business, Sylvia Porter’s Personal Finance and other publications. She has co-authored financial planning articles in the Journal of the American Association of Individual Investors, has appeared as a guest panelist on the finance show with Phil Ponce on WTTW Channel 11 and on WGN radio, and was a regular guest of the radio talk show “Your Money” on WJKL in Chicago.

Deborah has been involved with Northwest Community Hospital; first as a volunteer and later as a member of their Charitable Gifting Advisory Board.

Deborah’s Recommended Reads

  • 5 minutes

    Weekly Wisdom: Fed Meeting Recap – Higher Rates, Stronger Growth

    The Fed Delivers a Rate Hike The Federal Reserve raised the federal funds target range by 25 basis points to 3.75%–4.00% at its September meeting, marking the first rate increase in more than three years.1 The decision was unanimous and largely anticipated by markets, but the more important message came from the Fed’s updated projections and…

  • 2 minutes

    The Most Powerful Financial Tool Women Have Isn’t Money. It’s Their Voice.

    Why Asking Questions May Be the Key to Financial Empowerment For years, conversations about women’s financial empowerment have centered on income, investing, and retirement planning. While those topics remain important, new research suggests the real catalyst for financial confidence may be something much simpler: asking questions. According to the Savvy Ladies 2026 Mid-Year National Women’s…

  • 2 minutes

    In the News: Stephanie Temporiti Shares Inheritance Planning Insights with Kiplinger

    Inheriting a stock portfolio can create meaningful possibilities, but it often happens during a period of grief when making major financial decisions may feel especially difficult. Stephanie Temporiti, Wealth Advisor and Executive Director at Hightower Signature Wealth, recently spoke with Coryanne Hicks of Kiplinger about the questions beneficiaries should ask before deciding what to do…