Director's Bios

Richard K. Newman, CPA/PFS, AEP - Director and Founder

Richard K. Newman, CPA/PFS, AEP has been assisting clients plan for the transfer of their wealth for more than 25 years. Initially he rendered these services within his role as a practicing CPA. For the last 19 years he has honed his craft in his capacity at Newman & Cohen Financial Management, Inc. where his practice includes the creative use of life insurance and other financial products. Richard utilizes his experience and expertise to practice from a tax perspective where he marries traditional estate planning strategies with financial products for optimum results.

Richard is co-founder of MYLIFEAUDIT.com. His practice, combined with Ash Brokerage has audited thousands of life insurance policies. As a result, Richard has developed the unique process now known as MyLifeAudit, where he has helped numerous clients better their currently in-force insurance policy.

Prior to founding Newman & Cohen Financial Management, Inc., Richard was the founding and managing partner of Melnick and Newman, P.A., a traditional accounting firm. He was also chief financial officer of Fusion Telecom as well as chairman and chief operating officer of Total Entertainer and Athlete Management Inc., a sports management firm.

A graduate of the University of Miami, Richard is an active member in the following organizations: American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Boca Raton Estate Planning Council, and the National Association of Life Underwriters. In addition, Richard since 1995, is a life and qualifying member of the Million Dollar Round Table. Richard has also been awarded Top of the Table Status for the past 8 consecutive years within the Million Dollar Round Table; one of the highest honors that can be attained within the life insurance industry.

Richard is an active speaker annually for the FICPA at the Estate and Financial Planning Conference as well as the FabExpo and Annual Accounting Shows. He is very involved with the Atlantic, East Coast and Gold Coast Chapters, to name a few. On a national level Richard is extremely involved with the PFP division of the AICPA. He is currently chairing PFP meetings and study groups, where his expertise is shared with other CPA's attempting to bring financial services into their practices. He is a Leader and Committee Member for the FICPA Estate and Financial Planning Council as well as a liaison on relations with the Florida State Bar Association. Richard is also a member and exhibitor of the Florida Bankers Association and The Florida Bar Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section (RPPTL). Finally, Richard is a silver sponsor and speaker for the Florida Bar Tax Section as well as a private speaker and exhibitor for The University of Miami Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning.

Within the life insurance industry Richard sits on the Advisory Board of Ash Brokerage which is a long standing company that serves life insurance professionals as the liaison between themselves and the insurance carriers. In that capacity, Richard has provided input into the transformation of the insurance industry being perceived as a sales profession to one that is viewed by the professional community as a resource for their clients. In addition to his service on the Ash Advisory Board, at their summit meetings, Richard has presented many times with a focus on working with CPA's for the benefit of their clients.

Donald T. Cohen, CPA - Director and Founder

Donald T. Cohen is a director and founder of Newman + Cohen Financial Management. He has more than 25 years experience in certified public accounting, advanced financial strategies and business management. His primary responsibilities include assisting clients with business management and wealth preservation strategies as well as running the day-to-day operations of the firm.

Previously, Cohen served as president of a Healthcare Division of a National Receivables Management Company. He also served for two years as chief financial officer of S.A.C. Capital Management, a New York-based hedge fund. Cohen began his career as an IRS agent and was also the managing partner of Marvan & Cohen P.A., an accounting firm specializing in tax and financial planning for high-net-worth clients.

A graduate of the University of Miami, Cohen is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Medical Group Managers Association. He is also a state-licensed life, health, and disability insurance agent and holds several