Elijah Souza, CFP®

Elijah Souza is a Partner at Gerber Kawasaki Wealth and Investment Management. Elijah specializes in guiding executives and entrepreneurs across the entertainment, sports and tech industries. Elijah provides comprehensive financial planning services, beginning with a thorough assessment of each client's unique circumstances. He develops personalized plans, oversees their implementation, provides ongoing monitoring and makes adjustments as life evolves. 

Through relentless dedication and a commitment to his career, Elijah earned the prestigious CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certification. Recently, he was honored by the Los Angeles Business Journal as a 2024 Leader of Influence: Wealth Manager.  

Elijah’s journey into financial advising wasn’t conventional. His multicultural background, born and raised in Hawaii with Portuguese and Filipino roots, enables him to connect with clients from diverse backgrounds. Growing up, Elijah balanced the laid-back island lifestyle with a fiercely competitive spirit as an athlete. He paddled traditional Hawaiian canoes, patrolled centerfield playing baseball and excelled as a defensive back in football. Yet, his competitive edge was matched by a deeper purpose. 

Growing up in Hawaii, Elijah reflects, “When I saw people come to Hawaii from all over the world and buy their dream homes on the beach, I didn’t just wonder how they did it... I was inspired to understand the process and acquire the knowledge necessary to help others realize their financial dreams!" 

Elijah’s mission is to help his clients through comprehensive financial planning to achieve their life goals and empower them to live their best lives! 

Outside of his professional pursuits, Elijah loves spending time with his wife, Rachelle, their son, Teddy, and their dog, Nala. A graduate of Loyola Marymount University and a Playa del Rey resident, he enjoys playing beach volleyball whenever he gets the chance. With a spirit of exploration rooted in his Portuguese heritage, Elijah has traveled to over 20 countries and is always eager for his next journey.

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Designation Disclaimers

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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.

For more than 30 years, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certification has been the standard of excellence for financial planners. CFP® professionals have met extensive training and experience requirements, and commit to CFP Board's ethical standards that require them to put their clients' interests first.

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Candidates for the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certification must have a bachelor’s degree (or higher) from an accredited college or university and three years of full-time personal financial planning experience or the equivalent part-time experience (2,000 hours equals one year full-time). Designation training requirements for the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certification include completion of a CFP-board registered program, or hold one of the following: Certified Public Accountant (CPA); Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC); Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU); Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA); Ph.D. in financial planning, finance, business administration or economics; Doctor of Business Administration; or attorney's license. Following completion of the course requirements, applicants must complete a proctored final certification exam and continuing education of 30 hours every two years.

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https://www.finra.org/investors/professional-designations/cfp