Damian Dering has been in the wealth management and financial services industry for more than 25 years. He is concerned about what may happen when the federal estate tax exemption levels go back to half of what they are now in 2026, especially for his clients living in California with high real estate property values.
Damian is well-versed in multiple financial strategies that can help people mitigate taxes and pass on tax-advantaged wealth. He learned long ago that protecting wealth from taxation can be one of the most important aspects to a holistic wealth plan. He often gets involved in estate planning in conjunction with a client’s estate attorney, and he brings estate attorneys to the table if clients need one. Grantor trusts, certain irrevocable trusts, life insurance trusts (ILITs), generation-skipping trusts, family limited partnerships and/or other advanced strategies or entities require great attention to detail as well as knowledge of IRS rules and tax laws, and they can be a critical part of protecting an estate.
“I am purpose-driven,” Damian says. “It’s not just about making money. Relationships are very important to me. I also care deeply about protecting my clients as well as their heirs through multiple generations.”
Damian holds multiple licenses and registrations, including Series 7 (General Securities Representative), Series 24 (General Securities Principal), Series 63 (Uniform Securities Agent State Law) and Series 66 (Uniform Combined State Law) securities registrations. He joined Concorde Investment Services as a registered adviser and broker in 2014. Damian earned his ChFC® (Chartered Financial Consultant®) industry designation from the American College of Financial Services and has been recognized as an “Outstanding Financial Professional” every year since 2016.
“My dreams are about helping people. I am a concierge and collaborative planner,” Damian says. Clients have a choice when it comes to how they work with Damian—he does fee-based planning as well as asset management, and life insurance strategies as well as traditional and alternative investments. He began working with 1031 exchanges, DSTs and other real estate-based investments in 2005.
“I recognize that everyone is different, and I tailor each plan to each individual, no matter who they are,” he says. “I work with many different people—individuals, couples, families and business owners. Every single one of my clients is unique.”
Damian began his career in financial services at American Express Financial Advisors (AEFA) in 1997. It was a welcome change and new industry for him back then. After graduating with a degree in civil engineering from the University of Portland and working as a civil engineer for a few years, Damian realized he just didn’t have a passion for it—he preferred helping people more than working behind a computer using AutoCAD.
“My degree gave me the knowledge and mathematical skills to analyze complex issues, and I much prefer using those talents to help clients build and protect wealth,” he says. To this day Damian needs to understand the entire financial situation of a client before he can provide recommendations. He also enjoys explaining his recommendations in plain English to help clients understand the reasoning behind the strategies. “I may take after my great uncle more than anyone,” Damian says. “He worked for NASA as a ‘translator’—he interpreted ‘engineer-speak’ for politicians so they could understand what NASA was doing.” Helping his clients navigate through the complexities of financial services is second nature to him.
Damian has been married to his lovely wife Elizabeth for more than 20 years and they have three children named Isabella, Maxwell and Sofia. In his spare time, Damian enjoys cooking, reading and continued personal growth. He does “old man” Pilates to stay in shape, and he plays golf, pickleball and cornhole. He also likes riding his electric bicycle around his hometown of El Segundo, California.
