Niralee D. Patel

For Niralee, the purpose of financial planning is indelibly linked with family. Investing, budgeting, preparing for the future – these are tools for supporting that which is cherished most, for creating a solid foundation for the next generation. In her practice, Niralee uses these tools to serve as her client’s steadfast partner and guide, at their side for all of life’s biggest moments, and helping them pursue the future they envision for their loved ones.

These family-first goals have shaped Niralee’s distinct approach to investing and financial management. She believes it is crucially important to put a priority on managing risk and preserving wealth. This is because life, especially with family, does not abide by tidy timelines. When there is a sudden need, she believes the strength of one’s financial plan is judged by its ability to meet it, so she plans accordingly.

Niralee was inspired into this profession by her life experiences. She has a desire to help people – to be their trusted guide and steadfast advocate – by empowering them make financial decisions that serve their loved ones and their most important goals. She strives to be the kind of advisor that could have helped her family avoid hardship when she was young.

Niralee treats each of her clients as if they were her own family, knowing how financial wisdom can help people turn their hard work into lasting financial well-being, and how wise money choices can impact generations.

With her characteristically compassionate and caring communication style, Niralee works to build strong relationships with her clients, becoming more than a financial guide, but a kind of confidant. She dedicates the time to get to know their lives, their families, their goals and their concerns. She wants to be there to help them celebrate their achievements and help them get through life’s more difficult chapters. She wants to be their constant advocate.

Niralee has been serving families in this way since 2013, building on her prior finance industry experience. Prior to joining Raymond James in 2022, Niralee had practiced in affiliation with Merrill Lynch in Champaign. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and business administration from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida.

Niralee is an advocate for women. In her practice, she helps women create financial plans that account for circumstances women are more likely to face. She also helps couples learn to speak candidly and confidently about their finances, encouraging communication and financial partnership within the home. In the community, she also dedicates time and resources to support organizations that serve women, children and families in the Champaign area, including Crisis Nursery, Eastern Illinois Food Bank and Feeding our Kids.

She is a long-time resident of Central Illinois with her husband, Samir, and their two children. Though a native of England, Niralee’s family immigrated when she was six to Central Florida and she considers Lakeland, Florida, her hometown.

Outside the office, Niralee cherishes the time spent her with own family traveling, learning about new people and places, exploring cuisines or enjoying the quiet moments at home. She is an avid foodie, enjoying the shared experiences that food and wine create. She loves to introduce new foods and new wines with others, to take on new recipes in the kitchen and to curate an experience. She regularly visits Napa Valley and has been exploring the world’s most influential wine regions, starting with Burgundy in France and making her way into Italy.