Frequently asked questions
My finances aren't that complicated. Do I really need a planner?
If you've ever wondered whether you're saving enough, whether a Roth IRA makes sense for you, how to start saving for college, or whether you should open a brokerage account — those are exactly the questions I help answer. You don't need a complicated situation to benefit from a clear plan. You just need to care about getting it right.
Do I need to have a lot of money to work with a financial planner?
Not at all. Many of my clients are earlier in their financial journey — solid income, a home, some retirement savings, and a growing list of money questions they haven't had time to answer. You don't need a certain number in your account to benefit from having a real plan. You just need to be ready to make one.
What makes you qualified to manage my family's financial future?
I'm a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional — a credential that requires rigorous education, a comprehensive exam, and ongoing ethics and continuing education standards. Before starting this practice, I spent 14 years at Vanguard, where I worked across retirement planning and digital product development. I loved that work. But I wanted to build something where I could go deeper with individual families — hands-on, personalized planning built around your specific life. That's what this practice is.
What do I actually get out of this?
You get a written, personalized financial plan — not a generic printout — built around your income, your goals, your family, and your questions. We walk through it together so you understand every recommendation. Most clients tell me the biggest thing they take away isn't the document itself — it's finally feeling like they know what they're doing and why. Ongoing partnership is completely optional — some clients want a plan and feel confident taking it from there, and that's a great outcome too.
What does it cost to work with you?
I charge a one-time flat fee for a comprehensive financial plan — starting at $1,000 — and a monthly retainer for ongoing partnership, if you'd like further support. No percentage of your assets. No commissions. No surprises. You know exactly what you're paying before we ever start.
Why flat-fee instead of a percentage of my portfolio?
The traditional model — charging 1% or more of your assets each year — means your advisor earns more as your portfolio grows, regardless of how much work they're actually doing for you. A flat fee aligns my incentives with yours: what I earn doesn't change based on what you have.
I'm embarrassed about where my finances are right now. Will you judge me?
No. Full stop. Nobody taught most of us this stuff — it wasn't in school, it wasn't dinner table conversation, and the financial industry hasn't exactly made it easy to ask questions. Whatever your starting point is, that's where we start. I've seen it all, and my job is to help you move forward, not grade where you've been.
I had a bad experience with a financial advisor before. How is this different?
I hear this a lot. Most bad advisor experiences come down to one of a few things: they were selling products they earned commissions on, they didn't explain what they were doing or why, or they disappeared after the initial sale. I'm a fee-only planner — I don't sell products and I don't earn commissions. My job is to build your plan and help you understand it. If at any point something doesn't make sense to you, that's on me to fix.
If you've ever wondered whether you're saving enough, whether a Roth IRA makes sense for you, how to start saving for college, or whether you should open a brokerage account — those are exactly the questions I help answer. You don't need a complicated situation to benefit from a clear plan. You just need to care about getting it right.
Do I need to have a lot of money to work with a financial planner?
Not at all. Many of my clients are earlier in their financial journey — solid income, a home, some retirement savings, and a growing list of money questions they haven't had time to answer. You don't need a certain number in your account to benefit from having a real plan. You just need to be ready to make one.
What makes you qualified to manage my family's financial future?
I'm a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional — a credential that requires rigorous education, a comprehensive exam, and ongoing ethics and continuing education standards. Before starting this practice, I spent 14 years at Vanguard, where I worked across retirement planning and digital product development. I loved that work. But I wanted to build something where I could go deeper with individual families — hands-on, personalized planning built around your specific life. That's what this practice is.
What do I actually get out of this?
You get a written, personalized financial plan — not a generic printout — built around your income, your goals, your family, and your questions. We walk through it together so you understand every recommendation. Most clients tell me the biggest thing they take away isn't the document itself — it's finally feeling like they know what they're doing and why. Ongoing partnership is completely optional — some clients want a plan and feel confident taking it from there, and that's a great outcome too.
What does it cost to work with you?
I charge a one-time flat fee for a comprehensive financial plan — starting at $1,000 — and a monthly retainer for ongoing partnership, if you'd like further support. No percentage of your assets. No commissions. No surprises. You know exactly what you're paying before we ever start.
Why flat-fee instead of a percentage of my portfolio?
The traditional model — charging 1% or more of your assets each year — means your advisor earns more as your portfolio grows, regardless of how much work they're actually doing for you. A flat fee aligns my incentives with yours: what I earn doesn't change based on what you have.
I'm embarrassed about where my finances are right now. Will you judge me?
No. Full stop. Nobody taught most of us this stuff — it wasn't in school, it wasn't dinner table conversation, and the financial industry hasn't exactly made it easy to ask questions. Whatever your starting point is, that's where we start. I've seen it all, and my job is to help you move forward, not grade where you've been.
I had a bad experience with a financial advisor before. How is this different?
I hear this a lot. Most bad advisor experiences come down to one of a few things: they were selling products they earned commissions on, they didn't explain what they were doing or why, or they disappeared after the initial sale. I'm a fee-only planner — I don't sell products and I don't earn commissions. My job is to build your plan and help you understand it. If at any point something doesn't make sense to you, that's on me to fix.