Frequently Asked Questions

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No. My fees are based on the complexity of your situation and the work involved, not on how much you have. I work with people who are early in building wealth as well as people who have accumulated quite a bit. What matters is whether comprehensive financial planning makes sense for where you are.

That said, if your situation is relatively straightforward or your budget is very limited, I'll tell you honestly if there are free or lower-cost resources that might serve you better. My goal is to make sure you get the right level of support, whatever that looks like.

No. I don't receive commissions or compensation from any products, companies, or referrals. Every recommendation I make is based solely on what I think is right for your situation.

This is what "fee-only" means in practice. You pay me directly for my time and expertise, and that's the only way I get paid. There's no financial incentive for me to recommend one product over another.

The first meeting is a relaxed 30-minute conversation. We'll talk about what's on your mind, what you're hoping to get out of working together, and how I work. I'll share my services and pricing so you have a clear picture of what to expect.

There's no preparation required and no obligation afterward. If it feels like a good fit for both of us, we'll talk about next steps. If it doesn't, that's okay too. I'd rather you find the right person for your situation than commit to something that isn't the right match.

I'm an advice-only planner, which means I provide guidance on what to do but don't take custody of or manage your assets. Your investments stay at your preferred brokerage, under your control.

What I will do is review your current investment approach, recommend an allocation strategy that fits your goals and risk tolerance, and help you understand how to implement it. For ongoing clients, I can provide support around rebalancing and help you think through implementation over time, including situations where simplifying a complicated position has tax consequences that are worth managing carefully. If you're just getting started, I can recommend a brokerage and walk you through setting things up.

This describes many of the people I work with. You stay in control of your accounts. What I bring is an honest, independent review of your strategy. Sometimes that means confirmation that your approach is sound, and sometimes it means identifying issues you might not have noticed, like concentration risk or diversification that's less real than it looks. Either way, you'll come away with a clear picture of where you stand.

I can also help with everything in your financial life around the investing: tax location, account structure, insurance, cash flow, estate planning, and the bigger picture of whether it's all adding up the way you think it is.

I lean toward a long-term, buy-and-hold approach using broad, low-cost index funds. The finance industry often makes investing sound more complicated than it needs to be. A clear, diversified, low-cost strategy that you can stick with through market ups and downs is almost always more effective than chasing returns.

I have a strong bias toward simplicity. For most people, a small number of well-chosen funds does the job. Adding complexity has a cost — in time, attention, and the temptation to tinker — and it rarely adds enough value to justify it.

That said, I'm not dogmatic about it. If you come in with an existing portfolio that's working well, I'm not going to suggest blowing it up. And if your situation has nuances that warrant a more tailored approach, we'll work through that together.

My ADV lists a broader range of asset types — including ETFs, mutual funds, bonds, individual stocks, crypto, and derivatives — because people come in with existing holdings across the spectrum.  If your portfolio includes individual stocks, crypto, or other higher-risk positions, we'll have an honest conversation about what that's doing to your overall risk profile and what a more balanced approach might look like. Sometimes that means a gradual transition, especially when there are tax considerations involved. And if keeping a small portion in higher-risk investments is important to you, we can build a plan that accommodates that intentionally.

No, and this is something I think about deliberately. People approach their finances differently. Some want to dig into every detail and understand the reasoning behind each recommendation, while others want a clear action list and a trusted person to check in with. Both are completely valid, and my job is to work with how you think.

The same goes for practical things like budgeting. Some people love a detailed tracking system and want to know exactly where every dollar is going. Others find that kind of granularity overwhelming and do better with a simpler structure — broader categories, or a reverse-budgeting approach where you set aside savings first and spend the rest. We'll figure out what actually works for you.

It will, that's normal. A one-time plan gives you a strong foundation, but you'll need to revisit it as life evolves. If you want help with those updates, you can transition into ongoing planning at any time. If you're in a period of life where you're going through a lot of transitions, I'd recommend going straight to ongoing planning. 

Financial planning touches a lot of areas, but it doesn't replace every professional you might need. There are a few places where you'll likely want someone else in your corner:

An attorney for estate planning documents: wills, powers of attorney, healthcare directives. I can help you understand what you need, what questions to expect, and how to prepare so the conversation is efficient. But drafting legal documents is outside what I do.

A CPA or tax preparer if you want someone to actually file your returns. I do tax planning — helping you understand the tax impact of your decisions and identifying opportunities — but I don't prepare returns.

A property and casualty insurance agent for home, auto, and umbrella coverage. I can review what you have and flag gaps or over-coverage, but I don't sell insurance.

A life insurance agent for life coverage. I can help you figure out how much you need and what type makes sense for your situation. For most people, term life insurance is the right answer: it's straightforward and cost-effective. Permanent life insurance is occasionally the right fit, but it's also frequently oversold, and I'd rather help you go into that conversation knowing what to look for than have you come out of it with something that doesn't serve you. 

In each of these cases, I can help you figure out what you need, what questions to ask, and how to evaluate what you're being told.