A CFP® (CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™) professional is someone who has completed extensive training and experience requirements in financial planning. They must pass a comprehensive exam, maintain continuing education, and uphold strict ethical standards. CFP® professionals are trained to help you create comprehensive financial plans covering investments, retirement, taxes, insurance, and estate planning.

A fiduciary is a financial professional legally required to always act in your best interest. They must disclose any conflicts of interest and put your financial needs ahead of their own. This is the highest standard of care in the financial industry.

A fee-only advisor is paid directly by clients through a transparent fee structure, typically a flat fee, an hourly rate or a percentage of assets managed. They do not receive commissions from selling financial products. This model helps minimize conflicts of interest since their compensation comes solely from their clients.

An RIA (Registered Investment Advisor) is a firm or individual registered with the SEC or state securities regulators to provide investment advice. RIAs have a fiduciary duty to their clients and must provide detailed information about their business practices and potential conflicts of interest through their Form ADV.

A broker-dealer primarily facilitates securities transactions for clients and can receive commissions from product sales. They must meet a "suitability" standard, meaning their recommendations must be suitable for clients. An RIA provides ongoing investment advice and must meet the higher "fiduciary" standard, requiring them to always act in clients' best interests. RIAs typically charge fees for their services rather than commissions.

Our process starts with understanding your individual goals, values, and circumstances through in-depth conversations. Based on this foundation, we develop a customized financial plan aligned with your objectives. We then refine this plan through your feedback to ensure it truly reflects your needs. As your life evolves and financial landscapes change (including tax laws and regulations), we continuously adapt your strategy to keep you on track toward your goals.

We typically recommend a passive investment strategy using broadly diversified, low-cost investment vehicles such as index funds. Rather than attempting to outperform the market through individual stock selection or market timing, which can increase costs and risks, we focus on building well-diversified portfolios aligned with your specific goals, time horizon, and risk tolerance. This approach aims to position portfolios near the Efficient Frontier by carefully considering the risk-return tradeoffs of different asset allocations.

We have no investment minimums. We believe quality financial advice should be accessible at every stage of your wealth-building journey. Whether you're just starting to invest or have already accumulated significant assets, we're committed to providing comprehensive financial planning services to help you work toward your goals.