At its core, being a Financial Advicer means being someone who is first and foremost in the business of financial advice (not financial products), and the compensation they receive is remuneration for that advice (not a reward from product manufacturers or distributors for implementing the products they wanted to have sold).

Not to say that implementation of financial advice isn’t important. But just as there’s a difference between a doctor that prescribes medication, the pharmacist that fills the prescription (but doesn’t do the prescribing), and the drug company that manufactures the drug for sale, there’s a difference between a Financial Advicer hired by their clients to prescribe recommendations, and those employed by product companies to sell and implement the company’s products (or fill the orders that consumers come to purchase).

Because when you’re a Financial Advicer, the product isn’t the product. The advice itself, and the Financial Advicer delivering it, are the “product” that the client is purchasing.

Which is why Financial Advicers operate as fiduciaries (i.e., by having an affiliation to a Registered Investment Adviser, which is literally legally required to be in the business of financial advice). So that the Financial Advicer is legally accountable to their clients for the quality of the advice they provide.

In addition, this is why Financial Advicers have not only a substantive continuing education requirement – as all bona fide professions – to continuously improve their advice, but an outright business incentive to continue to invest in themselves and their education to better their business and their value proposition to clients!

The key distinction, though, is that being a Financial Advicer is not a legal or regulatory designation; it’s a way of being, an approach to the business of financial advice that recognizes the sacred duty that we have to the clients we serve.

For more information click here (https://www.kitces.com/financial-advicer-manifesto-values-difference-advisor-broker/)

Whether you lack time, skill, or discipline, you need a Financial Advicer to stay accountable and be proactive. It’s easy to document your plan on paper, but if someone isn’t in your corner looking out for your financial well-being, it’s easy to get off track. It’s about creating a to-do list, getting it done, and then doing it again – life evolves, and so does your plan. My goal is to give you confidence in your financial decisions and free up your time, enabling you to live a more abundant life.

SSFP works with families who are open to advice and new ways of thinking about their finances. I work with families who want to figure out how to be financially responsible today, prepare for the future, and enjoy life at the same time. Also, if you think that you can beat the market or predict the future or expect me to, SSFP is probably not a good fit for you. Finally, I utilize the latest technology available as a means of financial planning, communication, and document storage, so if this is not for you, I understand. Everything that I do ultimately is working towards a relationship built on a partnership – if you aren’t willing to put in some effort, this won’t work.  We want you to interact with our planning tools – don’t expect a 40-page financial plan PDF book from SSFP.

I am independent - SSFP does not exist to sell you products, SSFP exists to provide you with advice. I understand that with increasing financial technology investment management is something that you can now choose to do on your own. So how do I differentiate SSFP from all of the other options? I find that clients want a relationship with someone they can trust as they embark on their financial journey (or try to get back on course), knowing that life is not static and that situations evolve and inevitably become more complex. Answers will not always be black and white and emotions tend to cloud your ability to make the correct decisions that will help lead to an abundant life. Having a relationship with someone who can help you navigate emotional decisions, is relatable, and is able to simplify the process is key. I strive to build that relationship and to deliver an advice centric experience that you can depend on when your financial decisions are easy and when things become difficult.

Elements is a set of financial indicators that provide an overall view of the key areas of your financial health.

These measurements help answer questions like:

Are you taking the right amount of risk?

Do you have the right mix of assets?

How much wealth do you need to make work optional?

Are you using your income wisely?

You can think of the Elements much like vital signs at a doctor’s office: they help figure out how you’re doing financially and in what areas we should focus our time to help you progress towards your goals.

As we identify and make progress towards the things that are important to you and the goals you want to achieve, Elements helps me understand and track that progress, making sure we’re achieving success in a healthy way.

By measuring and tracking these areas of your financial health, I can quickly see where adjustments need to be made, allowing me to be more decisive and deliver recommendations in a proactive way.

Ultimately, Elements will help ensure that you’re set up for success and that you’re making improvements in your financial health.

Schedule an introductory conversation with me here. There is no charge or commitment to have a conversation – this is a chance for you to get to know me and for me to get to know you. Financial planning involves a sense of vulnerability and I want to make sure you’re comfortable with me and my approach.

I utilize the latest technologies which enable me to work with clients anywhere in the country. Part of living an abundant life is knowing that you have the freedom and flexibility to live where you want. So I can meet with you by phone, virtually, or in-person (hey I like to travel too). I understand that life is busy and family takes a lot of our precious time (would we want it any other way, I wouldn’t). I want to be flexible to meet with you without causing disruptions to your family’s schedule while still maintaining time for meaningful and thoughtful conversations.