You should feel confident about who you trust with your retirement.

Yes. As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional, I am committed to the fiduciary standard, meaning I am legally and ethically obligated to put your best interests first in all financial planning, advice, and recommendations.

To give you confidence in what that means in practice:

• I must follow a strict code of ethics and competency, which includes earning the CFP® certification. This process includes rigorous education, experience requirements, and ongoing continuing education.
• If I ever violate the fiduciary duty required of CFP® professionals, there are mechanisms for accountability such as oversight by the CFP Board.
• My recommendations are chosen based on what is best for you, not what earns the most for me or what a product provider wants to promote.
• I keep fee disclosures, conflicts of interest, and alternatives transparent. You will always know how I am paid, and any time there is a potential conflict, you will see it clearly.

I work mainly with people who are approaching retirement or already retired. Most of my clients have saved between $500,000 and $3 million. They have done a good job building their nest egg, and now they want the confidence of knowing how to turn those savings into a reliable income without having to figure everything out on their own.

The people I serve are not looking to gamble with their future or chase the latest investment trend. They understand that meaningful financial progress takes time and that steady, disciplined growth is what really supports a lasting retirement.

Most importantly, my clients value having a trusted relationship. They want clear guidance, open communication, and the peace of mind that comes from knowing someone is looking out for them. This allows them to enjoy their retirement years while I take care of the planning details. 

The first step is a 20-minute Good Fit Call. During this call, we will talk through your situation and retirement goals, and I will make sure I have the expertise to help. If it feels like the right fit, the next step is the ClearPath Retirement Plan™, a one-time flat fee plan that lays out your roadmap for retirement.

The plan stands on its own as a comprehensive financial roadmap. Many clients choose to continue with me for ongoing planning and investment management. If you do, and you meet the $500,000 minimum investment requirement, your ClearPath Plan fee is fully refunded. Ongoing planning ensures your plan stays updated, your investments remain aligned, and your retirement income strategy adjusts as life changes. 

Yes. Retirement planning is rarely just about one person. If you are married or in a long-term partnership, both of you will be included in the planning process. We make sure your income, tax, and estate planning strategies reflect both of your needs and goals. 

I do not try to beat the market or time it. The evidence is clear that it does not work. For stocks, I primarily use low cost, broad based ETFs that align with your goals, giving you diversification and stable long term results without unnecessary risks.

For fixed income, I take an approach that is still largely passive and broadly diversified, but also adaptable to the interest rate environment. This helps ensure the income side of your portfolio remains well positioned to support your overall retirement plan.

The goal is not speculation, but to balance growth and stability in a way that fits with your long term goals and gives you the confidence to stay the course. 

It is true, you can buy ETFs on your own, and if your only interest is picking investments, you may not need an advisor. Where I add value is in bringing all the pieces of your retirement plan together so you can feel confident about the bigger picture.

Beyond investment selection, I help you build a reliable retirement income strategy, minimize taxes through smart withdrawal planning, identifying possible Roth conversions, make informed decisions about Social Security and pensions, prepare for healthcare and long-term care costs, and keep your estate and legacy plans on track.

As life changes, I guide you through important financial decisions and help you adjust your plan so you avoid costly mistakes. In short, investments are only one part of the equation. The real value is having a clear, adaptable plan and an experienced guide to help you navigate retirement with confidence. 

Market declines are a normal part of investing. On average, markets experience a 10 percent drop every year or so, and larger declines happen periodically. While it never feels good, these downturns are not a reason to panic or abandon your plan.

I do not believe in trying to time the market. The evidence is clear, it does not work. The best and worst days in the market often come right next to each other, and if you miss even a handful of the best days, your long-term returns can suffer dramatically.

Instead, my focus is on building broadly diversified, low-cost portfolios designed to weather market cycles. More importantly, I put a system in place with you ahead of time, my guardrails framework. This framework monitors your plan on an ongoing basis and sets clear thresholds for when we may need to make adjustments. Most of the time, we stay the course. But if the markets or your spending push things outside those guardrails, we revisit the plan and make thoughtful changes.

In other words, I am not reacting emotionally to headlines, and you do not need to either. You can expect me to stay disciplined, keep you informed, and make sure your plan continues to support your lifestyle, even through market turbulence. 

Annuities can be helpful for some people and unnecessary for others. They have a place in certain retirement plans, but like many financial products, they are often complex and heavily marketed.

The main advantage of an annuity is the ability to provide guaranteed income you cannot outlive. In some cases, I may recommend one as an alternative to part of a fixed income portfolio, especially for clients who value the peace of mind of a steady paycheck in retirement.

The challenge is that not all annuities are the same. Some are straightforward and useful, while others are expensive and overly complicated. My role is to help you evaluate whether an annuity makes sense for your specific situation, and if so, to choose one that truly aligns with your retirement goals. 

I have been licensed in California for more than 25 years and also hold licenses in several other states. This allows me to help clients with products like life insurance, long-term care insurance, and annuities when they are appropriate.

It is important to note that insurance is never the starting point. The process always begins with building a financial plan. If the plan reveals a gap that insurance can fill, such as the need for guaranteed income or protection against long-term care costs, then we can evaluate options. If a policy is put in place, I am compensated directly by the insurance company, and I am always transparent about how that works.

In short, insurance is only recommended when it serves a clear purpose in your overall retirement strategy, not as a product to be sold for its own sake. 

The fee is deducted directly from your investment accounts, so there is nothing you need to do each month. It is a simple, automatic process designed for your convenience.

You will always see the fee clearly listed on your account statements, so you know exactly what you are paying and when. There are no separate invoices or checks to write. Everything is transparent and handled for you. 

My compensation model is simple and transparent. The vast majority of my income comes from the advisory fee I charge clients. In some cases, when an insurance product such as life insurance, long-term care, or an annuity is appropriate, I may receive compensation from the insurance company that provides the policy.

I do not accept referral fees, gifts, or any other hidden forms of compensation. My advice is based solely on what is in your best interest, and I am always upfront about how I am paid. That transparency is an important part of building trust and making sure our relationship is focused only on your financial success. 

You will always have easy access to your accounts. The custodians I work with, Charles Schwab and Fidelity, each provide secure online platforms where you can view balances, track performance, and see transaction details anytime.

You can log in from your computer or mobile device whenever you like, and you will also receive regular statements directly from the custodian. This way, you always know exactly where your money is and how it is doing. 

There are three key parties involved in your account management:

1. The Advisor

That is me. I am the person you work with directly, and I am responsible for building your plan, making recommendations, and guiding you through retirement.

2. The RIA (Registered Investment Advisor)

By law, financial planners must be affiliated with a registered investment advisor (RIA). I have chosen to partner with Brookstone Capital Management because it allows me to devote more time to clients rather than to administrative and regulatory tasks that come with running an RIA. Brookstone provides compliance oversight, investment research, and back-office support. This partnership gives my clients the best of both worlds: the personalized guidance of working directly with me along with the resources and oversight of a nationally recognized RIA.

3. The Custodian

Your investments are held securely at independent custodians, Charles Schwab and Fidelity. They safeguard your assets, provide statements, and allow you to view your accounts anytime online. Neither I nor Brookstone ever take custody of your money.

This structure ensures your accounts are managed responsibly, kept secure, and under strict regulatory oversight, while allowing me to stay focused on providing you with clarity and confidence in your retirement plan. 

I use a combination of technology platforms for financial planning, secure document sharing, and ongoing communication. These tools are chosen to make the process easier for you and to keep everything organized in one place. I regularly review the technology I use and update it when better options become available.

Security is always a top priority. All client data is protected with bank-level encryption, including 256-bit SSL, the same standard used in the banking industry. This ensures your sensitive information is stored and transmitted securely, giving you confidence that your personal and financial data is safe. 

I do not believe in rigid quarterly reviews just for the sake of a schedule. Instead, communication is driven by your needs and what is happening in your life.

We do a planning meeting at least once a year to set priorities and review your retirement strategy. From there, we usually schedule a few check-ins during the year to review progress and make any needed adjustments. Beyond that, you can reach out anytime by phone, email, or Zoom, and I will do the same if something important comes up that affects your plan.

In short, I encourage open, ongoing communication. Some years you may need more frequent touchpoints, other years less, but you will always know I am available when you need me. 

No. You can contact me anytime by phone, email, or Zoom without worrying about extra costs. Communication is included in the fee you already pay for planning and ongoing wealth management.

I want you to feel comfortable reaching out whenever questions come up, big or small. Clear and ongoing communication is part of the value I provide, not something billed separately. 

When you work with me, your investments stay in your name and under your control. I do not hold your money directly. Your accounts are always housed at independent custodians, Charles Schwab or Fidelity, two of the most trusted firms in the industry.

If part of your plan includes an insurance product such as life insurance, long-term care, or an annuity, those funds are held directly with the insurance company that issues the policy.

As your advisor, I provide recommendations and manage investments through my affiliation with Brookstone Capital Management, a registered investment advisor. The custodians and insurance companies safeguard your assets, provide statements, and ensure all transactions follow strict, regulated procedures. This separation of roles means your money cannot be accessed or moved without going through these secure systems.

This structure is designed to protect your funds, keep everything transparent, and give you peace of mind knowing your retirement savings are safe. 

Yes. You are always free to transfer your investment accounts to another advisor or firm at any time. The process is straightforward and usually requires only your signature to initiate the transfer.

Your accounts remain in your name at trusted custodians like Charles Schwab or Fidelity, which means I do not have the ability to delay or block a transfer. You are always in control of your assets.

If you own an insurance policy such as life insurance, long-term care, or an annuity, those policies could remain in place with the insurance company. In some cases, you may be able to request that the company remove me as the agent of record, but the process depends on the insurer’s rules. 

Tax efficiency is an important part of every plan I create. I look closely at factors like how and when to draw from different accounts, whether Roth conversions make sense, how investments are positioned across accounts, and the timing of Social Security. Each of these decisions can significantly affect how much tax you pay and how long your savings last.

While I provide tax-aware advice and planning, I do not prepare tax returns. I encourage open collaboration with your CPA or tax professional to make sure all strategies are coordinated. This way, you benefit from a plan that considers both your investments and your taxes, helping you keep more of what you have worked hard to save. 

The short answer is: it depends. There is no single best age that works for everyone, because the right time to file depends on your personal situation.

When building your retirement plan, I look at factors like spousal and survivor benefits, how your income needs will be covered, the mix of your savings (Roth, pretax, and taxable), and whether Roth conversions are part of the strategy. Each of these elements can affect the timing decision.

As part of the ClearPath Retirement Plan™, we test different filing options and show how each one impacts your long-term income and taxes. This way, you can make a confident decision about when to start Social Security as part of your overall retirement strategy. 

There is no single withdrawal order that works for everyone. The best sequence depends on your personal situation, including your tax picture, other sources of income, and how much you need to withdraw in a given year.

While a common rule of thumb is to start with taxable accounts, then use tax-deferred accounts, and save Roth accounts for last, this is not always the most efficient approach. In the ClearPath Retirement Plan™, I evaluate different withdrawal strategies and test them against your goals and tax situation. The result is a personalized plan designed to make your money last longer and reduce unnecessary taxes. 

I encourage open collaboration with your other professional advisors, such as your CPA or attorney. With your written permission, I can communicate directly with them to make sure tax strategies, estate plans, and investment decisions all work together.

This team approach helps create a more complete and coordinated plan, reduces the chance of something being overlooked, and gives you confidence that every piece of your financial life is working in sync. 

Yes, I work with clients across the United States.

In fact, many of my local clients prefer virtual meetings as well. Instead of driving to my office, they can connect with me from the comfort of their own home, making the process more convenient and flexible.