I receive transparent planning fees only, which are invoiced directly from you for hourly work, or billed from your accounts for ongoing management. No commissions. No product sales. No referral fees from anyone, ever.

For ongoing clients: if we ever part ways, your accounts can leave with you as easily as they arrived. Nothing is locked in.

Fee-only means an advisor is paid exclusively by the client. No commissions or third-party compensation of any kind. Fee-based means an advisor can accept both client fees and commissions, which can create additional potential conflicts of interest even when the advisor is well-intentioned. Focal Point Financial Planning is fee-only. The only money I make comes directly from you.

For ongoing clients, we meet twice a year, in the spring and fall. Spring is for reviewing your tax return and planning for the rest of the year. Fall is for checking where your income stands and making sure nothing gets missed before December 31st.

Between meetings, I reach out when something worth addressing comes up — a tax law change, a course-correction, an opportunity. You don't have to wait for a scheduled call to hear from me, and you can always reach out anytime in between meetings.

Four pillars: safety first, patience beats mania, efficiency (low fees, low taxes, no wasteful fund overlap), and strategies grounded in financial research rather than speculation.

The short version: protect what you have, invest for the long term, don't overpay, and don't try to outsmart the market.

Ongoing clients are held at Charles Schwab, one of the largest and most reputable custodians in the country.

You'll have your own direct login so you can see your accounts anytime. For hourly clients, your accounts stay wherever they currently are.

Focal Point Financial Planning is a virtual-only firm. We meet on Zoom and communicate by email or phone, whichever works best for you. This makes working together straightforward, regardless of where you live in the country.

Yes, both legally and in practice. As a CFP® and registered investment adviser, I'm held to a fiduciary standard at all times.

That means I'm required to act in your best interest, not just recommend something "suitable." I'll also disclose any conflicts of interest as they come up so you can make fully informed decisions.

No. I work with clients across the country. Everything we do together runs virtually, so your location isn't a factor. I'm based in Pleasant Grove, Utah, but that doesn't limit who I can serve.

Two groups: pre-retirees and retirees over 50 with $500,000+ in investable assets who want serious tax and retirement income planning, and commercial real estate brokers with complex commission income who need someone coordinating their tax strategy, income plan, and retirement accounts year-round.

The common thread across both: people who are accomplished at what they do, value their time, and want a planner who actually digs into the details.

For ongoing Focused Growth Planning, the minimum is $500,000 in managed accounts.

For hourly planning, there's no minimum. The hourly rate is billed at $150/hour and most projects range from $1,500 to $3,000, depending on complexity.

There's no lock-in. If we ever part ways, we part as friends and your accounts transfer wherever you want them. It ends cleanly, without a runaround or tied-up investments.

A fiduciary financial advisor is legally required to act in the client's best interest at all times. A non-fiduciary advisor is only required to recommend products that are "suitable,” which is a lower standard that permits recommending higher-cost products as long as they aren't clearly inappropriate. All CFP® professionals are held to a fiduciary standard when providing financial planning advice. Registered investment advisers (RIAs) are also fiduciaries under federal and state securities law.

Working with a financial advisor is critical during the last five to ten years before retirement — sometimes called the "retirement red zone." Decisions made during this window about Roth conversions, account contribution strategies, Social Security timing, and Medicare enrollment can have a significant impact on lifetime tax liability and retirement income. Many of these decisions are difficult or impossible to reverse after the fact, which makes advance planning particularly high-value. The cost of being wrong is quite high.