Frequent Questions

I meet virtually with people across the U.S. My typical client is close to retirement and wants a better understanding of their financial situation and a clear path to retirement.

Yes, I work with clients througoht the U.S. on a virtual basis.

Yes, I meet with clients across the U.S. via email and video calls.

I am a fee-only financial planner paid directly by clients for my objective advice and effective mentoring. Fees for a financial plan are agreed upon before an agreement is signed. There are no additional surprises. I do not earn a fee for assets under management (AUM), a commission for recommended products, or additional compensation from a third party.

I earned the Certified Financial Planner (CFP©) designation in 2005. This is considered the gold standard in the financial service industry. My academic credentials include an undergraduate degree in architecture and graduate degree in computer science.

Of course! I am a registered advisor with the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) and am obligated to put my client needs first. Plus, this is how my parents raised me.

No. I provide retirement planning and objective advice about your investments for a one-time fee. It is up to you to implement the recommended investments in your current accounts. There is no need to transfer your accounts to Socrates Financial Planning or pay ongoing assets under management (AUM) fees.

Warren Buffett, famed investor, and I agree predicting the price of individual stocks is not possible on a consistent basis. Many Nobel-winning economists agree that the best approach is to own a diversified collection of index funds or exchange traded funds (ETF). The proportion of stocks, bonds and alternative investments should be based on your comfort with investing and your time horizon.

Socrates was the mentor of Plato and is credited with the teaching strategy of asking his students questions. I have used this approach for thirty years as a college professor and the approach works well as I teach others to organize their financial lives.

Doesn’t everyone? We have a young dog that keeps us busy but our cats are pretty self-sufficient. We have owned dogs and cats for many years. I can attest that “dogs have masters and cats have servants.”

I try to avoid conversations about politics, religion, and college sports. But yes, I have a favorite.

I have many cherished memories such as seeing the majestic Eiffel Tower, hiking the Swiss Alps, getting escorted out of the Parthenon after hours during my college years, studying abroad in Florence, bison herds in Yellowstone, and many trips to my beloved Disney World. But my favorite experience would have to be a sabbatical in New Zealand in 2014. I enjoyed hiking, hot air ballooning, driving on the left side of the road, watching the national rugby team, the All Blacks, and bungee jumping.