Questions worth asking before you hire a financial planner.

Vessel is built for professionals and young families in their 30s and 40s with household incomes above $150,000 — people whose financial lives have grown complex enough that things are starting to slip through the cracks.

That might look like equity comp you're not sure how to handle, a growing family that's changed your priorities, an employer benefits package you've never fully understood, or just the nagging feeling that you're probably leaving something on the table.

If you're busy, capable, and smart about most things — but your finances keep getting pushed to the bottom of the list — you're exactly who I built this for.

Yes — and I have a service specifically designed for you. Starting Point is a three-session engagement built for the confident, self-directed person who just wants a second set of expert eyes before moving forward on their own.

You walk away with a comprehensive financial plan, a clear set of priorities, and the confidence to implement it yourself. No ongoing commitment required.

There's no formal asset minimum for investment management. That said, Vessel works best when household income is at or above $150,000 — not because of an arbitrary threshold, but because that's where the planning strategies I specialize in (tax optimization, equity comp, cash flow, insurance, estate) start to make a meaningful difference.

If you're not sure whether you're a fit, just reach out. A short conversation will tell us both quickly.

If you're looking for someone to manage a portfolio and not much else, I'm probably not your person. Vessel is a comprehensive planning practice — investments are one piece, not the whole picture.

I also work best with clients who are genuinely engaged in the process. You don't have to have everything figured out — most people don't. But the relationship works best when both people are invested in it.

Yes. Vessel is built to work wherever you are. Most clients meet virtually via video conference, but if you're local to the DFW area, in-person meetings are absolutely available upon request.

Same experience, same quality of advice — regardless of where you live.

Fee-only means the only person who ever pays me is you. I don't earn commissions, I don't get kickbacks from investment platforms, and I don't receive referral fees from insurance companies or anyone else.

This matters because it removes the financial incentive to recommend something that benefits me over you. When I suggest a strategy, you don't have to wonder if there's a sales quota behind it.

A fiduciary is legally and ethically required to act in your best interest — not theirs, not their firm's. As a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA), I'm held to a fiduciary standard at all times, not just when giving certain types of advice.

Some advisors are only held to a "suitability" standard, which means they can recommend products that are merely suitable for you — even if better options exist. That's a meaningful difference.

Depending on the service you choose:

• Starting Point — $1,000 flat fee for three planning sessions and a delivered financial plan.
• Journey — An annual planning fee ($2,500–$10,000 depending on complexity) plus a percentage of assets under management if investment management is included. Asset management fees are tiered from 0.95% down to 0.40% and are capped at $25,000 annually.

All fees are agreed upon in writing before we begin. No surprises.

Bonus: If you complete Starting Point and decide to move to Journey, every dollar of your Starting Point fee rolls into your first year of planning. You're not starting over — you're building on it.

No. While I hold an insurance license, I do not sell insurance products or earn commissions from them. When insurance gaps come up in your plan — and they often do — I'll give you my honest assessment and recommendations. You're free to implement those through any agent or carrier you choose.

My job is to tell you what you need and why. Not to sell it to you.

Starting Point is a three-session, project-based engagement. We meet to review your full financial picture, understand your goals, and deliver a comprehensive plan you can act on. It's built for the DIY-minded person who wants expert input and a clear roadmap — then wants to run with it on their own.

Journey is ongoing partnership. It includes everything in Starting Point, plus regular check-ins, proactive guidance throughout the year, unlimited email access, and investment management if you want it. Built for people who want someone consistently in their corner as life evolves.

Not sure which one fits? Start with Starting Point. If it clicks, your full fee transfers to Journey.

Comprehensive financial planning at Vessel covers:

• Cash Flow — budgeting, spending, saving systems
• Investments — portfolio design, asset allocation, rebalancing
• Tax Planning — proactive strategies, not just filing
• Retirement — savings rate, account selection, projections
• Protection — life, disability, and long-term care insurance review
• Estate — beneficiary designations, wills, basic estate coordination
• Equity Compensation — RSUs, NQSOs, deferred comp strategy
• Education Planning — 529s, savings timelines
• Debt Management — student loans, mortgages, credit cards
• Giving Strategies — charitable giving, donor-advised funds

The plan addresses what's most relevant to your situation — not every category equally, every time.

Yes — and this is one of the areas I most enjoy working through with clients. Equity comp can feel like a black box, but it doesn't have to.

At its core, it's like receiving a bonus with some additional tax considerations. The key is understanding when to exercise, what the tax implications are, and how to deploy the proceeds in a way that aligns with the rest of your financial plan — not just defaulting to "sell and invest."

Whether you have RSUs, NQSOs, deferred compensation, or some combination, we'll build a clear strategy around it.

Journey includes scheduled meetings every six months — typically a mid-year check-in and an end-of-year review. Most clients have 2–4 meetings per year depending on what's going on in their lives.

In between, you have unlimited email access for questions, decisions, or anything that comes up. And you won't just hear from me when you reach out — I'll reach out proactively when something in your financial life warrants attention. That's one of the things that distinguishes an independent practice from a larger firm.

CFP® — CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™
The most recognized credential in financial planning. Requires completing advanced coursework, passing a rigorous exam, three years of planning experience, and ongoing ethics and continuing education requirements. CFP® professionals are held to a fiduciary standard.

CIMA® — Certified Investment Management Analyst
An advanced designation focused on investment strategy, portfolio construction, and asset allocation. Issued by the Investments & Wealth Institute and requires demonstrated experience plus an exam administered through Wharton Executive Education.

BFA™ — Behavioral Financial Advisor
Issued by the Kinder Institute of Life Planning, this designation reflects training in the behavioral and psychological side of financial decision-making — understanding how emotions, values, and life goals shape the way people think about money. This is what drives the life coaching piece of how I work with clients.

No. Vessel Financial Planning has a clean regulatory record with no disciplinary, legal, or regulatory events.

You can verify this independently:

• SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure (IAPD) — search Vessel Financial Planning
• CFP Board — verify CFP® certification and disciplinary history

Nearly a decade in financial planning, including roles at two of the largest firms in the industry. I built Vessel in 2025 to serve a specific client — people in their 30s and 40s whose financial lives had grown complex and who deserved a practice built specifically for that chapter.

I also hold training in life coaching, which shapes how every client engagement runs. The plan starts with what matters most to you. Not what I think should matter.

After our initial call confirms we're a good fit, here's what happens:

• Digital onboarding packet — new advisory agreement and account setup forms, completed electronically. Most clients finish this in about 15 minutes.
• Discovery session — we take a full inventory of your financial picture: income, assets, debts, insurance, benefits, and goals.
• Values & vision exercise — this is where the life coaching background comes in. Before we build anything, we get clear on what success actually looks like for you.
• Plan delivery — your financial plan is delivered in the third meeting with specific, prioritized action steps.

For Journey clients, this repeats on a rolling basis with regular reviews, proactive touchpoints, and plan updates as your life changes.

Clients have access to a clean, secure portal through RightCapital for financial planning — where you can view your plan, run projections, and track progress.

Investment accounts are custodied at Charles Schwab or Altruist, both of which offer robust online account access and monthly statements.

Billing is handled through AdvicePay, a secure payment platform built specifically for fee-only advisors.

Everything is designed to be accessible on desktop and mobile.

Your assets are held at an independent, third-party custodian — either Charles Schwab or Altruist. Vessel never takes custody of client assets.

Schwab and Altruist are both SEC-registered broker-dealers and members of SIPC. You receive statements directly from the custodian, independently of anything you receive from me — an important layer of transparency and protection.

Switching is more straightforward than most people expect. A few things to know:

• Account transfers happen directly between your current custodian and Schwab or Altruist. You don't need to notify your current advisor, though you certainly can. If you're paying a separate planning or retainer fee at your current firm, you'll want to contact them directly to cancel that service. It won't stop automatically when your accounts transfer.
• Transfers typically take one to two weeks depending on account type.
• Your current advisor or broker may charge a transfer fee — usually $50 to a few hundred dollars per account.
• IRA transfers done custodian-to-custodian have no tax consequences.
• For taxable accounts, we'll review the tax implications of any holdings before moving anything.

I'll guide you through each step. Nothing happens without your direction and signature.

No. This comes up in almost every first conversation, and it's one of the things I'm most intentional about.

Debt, missed savings windows, benefits you never understood, decisions you wish you'd made differently — these are not character flaws. They're what happens when life gets busy and no one's helped you think through the details. That's exactly why you're here.

My job is not to grade your past. It's to help you build something better from where you are right now. Clients consistently tell me that working with Vessel felt like a safe space — they felt heard, not shamed. That's not an accident. It's the whole point.

The most common things I hear from people looking for a new advisor:

• My advisor only reaches out when the market moves — never proactively.
• I feel like I'm just in a bucket with my parents because they have more money.
• Meetings focus on investments, not my actual life.
• I don't fully understand what I'm paying or what I'm getting for it.

Vessel is built around the opposite of that. You'll hear from me before you think to reach out. Your plan reflects your goals, not a model portfolio. And fees are transparent, in writing, before we start anything.

It's a 30-minute conversation — no documents needed, no prep required. The goal is simple: understand where you are, what you're looking for, and whether Vessel is the right fit.

I'll ask questions about your situation. You should ask questions about how I work. At the end, we'll both know if it makes sense to move forward.

There's no sales pressure. If it's not a fit, I'll tell you — and I'll try to point you in a better direction if I can.

Yes. Vessel Financial Planning maintains a written Business Continuity Plan that outlines procedures for significant disruptions — including provisions related to the death or incapacitation of the firm's principal. Your assets held at Schwab or Altruist would remain protected and accessible regardless of the firm's operational status.