FAQ about Modern Family Finance

We partner with you to develop and implement a comprehensive financial plan that fits with your goals, values, and resources. We do the “heavy lifting” to help your plan become a reality. This includes monitoring your plan regularly and making adjustments as life changes.

In the first year, you can expect to meet with us 5-6 times. Ongoing clients generally meet with us 2-3 times per year, with plenty of communication in between. You can expect us to reach out to you at least once a quarter.

Most importantly, we’re here for you when you need us. We’ll meet with you however many times you need us to meet. Changing jobs? Company going public or getting acquired? Buying a house? Or maybe you just want a second look on that insurance policy or tax form? We’re here for you.

We are a virtual practice and hold client meetings online. We have evening hours available for your convenience. If you reside in the San Francisco Bay Area and logistics allow, in-person meetings may be available on occasion.

Read more about our services and pricing.

I am a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER ™ which is the gold standard in the industry because it requires two years of coursework, hours of supervised work experience, and passing a national exam.

I come from 15+ years of management experience in tech and finance and was named “Hero of the 500s” by Fortune Magazine for my corporate and community contributions. I have a B.A. in Economics from Washington University in St. Louis and a certificate in Financial Planning from Boston University. You can read more about me on my bio.

But perhaps relevant is that I’ve lived this – our life. 

Financial planning covers all aspects of a person’s financial well-being, not just retirement planning. Financial planning is an ongoing collaborative process involving: goal-setting, cash flow planning, risk management, investing, tax planning, and estate planning.

We don’t believe in one-time financial plans because life changes and there are lots of “what ifs” to explore. We respect you as the expert in your own life and we aim to be your sounding board on

all aspects of your financial life. Read more about our financial planning process.

Our investment approach is oriented around helping you maximize the chance that you will achieve your most important financial goals. Investments are a key tool in realizing your financial goals. We believe in a disciplined investment approach designed to capture, not beat, market returns over a long period of time. We do not time markets or pick stocks. Read about our investment approach.

We are an independent fiduciary advisor, which means we have no proprietary products and we’re free to look at all solutions and choose the best.

We use Schwab as our custodian. With Schwab, you have access to best-in-class technology, research and security. Schwab will cover losses in any of your Schwab accounts due to unauthorized activity. Additionally, Schwab is a member of the SPIC which provides $500K of coverage, including $250K for cash.

Your accounts always remain under your name where you have access to them at any time.

We don’t make any trades until we’ve done the work to understand your goals and financial situation. We believe in educating clients so that you understand what we’re doing and feel confident about your investment plan.

We keep all your information confidential, safe and secure. Our client portal and office systems employ advanced security features and protocols to protect your data.

We are fee-only fiduciaries, and we are proud of that fact. We will never make any recommendations that are not in your best interest. We receive no compensation from any entity other than you. It’s important to me that my services and fees are very transparent to my clients.

No, we do not sell insurance. As part of our work together, we assess your risks and may recommend that you purchase insurance to protect against worst case scenarios.

To help you find an appropriate policy, we can provide referrals to independence insurance consultants. We do not receive commissions for any referrals.

Yes! While our priority is serving women and the LGBT people to empower our community, we do serve clients of all orientations and gender.

We are committed to the highest levels of integrity in our practice and strive to have long-lasting, healthy relationships with all of our clients.

I maintain ongoing education to maintain my CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ license. I am a current member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA), the Financial Planning Association (FPA), and the Fee-Only Network.

You can read what my clients have to say about me on Google.