Hi, I'm Desmond Henry!
I'm so happy you found me. I know the process of finding a financial planner can be confusing and overwhelming. So, what should you do - flip a coin? That's probably not the best way to decide either.
I want to make this really easy for you. So be sure you read to the bottom so you don't miss anything. But first, let me introduce myself...
I'm a fee-only CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional.
(we'll get to what exactly that means and why it should matter here in a second)
I SHOULD PROBABLY WARN YOU! I'm not your stereotypical suit and tie advisor that uses financial jargon to try and impress you. I'm a fun, plain-english speaking, blue jeans and crazy sock wearing guy that happens to be a financial nerd.
I started in the financial industry 16 years ago. Financial planning is not just a job for me. I eat, live, and breathe this stuff. Like seriously, I've tried finding a hobby but I truly love what I do. If you're interested in learning even more about me, CLICK HERE.
So What Exactly Do You Do?
Preparing for and managing your life in retirement is hard. When you reach that stage in life, sometimes it feels like you’ve been handed a 5,000-piece jigsaw puzzle. You’ve worked hard for your money, and your money should work just as hard for you.
That's where I come in. Think of me as your retirement co-pilot. To keep it simple, I help people nearing and in retirement plan their finances and invest their money.
CAN'T I JUST DO ALL THIS FINANCIAL PLANNING And investing STUFF MYSELF?
Of course. You could probably learn open-heart surgery on YouTube as well if you wanted. I guess the more appropriate question is do you want to do it yourself? My clients prefer to hire a professional to take the stress out of doing it alone and focus on their life's passion.
I'm fee-only and why should it matter?
While there are about 310,000 financial advisors in the United States; only about 6% are fee-only.
Here's a chart to help simplify the three ways how financial advisors are compensated:
How Financial Advisors Are Compensated | ||
Fee-Only | Fee-Based | Commissioned-Based |
Solely compensated by fees charged to the client. | Compensated by both fees for advice and commissions by selling financial products. | Paid solely by the commissions they earn from selling financial and insurance products. |
One of the major benefits of working with a fee-only advisor is the freedom from the inherent conflict of interest that can arise when an advisor receives commissions by selling you financial products.
So how much do I charge?
As you know by now, I NEVER earn commissions by selling products. But that doesn't mean I work for free! This is my beautiful family I have to support.
I offer a simple and transparent, competitive flat fee based on your portfolio's size. It is designed to be easy to understand and put your interests first which you can find HERE. As far as the competition, good luck finding their fees even listed on their website.
Why should I work with a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional/ CFP®?
Most people think all financial planners are “certified,” but this isn’t true. In reality, only about 25% of financial advisors in the United States hold the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation.
As crazy as it may sound, anyone can call themselves a "financial planner" or "financial advisor." Only those who have fulfilled CFP Board's rigorous requirements (Education, Experience, Exam, Ethics) can call themselves a CFP® professional.
CFP® professionals are held to strict ethical standards to ensure financial planning recommendations are in your best interest. After all, you wouldn’t go to a doctor or lawyer that wasn’t working in your best interest. Why would you choose a financial advisor differently?
Schedule Your FREE Initial Consultation!
If you're interested in working together or getting a second opinion, here's how we get started. The first step is scheduling your FREE initial consultation.
Thanks for being here - I appreciate you!
Desmond R. Henry, CFP® 