Why I Became A Financial Planner

Having spoken with young lawyers and other professionals, I have learned that everyone has a unique path to be where they are today. My journey is no different. Becoming a financial planner involved changing careers multiple times, finding a passion for helping others with their personal finance questions, and developing a unique business model to serve young lawyers.

My Career Before Developing Financial

Before starting my financial planning firm, my career started in accounting. My first job out of college was working as an auditor for a large public accounting firm. After two years, I burned out. So I left to work as a financial analyst at an aerospace and defense company, where I began reading about personal finance in my spare time. As a CPA, I always had friends and family asking me for help with their finances, and I quickly became consumed by the topic.

At the same time, my wife was in law school, and I noticed that she and her classmates faced uniquely challenging financial decisions after graduating — paying off student loans, "catching up" to their undergraduate peers, and managing a high salary. So I took a job at a wirehouse for additional training before starting my own firm. I quickly realized how little advice I could actually provide there, so I set out to start Developing Financial.

Why I Became A Financial Planner

I wanted to help people navigate the unique and complex financial decisions they face in life. Each time I helped someone, it drove me to learn more to help others, and I saw an absolute lack of access to financial planning for so many people. I set out to change that by becoming a financial advisor who would help anyone, regardless of their means or net worth.

How I Am Advancing the Industry

I am the only advisor I know of charging a percent-of-income fee model without any asset or income minimums. Working with a globally known wealth manager, it was apparent that financial advice favored people with enough net worth to pay the industry-standard 1% Assets Under Management fee. My income-based model allows me to work with anyone who earns a paycheck, including young professionals with a negative or little net worth who would otherwise have to figure out student loans, employer benefits, and saving and spending without expert guidance.

Finally, I believe personal finance education is critical. Every week I publish a blog covering financial planning topics, and I regularly share knowledge with reporters and podcast hosts.

Final Thoughts

My philosophy for life is to make it better for myself or someone else than it was. I accomplish this by providing financial planning for young lawyers who are often overlooked by established firms, providing free and relevant financial education, and proving you can help people with a negative net worth while operating a successful business.