Ben Brown
CFP®, EA
Entelechy
Founder & CEO
Ben Brown
CFP®, EA
Entelechy
Founder & CEO
I help people use money as a tool to realize life goals and reach their full potential. - Ben Brown, CFP®, EA
Entelechy is a flat fee-only financial life planning & investment management company. Our mission is to help people use money as a tool to realize life goals and reach their full potential. No sales. No minimums. No hidden fees. No nonsense.

Ben Brown is a Bethesda, MD fee-only financial planner. Entelechy provides comprehensive and objective financial planning, investment management and tax services to help clients organize, grow and protect their assets through life’s transitions. As a fee-only, fiduciary, and independent financial advisor, Ben Brown is never paid a commission of any kind, and has a legal obligation to provide unbiased and trustworthy financial advice.
Hi, I’m Ben Brown.
I created this business to help people like you feel more confident in their future, and to make better decisions regarding the resources that make up their personal wealth: time, human capital, & financial assets. My job is to empower you to use your wealth as a tool to realize life goals and reach your full potential.
I grew up in Chicago, graduated from William & Mary in Virginia, and currently live and work in Rockville, Maryland with my wife, Shaina, and our two children. Prior to founding Entelechy, I had the honor of serving as a Financial Advisor and the Director of Operations & Technology for Focus Wealth Management, a fee-only investment advisory firm in Fairfax, Virginia managing over $260 million in client assets.
I’m a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®), and an Enrolled Agent (EA) federally-authorized by the U.S. Department of the Treasury to represent taxpayers before the IRS.
Ben Brown is a Member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors

The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) is a leading professional association of Fee-Only financial advisors - highly trained professionals who are committed to working in the best interests of those they serve.
NAPFA members live by three important values:
- To be the beacon for independent, objective financial advice for individuals and families.
- To be the champion of financial services delivered in the public interest.
- To be the standard bearer for the emerging profession of financial planning.
Entelechy is a flat fee-only financial life planning & investment management company. Our mission is to help people use money as a tool to realize life goals and reach their full potential.
No sales. No minimums. No hidden fees. No nonsense.
We believe in the power of financial planning as a process that continuously adjusts to the life events of our clients, and that our best work is accomplished for clients on an ongoing basis when they simultaneously engage us to fulfill their investment and tax strategies.
Financial Life Management
We call this integration of financial planning, investment management, and tax planning & preparation Financial Life Management, and charge one flat annual fee for this service that isn’t arbitrarily tied to the value of your investment portfolio or net worth. Unlike other advisors, we aren’t compensated by the sale of financial products, by charging 1-2% of assets under our management, or by a complexity calculation that attempts to justify higher fees based on your income or net worth. Our fees are based simply on the value of the comprehensive services we provide to clients who want to fully optimize their financial lives.
For full details and current pricing, please visit https://entelechy.co/services.
Fee-Only, Fiduciary, Independent: Three Important Criteria to Consider When Choosing a Financial Advisor.
Specialties
- Comprehensive Financial Planning
- Retirement Income Planning
- Investment Management
- College Education Planning
- Tax Planning & Preparation
Ideal Clients
- Young Professionals
- Growing Families
- Retirees and Near Retirees
- Business Owners and Executives
- Sudden Money Situations
Working Together
- In-Office Meetings
- Virtual Meetings
- Clearly Defined Fees
- No Product Sales
- Complimentary Initial Consultation
Professional Designations & Affiliations
-
Ben Brown is a NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisor
The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) is a leading professional association of Fee-Only financial advisors—highly trained professionals who are committed to working in the best interests of those they serve.
-
Ben Brown is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional - Click for Verification
CFP® professionals are held to strict ethical standards to ensure financial planning recommendations are in your best interest. What’s more, a CFP® professional must acquire several years of experience related to delivering financial planning services to clients and pass the comprehensive CFP® Certification Exam before they can use the CFP® designation.
-
Ben Brown is an Enrolled Agent with the IRS (Learn More)
An enrolled agent is a federally authorized tax practitioner empowered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury to represent taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service. Enrolled agent status is the highest credential awarded by the IRS.
-
Ben Brown is a Member of the XY Planning Network
The XY Planning Network is the leading organization of fee-only financial advisors who are focused on working with Generation X and Generation Y clients. Our mission is to connect consumers with best-in-class financial advisors who specialize in working with clients just like you.
-
Entelechy has access to Dimensional Funds
Dimensional believes an advisor can work closely with you to understand your financial needs and provide a range of wealth management services, while encouraging the discipline essential to long-term investment success. Financial advisors who work with Dimensional operate independently from Dimensional and vary in the extent to which they use Dimensional funds.
-
Ben Brown is Featured in the Washingtonian's Best Financial Advisors
-
Ben Brown Contributes to Morningstar
-
Ben Brown is Quoted on CNBC: "This is what’s keeping millennials up at night"
-
Ben Brown is Quoted in the Wall Street Journal: "How Advisers Are Protecting Client Data"
-
Ben Brown is Quoted on BankRate.com: "How to choose a bank: 8 steps to take"
-
Ben Brown is Quoted on CBS News - Moneywatch: "Is it ever OK to raid your 401(k)?"
-
Ben Brown is Quoted in USA Today: "Should you spend, save or invest a graduation gift?"
-
Ben Brown is Quoted in US News and World Report: "A Midyear Retirement Savings Checkup"
-
Ben Brown is Quoted on NerdWallet.com: "How to Manage Money in Your 20s"
-
Ben Brown is Quoted on CreditKarma.com: "Guide to credit card purchase protection"
Contact Ben Brown
Office Locations:
-
4800 Hampden Lane
Suite 200
Bethesda, MD 20814 -
3033 Wilson Boulevard
Suite 700
Arlington, VA 22201 -
211 N Union Street
Suite 100
Alexandria, VA 22314 -
5425 Wisconsin Avenue
Suite 600
Chevy Chase, MD MD -
1750 Tysons Boulevard
Suite 1500
McLean, VA 22102 -
1101 Connecticut Avenue NW
Suite 450
Washington, DC 20036