Charles Bender
CFP®, CPA, MBA
Financial Consulate, Inc.
Chief Financial Officer
Charles Bender
CFP®, CPA, MBA
Financial Consulate, Inc.
Chief Financial Officer
As a fee-only financial planner, my focus is to offer unbiased financial advice to help you achieve your life goals. - Charles Bender, CFP®, CPA, MBA
Fee-Only financial planner located in Hunt Valley, MD, serving clients locally and across the country

Charles Bender CFP®, CPA, MBA is a fee-only wealth advisor at Financial Consulate, based from the firm’s Hunt Valley, Maryland office. He serves clients from across the nation in pursuit of Financial Consulate’s mission: to help lessen the worry and burden of wealth management and enhance financial wellness so the firm’s clients can pursue relationships and true fulfillment. Financial Consulate offers comprehensive financial planning, which includes tax planning, investment planning, and retirement planning. Advisors at Financial Consulate are bound by legal obligation to provide unbiased and trustworthy financial advice and are never paid a commission of any kind.
Charles Bender is the Chief Financial Officer and Wealth Advisor at Financial Consulate, Inc.
Role at The Consulate:
As CFO for Financial Consulate, I am responsible for the planning, implementation, and managing of the financial activities of the firm. In my role as a wealth advisor, I am actively involved in guiding clients through the financial planning process.
Educational Background:
I earned a Master of Business Administration from Loyola University Maryland and received my bachelor’s degree in accounting from Virginia Tech.
Why I Became a Financial Advisor:
After building a career in public accounting with Ernst & Young and in corporate finance and accounting at McCormick & Co., I was eager to use my experience to impact individuals at a more personal level. The transition into the field of personal financial planning felt natural given my passion for personal finance education and serving others. When the opportunity at Financial Consulate presented itself, it was an easy leap to take.
Outside the Office:
I find myself spending considerable time with people younger than me (which are becoming easier to find with every year that goes by). I enjoy hikes with my children and teaching and/or mentoring college students at Lancaster Bible College, where my wife serves as the Associate Chair of the Business Department. I enjoy golfing and some consider me a connoisseur of podcasts.
Charles Bender 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.
Our mission is to help lessen the worry and burden of wealth management and enhance financial wellness so our clients can pursue relationships and true fulfillment.
We know how important it is to have someone you trust for financial advice.
That’s why Financial Consulate follows an ethical standard held by less than 1% of financial advisors in the US as members of the National Association of Professional Financial Advisors (NAPFA).
- Under their watch, we work as fiduciary advisors on a fee-only basis.
- We work without commissions and are oath-bound by a code of ethics to put your interests first.
- All our advisors are Certified Financial Planners (CFPs) and maintain a level of continuing education that exceeds the normal requirements.
- Almost half of our advisors are also Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) which allows for complete coordination of your financial plans and goals.
Fee-Only, Fiduciary, Independent: Three Important Criteria to Consider When Choosing a Financial Advisor.
Specialties
- Comprehensive Financial Planning
- Retirement Income Planning
- Investment Management
- Estate Planning
- Tax Planning
Ideal Clients
- Retirees and Near Retirees
- Families with the "Millionaire Next Door" Mentality
- Those Aiming to Reach Financial Independence
- Individuals Who are Engaged with and Trusting of Our Advisors
- Business Owners and Executives
Working Together
- In-Office Meetings
- Virtual Meetings
- Clearly Defined Fees
- No Product Sales
- Processes Designed to Earn Client Trust
Professional Designations & Affiliations
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Charles Bender 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.
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Charles Bender 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.
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Charles Bender is a Certified Public Accountant (Learn More)
A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is a professional accountant who has met the education and experience requirements set by their state's Board of Accountancy and has passed the Uniform CPA Exam. CPAs are licensed to provide a wide range of accounting services, including financial statement preparation, tax planning and preparation, auditing, consulting, and other financial advisory services.
Contact Charles Bender
Office Locations:
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11019 McCormick Road
Suite 200
Hunt Valley, MD 21031