Chris Jennings, CFP®, is a Wealth Advisor at Heron Wealth.

You have taken a huge step in researching fee-only financial planning, but you're probably still wondering how this works and whether it's right for you. The next step is to have an informal call or start with a brief email, I will be very candid and do what I can to point you in the right direction. 

Evenings and weekends are available, click here to schedule a call.

The three kinds of clients I can help the most:

1) You're at a growing company and your compensation includes equity awards.

I work with software engineers and other rising tech professionals with Incentive Stock Options (ISOs) and/or Restricted Stock Units (RSUs). Whether you're at a larger company or one that's getting ready to go public, I can help you better understand and plan for these awards. 

When should I exercise my ISOs?  Should I sell my RSUs upon vesting or hold them?  How can I plan for blackout periods?  If the company stock goes to X, what will that mean for me?  Should I be making Traditional or Roth contributions to my 401(k) and how much of each?

2) You are looking to retire within 10 years or sooner. Whether you recently turned 50 and are ready to get serious about planning ahead or if you're looking to retire next year, there are steps you can take to optimize. 

Pensions have practically gone extinct, so chances are you'll be relying on your own savings. I can help you better understand how much you can afford to spend in any number of "what if" scenarios. Whether that's selling your house in Westchester to move somewhere else, seeing if you can afford a vacation home, taking on more (or less) investment risk, or making sure you have enough money for other goals — I can model these out for you. 

You probably hear a lot about asset allocation (i.e. how your money is invested) but I place an equally if not larger emphasis on asset location. I can explain the differences between your various accounts (e.g.  401k, Roth IRA, etc) and help you understand what strategies will be most advantageous to you. I will explain it all in plain English.

If the market does poorly right after I stop working, what would that look like?  If I were to sell my home, how would that impact my spending?  I really want a second home, how many more years of working will that take? When should I take social security?  What accounts should I draw on first and what will the tax implications be? 

3) You're a BigLaw associate or physician fresh out of residency.

You're finally making a decent income, but now what? You may be conflicted as to whether you should pay off student loans, save in retirement accounts, or stay liquid in case you want to start a family. I can help you prioritze. I can also help you take advantage of a Backdoor Roth IRA despite your high income level. 

There are certain things I can't help with: If you are looking for the next Bitcoin, want to borrow money to buy an Airbnb, or are looking for special investments that will beat the market  — unfortunately I cannot help you. However, if you're in financial trouble and trying to make changes to improve your situation, you are welcome to email me.  Please describe what's going on and where you need assistance — put "Pro-Bono" in the subject line.

Fees: There is no minimum asset requirement, but minimum annual fees apply. If you would like to ask questions before scheduling, please call or email me. 

The easiest way to get in touch: Click here to schedule a call.  

If you prefer to start with an email or have questions before scheduling, click here to email Chris. If you want to try and connect right now, click (914) 202-8709 and ask for Chris. Evenings and weekends are often available, check here to see if we're open right now.