Dan Danford
CFP®
Family Investment Center
Founder and CEO
Dan Danford
CFP®
Family Investment Center
Founder and CEO
As a fee-only financial planner, my focus is to offer unbiased financial advice to help you achieve your life goals. - Dan Danford, CFP®
Fee-Only Financial Advisor primarily serving St. Joseph and the Kansas City Northland.

Dan Danford is a St. Joseph, MO fee-only financial planner. Family Investment Center provides comprehensive financial planning, investment management, and retirement planning to help individuals and non-profit gorups organize, grow and protect their assets through life’s transitions. As a fee-only, fiduciary, and independent financial advisor, Dan Danford is never paid a commission of any kind, and has a legal obligation to provide unbiased and trustworthy financial advice.
Dan Danford began his investment career as a bank trust officer and has been advising clients on how to preserve and manage wealth for over 30 years. He was one of the founders of the Trust Company of St. Joseph, a nationally-recognized Missouri-chartered trust company, and then went on to form Family Investment Center, a commission-free advisory firm.
Having seen first-hand the many ways bank trust and investment companies work and provide services, he feels strongly that a commission-free firm offers a better way for most people to receive independent, objective, advice at reasonable rates, with a high level of personalized service. Dan favors solution-based planning and proven investment strategies. With his financial expertise and investment management experience, he helps clients achieve financial goals while providing them peace of mind, convenience, economy, and simplicity. Dan serves a wide range of clients, but especially enjoys working with and educating women, families, nonprofit groups, and company retirement plans.
Dan has written extensively on investment-related topics and his articles or comments have appeared in a variety of professional and general interest newspapers and magazines including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, and Business Week. He has also published three books, Stuck in the Middle: The Mistakes That Jeopardize Your Financial Success and How to Fix Them, May I Help You? Why You Need a Fee-Only Investment Advisor and Million Dollar Management: Simple Lessons to Use Wealth Management Principles for Your Family Investments, with Gary Myers.
Dan has taught personal finance and investing at Missouri Western State University and has been a presenter at local, regional and national workshops and conferences. He has also served on the boards of many civic and professional organizations, including the Association of Independent Trust Companies, Missouri Bankers Association, Missouri Western State University Board of Governors, United Cerebral Palsy of Buchanan County, and the Metro St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce. He is also an Eagle Scout and has served as a Loaned Executive for the St. Joseph Area United Way. He was honored with the 2003 Missouri Western State College Distinguished Alumni Service Award.
Dan is a graduate of Missouri Western, and holds an MBA from Northwest Missouri State University. He holds a Graduate Certificate and a Master’s degree in Personal Finance from Kansas State University. He is also a Certified Retirement Services Professional® and a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional.
Dan Danford 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.
Family Investment Center is a commission-free investment advisory firm. Based in St. Joseph, Missouri, we also have a planning office in Lenexa, Kansas. We help families and other groups organize and manage investments. Our goal is to simplify accounts and objectives, reduce investment costs, locate superior products and providers, and help improve investment performance.
Unlike stockbrokers and commission-compensated advisors, we are independent and commission-free. We don’t sell any products, represent any outside companies, or accept commissions. We represent our clients only. Because there are no third-party agendas or conflicts of interest, we focus clearly on client goals, without costly sales commissions.
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
Ideal Clients
- Retirees and Near Retirees
- Growing Families
- Business Owners and Executives
- Sudden Money Situations
- Novice Investors
Working Together
- In-Office Meetings
- Virtual Meetings
- Clearly Defined Fees
- No Product Sales
- Complimentary Initial Consultation
Professional Designations & Affiliations
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Dan Danford 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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Dan Danford 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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Dan Danford is the Host of Money is Freedom Podcast
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Dan Danford Authored Stuck in the Middle: The Mistakes That Jeopardize Your Financial Success and How to Fix Them
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Dan Danford Authored May I Help You? Why You Need a Fee-Only Investment Advisor
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Dan Danford Authored Million Dollar Management: Simple Lessons to Use Wealth Management Principles for Your Family Investments
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Dan Danford Contributes to the Kansas City Business Journal: "Serving nonprofits: Finance by committee is dangerous"
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Dan Danford Write for The Kansas City Star: "A fresh idea about your stale mortgage"
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Dan Danford is quoted in the Wall Street Journal: "So, How Does Money Make You Feel?"
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Dan Danford is Quoted by AdvisorPerspectives: "Helping Prospects Decide if They Need an Advisor"
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Dan Danford is quoted in the Chicago Tribune: "Flexibility Needed in Long Term Plan"
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Dan Danford is quoted in Financial Advisor Magazine: "Breaking The Rules"
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Dan Danford is Featured in News Press Now: "Danford registered to advise NFL players"
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Dan Danford is Quoted in the New York Times: "Some Advice on Getting Some Advice"
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Dan Danford is Quoted in US News and World Report: "These TIPS Help Protect Your Portfolio"
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Dan Danford is Quoted on Kiplinger: "Returning to School? Save With a 529 Plan"
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Dan Danford Contributes to the Humble Dollar on the Topic of "Fake News"
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Dan Danford is Featured on Mint.com: "Expert Interview with Dan Danford on Investment Basics"
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Dan Danford Contributed to Nasdaq.com: "Budgeting? Go Ahead and Drink That Latte"
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Dan Danford is a Guest Contributor on Dads Divorce: "Money Made Easy: Mortgage Loans Being Sold"
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Dan Danford Writes for The Kansas City Star: "How you spend is more important than how you budget"
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Dan Danford is Quotd on Investopedia: "Lump-Sum Vs. Regular Pension Payments: What's the Difference?"
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Dan Danford Contributed an Article on Nasdaq.com: "Foundations for Building a Solid Retirement"
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Dan Danford Contributed an Article on Nasdaq.com: "Investing Requires a Different Way of Thinking"
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Dan Danford is Quoted in the Wall Street Journal: "Voices: Dan Danford, on Helping Clients Overcome Math Anxiety"
Contact Dan Danford
Office Locations:
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3805 Beck Road
PO Box 8807
St. Joseph, MO 64508-8807 -
11253 Strang Line Road
Lenexa, KS 66215