Donald Lord
CFP®, CPWA®
The Family Firm
Financial Advisor
Donald Lord
CFP®, CPWA®
The Family Firm
Financial Advisor
As a fee-only financial planner, my focus is to offer unbiased financial advice to help you achieve your life goals. - Donald Lord, CFP®, CPWA®
Fee-Only financial planner located in Bethesda, MD, serving clients locally and across the country

Donald Lord is a Bethesda, MD fee-only financial planner. The Family Firm provides comprehensive investment management, retirement planning and estate planning to help clients organize, grow and protect their assets through life’s transitions. As a fee-only, fiduciary, and independent financial advisor, Donald Lord is never paid a commission of any kind, and has a legal obligation to provide unbiased and trustworthy financial advice.
Donald P. Lord is a financial advisor with The Family Firm and is responsible for personal financial planning services for clients. He is a NAPFA-registered financial advisor.
Mr. Lord pursued a profession in personal financial planning after a successful twenty-year career in the U.S. Air Force. There, he was a production superintendent managing more than 200 personnel in ten Air Force functional areas. Mr. Lord's prior experience includes working as a personal financial advisor for CUNA Mutual Life Insurance Company and American Express Financial Advisors.
Mr. Lord holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management with honors from Hampton University in Virginia Mr. Lord is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and a Certified Private Wealth Advisor®.
Donald Lord 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.
The Family Firm is an independent, fee-only financial advisory firm that focuses on lifetime asset protection through the development and implementation of customized financial management strategies. Our hallmarks include a low advisor-to-client ratio and our personal knowledge of each client’s values, challenges and goals for long-term financial security. The Family Firm does not sell financial products or receive commissions from institutions or investments – allowing us to provide expert advice that is free from conflicts of interest. The result: Unbiased insight, effective long-term strategies and client peace of mind.
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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Donald Lord 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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Donald Lord 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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Donald Lord is a Certified Private Wealth Advisor ® (CPWA®)
The CPWA certification is an advanced professional education and certification for advisors who provide the breadth of specialized skills required to meet the needs of high-net-worth clients. This certification requires advisors to develop advanced knowledge and skills to address the wide range of complex issues faced by wealthy individuals and families, including portfolio strategies, wealth transfer, family dynamics, risk management, asset protection, closely-held business ownership, charitable giving, estate planning, retirement planning, and more. Fewer than 1% of financial advisors have achieved the CPWA certification.
Contact Donald Lord
Office Locations:
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8120 Woodmont Ave
Suite 630
Bethesda, MD 20814