Erik Nero
CFP®, CCFC
First Step Wealth Planning, LLC
Founder & President
Erik Nero
CFP®, CCFC
First Step Wealth Planning, LLC
Founder & President
As a fee-only financial planner, my focus is to align your financial decisions with what is most meaningful in your life. - Erik Nero, CFP®, CCFC
Fee-Only financial planner located in Gansevoort, NY, serving clients locally and across the country
Erik Nero is a Gansevoort, NY fee-only financial planner. First Step Wealth Planning, LLC provides comprehensive wealth planning services to individuals that are seeking guidance on how to align their finances as they move into their non-earning years and on how families can plan to save, shop and pay for sending their children to college. As a fee-only, fiduciary, and independent financial advisor, Erik Nero is never paid a commission of any kind, and has a legal obligation to provide unbiased and trustworthy financial advice.
Erik Nero believes that harmony between one’s faith, fitness, family, friends, and finances can lead to a more fulfilled life. Erik created First Step Wealth Planning to help his clients experience their ideal lives through creating greater confidence in their financial lives while removing the barriers and conflicts of interest that exist at other firms.
Professionally, Erik has been helping families make smart decisions with their money for over 20 years. He has held positions in wealth management for families and institutions at a variety of large, multi-national firms and has had the privilege of getting to know the stories, desires, and dreams of hundreds of clients. This privilege has been both educational and rewarding. Erik is grateful to have learned from so many wonderful people, which led him to realize what matters most to people is their time and their ability to live the life that they want. He has narrowed his focus to work with those who seek greater simplicity in their lives, so that they can spend more time on what is most important to them. Erik is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Practitioner and a Certified College Financial Consultant (CCFC).
Erik is a husband of over 20 years to his wife, Nicole. They have three children and a chocolate Labrador. Although he spent many years of his career in New York City, Erik and his family have made a home in Saratoga Springs, New York. He is a native of New York’s Hudson Valley region and a graduate of Siena College. He loves being present and involved in the many activities his children participate in, as well as the art, culture, restaurants, and activities that are abundant in Saratoga Springs.
Erik Nero 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.
EP Wealth Advisors is a fee-only registered investment advisory and financial planning firm headquartered in Torrance, California. EP Wealth manages over $16.1 billion in AUM as of December 31, 2022. With offices from coast to coast, EP Wealth combines the resources of a large firm with a local approach to provide client-centric financial planning, wealth management and investment management services to individuals and businesses. EP Wealth continues to grow and enrich the lives of our clients and team and has been recognized as a leader in the RIA space by multiple financial and industry publications, including Barron's 2022 list of top RIA’s, Financial Planning’s top firms of 2022, and many more at both the national and regional level. The firms Torrance headquarters has been named a Best Place to Work by the Los Angeles Business Journal, and several advisors and functional leaders have been named to varied "Best", "Rising Star" and "40 Under 40" lists.
Fee-Only, Fiduciary, Independent: Three Important Criteria to Consider When Choosing a Financial Advisor.
Specialties
- Retirement Income Planning
- College Education Planning
- Comprehensive Financial Planning
- Tax Planning
- Investment Management
Ideal Clients
- Retirees and Near Retirees
- Families with High School Age Children
- Sudden Money Situations
Working Together
- Complimentary Initial Consultation
- Virtual Meetings
- No Product Sales
- Clearly Defined Fees
Professional Designations & Affiliations
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Erik Nero 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.
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Erik Nero 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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Erik Nero 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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Erik Nero is a Certified College Financial Consultant (CCFC)
The American Institute of Certified College Financial Consultants (AICCFC) is an organization that was created to offer educational training to CPAs and Financial Planners who wish to learn how they can advise their clients effectively in the areas of college and student loan advising. The AICCFC is the issuer of the premiere designation in college and student loan advising, the Certified College Financial Consultant (CCFC) designation.
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Erik Nero is a Guest on the Financial Freedom for Physicians Podcast: "Financial Planning for Optimal Retirement"
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Watch Erik Nero's Interview on Financial Freedom for Physicians Podcast
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Erik Nero is Quoted on Wealthtender: "Three Important Questions Stock Pickers Need To Be Asking"
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Erik Nero is Quoted on Wealthtender: "What Happens to Your 401(k) When You Quit Your Job?"
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Erik Nero is Quoted on MSN Money: "How to Fire Your Financial Advisor in 4 Simple Steps"
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Erik Nero is Quoted on Next Avenue: "The Lowdown on Paying for Higher Ed"
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Erik Nero is a Featured Guest on GEMS Podcast: "How You Value Money to Achieve Financial Fulfillment"
Contact Erik Nero
Office Locations:
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96 Cobble Hill Dr.
Gansevoort, NY 12831-2523