Laura West
CFP®, CPA, RICP®
West Financial Advisors, LLC
Managing Partner and Financial Planner
Laura West
CFP®, CPA, RICP®
West Financial Advisors, LLC
Managing Partner and Financial Planner
Grow and protect your wealth with fee-only objective advice. - Laura West, CFP®, CPA, RICP®
Fee Only Financial Planner in Des Moines, IA

Laura West is a Des Moines, IA fee-only financial planner. West Financial Advisors, LLC provides comprehensive advice, objective financial planning, and investment management to help clients organize, grow and protect their assets through life’s transitions. As a fee-only, fiduciary, and independent financial advisor, Laura West is never paid a commission of any kind, and has a legal obligation to provide unbiased and trustworthy financial advice.
Laura West is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and holds a license as a certified public accountant with the state of Iowa. Laura is a member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) and is currently working on earning her Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy certification. She is a leader in community development currently serving on the Nevada community school and economic development boards.
Laura facilitates the creation of client comprehensive personal financial plans. She takes the time to truly listen to clients and understand their unique circumstances. Laura enjoys helping people unlock their dreams and establish plans for their life goals. She believes everyone can learn how to grow & protect their wealth.
Laura graduated from the University of Iowa in 1995 with a bachelor of business administration degree in accounting and earned her Master of Family and Consumer Sciences, specializing in Family Financial Planning, from Iowa State University in 2010. Laura began her career as a CPA working for KPMG, a global accounting and tax firm located in Des Moines, Iowa. Before forming West Financial Advisors, LLC Laura served as the Director of Financial Planning with Pioneer Hi-Bred International, a global company based in Johnston, Iowa. Her passion outside of work is her family, book club, and running marathons.
Laura West 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 company specializes in personal financial planning and ongoing investment management for individuals and small company retirement plans.
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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Laura West 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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Laura West 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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Laura West is a member of The Financial Planning Association® (FPA®)
FPA® is the largest membership organization for CFP® professionals in the U.S. and supports high standards of professional competence, ethical conduct, and clear, complete disclosure when serving clients.
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Laura West 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.
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Laura West is a Retirement Income Certified Professional® (RICP®)
A professional designation for experienced financial advisors and investment managers who have passed coursework to become experts in retirement income planning. A Retirement Income Certified Professional® helps retirees and near-retirees develop and implement a plan for managing the financial assets they have accumulated for retirement and a set realistic budget to help meet life goals.
Contact Laura West
Office Locations:
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111 East Grand Ave
Suite 412
Des Moines, IA 50309