Lynn Chen-Zhang
CFP®, CPA, PFS™, MBA, MS
Zhang Financial
CEO and Chief Compliance Officer
Lynn Chen-Zhang
CFP®, CPA, PFS™, MBA, MS
Zhang Financial
CEO and Chief Compliance Officer
As a fee-only financial planner, my focus is to offer unbiased financial advice to help you achieve your life goals. - Lynn Chen-Zhang, CFP®, CPA, PFS™, MBA, MS
Fee-Only Financial Planner with offices in Portage, Battle Creek, Grand Rapids, Troy, Ann Arbor, MI and Naples, FL.

Lynn Chen-Zhang is a Fee-Only Financial planner in Portage, MI. Lynn Chen-Zhang is a NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisor.
- MBA - Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University
- MS in Accountancy - Western Michigan University
- Executive Education - Columbia University
- Executive Education - The Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania
- Certified Financial Planner (CFP®)
- Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
- Personal Financial Specialist (PFS™)
- Awarded the 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award by Invest In Others Charitable Foundation
- Invest In Others is the premier non-profit that objectively recognizes philanthropic achievement in the financial services industry
- Named one of the 50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan for 2020 by the Grand Rapids Business Journal
- Recipient of the 2019 Women of Achievement and Courage Award by Michigan Women Forward
- Recognized as one of the Nation's Top 100 Women Financial Advisors and the highest ranked Female Financial Advisor in Michigan by Barron's in 2014 *
- NAPFA - Registered Financial Advisor
- President, Board of Trustees - Western Michigan University (2021, 2022)
- President, Board of Directors - Western Michigan University Foundation (2019, 2020, 2021), currently serves on the Investment Committee and the Committee on Directors
- Economics Advisory Council, Department of Economics, Columbia University
- Steering Committee Member for Columbia College - Columbia University
- Benefactor of Columbia University
- COUR Member (The Committee on University Resources) - Harvard University
- Lynn Chen-Zhang has been recognized in the Grand Rapids 200 for 2022. The GR 200 is a comprehensive list of the most powerful and influential leaders in West Michigan.
- Board of Directors - Southwest Michigan First
- Director, Board of Directors, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, also serves as the chair of the Investment Committee
- Featured in The Wall Street Journal and quoted in national media and publications including CNBC and Barron's.
Lynn Chen-Zhang 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.
Zhang Financial sets a new standard for your finances. Established more than three decades ago,(1) Zhang Financial has developed into a prominent industry leader while maintaining its client-centered focus. Our comprehensive, fee-only solution is built upon an academic, evidence-based investment philosophy aimed at providing the highest probability of success.
For the past seven years, Charles Zhang, CFP®, has been placed in the top 10 on Barron's list of America's Top 100 Independent Wealth Advisors. Most recently he was ranked #1 in the nation and he is currently the highest ranked Fee-Only NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisor on the list.* Charles was also ranked #6 in the nation on Forbes' list of America's Top Wealth Advisors for 2021 and is the highest ranked Independent Advisor on the list.** Zhang Financial is also known for its commitment to philanthropy, especially within our local community. See Giving Back.
With more than $4.7 billion in assets under management,(2) Zhang Financial takes pride in working without conflicts of interest from proprietary products and other questionable business practices. We are committed to upholding a fiduciary standard, providing our clients with customized and unbiased financial advice, first class service, and an open-architecture investment platform for a competitive price. Ranked as Michigan's #1 Financial Advisor,*** Charles Zhang provides personalized investment recommendations to every client in our firm. Your assets are either in the custody of LPL, the largest independent broker dealer in the industry, Charles Schwab, or TD Ameritrade.
1-Zhang Financial formerly operated under dba Zhang & Associates
2-Zhang Financial's regulatory Assets Under Management can be found in Zhang Financial's Form ADV Part 2 available at http://www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.
*As reported in Barron's August 22, 2015, August 27, 2016, September 15, 2017, September 14, 2018, September 16, 2020, and September 17, 2021. The rankings reflect the volume of assets overseen by the advisors and their teams, revenues generated for the firms, quality of the advisors' practices, and other factors. For NAPFA status see NAPFA.org.
**As reported in Forbes August 16,2021 The ranking, developed by our partner Shook Research, is based on in-person and telephone due-diligence meetings and a ranking algorithm for advisors who have a minimum of seven years of experience. We consider client retention, industry experience, compliance records and firm nominations as well as quantitative criteria such as assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. For fee-only status see NAPFA.org.
***As reported in Barron's February 18, 2013, February 22, 2014, February 21, 2015, March 5, 2016, March 4, 2017, March 10, 2018, March 8, 2019, and March 13, 2020, March 12, 2021, and March 12, 2022. Our rankings are based on assets under management, revenue generated by advisors for their firms, and the quality of their practices, regulatory records, internal company documents, and 100-plus data points provided by the advisors themselves.
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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Lynn Chen-Zhang 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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Lynn Chen-Zhang 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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Lynn Chen-Zhang is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
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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Lynn Chen-Zhang is a Personal Financial Specialist (PFS)
The Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) credential is granted solely to CPAs (Certified Public Accountants) with considerable personal financial planning education and experience. All areas of personal financial planning—including estate, retirement, investments, and insurance—have tax implications, and the PFS professional has the experience, ethics, and expertise to get the job done right.
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Lynn Chen-Zhang Serves on the Board of Trustees for Western Michigan University
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Lynn Chen-Zhang Serves on the Board of Directors for the Western Michigan University Foundation
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Lynn Chen-Zhang and her husband, Charles Zhang, are Featured by Western Michigan University for their Donation to the Zhang Career Center in the Haworth College of Business
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Lynn Chen-Zhang was Awarded the 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award by Invest in Others
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Lynn Chen-Zhang is Quoted in InvestmentNews: "Adviser recognized for 25 years of dedicated support for students"
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Lynn Chen-Zhang is a Featured Guest on The Do Dilliegence Podcast: "Family Business Growth"
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Lynn Chen-Zhang is Quoted in the Wall Street Journal: "A Librarian Just Bought Her First Home. Now She Needs to Start Saving More."
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Lynn Chen-Zhang is Featured in Moxie Magazine: "She’s Got Moxie!: Meet Lynn Chen-Zhang"
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Lynn Chen-Zhang was a Speaker at the 2022 MLive Women's Summit
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Lynn Chen-Zhang is Featured in The 2022 Grand Rapids 200: The Most Powerful Business Leaders in Western Michigan
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Lynn Chen-Zhang is a Featured Guest on the Michigan's Best Podcast
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Lynn Chen-Zhang is One of Four Community Leaders Who Join Bronson Healthcare System's Regional Board of Directors
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Lynn Chen-Zhang is Featured on MLive.com: "Gov. Whitmer attends ribbon-cutting ceremony for new Portage community senior center"
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Lynn Chen-Zhang and her husband, Charles Zhang, are Featured by Columbia College for their Endowment of Two Professorships: "Inspired by Their Sons"
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Lynn Chen-Zhang is Featured in the Western Herald: "WMU Trustee Lynn Chen-Zhang on diversity in leadership for the President’s Leadership Series"
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Lynn Chen-Zhang is Mentioned in the Grand Rapids Business Journal: "Financial firm opens office in Ada Village"
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Lynn Chen-Zhang is Quoted in the Wall Street Journal: "Community Relations: Thriving in a Small City"
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Lynn Chen-Zhang is Featured in MLive: "Portage-based financial advisor Lynn Chen-Zhang among Barron's Top 100 Women Financial Advisors"
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Lynn Chen-Zhang Contributes to Make Yourself a Millionaire: How to Sleep Well and Stay Sane on the Road to Wealth
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Lynn Chen-Zhang Led a Panel Discussion for FLEX: Female Leadership Excellence in Conjunction with Cornerstone Alliance, Berrien County's lead economic development agency
Contact Lynn Chen-Zhang
Office Locations:
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5931 Oakland Drive
Portage, MI 49024 -
70 W. Michigan Avenue
Suite 100
Battle Creek, MI 49017 -
999 Vanderbilt Beach Road
Suite 200
Naples, FL 34108 -
101 West Big Beaver Road
14th Floor
Troy, MI 48084 -
460 Ada Drive
Suite 200
Ada, MI 49301 -
2723 South State Street
Suite 150
Ann Arbor, MI 48104 -
236 1/2 E. Front Street
#26
Traverse City, MI 49684 -
2198 Commons Parkway
Okemos, MI 48864