Michael Hakimi founded Black Dog Financial Planning to help professionals and families in their 30s and 40s with their finances. After working at a few firms, he realized the majority of investment advisors primarily focus on pre-retirees and retirees. Meanwhile his peer group was significantly underserved. He launched the firm to make high quality financial advice more affordable and accessible for his peer group, and to help individuals and families live great lives by making smarter financial decisions.

When Michael isn’t helping his clients, he’s spending time with his own family. He and his wife, Katie, were married in May of 2018 after relocating to Charleston from Chicago, IL. They welcomed their first child, daughter Annie Rose, on February 6, 2020. Annie joins big “fur-brother”, Barkley, to which the firm, Black Dog Financial Planning, gets its name. Barkley is a rescue from PAWS Chicago, a no kill animal shelter. Barkley was 3 months old and 25 pounds when Mike and Katie adopted him. He’s now 3 years old and 80 pounds and his favorite pastime is watching squirrels from the window and chasing them out of the backyard.  

Mike and Katie enjoy low-country living, especially golf, the beach, and oyster roasts, but also love to travel. They got engaged in Paris in 2017 and have traveled around Europe and Asia together. Next up, they hope to visit South America, Australia and Africa. They look forward to raising their family in the low-country and traveling together whenever they can.