Richard Schultz
CFP®
Pacific Investment Research
Chief Investment Officer
Richard Schultz
CFP®
Pacific Investment Research
Chief Investment Officer
I believe you are best served by communicating directly with the person managing your life savings. I find my clients sleep better at night knowing they can ask me and my team anything and call us any time. - Richard Schultz, CFP®
Fee-Only Wealth Manager and Investment Advisor serving Southern California and the Bay Area including Orange County, Cupertino, and Silicon Valley

Pacific Investment Research is a CA-based fee-only financial advisory firm providing comprehensive and objective financial planning and asset management to help individuals and couples 55 and over organize, grow and protect their assets through life’s transitions. As a fee-only, fiduciary, and independent financial advisor, Richard Schultz is never paid a commission of any kind, and has a legal obligation to provide unbiased and trustworthy financial advice.
Founder and President, Richard Schultz has been providing investment advisory services to individuals and families for over 25 years. Richard's credentials include:
- A roster of more than 80 clients with $80+ million in assets under management (as of 2016)
- Certified Financial Planner designation from the CFP Board
- A member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) since 2001
- A member of the National Association of Active Investment Managers (NAAIM), since 2011
- Series 7 securities license from Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
Schultz Financial Management is listed as a 5-star advisor in the Paladin Registry and approved MD Preferred Services™ provider to medical doctors.
Richard obtained a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Moorhead State University, Minnesota in 1981 and moved to Southern California where he worked as a software engineer, designing application software for aerospace and medical diagnostic instruments.
After several years of successfully managing his own investment portfolios, Richard realized he'd found his passion.
In 1990, he enrolled in the Certified Financial Planner Educational Program, obtained a Series 7 securities license, and began working as a registered representative for an independent brokerage firm.
After several years, Richard earned his Certified Financial Planner™ designation and launched Schultz Financial Management, an independent fee-based financial planning practice in 1995.
Richard Schultz 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.
Pacific Investment Research is a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) working with individual investors. We specialize in wealth management and actively managed portfolios in Orange County and Cupertino, CA.
Business Approach
Our primary concerns are:
- help clients to fulfill their financial goals,
- maintain clear, unfettered lines of communication,
- provide top-notch client service, and
- offer world-class investment and wealth management services.
We are a fee-only investment advsier, meaning that our sole source of income is derived from our client fees. Why is this important?
Often, financial advisers receive commissions or payments from financial companies in exchange for directing clients to their products. These arrangements create clear conflicts of interest, as the financial interests of the adviser may be at odds with their fiduciary duty (or, mandate to act solely in the best interests of their clients).
As an RIA, Pacific Investment Research is a fiduciary and therefore legally required to act in our client’s best interest, which includes full disclosure of compensation and any potential conflicts of interest.
Our Services
Pacific Investment Research manages the financial interests of our clients. Our investment strategy is to actively manage client portfolios with an eye towards earning consistent, attractive investment returns, regardless of the economy, interest rates, or market conditions.
We offer clients a choice of Active Portfolio Management​ and Wealth Management. Which service they choose is based upon their individual financial situation and goals.
Active Portfolio Management – Our focus is to generate the best possible returns, keep taxes low, and ensure fees are both predictable and minimal.
Ours is a disciplined investment approach; a process in which we strive to capture most of the returns available when the financial markets are doing well, yet effectively mitigate risk during market downturns in order to preserve gains.
This contrasts to an "index" approach, where the investment manager simply purchases stocks and bonds based on a formula, then allows them to rise and fall with the market.
Active investment management is NOT market timing or churning the stocks in a client's portfolio. Rather, active portfolio management is a key strategy in minimizing the risk and maximizing returns in our client portfolios.
Wealth Management – Our Wealth Management services combine a comprehensive, thoughtful financial planning approach with all the benefits of our Active Portfolio Management.
We view wealth management as a partnership; one in which we work with clients, accountants, estate planning attorneys, insurance specialists, and other professionals to create, execute, and refine our clients' wealth management strategy.
In close consultation with clients, our team prepares a comprehensive financial plan that accounts for the full range of a client's needs, from investment management to estate planning, tax planning, insurance, and other contingencies as needed.
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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Richard Schultz 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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Richard Schultz 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.
Contact Richard Schultz
Office Locations:
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19925 Stevens Creek Blvd
Suite 100
Cupertino, CA 95014 -
942 E Chapman Ave
Orange, CA 92866