Ross Dugas, Ph.D.
Candidate for CFP® Certification
Scientific Financial
Founder and Financial Advisor
Ross Dugas, Ph.D.
Candidate for CFP® Certification
Scientific Financial
Founder and Financial Advisor
As a former engineer I enjoying working with scientific-minded investors who are curious and seek to understand. No handwaving, just data and transparency. - Ross Dugas, Ph.D., Candidate for CFP® Certification
Fee-only, advice-only financial advisor located in Pearland, TX, serving curious investors who seek to understand.
Ross Dugas is an advice-only, fee-only financial advisor. Scientific Financial provides objective financial advice through both 1-on-1 engagements and a low-cost group program, the Family Subscription ($49/mo).
Scientific Financial focuses on a select group of people: early and mid-career scientific professionals, especially employees at Dow Chemical seeking to maximize their employee benefits and retirement goals.
As a fee-only, fiduciary, and independent financial advisor, Ross Dugas is never paid a commission of any kind, and has a legal obligation to provide unbiased and trustworthy financial advice.
Ross Dugas is a former process research engineer. He completed a B.S. at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, then obtained an M.S. and Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. Upon completing his studies, he joined The Dow Chemical Company. Although it was a relatively short 12-year career, it was a productive one. Ross obtained numerous patents and helped commercialize several products and processes. Ross enjoyed his Dow career, but there was something he enjoyed more.
At Dow, Ross chatted with colleagues on the opportunities within Dow’s benefit plan and how to more efficiently grow investments by making efficient use of the tax code. Ross’s day job was to make chemical processes more efficient. His side hobby was to make investing more efficient.
When Covid stopped the world, Ross re-evaluated his options and chose to pursue a passion. In 2022, at the age of 40, Ross made the bold move to leave a promising career at Dow to enroll in the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ education program at Rice University. Upon completion, he set out on creating a unique financial advising business, Scientific Financial. The rest is yet to be written, but like any research project, it’s bound to have surprises and challenges. That’s what makes it fun.
As a former researcher, Ross places a strong emphasis on data and lessons in the financial literature. At Scientific Financial we don’t waste our time and your money doing activities that are shown to be counterproductive.
- We promote low-cost, passive investment strategies. Scientific Financial does not attempt to choose hot stocks or beat the market. We view this as a fool’s errand based on decades of data. The 2021 SPIVA® U.S. Scorecard makes a compelling case – “Among domestic equity funds, while 90% have underperformed the S&P Composite 1500 over the past 20 years, an even greater 95% did so on a risk-adjusted basis”.
- We dismiss the daily financial news. Daily financial news is for day traders. Day trading is not a recommended path to long-term financial security.
- We acknowledge that tax-efficient asset allocation is the biggest driver of portfolio returns. It’s often not the stocks/bonds you choose, but rather the “buckets” you put them in. Today the US tax code is more generous than it’s ever been. This combined with technological advances give today’s investor a huge advantage over prior generations.
- We believe in simplicity, transparency and empowerment. We don’t make things overly complicated to overwhelm clients and increase our job security. Unfortunately, this is far too common in the financial services industry. We explain the “why” and any other questions you may have.
- If you learn too much and no longer need help from Scientific Financial, then we will be immensely proud of our work. There is no shortage of families to help.
Fee-Only, Fiduciary, Independent: Three Important Criteria to Consider When Choosing a Financial Advisor.
Specialties
- Financial Education & Group Q/A
- One-Time Projects - portfolio assessments, financial plans, etc.
- Comprehensive Financial Planning
Ideal Clients
- Scientific Professionals
- Early and Mid-Career
- Dow Employees
- Novice Investors
- DIY Investors
Working Together
- Virtual & In-Person Meetings
- Transparent Fees on Website
- Free Introductory & Pre-Engagement Meetings
Professional Designations & Affiliations
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Ross Dugas, Ph.D. 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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Ross Dugas, Ph.D. is a Member of the XY Planning NetworkThe 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.
Contact Ross Dugas, Ph.D.
Office Locations:
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By Appointment
Or Virtual
Pearland, TX 77584
