Sharon Lear
CFP®, MBA
Guideway Financial, LLC
Financial Advisor
Sharon Lear
CFP®, MBA
Guideway Financial, LLC
Financial Advisor
As a fee-only financial planner, my focus is to offer unbiased financial advice to help you achieve your life goals. Our firm takes the worry out of retirement by creating plans that limit the uncertainty of how long income lasts. We offer both standalone financial planning and investment management services using a fixed fee (retainer) approach. - Sharon Lear, CFP®, MBA
Fee Only Financial Advisor serving Austin TX, San Antonio TX, and the entire North East TX region

Sharon Lear is a Austin, TX fee-only financial planner. Guideway Financial, LLC provides comprehensive financial planning, retirement planning, tax planning, and investment advice to help clients organize, grow and protect their assets through life’s transitions. As a fee-only, fiduciary, and independent financial advisor, Sharon Lear is never paid a commission of any kind, and has a legal obligation to provide unbiased and trustworthy financial advice.
Sharon Lear is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNING™ professional (CFP®), and she holds an MBA from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Texas A&M University.
Prior to establishing Guideway Financial, Sharon led a successful marketing career in the semiconductor industry for 15 years. In the mid-2000s, Sharon joined Jim in exploring financial software methodologies for asset allocation and retirement strategy. She was inspired to become a comprehensive financial advisor in order to integrate an essential suite of financial services with retirement planning.
Sharon is part of the Alliance of Comprehensive Planners™, a national association of fee-only financial advisors who practice a holistic approach. She is also a member of NAPFA and the Financial Planning Association®, and served on the Board of Directors of her local chapter for two years.
Her interests outside of work include jogging, time with friends and family, home improvement, and volunteering. Sharon has served on the Board of her neighborhood association, and she is currently a Board member of the Texas A&M Aggie Moms Club. She is originally from Longview, in North East Texas.
Sharon Lear 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.
Guideway Financial is a fee-only financial consulting firm owned by Sharon and Jim Lear, headquartered in Austin, Texas. We specialize in comprehensive planning services to create livable strategies to strive for your best life today and in retirement. Our goals-driven process uses an annual retainer model, rather than assets under management, since we feel this best enables us to put your interests first. You maintain control and implementation of your investments at the bank, brokerage, or custodian of your choice.
Our holistic approach incorporates all aspects of a client’s finances, including investment strategy, retirement planning, college planning, insurance review, tax planning and preparation, cash flow and record keeping, estate planning, and more. Unforeseen financial topics that arise during the year are included with no additional charge. In some situations, we also offer project or hourly planning engagements.
Guideway works with clients throughout Texas. Austin, San Antonio, and North East Texas are focus locations, and we serve clients in other states on a limited basis. We offer video conferencing to communicate with remote clients and busy professionals.
Our process brings all aspects of your financial life in balance using a layered approach to identify goals and optimize investment selection for each goal. Tailoring investment risk to the goal, not to investment products or volatility, provides a clearer roadmap of the future with concrete steps to achieve.
Retirement planning is a specialty at Guideway. Our system provides time-certain retirement income, which means income lasts exactly as long as planned. You choose the exact time period the income will endure, so there is no need to worry about money running out. Higher safe withdrawals can be anticipated, so you can fully enjoy your savings.
With Guideway, clients benefit from the expertise of two advisors who work as a team. This makes us especially attune to the financial planning needs of couples.
Fee-Only, Fiduciary, Independent: Three Important Criteria to Consider When Choosing a Financial Advisor.
Specialties
- Comprehensive Financial Planning
- Retirement Income Planning
- Investment Management
- Tax Planning
- Tax Preparation
- College Education Planning
Ideal Clients
- Retirees and Near Retirees
- Couples
- Business Owners and Executives
- Growing Families
- Sudden Money Situations
- Novice Investors
Working Together
- Clearly Defined Fees
- Fixed Retainer Fees, not AUM
- No Product Sales
- In-Office Meetings
- Virtual Meetings
- Complimentary Initial Consultation
Professional Designations & Affiliations
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Sharon Lear 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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Sharon Lear 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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Sharon Lear is a Member of the Alliance of Comprehensive Planners (ACP)
Alliance of Comprehensive Planners (ACP) is the community of tax-focused financial planners that operate under the retainer model. Passionately dedicated to superb client service, ACP planners’ only source of income is client retainer fees – not commissions. With an ACP planner, you can be confident you’re getting experience, knowledge, research, and most importantly, advice that is tailored just for you.
Contact Sharon Lear
Office Locations:
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3345 Bee Caves Rd.
Suite 104
Austin, TX 78746 -
401 E. Sonterra Blvd.
Suite 375
San Antonio, TX 78258 -
510 E Loop 281
Suite B #215
Longview, TX 75605