Steve Doster
CFP®
Rowling & Associates LLC
Financial Planning Manager
Steve Doster
CFP®
Rowling & Associates LLC
Financial Planning Manager
My goal is to reduce your money stress by explaining complex topics in an understandable way – no industry lingo here! - Steve Doster, CFP®
Fee-Only financial planner located in San Diego, CA, serving clients locally and across the country

Steve Doster is a San Diego, CA fee-only financial planner. Rowling & Associates LLC provides comprehensive financial planning, wealth management, and tax services to help clients organize, grow and protect their assets through life’s transitions. As a fee-only, fiduciary, and independent financial advisor, Steve Doster is never paid a commission of any kind, and has a legal obligation to provide unbiased and trustworthy financial advice.
Steve Doster first discovered his interest in finance and investments shortly after graduating from The University of Arizona in 1993 with a BS in mechanical engineering. He accepted a position in an intensive training program along with twenty other recent graduates. Steve’s first employer, a Fortune 500 company, offered excellent health and retirement benefits. “I was surprised and slightly embarrassed that my new coworkers and I were baffled about what choices to make among all the retirement and investment options presented to us during the new employee orientation,” stated Steve.
It was then that he realized the education system does not address the basics of financial planning. It wasn’t his fault that twenty intelligent, college-educated kids didn’t know this stuff. However, no one would be to blame except himself if he didn’t do something about it. So he jumped in head first to self-educate himself by reading every financial book, magazine, and newspaper he could get his hands on. It wasn’t long before his interest in financial planning developed into a passion to help his friends and family navigate the maze of retirement savings plans, tax laws, and investment options.
In 2003, Steve went on to earn an MBA from Arizona State University with a specialization in finance. Upon graduation, Steve accepted a position in Southern California with JPMorgan Chase as a financial analyst working his way up to a client manager and vice president. After several years working at a large financial firm, Steve became a Certified Financial Planner™ professional and started his own financial planning firm in 2009. He met Sheryl Rowling five years later and, as they say, the rest is history!
Educating clients to help them achieve their unique life goals is what Steve enjoys the most about financial planning. You can reach Steve at extension 202.
His industry association memberships include:
- National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA)
- Financial Planning Association (FPA)
- San Diego Equality Business Association (SDEBA)
- Columnist for San Diego Uptown News
Steve Doster 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.
WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING OUT FOR YOUR BEST INTERESTS
Rowling & Associates provides fee-only, tax-efficient financial planning and investment advice. We don’t earn commissions on any recommendations and adhere to the strict fiduciary standard. We hold prestigious designations such as Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Personal Financial Specialist (PFS), and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®).
A Registered Investment Advisor (RIA), we are regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission, which audits firms every six to 10 years on average. You can sleep well at night knowing that we act out of “fiduciary duty,” the obligation to put your interest first. The financial industry has recognized Sheryl Rowling and her previous firm, Rowling, Dold & Associates, with several awards such as:
- The CPA Wealth Provider Financial Planning Award of Excellence for three consecutive years
- Best Personal Wealth Managers by San Diego Magazine
- “Top American Financial Advisors,” Worth
- “Top 50 Women in Wealth Management,” Wealth Manager
- “Top 100 Most Influential People,” Accounting Today
- Best Managed Firms, Schwab
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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Steve Doster 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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Steve Doster 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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Rowling & Associates is an Approved Dimensional Funds Advisor
Dimensional believes an advisor can work closely with you to understand your financial needs and provide a range of wealth management services, while encouraging the discipline essential to long-term investment success. Financial advisors who work with Dimensional operate independently from Dimensional and vary in the extent to which they use Dimensional funds.
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Steve Doster 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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Rowling & Associates is a Member of the San Diego Equality Business Association
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Steve Doster is a Featured Guest on Jewish Community Foundation San Diego's Access to Insight
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Steve Doster is a Trusted Charitable Advisor for the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego
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Steve Doster is Quoted in San Diego Uptown News: "Financial planning for retirement: How to ensure you are saving enough"
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Steve Doster Contributes to Mission Valley News: "Two types of financial advisors"
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Steve Doster Contributes to San Diego Jewish World: "Financial help available during the pandemic"
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Steve Doster Contributes to sdnews.com: "Help when facing financial difficulty"
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Steve Doster is Mentioned in GB Magazine: "TRUSTED CHARITABLE ADVISOR PROGRAM"
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Steve Doster Contributes to Le Mesa Courier: "Pick one and achieve a financial goal in 2019"
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Steve Doster Contributers to Mission Times Courier: "Tax-smart ways to give this season"
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Steve Doster Contributes to the Mission Times Courier: "Immigrants can fix Social Security"
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Steve Doster is Mentioned on Financial Ducks in a Row: "C’mon America! Add 1% More to Your Retirement Savings This Year!"
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Steve Doster Contributes to San Diego Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender News
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Steve Doster is Mentioned on FiGuide: "Increase Your Retirement Savings By At Least 1% In The Coming Year"
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Steve Doster is a Columnist for San Diego UpTown News
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Rowling & Associates Named to Magnify Money's list of Best Financial Advisors in San Diego for 2022
Contact Steve Doster
Office Locations:
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8889 Rio San Diego Dr
Suite 202
San Diego, CA 92108