Do I have a license or a certification that qualifies me to offer financial planning services?
Yes, a Certified Financial Planner® must pass an extensive exam and meet industry experience requirements. And the Certified Financial Planner® must continue studies in the field to maintain that license.
Are financial planners regulated?
I am a Registered Investment Advisor with the State of California. It means that I need to comply with standards of performance as well as disclosure about how I operate my business. This includes making one document that I file with the state, my ADV, available to you upon request.
Am I a Fee Only Financial Planner? Yes. I am independent and take no commissions or fees from third parties.
Will I put my client’s interest above my own interests? Yes.
I conform to the guidelines of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) the only financial planners’ professional association that requires a review of a financial plan by our peers before admittance and the acceptance of a fiduciary oath.
How do I give back to the field of financial planning?
I lead a study group of North Bay fee-only financial planners, NAPFA North Bay Study Group.
I also served as a board member of the San Francisco chapter of the FPA (Financial Planning Association) chairing the Sponsorship Committee.
Where did I get the necessary experience?
While I became a certified financial planner, CFP(R), in 1988, I began practicing financial planning offering outsourced financial planning and back office support to established financial planners in 2002. After five years, I transitioned to working directly with my own clients in 2007.
What is my educational background?
I have a Bachelor of Arts from University of California at Santa Barbara in Business Economics with an Accounting Emphasis.
What do I do for fun?
While my financial planning practice and my language studies exercises my brain, I like to exercise my body. Whether it’s yoga at the gym, hitting the trail, paddling on the Napa River or an urban walk with my husband in a city far away from Napa, it’s all good. You also might might find me at a local chamber music event or enjoying a film at the Cameo, Jarvis Conservatory, or Film Festival Napa Valley. And, because breaking bread with friends and family is always important, my husband and I enjoy sharing time in the kitchen, preparing for dinner parties and generally enjoying life in the Napa Valley.
Why am I so enthusiastic about racing?
For over 20 years, I raced in sailboats on the Bay. These days I paddle with the O’Hana W’aa Outrigger team. It’s a tougher workout and a lot closer to home. But it’s similar, as we work closely as a team to make the boat go fast. It’s a great community of people who have an Aloha spirit and appetite for good food.