Frequently Asked Questions

Clients

Our typical clients are nearing or in retirement and looking for coordinated investment and tax guidance. If you have other financial needs, I'm happy to chat and will help with a referral if another advisor would be a better fit.

The process

After an initial meeting to go through details, we have quarterly check ins with clients to review investments and taxes and follow up on any open items or questions. These are regular, quick sessions taking the place of an occasional marathon event. These typically begin in person or virtually and can move to email updates when the plan is on a good course. In the spring, we connect to wrap up the income tax returns. I'm also available year-round for any questions that come up. 

Why it matters

I hear that many investment managers don't regularly check in with their clients, many tax offices don't do any tax planning, and even if you don't have those problems it can be tough to get two separate financial professionals to talk to each other, agree on direction, and coordinate a plan. My clients appreciate having all this financial work coordinated under one roof, with regular check ins throughout the year to keep plans on track and minds at ease. 

Ashland Advisors is as a Registered Investment Adviser, providing fee‑only fiduciary investment advice. As a CPA, I also coordinate investments and taxes seamlessly for clients. I have three master’s degrees in finance, economics, and accounting, which gives me an informed view on investments, markets, and taxes.

I see investing as a long‑term effort to build financial independence. If you're looking for hot stock tips or confident-sounding guesses about the future, I won't be much help. It's not that I can't make confident-sounding guesses, it's that I know they're only guesses because the future is unknowable. If you doubt that, look at the brackets of basketball gurus during March Madness. Financial markets are no different. 

With that, I focus on what I do know: retirees are generally concerned about their investments and taxes, are in need of dependable retirement income, and having an effective plan with clear, regular communication helps them sleep well at night regardless of what surprises tomorrow brings. 

My degrees in finance and accounting also help me to look at both sides of investments: the companies in search of capital and the investors in search of returns. This is one of the reasons I lean toward income investing for retirees. When your investments generate consistent cash flows each month, you're less exposed to market price swings that can be sudden and tough to recover from. Base hits win ball games in finance too. 

I also emphasize the behavioral side of money. I encourage clients to aim for enough instead of more, and to put a value on peace of mind even though you can't quantify it in a spreadsheet. Ecclesiastes puts it well: better a handful with peace than two handfuls without. 

I learned early in my career that I didn't agree with sales quotas and management elbows on financial recommendations to clients. I wanted to get away from those conflicts of interest, so I setup Ashland Advisors as an independent, fee‑only fiduciary. My clients never have to wonder if any third parties are influencing my recommendations. Industry research finds that 97% of Americans expect a fiduciary relationship with their financial advisor, but less than 5% of advisors actually operate this way. 

I also bring a unique blend of formal training and real‑world experience. With master’s degrees in finance, accounting, and economics, two decades spent in corporate financial leadership, the experience of co‑founding and selling two small businesses, I approach finances with a balance of analytical depth and a battle-tested preference for clear plans executed well that move the needle and deliver results. 

I charge a flat annual fee for ongoing investment management and all tax work done throughout the year, including filing tax returns. The fee will vary based on the complexity of each client, but it's always agreed to in advance. Clients tell me they find this approach more transparent, more predictable, and a better value than the typical 1% of assets under management (AUM) model.