Financial planning for real people.
Expert advice without the conflicts of interest. Pay a flat fee for guidance — keep full control of your money.
Schedule a ConsultationMeet Leah Dwyer, CFP®
Leah Dwyer is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional who believes everyone deserves access to quality financial advice — not just the wealthy.
After years of watching the financial industry prioritize high-net-worth clients and charge fees that eat into everyday people's savings, Leah built her practice around a simple idea: give honest, actionable advice for a fair, transparent fee.
You don't need a six-figure portfolio to benefit from professional financial guidance. Whether you're paying off debt, saving for your first home, planning for your kids' education, or just trying to figure out where your money goes each month — Leah can help you build a plan that works for your life.
Why Work With a Financial Planner?
Most people know they should have a financial plan. Fewer know where to start. The truth is, financial decisions are deeply personal and interconnected — what you do with your taxes affects your retirement, which affects how much house you can afford, which affects how you save for your children's future.
A financial planner helps you see the full picture instead of making decisions in isolation. Here's what that means in practice:
Clarity Over Confusion
Between 401(k)s, IRAs, HSAs, 529s, Roth conversions, and tax-loss harvesting, the financial landscape is overwhelming by design. A planner translates complexity into a clear, prioritized action plan you can actually follow.
Objective Perspective
Money is emotional. Fear and excitement both lead to bad decisions. A planner serves as a rational sounding board — someone who isn't caught up in the moment and can help you stay the course when markets drop or a "hot tip" sounds tempting.
Coordination Across Your Life
Getting a raise, having a baby, buying a house, changing jobs, receiving an inheritance — life events have financial ripple effects. A planner helps you respond strategically instead of reactively.
Accountability
Most financial goals fail not because of bad strategy, but because of inconsistent follow-through. Regular check-ins with a planner keep you on track the same way a coach keeps an athlete disciplined.
Avoiding Costly Mistakes
One bad decision — withdrawing from retirement accounts early, carrying high-interest debt too long, or being under-insured — can set you back years. Professional guidance helps you sidestep pitfalls that aren't always obvious.
Time Savings
Researching financial strategies, comparing products, and staying current on tax law changes takes real time. A planner does this work professionally so you can spend your time on what matters to you.
Why Fee-for-Service Is Better for You
The traditional financial advisory model works like this: an advisor manages your investment accounts and charges a percentage of your assets under management (AUM) — typically 1% per year. That might sound small, but it adds up fast and creates problems most people never think about.
The Problem With AUM Fees
- The math doesn't work for normal people. If you have $50,000 invested, a 1% fee is $500/year. But if your neighbor has $500,000, they pay $5,000/year for largely the same advice. Your portfolio size doesn't determine how complex your financial life is.
- Conflicts of interest are built in. When an advisor profits from managing more of your money, they're incentivized to recommend you move everything to them — even when your employer's 401(k) match or existing accounts might serve you better.
- You pay whether or not you need help. AUM fees are charged every single year regardless of how much (or how little) work your advisor does. Markets go up, your balance grows, and so does their fee — automatically.
- It excludes people who need help most. Many AUM advisors require $250,000 or more in investable assets just to become a client. If you're earlier in your financial journey, you're turned away entirely.
- The compounding cost is staggering. A 1% annual fee on a $100,000 portfolio over 30 years — assuming 7% average growth — costs you over $150,000 in lost growth. That's real money that could have been part of your retirement.
How Fee-for-Service Works
- You pay a flat, transparent fee. Just like hiring an accountant or an attorney, you pay for the time and expertise you use. No hidden charges, no percentage skimmed off your accounts.
- Your investments stay exactly where they are. We don't need access to your accounts. We don't move your money. We review what you have, where you have it, and advise you on the best path forward.
- Zero conflicts of interest. Our income doesn't change based on what we recommend. If the best advice is to max out your employer 401(k) and open a Vanguard index fund on your own, that's what we'll tell you.
- You engage when you need help. Annual review? Great. One-time plan after a life change? Also great. You're not locked into an ongoing fee when you don't need ongoing service.
- Accessible to everyone. No minimums. Whether you have $5,000 or $500,000, you deserve competent financial guidance at a fair price.
Services
Comprehensive Financial Plan
A full analysis of your financial life — income, expenses, debt, savings, insurance, taxes, and retirement projections — distilled into a clear, prioritized action plan.
Investment Review
We review your existing accounts (401k, IRA, brokerage, etc.) and recommend allocation changes, fee reductions, and tax optimization strategies. You keep your accounts where they are.
Life Event Planning
Getting married, having a baby, buying a home, changing careers, or approaching retirement? Get a focused plan for navigating the financial decisions around major life transitions.
Annual Check-In
A yearly review of your progress, with updated recommendations based on changes in your life, the tax code, or market conditions.
Let's Talk
Ready to get clear on your finances? Reach out to schedule an initial consultation. There's no pressure and no obligation — just a conversation about where you are and how we might help.