Financial Planning for University Employees
40 Years teaching at the University of California. Whatever your role — at whatever University — let me help you think through your financial goals.
Services
How much should I save?
Most of us don’t know the answer to this question. We wing it. We don’t have to. With proper thought, we can make good calculations for the future that will reassure us.
Understandable as it may be — closing our eyes and hoping for the best is not a plan.
Where should I invest?
People vary. What level of comfort do you have with stock market risk? What do you understand about the role of bonds in a portfolio? What do you understand about the effects of inflation on your purchasing power? The right investment portfolio is the one you will stick with as the polycrisis destabilizes our world.
How much can I spend?
We use computer simulations to create a sensible tax-aware lifetime income stream from pensions, social security, and investments. That plan helps us remain calm in face of uncertainty.
Philosophy
Large sections of the financial advice industry operate with misaligned incentives. Advisors sell inappropriate products because they earn commissions, or use an Assets Under Management pricing model because it sounds cheaper, while often actually being more expensive. Often, you look at their website and can’t find any pricing information whatsoever.
I am a fiduciary, which clears out those misaligned incentives.
Tanager is strictly as an "Advice-Only" financial firm. This means I do not take control of your accounts or charge a percentage of your assets (No AUM fees). You retain 100% control over your money at your preferred institution. I provide you with the exact, step-by-step recommendations on what to buy, sell, or hold, and you simply log in and execute the trades. This ensures complete transparency and eliminates conflicts of interest.
I have a straightforward approach:
Evidence-based investment guidance
Clear, written recommendations
No commissions or product sales
The goal is to give you a transparently priced plan you can actually follow.
Step 1: Free initial consultation
A 30 minute conversation to understand your situation and determine if we’re a good fit, and decide which level of service that makes sense for you.
Step 2: Comprehensive Financial Plan
We work together to build a complete financial plan tailored to your goals and circumstances.
You’ll leave with:
A clear investment strategy
A retirement plan
Specific next steps
Step 3: Ongoing Support (Optional)
If you would like continued guidance, I am also available for ongoing advice.
Alternatively, if the comprehensive plan or ongoing support are beyond your means, I also provide more limited investment guidance with a much narrower scope. Pricing below.
If you are looking for a financial advisor, and you can’t find their pricing on their website, that is, in my view, a red flag.
Pricing
Option 2 — Ongoing Advice
Continued guidance as your life and finances evolve.*
$300/month ($200/month during the first year following completion of a Comprehensive Financial Plan)
Includes:
Periodic planning meetings (up to four per year).
Ongoing planning and decision support
Monitoring progress toward your financial goals and adjusting recommendations as your circumstances evolve.
Investment guidance and portfolio review
Access for financial planning questions between meetings.
Access to professional-level planning software
Reasonable email access during normal business hours.
Best for:
Clients who value an ongoing advisory relationship and want a trusted partner as life evolves. Ideal for those who appreciate having someone to consult when circumstances change, important financial decisions arise, or periods of market uncertainty make it difficult to stay focused on long-term goals.
*Available only to clients who have completed a Comprehensive Financial Plan.
Option 3 — Guided Financial Foundations
Investment guidance for long-term retirement savers.
$150/month
Includes:
Understanding the role of investment risk in long-term investing
Personalized assessment of your need, willingness, and ability to take investment risk.
Guidance on retirement savings goals and progress.
Evidence-based portfolio recommendations aligned with your financial goals and overall risk assessment.
Periodic portfolio reviews and investment guidance.
Periodic planning meetings (up to two per year).
Access to professional-level financial planning software.
Email support with responses typically within 5–7 business days
Best for:
Individuals and families who are building wealth and want to establish sound investing habits early. This service is designed for clients whose primary need is an evidence-based investment strategy, with guidance to help them stay on course as they continue accumulating assets.
This service is not designed for:
Retirement income and withdrawal planning
College funding strategies
Major purchase planning (such as buying a home)
Inheritance or estate planning
Comprehensive tax planning
Option 1 — Comprehensive Financial Plan
A personalized, comprehensive financial plan*
$4,750 (flat fee)
You'll receive a written financial plan tailored to your goals, resources, and priorities.
Personalized assessment of your need, willingness, and ability to take investment risk.
Evidence-based portfolio recommendations aligned with your financial goals and overall risk assessment.
Long term, tax-aware, retirement and investment planning
Written recommendations and prioritized action steps
Two months of implementation guidance.
Access to professional-level planning software
Two to three structured planning meetings
Reasonable email access during normal business hours.
Best for:
Individuals and families seeking a comprehensive financial roadmap. Particularly valuable during major life transitions such as changing jobs, increasing retirement savings, approaching retirement, or other significant financial changes.
*Completion of a Comprehensive Financial Plan does not obligate the client to engage Tanager Financial for ongoing advisory services.