Why did you become a financial planner?
Beth Shurtz, CFP®, CRPC™, Financial Planner
After being at home with my sons for 17 years, I decided I wanted to re-enter the workforce. Prior to having children, I spent a number of years doing consulting, database and IT work for several large companies, but time had passed and I wanted to find a different career.
When my sons were in middle school, I often listened to Dave Ramsey while sitting in the car pool line. I found the stories interesting, and I loved to hear people call in to the show and scream “I’m debt free.” You could hear the relief and excitement in their voices. I applied a lot of Dave’s advice to my own financial decisions, and I started to feel more confident and peaceful about my finances. I grew up in a family where saving and investing was strongly encouraged, but this show introduced me to concrete steps for achieving financial freedom.
When I began searching for a career that intersected with my interests, educational background, aptitude, and love for people, I came across a job posting for a small fee-only financial planning firm in Keller, Texas. I was intrigued. I did a lot of research, and I was impressed with the CFP® certification curriculum and how comprehensive it is. I also loved the idea of fee-only planning, which is very much aligned with my investment philosophy and value system. I applied for the position, but I also emailed Jean a cover letter. I told her that if she would consider me, I would commit to completing my coursework within a year. Fortunately, Jean took a chance on me, and as they say, “the rest is history”. I began with KFP in May of 2014, and by the end of 2015, I finished my coursework and passed the CFP® exam. I feel very fortunate to work with such an amazing team and for a firm that is committed to excellence. I only wish financial planning was offered as a degree plan when I was in college!
2. What do you enjoy most about financial planning?
The short answer is, I love it when people say, “I feel so much better after meeting with you.” Many of our clients come to us with a lot of fear. Clients often have numerous accounts and a lot of financial “clutter.” Helping people simplify their financial lives and gain confidence is very satisfying. I also love seeing many of our younger clients improve their financial lives quite significantly after implementing our recommendations for just a few years. It’s amazing how impactful it is to save and invest consistently, and saving while you are young is very powerful.
On a personal level, I really enjoy estate planning. I recently joined an organization called the Dallas Estate Planning Council, and I attend their informational meetings when time permits. I also served as executor for my father’s estate, which helped me gain some expertise in this area. Additionally, I’ve worked with several widows after the loss of their spouses; seeing these clients emerge from such a difficult loss and embrace life again is very fulfilling.
3. What are your financial planning credentials/designations and affiliations?
I am a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional and hold the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ designation. I am a member of the Financial Planning Association and the Dallas Estate Planning Council.
4. What are your areas of specialty?
We provide comprehensive financial planning services. Our most common engagements focus on retirement planning including accumulating retirement assets tax-efficiently, managing investment allocations, optimizing social security and planning for retirement income and distributions.
5. Please describe your most common engagement / service provided? And the type of client or client situation you target?
We welcome working with clients from all walks of life, regardless of asset size, net worth or income. Comprehensive, long-term client relationships are our favorite because it provides you with the most in-depth support and analysis to achieve your goals and gives us the best chance to get to know you, your values, and dreams. We also recognize that based on your preferences or situation, a one-time engagement, quick check-up, or just getting a couple questions answered may work better for you. We’re fine with both of these approaches and are happy to work with you in whatever way suits your needs.
6. Are you or any of the firm’s employees a registered representative of any broker/dealer?
NO
7. Are you or any of the firm’s employees a licensed insurance agent with any company or agency?
NO
8. Are you a registered investment advisor?
YES, Keener Financial Planning, LLC, is an SEC-registered investment advisor. Be advised that SEC registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training.
9. Are you a fiduciary?
YES, we are fiduciaries. In addition, I have taken The National Association of Personal Financial Advisor’s (NAPFA) fiduciary oath, whereby I will act in good faith and in my client’s best interests at all times, provide written disclosures of any conflicts that would render me not impartial or not independent, and have agreed to accept no referral fees or other compensation for the sale of a commissioned financial product.
10. How are you compensated?
A. Fee-Only, please define method of determining fees:
YES, fees for the initial financial planning engagement are based on our estimate of the actual time to be spent meeting with you, researching and analyzing your current situation, and making specific recommendations. After the initial engagement, you can continue on an as-needed basis or select an annual retainer for ongoing planning and investment management. Annual retainers are a flat annual fee quoted based on each client’s situation and the services to be provided.
B. Commissions only:
NONE
C. Fee and Commissions (fee-based), provide typical breakdown:
NONE
D. Other:
NONE
11. Do you have minimums for assets, account size, annual fees paid, etc? And what is your typical fee or charge for an initial engagement?
We have no minimums as far as assets, account size, net worth, or income for financial planning services. A schedule of services is posted on the website to give you an idea of typical price ranges before you meet with me.
12. Do you provide a written agreement detailing the total amount of compensation and services that will be provided in advance of an engagement?
YES, our standard client agreement will detail the scope of the project including the type of planning services to be provided and the project fee. Once we have the initial consultation, We’ll provide the fee quote, show you how we came up with the amount, and work with you if we need to tweak the project based on your budget. Our goal is to keep your overall investing costs as low as possible while enabling you to make smarter financial decisions, sleep well at night, avoid pitfalls, and achieve your goals.
13. Do you provide a thorough written analysis of one’s financial situation and recommendations?
YES, we provide a written analysis and recommendations for your specific situation. All of our engagements include at a minimum a written situation summary and action list. For the full financial plan or investment analysis, you receive in addition a written detailed analysis including charts, projections, and portfolio reports.
14. Do you offer assistance with implementation with the plan? Please elaborate.
Client’s needs and preferences on this issue vary widely. So we price this component separately so you’re not paying for it if you don’t plan to use it. That said, all of our engagements include an action list for implementation, options for how to accomplish the action items, and the ability to call and ask questions on the recommendations for up to a year at no additional charge. For those that desire full-service implementation, we offer ongoing investment management.
15. Will you provide a second opinion or one-time review?
YES, we are happy to provide a second opinion or a one-time review.