Create Your Path

Our Create Your Path Service is a one-time comprehensive financial planning service, which includes a complete financial plan that incorporates all of the following areas:

Financial planning for FERS federal retirement and federal employees
Defining Your Goals – “Your Why”
  • Clarify what matters most to you—your values, priorities, and vision for the future
  • Establish meaningful short- and long-term financial goals
  • Align your financial plan with your purpose and lifestyle needs
Cash Flow & Budgeting
  • Create a budget that supports your savings and debt reduction goals
  • Ensure your lifestyle is sustainable now and in retirement
Estate Planning
  • Review wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and beneficiary designations
  • Ensure your assets are protected and distributed according to your wishes
  • Coordinate with estate attorneys as needed
College Planning
  • Estimate future education costs for children or grandchildren
  • Explore savings options like 529 plans and Coverdell ESAs
  • Balance education funding with your own retirement priorities
Insurance Analysis
  • Review current policies (life, health, disability, long-term care)
  • Identify gaps in coverage and avoid unnecessary overlap
  • Make sure your insurance strategy protects your income and assets
Retirement & FERS Planning
  • Project retirement income under FERS, including your pension, TSP, and Social Security
  • Evaluate your MRA, pension supplement, and FEHB eligibility
  • Create a sustainable TSP withdrawal strategy to ensure you don’t run out of money in retirement
  • Optimize your federal benefits to support long-term financial independence
Debt Management
  • Review all outstanding debt, including mortgages, credit cards, and loans
  • Prioritize and implement effective repayment strategies
  • Integrate debt payoff into your broader financial plan
TSP & Investments Analysis
  • Assess current TSP and other investment accounts for risk and allocation
  • Ensure your portfolio aligns with your goals and time horizon
  • Provide guidance on Roth vs. Traditional TSP and withdrawal strategies
Tax Planning
  • Identify opportunities to reduce current and future tax liabilities
  • Coordinate investment, retirement, and income strategies with tax efficiency
  • Plan proactively for tax-impacting events (Roth conversions, RMDs, etc.)
Federal retirement planning for FERS federal retirees and employees

Who Is This For?

If you’re looking for a comprehensive financial plan and feel confident implementing the recommendations on your own, this service is designed for you.

Cost

A one-time fee that depends on the complexity of your financial situation. The minimum fee for this service is $2,800 for individuals or $3,500 for couples.

* Fees listed are for an average FERS employee. Actual fee will be based on the complexity of the individual’s/Family’s situation.

Our Process

This service includes Phase 1 of our process—The Create Your Path Phase.
Over the course of five virtual meetings, typically held 2 to 3 weeks apart over a few months, we’ll gather all the necessary information to build your comprehensive financial plan. During the final meeting, we’ll present your plan along with personalized recommendations for you to implement on your own.

Ready To Talk?

STEP 1: Schedule A No-Obligation Virtual Meeting

These consultations are exclusively for individuals seeking a comprehensive financial plan. If you’re interested in an hourly consultation or a Retirement Check-Up, please refer to that specific service section for more details.

STEP 2: Attend the Meeting

Attend the meeting, where we’ll discuss what services you’re interested in and provide information about our services and fees. At the end of the meeting, you’ll know whether we’re the right financial planning partner for you. This is an informational free consultation; there is no obligation on your part.

STEP 3: Think About IT

At the end of the meeting, if we believe we can help you, we’ll simply ask you to think about it. We are looking for long-term relationships, not quick transactions. If you decide we aren’t a good fit, we will happily help you find another professional with the right expertise. There is never a hard-sell or pressure to say “yes.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Meet Virtually and Work With People in Other States?

Yes! We have clients across the country and all meetings are held via Zoom.

How Are You Different Than Other Financial Advisors?

We are a boutique firm that offers personalized service to our clients. You are not just another number, but are family to us.

How Do You Get Paid? What Fees Do You Charge?

We are a flat Fee-Only firm, meaning we charge a clear, fixed fee so you always know exactly what you’re paying. For ongoing clients, you’ll pay a one-time onboarding fee, followed by a monthly fee. One-time clients are charged a fixed fee based on the complexity of their situation, and for very specific, limited scope services, we may charge an hourly rate. There are no hidden fees—no assets under management charges, no commissions, and no kickbacks of any kind. This transparent fee structure ensures we can offer unbiased advice that is always in your best interest.

Where Do You Hold My Investments and How Can I See Them?

For your safety and convenience, Create Your Path (CYP) uses Charles Schwab Financial as a third-party custodian for our client investment and retirement accounts.

Schwab custodies roughly $3.6 trillion of RIA assets, and $7.6 trillion overall, making it far and away the largest RIA custodian. If you choose to partner with us for ongoing support and would like us to manage your investments at no extra cost, we’ll guide you through the process of transferring your accounts to Schwab. You’ll enjoy seamless access to your accounts, similar to how you accessed them at your previous firm.

Do We Approve All Investment Transactions?

Yes. We’ll mutually agree on an investment strategy and you’ll receive tranaction notices from Schwab as we implement our strategy.

What Services Do You Offer?

CYP offers comprehensive financial planning. We help clients with:

—Retirement planning

—Investment management

—Tax planning

—Estate planning

—Insurance review

—Cash flow planning

And everything else needed to ensure you can retire without worry.

Do You Outsource Any Of Your Services?

No, we do not outsource any of the services we offer.

When Can I Expect The Financial Plan To Be Delivered?

Whether we work together on a one-time or ongoing basis, we’ll conduct the same five meetings to develop your comprehensive financial plan. The timing between each meeting will vary based on factors such as your availability and the speed at which we receive the necessary documents for analysis. Ideally, we recommend a two-week interval between meetings, with the final plan delivered within 12 to 16 weeks from the initial consultation.

Not Ready To Talk Just Yet?

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