Introducing Vance Financial Planning

Written by Jonathan Vance, CFP®, EA

Over the past few years, I’ve had the privilege of working with three (well, two, but one got acquired while I was there) wealth management firms here in Springfield, Missouri. 

During that time, I worked with wonderful coworkers and clients alike and was treated fairly as an employee.

However, I wanted to make a change in order to have the freedom and flexibility to serve my clients in my own unique way.

How I'm Different: Fee-Only Planning

The titles "financial planner" or "financial advisor" can be confusing. Many life & disability insurance agents use the title financial planner, and there are people who advise ultra high net worth families or endowments who refer to themselves as a financial advisor.

I am neither of those.

I am in the business of transparent, fee-only financial planning. When people have questions about retirement planning, investments, or looking for forward-looking tax planning, I charge a transparent, pre-agreed upon fee to help them find answers.

I don't receive commissions from insurance or financial product sales, my sole source of compensation is directly from my clients. That might sound like a no-brainer, but it's actually less common practice for financial planning firms. If you're considering hiring a planner now or in the future, make sure you understand how they're paid, it just might influence what they tell you to do with your money.

My Service Options

I deliver this service in one of three ways:

• Hourly Advice: Pay for my time to answer specific questions or provide limited-scope assistance on a particular financial topic.

• Project Plan: A 60-day deep dive into your entire financial picture: investments, cash flows, tax returns, risk exposure, and more, resulting in a personalized list of actionable recommendations.

• Ongoing Wealth Management: For a flat annual fee, you receive ongoing investment management, regular meetings focused on retirement income and tax strategy, and unlimited on-demand advice throughout the year.

You can find specifics by going to the pricing tab of this site.

Who My Services Are For

My firm is designed to serve individuals and couples who I think are best described as "regular folks".

This includes people who:

• Have job titles like plumber, professor, nurse, account manager, project manager, doctor, and many more.
• Drive dependable cars and live in comfortable homes, but likely don't think of their house as a mansion.
• Don't consider themselves "rich", but want to be good stewards of their savings.
• Want to minimize unnecessary fees and taxes so they can spend more money on the things and experiences they want.

While I can serve clients at any age, my practice is designed to best serve those who are preparing for, quickly approaching, or already in retirement.

Retirement can mean leaving work one day and never clocking in again, but it can also mean simply stepping away from a long career in order to focus on part-time work, nonprofit volunteering, or others!

Why Choose Vance Financial Planning?

If you are considering hiring a planner, I recommend looking at 2 or 3 options to find the best fit for your needs.

If I'm one of the 2 or 3 that you're comparing, here's a quick snapshot of how I might differ from others:

• I’m Credentialed: I am a CFP® Professional and an Enrolled Agent (EA). I have formal education in both comprehensive financial planning and income tax.
• ‍I’m Transparent: You will always know exactly what you are paying me.
• I’m Retirement Focused: I focus on the transition from accumulating assets to living off those savings.
• I’m Proactive: I have a cap on the number of clients I serve so that my existing clients always remain my highest priority.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

I hope this introduction has given you a clear picture of what Vance Financial Planning is about, and I appreciate you taking the time to learn about me. If you like what you've read, you can explore further by:

• Reading my FAQs: You might have some more questions about my services, I’ve pre-answered some of them on the FAQ tab.

And if you know someone else who you believe could benefit from working with me, please don't hesitate to send them my way. It won't cost them anything to see if I can help.