Welcome! My name is Kelly Luethje. I’m a fiduciary, fee-only CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™. I’m independent, unaffiliated from any broker or dealer, and I don’t take commission on any referrals or on products I recommend.
I’m here to help you feel empowered about your money – especially if looking at all the numbers causes you stress. I like getting down to what you REALLY want to do in your life and then helping you make it happen.
I don’t judge you. That means I officially promise never ever to…
- Tell you that you have to stop going to Starbucks.
- Undermine your financial dreams of buying a home or taking a vacation.
- Make you feel like inferior when it comes to money.
- Judge you for any money “mishaps” or “mistakes.”
- Give you generic, Google-able advice that isn’t necessarily right for YOUR unique situation.
You’re probably here because you…
- Are open to change. You like the idea of working one-on-one with someone you can trust who has a vested interest in your financial success.
- May have recently experienced a significant life change that’s making you wonder what it means for your financial future. You might be recently married (or divorced), about to have a baby, in a new job, starting a new business, just received an inheritance, among other likely possibilities.
- Tried to do things on your own already and pieced things together. You’d just like a more complete picture of everything together and some straight answers to your burning money questions.
- Know your credit score – at the very least – and may even know a little more about money than your average bear. You’d just like to be more masterful about what you do with it!
- Make anywhere from $50,000 per year or $150,000 per year – or even more – (hint: it doesn’t matter so much how much you make – it’s what you do with it.)
- Would like to plan for the future and long term goals – like having children, buying a home, retirement, the needs of aging parents – among other things on your mind.
- Might have student loan shame or credit card debt you’d like help dealing with.
MY STORY:
You might be shocked (or not shocked) to know there was a time I was less than perfectly responsible with my money.
Back in my twenties, I was working for a startup and got a huge pay raise once I completed my MBA. I remember thinking, “Wow – I have money now!” I saved in my 401(k) and met my student loan debt payments. I lived roommate-free in a great neighborhood and even bought my first car. I thought my new salary could handle these big expenses, but my credit card balances began adding up faster than I was paying them down.
To be honest, it didn’t feel like I was spending $1000 on random stuff, but I totally was.
I’d use my credit card thinking, “Oh the next paycheck will cover it.” I was allocating paychecks before they actually came in. A classic case of overspending.
In attempts to fix my money woes, I’d put big payments toward my credit card – and then still be using the card… and –BAM- I’m back where I started.
HOW I FIXED IT:
I needed to repair my cash flow problem, so I created a monthly budget and broke it down by pay period. I had to track every cash flow detail in order to stay on budget, pay down debt, and save outside of my 401(k). Up until then, I had a fear of budgeting. I thought it meant I couldn’t have any fun or control my own money, and ultimately feel life-endingly painful… but it really didn’t. Turns out – it’s not misery to save your money!
I ended up feeling…
- Empowered because I finally had control over my finances.
- Someday, I could realistically buy a home.
- That eventually, I could take a vacation with my friends.
This experience was transformational for me. After my own stuff was under control, I wanted to help other people do it too! I researched what financial planners do and started the process of becoming a CFP® professional. I knew I wanted to work with people who were trying to figure out their own money puzzles. Budgeting and having a spending plan was the foundational piece, which led me to other areas of expertise:
- Investing for the first time
- Planning for life changes: Having a baby, Moving, Changing careers, Buying property
- Saving for retirement
- Paying down debt (Student loans, Credit card)
- Tax planning
- Insurance and Employer benefits
If you’re ready to start feeling empowered around money and if you’d like someone to be there and help you do just that, we might be a fit.
To find out, I’d love to invite you to schedule a free call here.
