One team committed to your financial SUCCESS

MCCLARREN FINANCIAL ADVISORS, INC.

Serving clients with offices in State College and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

WE'RE MOVING OUR STATE COLLEGE LOCATION!  
STARTING JANUARY 6, 2025 YOU CAN FIND US AT:
270 WALKER DRIVE, SUITE 200SW, STATE COLLEGE, PA 16801

McClarren Financial Advisors, Inc. is a comprehensive, fee-only personal financial planning firm. We provide guidance in taxes, investments, goal setting, record keeping, insurance and estate planning. We help you set realistic goals, and then provide you with the tools, and coaching, necessary to achieve them.

Have questions about working with us or how to get started? Contact us anytime at 814-235-1940 or toll-free at 866-760-4036

Check the background of McClarren Financial Advisors, Inc. on FINRA'S BrokerCheck.

INDEPENDENT, FEE-ONLY ADVISORS

Who We are

WHO ARE OUR CLIENTS?

Our clients are "real people" with "real world" challenges. We offer on-going, comprehensive advice. Our primary clients are middle-income individuals and couples with families. The firm is a registered investment advisor with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Registration with SEC does not imply a certain level of skill or training.

What Makes Us Different

WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT?

McClarren Financial Advisors, Inc. is a fee-only financial advisor. We have no products to sell, only our services. We do not sell stocks, bonds, mutual funds or insurance, therefore, we earn no commissions whatsoever.

McClarren Financial Advisors, Inc. uses a holistic approach to financial planning. We know that decisions you make in one area of your financial life impact the other areas as well. Investment decisions must take into consideration the effect they have on other aspects of our clients' financial lives.

Our approach produces results!

Our approach simplifies and brings order to your financial life and saves you money on taxes and on investment expenses. Our approach puts proven investment techniques to work to minimize risk and maximize return.

Our Mission Statement

McClarren Financial Advisors offers fee-only fiduciary relationships for optimistic people wanting to advance their personal and financial goals.

Our Core Values

Professional – in everything we do, we want to be thorough, punctual and resourceful. We want to exceed expectations.

Integrity – We always want to do what is right for our clients even if it means admitting when we were wrong. We live by the golden rules.

Empathetic – we understand our clients' and fellow teammates’ concerns and we want them to know we have their backs. We do it all with a selfless attitude.

Collaborative– we will help our clients in various aspects of their financial puzzles. We will be helpful and mentor them in subjects that may not be as familiar to them.

Educated – we will always pursue knowledge within our field. We encourage our teammates to continuously learn through various financial programs to be on the leading edge of new information.

Supportive – we care about our clients and each other. We look to be a welcoming and friendly environment to all who enter our offices.

Our Vision Statement

To be the premier fee-only financial planning firm in Central Pennsylvania by guiding our clients to a successful financial future.

GET TO KNOW US

Greg Reeder

Financial Advisor/Partner

Read Bio

Greg Reeder, CFP® , CFT-I™

Financial Advisor,Partner

greg@mcclarren.com

Greg’s Role

Greg joined the firm in 2011 and is currently a financial advisor and one of our co-owners.

Greg’s Background

Greg has a B.S. in Business Administration from Lock Haven University.

He completed the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification education program from Northwestern University and earned his CFP® mark in 2015.

Greg earned the Certified Financial Therapist (CFT-I™) designation which provides education and training that learners can use to apply research and evidence-based therapeutic techniques to help clients, advance the field of financial therapy, and engage with other practitioners.

He is a member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA), the Alliance of Comprehensive Planners (ACP) and the National Association of Tax Practitioners (NATP).

Why Greg loves being a part of McClarren

Greg has always enjoyed math and working with people. His position as a financial planner affords him the opportunity to do both. Greg finds it rewarding to get to know his clients, gain their trust, and watch them achieve their financial and personal goals.

Best piece of financial advice given to him

“Pay yourself first. Set a savings goal and hit that goal.”

Favorites

Hobbies – woodworking, bowling, biking/running

Food – anything his wife cooks because she’s amazing and he loves her very much

Travel destination – Winter Garden, FL and Ocean City, MD

Ask him about:

The loves of his life – his wife and kids

His three dogs.

Jennifer Anderson

CFO/Partner

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Jennifer Anderson

CFO, Partner

jennifer@mcclarren.com

Jen’s Role

Jennifer joined McClarren in 2008, since then she became a partner in 2017 and more recently is our Chief Financial Officer, Chief Compliance Officer and HR manager.

Jen’s Background

Jen graduated from The Pennsylvania State University with a B.S. in Management and a minor in Operations Management.

In addition, Jen passed the series 65 and maintains a life, accident, and health insurance license. She does not use the license for selling insurance but as a resource for clients. She is a member of HIFON (High Impact Financial Operations Network) where she meets other fellow members on a yearly basis during the Bob Veres’ Insiders Information conferences.

Why Jen loves it here

Given her diverse responsibilities, no two days are alike for Jen and she loves it that way. She also enjoys keeping in touch with long established clients and meeting new ones as they progress through their financial journeys here at McClarren.

Best piece of financial advice given to her

“At the very least invest in your 401K, especially if your company matches your investment!!!”

Favorites

Sports Teams – Pittsburgh Steelers and anything Penn State, and her kids sports teams

Books - Jen always is reading a book at any moment. Her favorites include memoirs, business, and best selling fiction.

Ask her about: Her family, her many family travel destinations – Disney World and Disney Land, Fenwick Island, DE, and her 2 golden retrievers!

Brandon Redmond

Financial Advisor/Partner

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Brandon Redmond, CFP®

FINANCIAL ADVISOR, Partner

brandon@mcclarren.com

Brandon’s Role

Brandon joined the McClarren ranks in 2016 and subsequently earned his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification. He is currently one of our financial advisors and co-owners.

Brandon’s Background

Brandon has a B.S. in Agricultural Business Management from The Pennsylvania State University. He earned the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ marks in 2018. He is a member of the Alliance of Comprehensive Planners (ACP).

Why Brandon likes coming to work every day or – Is this really WORK?

Prior to starting at McClarren, Brandon enjoyed managing his own personal investments and work benefits. Now, that hobby is a fulfilling career. He finds deep satisfaction in helping clients plan for their futures and especially relishes the moments when he gets to inform them that they are in a position to finally retire!

Best piece of financial advice given to him

“Money is just a tool. Don’t let yourself forget to use the tools at our disposal to make the most of life.”

Favorites

Book – Pet Sematary – yes, that is the correct spelling

Travel – Europe is the dream destination

TV Shows – Jeopardy, Futurama, Parks and Rec

Movies – Ironman, Jaws

Ask him about:

His family and his two German Shepherds.

Football – both PSU and Pittsburgh Steelers

Baseball – especially the Atlanta Braves

How he managed to get through his whole life thus far without a cavity or a broken bone – seriously, we are all jealous here.

Josh Purdy

Financial Advisor/Partner

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Josh Purdy, CFP®, EA

Financial Advisor, Partner

josh@mcclarren.com

Josh's Role

Josh is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional and an Enrolled Agent (EA) with the IRS. He has been with McClarren Financial since early 2019. Josh is a partner and serves as one of the firm’s lead financial advisors.

Josh’s Background

Prior to joining the MFA team, Josh spent a few years in the insurance industry. During this time, he obtained and still maintains his Life, Accident, Health, Property and Casualty licenses. He does not use the license for selling insurance but as a resource for clients. Josh is a graduate of Lock Haven University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.

Why Josh enjoys working here

Josh says his role here at MFA satisfies his passion for learning as well as his desire to help others. He thoroughly enjoys helping our clients achieve their goals.

Best piece of financial advice given to him

Invest early and often

Favorites

Hobbies- Hunting, Fishing and Golf

Sports Teams- Philadelphia Eagles & Flyers

Activities- Spending time with family and being outdoors

Ask him about:

His wonderful family and his two pups.

His time spent in the US Army.

Jeffrey McClarren

Emeritus Advisor/Founder

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Jeffrey McClarren, CFP®, EA

Emeritus advisor, Founder

Jeff’s Role

Jeff is founder of MFA. He retired as a financial advisor as of the end of 2022. While he is no longer in the office or meeting with clients, Jeff is still serving on the investment committee and available to our team members for help as needed.

Jeff’s Background

Prior to founding McClarren Financial, Jeff worked more than 15 years as an accountant and equity research analyst for a large institutional investment advisor.

He also owned and operated an award-winning income tax-preparation business for 17 years.

Jeff’s credentials and affiliations include:

BS degree from the Pennsylvania State University
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Practitioner
Enrolled Agent with the IRS (EA)
Founding Member of the Alliance of Comprehensive Planners (ACP)
Member of the National Association of Tax Practitioners (NATP)

Why Jeff continues to enjoy remotely being part of the team:

Jeff is quietly passionate about the fee-only approach to financial planning. He finds fulfillment in getting to know people, discovering what THEIR goals and dreams are, and then helping them to achieve them.

Ask him about:

Family - wife, kids and now being a grandpa

Training for half marathons and trail races – he has already conquered the Hyner Trail Challenge more than once! He likes the races to be long enough that no one asks him how fast he ran and difficult enough that he has to stay in shape to complete them!!!

Alexis Cunningham

Financial Advisor

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Alexis Cunningham, MBA, CFP®

Financial Advisor

Alexis@mcclarren.com

Alexis' Role

Alexis is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional and has been with our firm since 2021. She began as our Administrative Assistant and quickly transitioned into the role of our Client Service Associate within a few months. She then moved into a Paraplanner position and more recently earned her CFP® marks in early 2024. Always willing to learn, Lexie is excited by the field of finance and the many subjects that it entails.

Alexis' Background

Lexie, as she prefers to be called, graduated with a masters degree in Business Administration from Saint Francis University in 2021 where she received the Saint Francis University Master of Business Administration Academic Excellence Award presented to a graduate student in the MBA program earning a 4.0 QPA. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance from Saint Francis University.

Why Alexis chose to work at McClarren

Throughout college Lexie always knew she wanted to pursue a career in financial services. Her ultimate goal was to become a financial advisor herself someday. While job searching, she came across McClarren Financial Advisors and knew she found ethical professionals in the field where she could learn a lot from and who were always looking out for the client's best interest.

Best piece of financial advice given to her

"Write down, track, and work towards your financial goals, otherwise they will become wishes that never happen."

Favorites

Hobbies - Spending time outdoors with her family! Hiking, skiing (both water and snow!), and boating
Vacation Destination – Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia. She has gone multiple summers throughout childhood and again recently in 2022. We spend our time boating, jet skiing, tubing, and water skiing!
Food – anything Italian!

Ask her about:

Her family.
Her multiple trips to the floor of the New York Stock Exchange
UWork, a program she helped begin in college where they went into federal prisons to educate individuals who were to be released soon on the importance of resumes and second chance hiring.

Ruby Skow

Associate Advisor

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Ruby Skow

Associate Advisor

ruby@mcclarren.com

Ruby's Role

Ruby joined the McClarren Financial team last summer as an intern and quickly proved that she was an integral part of our firm. While completing her senior year of college in the fall of 2023, she passed the Series 65 exam and is currently working towards completing the experience portion of the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ marks as she passed the educational portion in March 2024.

Ruby's Background

Ruby graduated with a BS degree in Business Administration from Clarion University in 2023 where she majored in Finance and minored in Accounting and Data Analytics all while holding a 4.0 GPA. Prior to interning at McClarren Financial, Ruby also was an accounting intern at an aircraft company. She also participated in many extracurricular activities while in college, one of which was the Financial Coordinator for the University Activities Board that managed $220,000 in funds.

Why Ruby chose to work at McClarren

Ruby's always been good with numbers and found investment and financial advising as a fascinating yet challenging way to make use of that. Her parents were clients at McClarren Financial so the opportunity to work with the firm was a full-circle moment for her to help provide others with the same help and peace of mind she got to see them experience. Ruby feels the team at McClarren is full of very genuine characters who want to see clients succeed, which provides for a great work atmosphere.

Best piece of financial advice given to her

"Stay on the right side of compounding interest and always max out a Roth IRA if you're able'"

Favorites

Book - Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom
TV Show - Cheers
Vacation - Summer trips to Lake Erie to fish off the pier with her Dad.

Ask her about:

Skipping a grade when she was younger!

Dina Roan

Client Service Advisor

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Dina Roan

Client Service Advisor

dina@mcclarren.com

Dina's Role

Dina is the most recent person to join the McClarren Financial team in March of 2024, a week after she passed the Series 65 exam. Her knowledge in the transfer of assets and the processes that our custodians use has put her ahead of the standard learning curve when joining our firm.

Dina's Background

Dina graduated with an Associates of Science degree in Human Development and Family Studies from Penn State University in May 2009. Prior to graduating, she worked as an Accounting Associate for two different local accounting firms for a total of twelve years. Her lastest role prior to joining McClarren had her working as a CSA for another local Wealth Advisory firm for six years.

Why Dina chose to work at McClarren

Dina's enjoys learning new things and this particular industry (finance) offers a lot of new information on a continuous basis. McClarren Financial allows Dina to get a little taste of many aspects of the financial industry without repetition.

Favorites

Book - Dina always has a book in hand and goes back and forth between different genres depending on what mood she is in.
Vacation - Summer trips spent camping with her husband and dog including trips to dirt bike events for her husband. Ask her about one of her recent trips where she came a bit too close to a black bear!
Loves - hiking (where there are no bugs), bike riding, reading a book on her deck, and making her own wine!

SERVICES

Who We Serve

The following are depictions of hypothetical prospects that we could work with. Perhaps you have a similar financial situation?

Brittany and Jacob, Ages 32 & 33

Main Goals: Pay for children's college education, ensure family is taken care of in the event of an untimely death and retire comfortably in their early 60's.

Current Situation: Brittany and Jacob are newly married, high-income earners with a joint income of $150,000. As we were working together, it was clear they wanted to provide funding for their two young children's college educations as well as ensure they were taken care of in the event of an untimely death. They had not yet begun setting aside funds for their children's education, nor did they have any estate planning documents in place. Even with their hectic lives, they knew it was time to sit down and align their finances with their goals.

Our Strategy for Brittany and Jacob:

- The opened and began funding tax optimized 529 plans while the children are young to take advantage of the time horizon for account growth.

- We determined the amount and type of insurances Brittany and Jacob needed such as disability, life and umbrella.

- They worked on completing estate documents with a lawyer to ensure everything was in order.

- They fully invested their retirement accounts capturing their employers match to help fund their retirement goals.

Brittany and Jacob now feel confident they will reach their financial goals after partnering with McClarren Financial Advisors, Inc. under a Young Professional Retainer Agreement.

Travis and Victor,

Ages 59 & 57

Main Goals: Retire comfortably in approximately 1 year and downsize home to one story once all children move out.

Current Situation: Travis has worked hard as a physician and Victor as a stay-at-home dad, now Travis would like to retire in one year. They would like to ensure everything is in place financial prior to Travis stopping his employment. They are also looking for advice on when and how they should begin collecting Social Security. Their children are grown and almost finished with college, and they are looking to downsize to a one-story home once the last child graduates.

Our Strategy for Travis and Victor:

- We performed a retirement projection to confidently ensure they can comfortably retire in one year.

- We ran projections to determine the most ideal time for Travis and Victor to begin collecting Social Security.

- We came up with a funding strategy to purchase their new home in 5 years.

- We consolidated their retirement accounts to lower fees and for ease of navigation.

- We came up with an income strategy to account for taxes during retirement.

McClarren Financial Advisors collaborated with Travis and Victor under a Standard Retainer Agreement and gave them piece of mind on their financial plans for retirement.

Dorothy,

Age 74

Main Goals: Maintain cash flow during retirement, gift to family and donate to charity.

Current Situation: Dorothy spent many years working hard to save money for her retirement. She was a fantastic saver and now has a sizable retirement built up. It was important to Dorothy to maintain her active lifestyle of traveling and possibly even settling into a vacation home of her own. With that she needed advice on where to pull the cash from to fund her retirement adventures. She also enjoys gifting to her to family members as well as charities that she holds close to her and needed assistance on the most tax efficient way of doing so.

Our Strategy for Dorothy:

- We developed a gifting plan for her family members based on her remining Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs).

- We used Qualified Charitable Distributions to donate money to charities of her choice using distributions from her IRA without tax penalties.

- We ran reports to project her retirement and proved that she was able to purchase a vacation home of her dreams.

- We ensure her adjusted gross income is within certain limits to keep her Medicare premiums at a minimum.

McClarren Financial Advisors helped take the pressure off Dorothy and showed her that she did very well for herself and is able to live her retirement comfortably in her new vacation home through a Standard Retainer Agreement.

What's Offered

All of our engagements begin with a free initial consultation. At this meeting, we get to know one another, discuss your goals and circumstances, the services we provide and whether or not our help is appropriate for you.

If our services seem a good match for your goals and situation, we discuss with you our standard retainer agreement.

Fee Structure

A discussion of a financial advisory practice would not be complete without a disclosure of compensation. The fee structure at McClarren Financial Advisors, Inc. is designed to reduce conflicts of interest between our clients and ourselves. We charge an annual retainer fee for our services based on our clients' income, net worth and complexity. There are never any additional fees charged by our firm. Our clients know, up front, how much our services cost them and exactly what services they receive. By not charging commissions, we eliminate the conflict of interest of profiting financially from our recommendations. In addition, our clients know that our loyalty is to them and not to a brokerage firm.

Our annual retainer fees are as varied as the range of our clients' financial situations, because each client situation is different, actual fees must be calculated on a per case basis.

The cost of a Standard Retainer ranges from $5,000 to $75,000.

MFA must use its discretion to determine whether the service level adequately matches the circumstances and goals of the client.

Standard Retainer

The Standard Retainer is the focus of our practice. It is with this retainer that our clients receive the full benefit of our services.

We meet with our clients three or four times during the course of the initial year, depending on the situation, to create and set in motion their financial plans. The areas covered include, but are not limited to:

Tax Preparation
Budgeting and Cash Flow
Tax Planning
Record-Keeping
Inventory of Client Assets
Retirement Planning
Portfolio Analysis
Goal Setting
Develop Asset Allocation Strategies
Estate Planning Review
Recommend Investments
Small Business Planning
Insurance Analysis
Education Planning
Analysis of Employee Benefits

Our Standard Retainer is an open-ended retainer. This means that our services are not limited only to scheduled appointments covering designated topics. Our clients are free to call any time to discuss with us any topics of concern which are within our scope of expertise. There is no added charge for calling or emailing us.

MFA must use its discretion to determine whether the service level adequetly matches the circumstances and goals of the client.

RESOURCES FOR THE JOURNEY AHEAD

Interested in becoming a client?

Please call into our office (814-235-1940) or complete our questionnaire to get started. If you choose to complete the questionnaire, a team member will be in contact with you.

Before scheduling your appointment, please complete and submit the form below. Note the Personal Profile Form works best using the search engine Google Chrome. You can submit the profile sheet by using SecureFilePro.

Personal Profile

Interested in what your personal planning fee might be? Use the calculator below to get an estimate for your annual planning fee.

Client Center

Client Logins

SecureFilePro

Useful Links

Federal Government Departments

Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
The IRS Online Forms, electronic filing, helpful tips and the latest IRS news can be found online

U.S. Department of Treasury
(Bureau of Public Debt) - Information on Savings Bonds and Treasury Securities

Social Security Administration
Your Social Security Retirement Benefits..., How much will I receive in Social Security Benefits? Check it out at the Social Security Retirement Calculator website.

Pennsylvania Government Departments

Pennsylvania Department of Revenue
Information on Pennsylvania State Taxes

Pennsylvania Guaranteed College Tuition Savings Plan
PA Treasury offers two 529 college savings plans: The PA 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan (GSP) and the PA 529 Investment Plan.

Miscellaneous

The Salvation Army
Donation Valuation Guide for Tax Deductions

Stock Quotes

Bankrate
Mortgage rates, CD rates, Auto Loans, Credit Cards, Mortgage News and more

Where to Find Us

Primary Address:

1364 S. Atherton Street
State College, PA 16801

STARTING JANUARY 13, 2025 WE WILL BE MOVING TO A NEW LOCATION:

270 WALKER DRIVE, SUITE 200SW, STATE COLLEGE, PA 16801

SATELLITE OFFICE

Governor's Plaza South
Building #3, Suite 234
2001 North Front Street
Harrisburg, PA 17102

Get in Touch With Us!

Office Hours:

Monday- Friday 9 AM - 4 PM

Note our office is closed the following holidays:

New Years Day, MLK Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas

Contact

Phone: (814) 235-1940
Toll Free: (866) 760-4036
Fax: (814) 235-1935
Email: Jennifer@mcclarren.com

If you are interested in becoming a client please see the Prospective Clients section located in the Client Center above.

If you have anything that needs sent to us please either send by mail, drop the information in our locked mailbox or upload through either your eMoney vault or SecureFilePro.

Employment Opportunity

McClarren Financial Advisors is currently hiring for a Paraplanner. If interested, see the job description below for details. Please feel free to send your resume and cover letter to Jennifer Anderson, CFO/CCO/COO at jennifer@mcclarren.com. Please no calls or drop ins.

Paraplanner Job Description

WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU

FAQ

What is a Registered Investment Advisor?

A Registered Investment Advisor is a fiduciary who has a duty of undivided loyalty to his clients and must deal fairly and honestly with them. Any person or entity that holds itself out as a financial planner must be registered. A Registered Investment Advisor is a representative of the client.

What does McClarren Financial Advisors, Inc. sell?

We sell sound financial advice regarding taxes, investments, insurance, pensions, retirement, college, estate planning, and general financial matters. We also offer tax preparation and audit representation.

Who can benefit most from our services?

Anyone who has financial, tax, investment, or estate concerns, or who wishes to plan prudently for his or her financial future can benefit. Furthermore, persons who desire a higher, more sophisticated level of financial planning services may find our program appealing and helpful.

How much money do you need to start a financial program?

There is no minimum or maximum dollar requirement. We recognize that everyone has financial planning needs regardless of the amount of assets they currently hold.

What is a financial plan?

A financial plan is an in-depth review of your financial situation, taking into account your goals and objectives and focusing on income tax planning, asset management, estate planning, risk management, educational planning and retirement. The plan analyzes and recommends ways that you can achieve your financial goals and objectives.

How much do you charge for planning services?

Our financial planning fees are determined by the project needed. We generally work on an annual retainer basis with a fee determined by your income, assets, and the complexity of the work. (See section entitled "Services" for additional information regarding the services we offer.)

Are the fees tax deductible?

Yes, in certain circumstances.

Do you sell financial planning products, such as investments, insurance or tax shelters?

No. We are fee-only planners. We can assist clients with the purchase or implementation of insurance and investments, but we do not sell products or receive any income from them.

How do we get started?

All of our engagements begin with a free initial consultation. At this meeting, we get to know one another, discuss your goals and circumstances, the services we provide and whether or not our help is appropriate for you.

If our services seem a good match for your goals and situation, we discuss with you the appropriate level of service. To schedule a free initial consultation, please call our office at (814) 235-1940. We will answer any questions you may have, schedule your appointment, and send you some additional information.

What information is required at the initial meeting?

First of all, if you are married or partnered, each of you should attend. Both of you benefit from the education and goal crystallization that this process provides. Please gather the following information to bring to the meeting:

Last year's tax returns
Investment statements, savings/money market accounts, brokerage accounts, IRA's, 401(k)'s deferred compensation, etc.
Completed Preliminary Financial Planning Profile (brochure will be mailed to you after we set the appointment). See Client Center link for an Adobe form.
Completed Statement of Assets and Liabilities. This is just a list that you compile, not a formal accounting statement.