Blog

Image for AI in Financial Planning: A Practitioner's Guide to Compliance

AI in Financial Planning: A Practitioner's Guide to Compliance

As a financial advisor and therapist, I've moved beyond AI experimentation to daily practical application within strict regulatory frameworks. This isn't about replacing professional judgment with algorithms; it's about responsibly augmenting expertise while maintaining the privacy and human insight that clients deserve.

Image for Why I Invest the Way I Do

Why I Invest the Way I Do

I got my start investing right in the middle of the 2008 crisis - watching client portfolios drop and learning fast what really matters. Those experiences taught me to focus on disciplined research, real risk, and income that holds up over time.

Image for The $400K Mistake: What Gray Divorce Really Costs

The $400K Mistake: What Gray Divorce Really Costs

Divorcing after 50 can mean emotional relief - but also financial ruin if you’re not careful. This straight-talking guide breaks down why gray divorce is rising and how to avoid turning freedom into a $150K mistake.

Image for Estate Planning Without the Fights: How Advisors Can Actually Bring Families Closer

Estate Planning Without the Fights: How Advisors Can Actually Bring Families Closer

There’s no way around it—estate planning conversations can bring up some deep, often generational conflict. But if we don’t talk about it, that conflict doesn’t disappear. It just shows up later.

Image for A Decade of Oaks Wealth Management

A Decade of Oaks Wealth Management

Ten years ago, I took a leap of faith and launched Oaks Wealth Management. It doesn’t feel like a decade has passed—it seems like just yesterday I was stepping out on my own, fueled by a vision of serving clients in a way that aligned with my values and principles.

Image for The barriers to seeking out financial advice from a third party

The barriers to seeking out financial advice from a third party

Marie eats lunch every other month with some old college friends. The table small talk usually centers around their jobs, their partners, their kids and the still remarkable fact that they aren’t thirty anymore.