Traditionally, cadence has to do with rhythm—the rhythm of music, marching, a person's voice, and sounds in nature. 'Cadence' is how often a regularly scheduled thing happens. Our collaborative process of meeting with clients 1:1 can match the ‘cadence’ of their lives to save them time and reduce their stress.
We specialize in stock compensation and employer-provided stock options. We help simplify this process by integrating tax planning and preparation, reducing stress, and removing emotions that may interfere with achieving your financial goals.
Stock Option Specialists
Not only do we offer tax planning, but tax preparation is included in our planning fees. We review and process each of our client’s tax returns. Therefore, we can strategically plan how to maximize your tax savings throughout the year, not just right before April 15th, which is often too late to prepare.
Tax Preparation
With nearly 20 years of experience successfully navigating the financial markets, we help clients learn how to control their emotions and tune out the noise of the markets. We always aim to reduce stress so clients can sleep soundly and enjoy life.
Decades of Experience
Fee-only financial planning means no hidden fees or product sales—just straightforward, transparent advice tailored to your needs. We charge our clients an annual retainer fee, just like you would work with an attorney or a CPA.
Our retainer fee ensures that we're always on your side and never motivated to sell you products you don't need. It is a great feeling to sit on the same side of the table as our clients and meet with them throughout the year to help them make unbiased financial decisions.
Fee-Only
What Makes Us Unique
As Certified Financial Planners®, we are fiduciaries held to the highest standard of care. Your interests always come first, and we're transparent about our fees. Our model isn't about a hard sell but delivering results and demonstrating value.
Our Services
RETIREMENT PLANNING
We believe that it’s essential to make this as simple as possible so that you understand the assumptions, variables, and results of this planning. Retirement planning should be an ongoing process. As you understand the methodology, your peace of mind grows because you know your long-term goals are being met.
STOCK COMPENSATION
With over two decades of experience navigating the financial markets in exchange-traded options, assisting clients with employer stock compensation plans and incentive stock options is a natural fit. Let us help you reduce the stress and complexity of these plans with a coordinated tax strategy to achieve your goals.
INVESTMENTS
Using research-based index funds, our philosophy is to invest for the long term and take appropriate risks given your life situation, attitude, and time frame. Together, we do a personal risk assessment to help you understand the actual risks you face. Next, we create an investment strategy together. Then, we periodically review your situation to ensure you stay on track.
FINANCIAL AND LIFE GOALS
Financial peace of mind is an emotional and, for some, a spiritual state. Together, we address the progress needed to reach your goals. This helps you:
Understand your financial goals
Test them against reality
Engage your imagination and visualize what you want.
TAX PLANNING & PREP
Together, we look at your tax situation during the year instead of stressing about the April 15th filing deadline. We help you plan for deductions and investments while there is still time to implement the strategies. Because we work with both tax and investments, we can provide integrated tax investment strategies to help you make more on your investments and constantly look for ways to minimize your tax liability.
INSURANCE
For many people, working with us is the first time they have gotten insurance advice from someone who is not trying to sell them products. Together, we review their insurance policies and answer questions to help them save money while reducing risk exposure.
How We Work Together
Learn About You, Your Goals for Your Money, and Your Life
We ask clients to fill out and return a survey to help us prepare for our first meeting. The goal here is to give us a broad overview of your financial situation as well as your goals or concerns. (15 min)
You can’t plan to get somewhere if you don’t know where you're going
Tell me your story and what keeps you up at night. I’ll ask some questions to help paint a clear picture of where you are trying to go. (1hr)
Developing a Proactive Wealth Plan
I will put together a one page financial plan that will confirm what you’re trying to accomplish, summarizes where you are now in your journey, and lists the strategies that will bring you closer to your goals.
Let’s make sure we are on the same page
Confirming that we have correctly stated your goals is one of our most important points in the process. It gives us the ability to focus on organizing the steps that will help you pursue what makes you happy.
Once you feel confident in our client process, we’ll discuss how you can come onboard as a member of the family! (30 min)
We Are Only Paid by You. No One Else. This means that everything we suggest serves to benefit you, and you only. Our sole motivation is your success — not a commission.
In addition to our meetings, working with us also includes: Open engagement.
You can call or email whenever you have financial questions, and if necessary, we can set up additional appointments at no additional cost to you. We want to make sure that all of your questions are answered and all of your concerns are resolved.
About Me
I'm Bart Leake, your ultimate ally in holistic financial planning. I enjoy assisting clients seeking advice on employer-provided stock options, employee stock purchase plans, and those who want integrated tax planning as part of their comprehensive financial planning services.
My valuable perspective as a former partner in an option trading firm and member of the Chicago Board of Trade empowers me to bring a distinctive insight to the financial markets, including a deep understanding of the fundamental and technical aspects.
