Overview
Assets Under Management: $115 million
Headquarters: ESTERO, FL
High-Net-Worth Clients: 48
Average Client Assets: $2 million
Services Offered
Services: Financial Planning, Portfolio Management for Individuals
Clients
Number of High-Net-Worth Clients: 48
Percentage of Firm Assets Belonging to High-Net-Worth Clients: 90.64
Average High-Net-Worth Client Assets: $2 million
Total Client Accounts: 75
Discretionary Accounts: 75
Regulatory Filings
CRD Number: 142776
Last Filing Date: 2024-12-04 00:00:00
Website: https://www.mywealthadvisor.com
Form ADV Documents
Primary Brochure: ADV PART 2 (2025-05-01)
View Document Text
FINLEY WEALTH ADVISORS
10600 CHEVROLET WAY, SUITE 101
ESTERO, FL 33928
239-267-7500
WWW.MYWEALTHADVISOR.COM
FORM ADV PART 2A&B
MARCH 20, 2025
Brochure Overview
(ADV Part 2A)
This Brochure provides information about the qualifications and business practices
of Finley Wealth Management. LLC., DBA Finley Wealth Advisors (Advisor). If you
have questions about the contents of this Brochure, please contact us at 239-267-
7500 or by email at doug@mywealthadvisor.com. The information in this brochure
has not been approved or verified by the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission or by any state securities authority. While the firm is registered with
the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, such registration does not
imply a certain level of skill or training on the part of the firm or its personnel.
Additional information about Advisor is also available on the SEC’s website at
www.advisorinfo.sec.gov
Material Changes
This brochure has material changes since our last annual update of the brochure
dated October 29, 2024. We suggest that you review the document in its entirety as
there have been several changes since the previous update.
We will further provide you with a new Brochure as necessary based on changes or
new information at any time, without charge. Currently, our Brochure may be
requested by contacting us at 239-267-7500 or doug@mywealthadvisor.com.
Advisory Business
Firm Description
In 2006, after serving a number of years working for major brokerage firms, Douglas
Finley founded Finley Wealth Management, the parent company of Finley Wealth
Advisors. The firm is strictly a fee-only, fiduciary, financial planning, and investment
management firm. The firm DOES NOT sell annuities, insurance, stocks, bonds, mutual
funds, limited partnerships, or other commissioned products. The firm IS NOT affiliated
with entities that sell financial products or securities. NO commissions in any form are
accepted. NO finder’s fees are accepted. The firm was designed with a keen focus on
the client’s best interests. Douglas Finley is 100% owner and sole principal of the firm.
investment management to
Advisor provides personal financial planning and
individuals, families and their related entities, trusts and estates, and family
businesses. The firm works with clients to define financial objectives and to develop
strategies for reaching those objectives, some of which may include: identification of
financial problems, cash flow, and budget management, tax planning, risk exposure
review,
investment planning and management, education funding, retirement
planning, estate planning, charitable goals, special needs planning, family business
succession issues, and/or other issues specific to the client.
Assets under the direct management of the firm are held by independent custodians
in the client’s name. Advisor does not act as a custodian of client assets. The firm may
recommend other professionals (e.g., lawyers, accountants, insurance agents, real
estate agents, etc.) at the request of the client.
Other professionals are engaged directly by the client on an as-needed basis even
when recommended by the Advisor. Conflicts of interest will be disclosed to the client
and managed in the best interest of the client.
Types of Advisory Services
Wealth Management Agreement
Advisor’s core offering is a Wealth Management Advisory Agreement which includes
financial planning and investment management. It starts with a series of in-depth
conversations and extensive data collection. With that information, we proceed to
develop a financial plan for you and your family that identifies the specific investment
criteria and strategies based on our careful review of the available investment options,
taxation, transaction costs, risk, and of course, expected performance. This plan is
prepared in conjunction with an Investment Policy Statement (IPS). These vital
documents, are reviewed with you to ensure they reflect your needs and set the
foundation for how we recommend the allocation of your investments between
various asset classes. Upon completion of the initial planning, and the client’s approval
of the Investment Policy Statement, at the client’s discretion, we provide ongoing
Wealth Management services.
Implementation and ongoing management of our clients’ accounts include:
Design, execution, and maintenance of a customized Investment Policy Statement
for those assets under the discretionary authority of Advisor.
Active tax and cost-efficient investment portfolio management for assets under
the discretionary authority of Advisor. This will include portfolio allocation and
investment strategy.
Maintain and update, as necessary, a "Needs Analysis", an analytical process that
evaluates the likelihood of meeting stated goals, based on the client assets,
liabilities, and relevant economic assumptions. This analysis is completed with
financial planning software and is typically updated on an annual basis - more
often if the client experiences a significant unanticipated life transition or there is a
dramatic change in market conditions.
implementation of cost and
tax-efficient
liquidations
for
Monitor investment portfolio and vehicles selected for implementation.
As necessary, rebalancing, policy and/or strategy modification, and/or allocation
changes.
As requested, implementation of cash flow strategies for planned cash flow needs.
As requested detailed written reports of the client investment portfolio(s) under
our management.
As
requested,
unanticipated cash flow needs.
As requested, provision of preliminary tax information (realized and unrealized
gains, delivery of information, and coordination with client's CPA) for client's tax
planning, for assets under our management.
Establishment and coordination of appropriate accounts along with related asset
transfers to an independent custodian’s platform.
The annual Wealth Management Advisory fee is based on a percentage of investable
assets according to the following schedule:
0.80% on the first $2,000,000
0.50% on the next $3,000,000
0.25% on assets over $5,000,000
The minimum household assets under the Wealth Management Agreement is
$2,000,000 negotiable under special circumstances, (e.g., historical relationship, type
of assets, anticipated future earning capacity, anticipated future additional assets,
related accounts, account composition, negotiations with clients, family members,
etc.).
The advisory fee will be calculated quarterly in advance as a percentage of the market
value of all assets in Investor’s account on the last day of the month prior to the billing
period. For new accounts, fees are prorated from inception through the end of the
billing period. Additional contributions may be charged a prorated fee in the same
manner. The advisor shall deduct all due and payable management fees automatically
from Investor’s account(s). Where applicable, Investor hereby expressly grants Advisor
the authority to liquidate portions of Investor’s account for the sole and express
purpose of paying Investor’s advisory fee unless Investor terminates Advisor’s services
pursuant to the Termination paragraph. The advisor may not be compensated on the
basis of a percentage of capital gains or performance. Current client relationships may
exist where the fees are higher or lower than the fee schedule above.
Although the Wealth Management Agreement is an ongoing agreement the client or
the wealth manager may at any time terminate an agreement by written notice to the
other party. At termination, fees will be credited on a pro-rata basis for the portion of
the quarter not completed. There is no additional termination fee charged by the
Advisor.
Fees and Compensation
The firm’s compensation is solely from fees paid directly by clients. The firm does not
receive a commission based on the client’s purchase of any financial product,
including insurance.
No commissions in any form are accepted. Advisor may receive soft dollar benefits in
the form of technology or reimbursements for such from the custodians to whom we
recommend clients.
The Firm does not sell any life insurance or annuities. The firm is compensated in the
form of financial planning & advisory fees alone.
Advisor bases its fees on a percentage of assets under management. Under certain
circumstances fees may be negotiable based on a variety of factors, including but not
limited to the historical relationship, total assets, investable assets, types of assets,
anticipated future additional assets, gross income, anticipated future earning capacity,
the complexity of financial planning needs, relationships with other professionals,
related accounts, or negotiations with clients.
Fee Billing
The specific manner in which fees are determined by the Advisor is specified in each
agreement. All clients are required to have a written agreement with the Advisor prior
to the commencement of an engagement. Clients authorize Advisor to directly debit
fees from client accounts. The fee is deducted by the custodian upon Advisor’s
instruction. Invoice are available in the custodian website.
Itemization includes the formula used to calculate the fee, the value of assets under
management on which the fee is based, and the time period covered by the fee. It is
important to note that custodial firms do not verify advisory fee calculations.
Advisory fees are calculated quarterly in advance as a percentage of the market value
of all assets in the account on the last day of the month prior to the billing period. For
new accounts, fees are prorated from inception through the end of the billing period.
Additional contributions made during the applicable calendar quarter may be
charged a prorated fee in the same manner (with the exception of de minimis
contributions). If a client has more than one account, the fee may be prorated
between the accounts or deducted from individual accounts as determined by the
Advisor to be in the client’s best interest.
Where applicable, Investor(s) hereby expressly grant Advisor the authority to liquidate
portions of Investor’s account for the sole and express purpose of paying Investor’s
management fees.
Upon termination of any account, any prepaid, unearned fees will be promptly
refunded, and any earned, unpaid fees will be due and payable. Advisor’s fees are
exclusive of brokerage commissions, transaction fees, and other related costs and
expenses which shall be incurred by the client. Clients may incur certain charges
imposed by custodians, brokers, third party investment and other third parties such as
fees charged by managers, custodial fees, deferred sales charges, odd-lot differentials,
transfer taxes, wire transfer, and electronic fund fees, and other fees and taxes on
brokerage accounts and securities transactions. Mutual funds and exchange-traded
funds also charge internal management fees, which are disclosed in a fund’s
prospectus. Such charges, fees, and commissions are exclusive of and in addition to
the Advisor's fee, and Advisor shall not receive any portion of these commissions, fees,
or costs.
Performance-Based Fees
Advisor does not charge any performance-based fees (fees based on a share of capital
gains or capital appreciation of the assets of a client). Performance-based
compensation may create an incentive for the advisor to recommend an investment
that may carry a higher degree of risk to the client.
Types of Clients
The advisor may provide services to individuals, high net worth individuals, corporate
pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable institutions, foundations, and
endowments. Client relationships vary in scope and length of service.
Methods of Analysis
The firm may use fundamental analysis to develop long-term strategies.
Recommendations provided are based on publicly available reports, analysis, and
research materials, computerized asset allocation modeling programs, and various
subscription services. Employees of Advisor may also attend on and off-site visits with
fund and portfolio managers, conference calls, and industry conferences.
Investment Strategies
Advisor typically utilizes a risk-appropriate and tax-efficient globally diversified
portfolio primarily consisting of mutual funds and exchange-traded funds.
The firm avoids the speculative and unnecessary activities of stock-picking, manager-
picking, and market timing. A disciplined approach is employed, emphasizing broad
diversification and consistent exposure to the publicly traded markets around the
world, with a slight overweighting of small and value-priced companies. Portfolios are
globally diversified to control the risks associated with traditional markets.
The investment strategy for a specific client is based upon the objectives, income
needs, and tax situation stated by the client during consultations. The client may
change these objectives at any time.
Risk of Loss
All investment programs have certain risks that are borne by the investor. Our
investment approach keeps the risk of loss in mind. However, as with all investments,
clients face investment risks including the following: Loss of Principal Risk, Interest-
rate Risk, Market Risk, Inflation Risk, Currency Risk, Reinvestment Risk, Business Risk,
Liquidity Risk, and Financial Risk.
Privacy Policy
In the normal course of our business, we collect nonpublic personal information about
clients (this term is defined to be inclusive of prospective clients) from information
received from the client on applications and other forms, and from information about
client transactions with us. We restrict access to nonpublic personal information to
employees. Employees are to treat this information as confidential.
We do not disclose any nonpublic personal information about our clients or former
clients to anyone, except as permitted by law. In our Wealth Management Agreement,
the client authorizes the advisor to contact the client's accounts, attorneys, and other
consultants, and shall disclose information as deemed necessary to fulfill the terms of
the Agreement. As permitted by law, we may disclose personal information to
companies that affect, administer, or enforce a transaction that is requested or
authorized by the consumer.
The Firm will deliver an initial notice of our privacy policies (“Privacy Notice”) before, or
at the time, the client relationship is established and annually, if required by the
Privacy Rule. Verification of delivery will be documented.
Because we do not have an opt out, we do not need to mail an annual Privacy Notice
to clients unless/until our policy changes.
If our policy changes, and we begin to disclose nonpublic personal information outside
the exception, we will provide clients with an opt out right and allow a reasonable time
to opt out.
We have established safeguards to protect the security and confidentiality of client
records and information.
Legal and Disciplinary
The firm and its employees have not been involved in any legal or disciplinary events
related to past or present activities.
Affiliations
Advisor does not have arrangements that are material to its advisory business or its
clients with any related person.
Code of Ethics
Advisor has adopted the CFP Board Code of Ethics to establish the highest principles
and standards.
These Principles are general statements expressing the ethical and professional ideals
certificants and registrants are expected to display in their professional activities. As
such, the Principles are aspirational in character and provide a source of guidance for
certificants and registrants. The Principles form the basis of the CFP Board's Rules of
Conduct, Practice Standards, and Disciplinary Rules, and these documents together
reflect the CFP Board's recognition of certificants' and registrants' responsibilities to
the public, clients, colleagues, and employers.
Principle 1 – Integrity: Provide professional services with integrity.
Integrity demands honesty and candor which must not be subordinated to personal
gain and advantage. Certificants are placed in positions of trust by clients, and the
ultimate source of that trust is the certificant’s personal integrity. Allowance can be
made for innocent error and legitimate differences of opinion, but integrity cannot
co-exist with deceit or the subordination of one’s principles.
Principle 2 – Objectivity: Provide professional services objectively.
Objectivity requires intellectual honesty and impartiality. Regardless of the particular
service rendered or the capacity in which a certificant functions, certificants should
protect the integrity of their work, maintain objectivity and avoid subordination of
their judgment.
Principle 3 – Competence: Maintain the knowledge and skill necessary to provide
professional services competently.
Competence means attaining and maintaining an adequate level of knowledge and
skill, and application of that knowledge and skill in providing services to clients.
Competence also includes the wisdom to recognize the limitations of that knowledge
and when consultation with other professionals is appropriate or referral to other
professionals necessary. Certificants make a continuing commitment to learning and
professional improvement.
Principle 4 – Fairness: Be fair and reasonable in all professional relationships. Disclose
conflicts of interest.
Fairness requires impartiality, intellectual honesty, and disclosure of material conflicts
of interest. It involves a subordination of one’s own feelings, prejudices, and desires so
as to achieve a proper balance of conflicting interests. Fairness is treating others in
the same fashion that you would want to be treated.
Principle 5 – Confidentiality: Protect the confidentiality of all client information.
Confidentiality means ensuring that information is accessible only to those
authorized to have access. A relationship of trust and confidence with the client can
only be built upon the understanding that the client’s information will remain
confidential.
Principle 6 – Professionalism: Act in a manner that demonstrates exemplary
professional conduct.
Professionalism requires behaving with dignity and courtesy to clients, fellow
professionals, and others in business-related activities. Certificants cooperate with
fellow certificants to enhance and maintain the profession’s public image and
improve the quality of services.
Principle 7 – Diligence: Provide professional services diligently.
Diligence is the provision of services in a reasonably prompt and thorough manner,
including the proper planning for, and supervision of, the rendering of professional
services.
The advisor will provide clients or prospective clients with a copy of the firm's Code of
Ethics upon request.
Participation or Interest in Client Transactions
Advisor and its employees may at times buy or sell securities that are also held by
clients. Employees may not trade their own securities ahead of client trades. Personal
trading of employees is never based on inside information and clients of the firm
receive preferential treatment. The trades are not of a significant enough value to
affect the securities markets. Employees comply with the provisions of the firm’s
“Policies & Procedures Manual”. The Chief Compliance Officer of Finley Wealth
Advisors is Janice Hirzel.
U.S. Department of Labor IRA Rollover Disclosures
When we provide investment advice to you regarding your retirement plan account or
individual retirement account, we are fiduciaries within the meaning of Title I of the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act and/or the Internal Revenue Code, as
applicable, which are laws governing retirement accounts. The way we make money
creates some conflicts with your interests, so we operate under a special rule that
requires us to act in your best interest and not put our interests ahead of yours.
Selecting Brokerage Firms
Advisor does not have any affiliation with product sales firms. The firm may
recommend custodians based on the proven integrity and financial responsibility of
the firm, best execution of orders at reasonable rates, and the quality of client service,
such as Altruist Financial and Charles Schwab Institutional.
Advisor does not receive fees or commissions from any of these arrangements,
although Advisor may benefit from electronic delivery of client information, electronic
trading platforms, and other services provided by custodians for the benefit of clients.
Advisors may also benefit from other services provided by custodians, such as
research, continuing education, and practice management advice. These benefits are
standard in a relationship with these custodians and are not in return for client
recommendations or transactions.
The advisor reviews the execution of trades at each custodian annually. Trading fees
charged by the custodians are also reviewed on an annual basis. Advisor does not
receive any portion of the trading fees.
Soft Dollars
Advisor may receive soft dollar benefits in the form of technology or reimbursements
for such from the custodians to whom we recommend clients.
Periodic Reviews
Periodic reviews are recommended for financial planning clients. It is the client’s sole
responsibility to initiate those reviews. Investment accounts are periodically reviewed
throughout the year by the firm principal. The client’s current asset allocations are
considered, along with the likelihood that the allocation will meet the investment
objectives of the client.
Review Triggers
Account reviews are performed more frequently when market conditions dictate, or
when a client’s objectives change. A review may be triggered by client requests,
changes in market conditions, new information about an investment, changes in tax
laws, or other important changes.
Incoming Client Referrals
Our firms’ referrals have come from current clients, estate planning attorneys,
accountants, employees, and other sources. Advisor does not pay for referrals.
Referrals to Other Professionals
Advisor does not accept referral fees or any form of remuneration from other
professionals when a prospect or client is referred to them.
Account Statements
Clients receive at least quarterly statements from the custodian that holds and
maintains the client’s investment assets. Advisor urges clients to carefully review such
statements and compare such official custodial records to any statements that we
may provide to you. Our statements may vary from custodial statements based on
accounting procedures, reporting dates, or valuation methodologies of certain
securities.
Discretionary Authority for Trading
Advisor receives discretionary authority from the client at the start of an advisory
relationship. We have the authority to determine, without obtaining specific client
consent, the securities to be bought or sold, and the amount of the securities to be
bought or sold. In all cases, however, such discretion is to be exercised in a manner
consistent with the stated investment objectives for the particular client account.
Advisor currently has approximately $115 million in assets under discretion.
Limited Power of Attorney
Clients must sign a limited power of attorney before the Advisor is given discretionary
authority. The limited power of attorney may be included in the qualified custodian’s
account application, or clients may sign a separate limited power of attorney
document giving discretionary authority to the firm.
Proxy Votes
As a matter of firm policy and practice, Advisor does not have any authority to and
does not vote proxies on behalf of advisory clients. Clients retain the responsibility for
receiving and voting proxies for any and all securities maintained in client portfolios.
Financial Condition
Advisor does not have any financial impairment that will preclude the firm from
meeting contractual commitments to clients. A balance sheet is not required to be
provided because the Advisor does not serve as a custodian for client funds or
securities, other than as described above, and does not require prepayment of fees of
more than $1,200 per client, six months or more in advance.
Business Continuity Plan
Advisor has a Business Continuity Plan in place that provides detailed steps to
mitigate and recover from the loss in the event of an unexpected and wide-spread
disruption to the firm's normal operations.
The Business Continuity Plan covers natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes,
flooding, and man-made disasters such as loss of electrical power, communications
line outage, and internet outage. Alternate offices are identified to support ongoing
operations in the event the main office is unavailable. Electronic files are backed up
and archived offsite. It is our intention to contact all clients as soon as possible after a
disaster to notify them of any change in office location and the expected duration.
Information Security Program
Advisor maintains an information security program to reduce the risk that personal
and confidential information may be breached. Advisor uses multiple safeguards
offered by third-party vendors to ensure records in electronic storage are reasonably
safeguarded against loss, alteration, or destruction. The firm password protects
unauthorized access to its records. Electronic files are backed up frequently
throughout the day and are archived offsite.
SEC Registered Advisor
Finley Wealth Management, LLC DBA Finley Wealth Advisors is an SEC-Registered
Investment Advisor and is required to provide you with certain information or
disclosures about its principals. This information can be found in ADV Part 2B.
Brochure Supplement
(ADV Part 2B)
Supervised Persons
Douglas Finley
Amber Braatz
Finley Wealth Advisors
10600 Chevrolet way, Suite 101
(239) 267-7500
As of March 20, 2025
This brochure supplement provides information about Douglas Finley and Amber
Braatz that supplements the Advisor brochure.
You should have received a copy of that brochure. Please contact Advisor if you did not
receive Advisor’s brochure or if you have questions about the contents of this
supplement. Additional information about Douglas Finley and Amber Braatz is
available on the SEC’s website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.
Education and Business Standards Advisor requires that any employee whose
function involves determining or giving investment advice to clients must be a
graduate of a four-year college and must:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Have at least two years’ experience in insurance, investments, accounting, financial
planning or be supervised by a qualified advisor;
Be an attorney, or hold or be pursuing one of the following designations: Certified
Financial Planner™ (CFP®), Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Financial
Analyst (CFA) or Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®);
Subscribe to the Code of Ethics of the CFP® Board of Standards;
Be properly authorized for all advisory activities in which they are engaged.
Professional Certifications Employees have earned certifications and credentials that
are required to be explained in further detail.
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, CFP® and federally registered CFP (with flame
design) marks (collectively, the “CFP® marks”) are professional certification marks
granted in the United States by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.
(“CFP Board”). The CFP® certification is a voluntary certification; no federal or state law
or regulation requires financial planners to hold CFP® certification.
To attain the right to use the CFP® marks, an individual must satisfactorily fulfill the
following requirements:
Education: Complete an advanced college-level course of study addressing the
financial planning subject areas that CFP Board’s studies have determined as
necessary for the competent and professional delivery of financial planning
services, and attain a Bachelor’s Degree from a regionally accredited United States
college or university (or its equivalent from a foreign university). CFP Board’s
financial planning subject areas include professional conduct and regulation,
general principles of financial planning, risk management and insurance planning,
investment planning, tax planning, retirement savings and income planning,
estate planning, and psychology of financial planning;
Examination: Pass the comprehensive CFP® Certification Examination. The
examination, administered in 6 hours, includes case studies and client scenarios
designed to test one’s ability to correctly diagnose financial planning issues and
apply one’s knowledge of financial planning to real world circumstances;
Experience: Complete at least two years of full-time financial planning-related
experience (or the equivalent, measured as 2,000 hours per year); and
Ethics: Agree to be bound by CFP Board’s Standards of Professional Conduct, a set
of documents outlining the ethical and practice standards for CFP® professionals.
Individuals who become certified must complete the following ongoing education
and ethics requirements in order to maintain the right to continue to use the CFP®
marks:
Ethics: Renew an agreement to be bound by the Standards of Professional
Conduct. The Standards prominently require that CFP® professionals provide
financial planning services at a fiduciary standard of care. This means CFP®
professionals must provide financial planning services in the best interests of their
clients.
CFP® professionals who fail to comply with the above standards and requirements
may be subject to CFP Board’s enforcement process, which could result in suspension
or permanent revocation of their CFP® certification.
Douglas W. Finley, MS, CPWA®, CFP®, AEP®, CDFA®
President
Date of birth: 02/26/1966
Educational Background:
Certified Private Wealth Advisor
Issuing Organization: Investments & Wealth Institute
Prerequisites/Experience Required Candidate must meet the following requirements:
A bachelor’s degree (or higher) from an accredited college or university, and five
years of financial services experience
Educational Requirements: Candidate must complete a rigorous 6 months
curriculum.
Examination Type: CPWA® Examination
Continuing Education: 40 hours every two years
CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™
Issuing Organization: Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.
Prerequisites/Experience Required Candidate must meet the following requirements:
A bachelor’s degree (or higher) from an accredited college or university, and Three
years of full-time personal financial planning experience
Educational Requirements: Candidate must complete a CFP-board registered
program, or hold one of the following:
CPA
ChFC
Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU)
CFA
Ph.D. in business or economics
Doctor of Business Administration
Attorney's License
Examination Type: CFP Certification Examination
Continuing Education: 30 hours every two years
AEP® – Accredited Estate Planner®
Issuing Organization: National Association of Estate Planners & Councils
Prerequisites/Experience Required: The candidate must meet all of the following
requirements:
Must be an attorney (JD), accountant (CPA), insurance professional, financial
planner (CLU/ChFC, CFP) or trust officer (CTFA)
Must be in good standing with their professional organization and not be subject
to a disciplinary investigation
Must have a minimum of 5 years’ experience in estate planning in one or more of
the prerequisite professions
Educational Requirements: 2 graduate-level courses administered by The American
College or from another accredited graduate program as part of a master's or doctoral
degree unless the applicant has 15 or more years’ experience as an estate planner
Examination Type: Final exam for each course. If self-study through The American
College must be taken at Pearson VUE testing centers, which are proctored.
Continuing Education/Experience Requirements:
30 hours every 24 months, including 15 hours in estate planning. Re-certification
required annually.
CDFA™ - Certified Divorce Financial Analyst™
Issuing Organization: Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts
Prerequisites/Experience Required: Candidates must meet all of the following
requirements:
The CDFA™ designation is available to individuals who have a minimum of two
years' experience as a financial professional, accountant, or matrimonial lawyer.
To earn the designation, the participant must complete a series of self-study
course modules and pass an exam for each module.
In the USA, this training qualifies for 32 hours of continuing education for the CFP®
Board of Standards, 25 CPE credits for the CPA designation, and 32 PACE credits
for ChFCs and CLUs.
To retain the Certified Divorce Financial Analyst™ designation, a CDFA™ must
obtain 20 hours of Continuing Education (CE) every two years (ten of which must
be divorce-related), remain in good standing with the IDFA™, and keep his/her
dues current.
Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
Bachelors of Science Degree, Finance
The College for Financial Planning, Denver, CO
Masters of Science Degree, Financial Planning
CFP® Professional Education Program
The College for Financial Planning, Denver, CO
Business Experience:
Prior to founding Finley Wealth Management, LLC in 2006, Mr. Finley was a Fee-Only
Financial Planner and Investment Advisor at a Registered Investment Advisory firm in
Fort Myers, FL with the title of Senior Wealth Manager 2003
2006. He is an active member of the National Association of Personal Financial
Advisors (NAPFA), a member of the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils
(NAEPC), a former board member (2006-2015) of the Lee County Estate Planning
Council.
Disciplinary Information:
Registered investment advisors are required to disclose all material facts regarding
any legal or disciplinary events that would be material to your evaluation of each
supervised person providing investment advice. No information is applicable to this
item.
Other Business Activities:
There are no outside investment-related business activities to be disclosed.
Additional Compensation No one who is not a client provides an economic benefit to
Mr. Finley for providing advisory services. For purposes of this Item, economic benefits
include sales awards and other prizes and any bonus that is based, at least in part, on
the number or amount of sales, client referrals, or new accounts.
Amber Braatz, MBA, CFP®
Wealth Advisor
Date of birth: 01/14/1971
Educational Background:
University of Florida
Bachelors of Science Degree (1992)
Florida Gulf Coast University
Masters of Business Administration (2005)
CFP® Professional Education Program
Northwestern University (2018)
Business Experience:
Amber joined Finley Wealth Management in early 2018 and completed her certified
financial planner education program through Northwestern University. Amber has a
passion for helping people achieve financial and life goals. It was a natural transition
from healthcare to a financial advisor with her career-long emphasis on serving others
with goal-driven, individualized care. She is an active member of the National
Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA).
Disciplinary Information:
Registered investment advisors are required to disclose all material facts regarding
any legal or disciplinary events that would be material to your evaluation of each
supervised person providing investment advice. No information is applicable to this
item.
Other Business Activities:
There are no outside investment-related business activities to be disclosed.
Additional Compensation No one who is not a client provides an economic benefit to
Amber Braatz for providing advisory services. For purposes of this Item, economic
benefits include sales awards and other prizes and any bonus that is based, at least in
part, on the number or amount of sales, client referrals, or new accounts.