What make Fortitude Financial Planning different than other financial planning firms?

There are three primary differentiators that separate Fortitude from other firms:

1. Cash Flow Planning: At Fortitude, we take a deep dive into your cash flow to help you turn your income into wealth and get your money working hard for you.
2. In-depth Tax Advice: In addition to being a Certified Financial Planner™, Travis is an Enrolled Agent and can provide forward-looking tax advice to optimize your tax strategy while offering tax preparation services, if needed.
3. Financial Life Planning: We blend conventional financial planning best practices with the that of the Financial Life Planning emerging field. We unpack what money means to you and make sure that your spending and savings align with your core values.

What is a fiduciary?

A fiduciary is a professional that has the highest ethical obligation to put your interests ahead of their own. We are fiduciaries - we take great pride in doing what's best for you.

Why should I hire you instead of doing this myself?

You are faced with many challenges outside of finances, such as advancing in your career, ongoing education, spending time with your family, running your business, to name a few. Compound all those things with keeping up with your finances, which is like a second job; you may find yourself becoming more stressed and not enjoying the things that matter most to you in your life.

Hiring our firm we can help alleviate that stress. As a fiduciary to you, we will help you prioritize your goals and help you achieve them. We will help construct an investment strategy that will maximize your returns based on your comfort level with investment risk. Beyond the returns, we can add value that does not show up on your performance reports. For example, we can look at ways to help you reduce your expenses, reduce the risks you face in your life, and get on the right side of compounding interest.

As an independent financial planning practice, Fortitude Financial Planning is set up to avoid conflicts of interest. You should hire us if you want someone to provide peace of mind around your money and reduce the financial stress you feel in your life.

I need help getting out of debt, can you help me?

Yes, we can. Together we can come up with a debt reduction strategy tailored to your needs.

How long does a typical engagement last?

We believe that financial planning is a process, not a product. Therefore, we would like to work with our clients in the long-term. However, we understand that our clients' needs change over time. At a minimum, we would like you to commit to a one-year engagement so that you can see the results of our work together over time. We want you to be happy that you are paying your monthly fee and have access to us at any time. However, suppose you are in total financial control, and we have helped automate your finances as much as possible. In that case, we will be happy knowing that you are on the right path towards financial independence. There is no early termination penalty, and you can cancel at any time.

Who is NOT a good fit for Fortitude?

If you think that you can beat the market, are interested in attempting to time the market, or select “cocktail” stocks, we probably are not a good fit for each other. We do not think you can beat the market, but we demand that we get market returns out of your portfolio. That is why we select diversified, tax-efficient, low-cost investments so we can focus on things you can control.

Do I have to come into your office?

No, you do not have to. We can meet virtually over Google Meets or telephone. If these methods do not work for you, we can accommodate to meet your needs. We are set up this way to meet you wherever you are, regardless of whether you live locally or across the country. This will also save you time commuting so we can meet at a time that is convenient for you. If you want to meet outside of regular business hours, just sent us an email at travis@fortitudefp.com.

What is the Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) designation?

Most consumers think that all financial planners are "certified," but this isn't true. Anyone can call themselves a "financial planner;" however, only those who have fulfilled the certification requirements of the CFP Board can display the CFP® certification marks, which represent a high level of competency, ethics, and professionalism. Those requirements are as follows:

• Complete coursework on financial planning through a CFP Board Registered Program and hold a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
• Pass the CFP® exam.
• Completed either 6,000 hours of professional experience related to the financial planning process or 4,000 hours of apprenticeship experience that meets additional requirements.
• Agree to adhere to the high ethical and professional standards for the practice of financial planning and to act as a fiduciary when providing financial advice to clients, always putting their best interests first.

The Certified Financial Planner™ designation is recognized in the U.S. and a number of other countries for its (1) high standard of professional education; (2) stringent code of conduct and standards of practice; and (3) ethical requirements that govern professional engagements with clients. - See more at the CFP Board's website.

What is the Enrolled Agent designation?

An Enrolled Agent is someone who has earned the privilege of representing taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by either passing a three-part comprehensive IRS test covering individual and business tax returns, or through experience as a former IRS employee. This is the highest creditential that the IRS awards. - See more at the IRS' website.

How do you get paid?

We are a fee-only financial planning firm, which means our only compensation comes from the services we provide to you. We do not get paid any commissions, kickbacks, "trails," or any other fees other than what we charge you. We are held to the fiduciary standard, which means we have to act in your best interest regardless of our compensation. We believe this is the fairest form of compensation and aligns our interests with yours. To learn more about our services and pricing, click here.

I'd like to learn more, what is the next step?

Click here to schedule a introductory meeting so that we can get to know each other.

Do I have to pay for the first meeting?

No, you do not. We think that everyone should have access to a qualified independent financial advisor. Therefore, the first two meetings will be complimentary, so bring your financial questions with you. If we aren't a good fit to work together, we will point you in the right direction.

Why did you name your firm Fortitude?

If you look up the definition of fortitude, it means courage in pain or adversity. That definition resonated with me and touched on the clients that I want to serve. They are clients who looked like me that do not understand their finances, do not have the time to learn everything they need to about their finances, or get uneasy or sick when they think about their finances. I want to help clients find the courage to take control of their finances by being an accountability partner so they can live the lives they want to live.

Do you work with clients outside of North Carolina?

Yes, we do. We work with clients who live across the country. No matter where you live in the U.S., we can work together. We are currently registered in North Carolina, but we can provide services in other states as well.