Step-by-Step Guides
Financial Advisor ROI
Financial advisors can be amazing....or disappointing. An amazing one should specialize in your needs and deliver 2-5x (or more) in value
Find an Advisor Who Specializes in Your Unique Needs (e.g. Tech Professionals & Stock-Based Comp)
The financial planning industry is like the medical industry — comprised of both generalists and specialists. General practitioners are good for the basics, but if you have a heart condition you see a Cardiologist -- period.
As a tech professional, your financial planning needs are complex and you need a specialist (not a generalist). For example, at 30-40 Wealth our software, tooling/frameworks, expertise, and more are custom-focused on the unique needs of tech professionals (and their stock comp, financial plans, investment portfolios, and more).
With the 99% of advisors who don’t specialize in tech workers — many might need to google how an ISO differs from an NSO. Nothing against them; most are likely amazing in their specialized vertical (e.g. Retirees, Traveling Nurses, Law Firm Partners, etc.). That could make them a great advisor for your parents/aunt/cousin/best friend, but a poor fit for you.
Consider This Framework to Help Determine the Value You'll Get
If you've never worked with a financial advisor before, understanding the value you'll get partnering with them on your finances may be opaque to you. To help you improve your decisioning and bring clarity to the "ROI question", we created the framework below. It’s adaptable and unique to each individual/household, because planning is inherently unique and personal. But functionally, it focuses on three key elements across a few categories:
Where are you on the TIE Rule (time, interest, and expertise) in regards to wanting + being able to do this yourself?
How complex is your situation, and how would you qualitatively value an expert providing you with answers, advice and an actionable plan (today + in the future as your life changes)?
What is your stock-comp, investment, tax, and behavioral strategy — and how much quantitative value will an advisor add for you by improving things?
Ask Smart Questions When You Interview Advisors
When you meet with a prospective advisor, treat it just like you would a prospective employer and ask good questions. You’re seeking to partner with them on your finances— and you want to understand their specific experience, processes, philosophies, and service model. A few smart questions (that we at 30-40 Wealth love hearing from well-prepared prospective clients) are:
Question to Ask | What You Want to Learn |
|---|---|
How many clients have you helped solve <<insert your pain point(s)>> | Do they have strong experience/lots of reps doing this for other individuals? |
How would we work together to solve <<insert your pain point(s)>> | Do they have a well-thought-out process (potentially event template docs/tools) to help guide you through a decisioning process? |
Based on what you know about my/our situation, what are the top 2-3 highest priority items you'd recommend we focus on? | Does their assessment align with your priorities and needs? |
How can/should I assess the value that you'll provide to me/us? | Have they deeply thought about what the value you will get working with them (vs what they will get from you)? |
Work with 30/40 Wealth
Have a big equity or tax decision ahead?
We're a fee-only fiduciary for tech employees with a lot of company equity. We build your multi-year plan: when to exercise options, what to sell and when, and how to cut the tax bill. Then we stay with you for the years that follow.
You're likely a fit if:
- You have $2M+ in company equity, including options
- Your next big decision is coming up: an IPO or lockup, a tender offer, exercising options, selling a large position, or leaving your company
- You want ongoing help with all of it: your equity, taxes, investments and the plan that ties them together
Kris Barney, CFA, EA
$750M+ in equity compensation advised
Fees from $12,500 a year, based on the assets we manage
We take on 1–2 new clients a month
Book a 30-minute fit call →Free and no obligation. If we're not the right fit, we'll say so.
See who we work with →Most Similar
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Next Step
Want this applied to your situation?
A 30-minute consult will tell you whether the framework in this article applies cleanly to your equity package — and if so, what the next three moves are. No pitch.