Designed for individuals and families seeking a proactive and personalized financial planning experience. We remove the financial complexity of daily life. Our relationships with our clients go far beyond investments by delving into their values, goals, and long term well-being.
Through our periodic and proactive meeting process, we provide detailed recommendations supported through rigorous analysis in all areas of financial planning. These areas include the following: creation of a personal financial statement, cash flow and budgeting, credit monitoring, employee benefits optimization, investment management, tax planning strategies, student loan debt management, college planning and funding, all areas of insurance planning, retirement income, Social Security maximization, and estate planning.
Shawn Ballinger, CFP® is a fee-only financial planner helping families prepare for the cost of college and plan for retirement. We help clients achieve their financial goals and live life on their own terms. Columbus Street Financial Planning is located in Columbus, OH and serves clients throughout central Ohio and across the country.
No. Our client experience is not defined by location. Many of our local clients enjoy the time-saving experience of meeting virtually.
Simply follow this link to call, email, or schedule a time to chat that's convenient for you.
Absolutely not. Discovery Meeting conversations are complimentary.
Great question. A recent Vanguard study suggests an advisor can add value through relationship-oriented services such as financial planning and behavioral coaching. Humans have built-in behavioral biases that can lead to financial mistakes. The study suggests a good advisor can add as much as 3% of increased investment returns through behavioral coaching and other factors such tax reduction, mitigating your overall risk of financial loss, and portfolio asset location and periodic rebalancing between asset classes.
CFP® professionals represent a high level of competency, ethics and professionalism. Many advisors hold themselves out as a "financial planner;" however, only those who have fulfilled the certification requirements of the CFP Board can display the certification marks. See more at: CFP Board
The asset under management (AUM) model fails to address variances of client complexity and time required by the advisor. Two clients with identical wealth can often need two extremely different levels of wealth management services. We believe advisors should be compensated for their time, not on the amount of your assets. Why should you pay more simply because of your portfolio size? Columbus Street's flat fee model eliminates the excessive cost and inefficiency of the AUM model.
No. We do not require asset management as part of our other services. We will provide you an objective assessment of your current portfolio and show you how you can reduce your portfolio expenses and keep more of your nest egg working for you.
No. We believe in a broadly diversified global portfolio approach made up of low-cost mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). We always recommend keeping single stock exposure within your ability and preference to sustain additional investment risk.
No. We realize some clients do not wish to have an ongoing relationship with an advisor. However, personal and financial complexity is always evolving. Ongoing planning catches problems while they are still small.
Yes. Goals evolve throughout every stage of life. We will help you determine your ability to maintain your lifestyle and assist you with your estate, gifting and philanthropic goals.
Yes. We can work with clients all over the country.
No. We will, however, maintain a proactive relationship with your tax professional for Wealth Management clients.
We offer project-based financial planning services focused on retirement planning goals. Our process includes directional guidance on savings strategies, education funding, retirement income planning, insurance needs, and estate planning.
We offer a collaborative investment process that is connected to our clients' financial planning and personal goals. We provide access to some of the best investment minds in the business and use a blend of passive and active investment strategies to create globally diversified, low-cost portfolios.
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