Frequently Asked Questions

Do you offer a free consultation?

Definitely. Embolden Financial Planning LLC offers a free, no-obligation introductory meeting as a chance for you to share your questions and concerns, ask questions, and learn more about how the process works. After the meeting, feel free to email any questions you have or even schedule another free, introductory meeting. Click here if you’re ready to schedule.

What process and timeline can I expect when I become a client?

Upon notifying Embolden Financial Planning LLC that you would like to become a client, you will receive instructions on how to schedule a meeting that works for your schedule. Our first virtual meeting usually happens within a week or two. A contract will be sent to you along with an invoice for 50% of the estimated cost of the project after our first meeting. Then, depending on how quickly you can provide information and responses to questions, we will be on our way. A financial goal plan can take four months or more, depending on availability and complexity.

How often will we meet?

Each situation is different. The development of a financial goal plan typically takes four meetings. After that, it is valuable to plan for review meetings at least annually, but meetings can be more frequent based on client needs and preferences. For financial advice and limited-scope projects, the number of meetings really depends on the situation. An estimate of the time, cost, and number of meetings needed to complete a project will be provided up front.

What is a fiduciary?

A fiduciary is someone who must act in the best interests of their clients. Embolden Financial Planning LLC’s Tim Melia, as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional, has committed to the CFP® Board's Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct, which include his fiduciary Duty of Loyalty to clients and his Duty of Care for clients. Tim's commitment to the fiduciary rule is why Embolden Financial Planning LLC is an independent firm, providing transparent advice free of outside influence.

What is your investment philosophy?

Embolden Financial Planning LLC's investment philosophy focuses on passive, index-based ETFs and mutual funds. Active management may be recommended in certain cases. Embolden Financial Planning LLC also offers sustainable investing options for clients interested in a portfolio that promotes environmental sustainability, social justice, and sound corporate governance factors.

Where will you hold my assets?

Embolden Financial Planning LLC does not control your accounts. You can hold your assets wherever you wish. If you aren't sure where to hold your assets, that will be part of the recommendation process. You will be provided with instructions on how to implement recommended trades in your accounts, and Embolden Financial Planning will always be available to answer questions or offer helpful guidance on implementation.

Can I work with you if I don't live in Seattle?

Absolutely! As a fully virtual firm, Embolden Financial Planning LLC offers the same convenient experience to clients in Seattle, throughout Washington State, Oregon, California, and beyond.

Why do you only work virtually?

Meeting virtually is convenient, efficient, and environmentally friendly. Embolden Financial Planning LLC is a big proponent of offering approachable financial planning in a comfortable environment for clients, like your own living room or home office. Embolden Financial Planning LLC hosts virtual meetings via Zoom.

How do you receive payment?

Embolden Financial Planning LLC charges an hourly fee for financial advice and planning. After getting a sense of the work to be done, Embolden Financial Planning LLC will provide an estimate on the amount of time it will take to complete the financial plan or project work. A contract detailing the work and an invoice requesting 50% upfront will be sent to you. Upon completion of the work, the remaining balance will be due. If the work takes less time than estimated, the final invoice will reflect that. If the work will take more time than estimated, Embolden Financial Planning LLC will contact you for approval to proceed. Invoices are sent electronically via AdvicePay, a secure billing platform, and payments can be made via ACH.

Do you sell any financial or investment products, like annuities or insurance, that earn you a commission?

No. Embolden Financial Planning only offers hourly, fee-only financial planning and advice. As a fee-only financial planning firm, payment comes directly from clients. Embolden Financial Planning LLC does not earn commissions of any kind for product sales or referrals. It is the only method of compensation that is transparent, objective, and minimizes conflicts of interest.

What financial planning software do you use?

Embolden Financial Planning LLC utilizes a financial planning software tool named RightCapital. This software tool supports the work we will do together with financial goal planning, retirement planning, tax planning, social security optimization, budgeting, education analysis, insurance planning, and estate planning. Embolden Financial Planning LLC uses RightCapital and its Yodlee integration for client account aggregation, a tool for you to securely share your account information without revealing your login and password information. It also serves as a tool for secure, cloud-based document sharing and storage.

Is my personal information safe?

Embolden Financial Planning LLC takes the security of your personal information very seriously. To learn more about the measures our technology providers take to make sure your information is safe and secure, please click here.

What does a financial goal plan look like?

Click here to view a sample financial goal plan for fictional clients Homer and Marge. The plan will be different for everyone, and some sections may not apply to your financial life, but this sample report will show you many of the possible topics.

What is Advice-Only financial planning?

It’s financial planning with transparent pricing. It is advice from a financial planner committed to doing what’s in the best interest of clients at all times. It’s financial planning advice without taking custody of your account; you don’t have to move your money to Embolden Financial Planning LLC for management. It’s financial planning without conflicts of interest because there are no products being sold, no commissions, and no assets under management. Just advice.

Is Tim Melia a financial advisor?

There are many definitions for what a financial advisor (or financial adviser) is, and many of them are the same as for a financial planner. Tim Melia uses the title financial planner, in part because he is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional. To learn more about what a financial advisor is or what a financial planner is, please read What is a Financial Planner?

Where have you appeared in the media?

Tim Melia and Embolden Financial Planning LLC have been selected to appear in several prominent publications. Embolden Financial Planning’s In The Media page features articles from NerdWallet, MarketWatch, Bankrate, CBS News, CNBC, Yahoo!Finance, The Seattle Times, and more.

What is a review meeting?

A review meeting is an opportunity to follow up on the implementation of the plan recommendations and to analyze the investment portfolio for rebalancing or other trade recommendations. The financial goal plan can be updated to reflect any changes so as to remain an informative tool on the path to achieving your goals, and a review meeting is an ideal time to revisit the plan. Finally, a review meeting is a perfect time to ask any other questions that may be on your mind.

Still have a question?

Feel free to send Tim an email at tim.melia@emboldenfp.com or submit your question here.

How do we start?

Be Emboldened.

Take the next step and schedule a free, no-obligation,
virtual introductory meeting.