Gender: Men

Alan Nelson, CFP®, MBA, ChFC®, MQFP®
Specializations:Military Retirement / Transition, Veteran in Tech & Equity Compensation, Military Divorce

Alan Nelson, CFP

Hi, I’m Alan, Founder of Measured Money Maneuvers. My passion is to help military, veterans and military family members live their best and full rich lives. Coming from a modest background, I knew money was tight and it helped me quickly learn the value of a dollar. I got my first paper route at age 10 and was able to help support the family and earn my own things from a very young age. At eighteen, I was independent and living on my own, attending community college and working full-time to make ends meet, but was not sure what I wanted to do with my life, and knew I didn’t want to get shackled with a ton of student loan debt. That’s when I enlisted in the Navy with the goals to serve our country, learn valuable skills, hopefully figure out what I wanted to pursue in life, and get my college education paid for, or at least get the GI Bill to assist with college later. I was fortunate to earn a commissioning program and while I initially thought I’d transition out in 6-8 years, I went on to serve a career as a submarine officer. As a 25-year mustang officer, I understand and empathize with both the enlisted and officer communities.

As a young junior officer, I wanted to help my Sailors holistically – professionally, personally and of course, financially. Many young service members make poor early financial decisions that can take them years to recover from due to: 1) lack of financial literacy, 2) having their own paycheck for the first time in many cases and, 3) being the target of many unprincipled salespeople.

Initially, I would bring in outside personnel to “train” my departments on investing but realized 1) these outsiders were not very good 2) they didn’t really care about my people and 3) did not provide actionable steps for my team – it became apparent that I needed to know this subject material well enough to teach them myself. Through years of self-study and my own personal mistakes, I’d learned a great deal and started teaching my crew to help put them on the right path early, and hopefully avoid making the same mistakes I did.

I considered financial advising when I was transitioning to the private sector, but I didn’t like what I saw in too much of the industry. Too many high fee models serving only rich people to protect their assets, and still too many salespeople working on commission under a “suitability” standard vice being fiduciaries who must act in clients’ best interests.

I continue teaching personal finance and investing along with career transition assistance to transitioning military, military spouses, veterans and high-tech engineers as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional, but realized that I could truly help more people by launching my own fee-only, fiduciary registered investment advisor (RIA) firm, Measured Money Maneuvers LLC.

Schedule a Free Consultation

Alan Nelson, CFP®, MBA, ChFC®, MQFP®
Measured Money Manuevers LLC
Solana Beach, CA 92075
858-432-9440
www.MeasuredMoneyManeuvers.com

Brian O’Neill, CFP®
Specializations:Active Duty Aviators, Airline Pilot Families, Senior Officer (O6/GO) Retirement

Brian ONeill, CFP

Hi, I’m Brian, founder of Winged Wealth Management and Financial Planning. After 23 years flying and commanding in F-16s and F-35s, I became a Certified Financial Planner® and started my firm to become what I could not find on my own financial journey: an advisor that specializes in helping wealth-minded, DIYer’s get fiduciary advice on their own terms. I provide organization, objectivity, education, accountability, proactivity, and partnership to help families navigate transitions, clarify complexity, and sleep well knowing their dreams are on track.

I became a fee-only financial planner to help the military and veteran communities build wealth and achieve their dreams. As I came up through the ranks, I could never find a financial professional that wasn’t either a salesman in disguise, or just trying to gather assets to manage. I needed professional, military-experienced advice, but I still wanted to keep my hands on the stick and throttle. As I evaluated my transition back to civilian life, I found the community of fee-only financial planners that truly serve their clients as fiduciaries—obligated to put the client’s interests first at all times. I knew I was in the right place!

In the last half of my Air Force career, I often felt that my career field was “squadron financial advisor,” and I was usually happiest when I was helping my fellow airmen analyze financial challenges, plan ways to surmount them, and then execute the plans to a successful conclusion.
Of course, as is often quoted, “Plans are nothing. Planning is everything.” I believe that the real secret sauce is ongoing financial planning—integrating cash flow, insurance, tax, investing, education, and retirement planning continuously and holistically. I believe that conflicts of interest are inherent in every financial relationship, so it’s crucial to be transparent and proactive discussing, identifying, and mitigating them.

I serve families across the nation and offer 4 different service models so that clients can choose the best fit for themselves. I can help you with hourly advice and analysis, a one-time financial plan, ongoing planning, or investment management with ongoing planning. I work alongside your accounting, tax, and legal professionals to bridge the gaps and seams in your financial world.

When I’m not helping families shape their future, I enjoy all things cycling, swimming, running, water and snow with my wife and two daughters.

Schedule a Free Consultation

Brian O’Neill, CFP®
Winged Wealth Management and Financial Planning, LLC
Niceville, FL 32578
850-739-0331
www.wingedwealth.com

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Derek Merkler, CFP®
Specializations:Military to Corporate Transition, Young Veterans in Corporate World, Stock Options

Derek Merkler, CFP

Hi, I’m Derek. I spent 8 years as an Army aviator at stations like FT Rucker, FT Riley, and FT Hood along with a deployment to Afghanistan and culminating in 18 months as an Apache helicopter troop commander at FT Hood. Like other Veterans, I packed up and moved many times and spent too much time away from my family, especially as my wife was stationed separately from me for the first 5 years of our marriage. I left the Army after achieving my career goal of commanding a line company, one of the most fulfilling and challenging times in my life so far.

I launched my Trophy Point Financial Planning based on my own financial successes and failures and those of my peers, recognizing that most companies out there are selling financial products to earn commissions and hit sales targets while primarily working with people who are already wealthy.

My mission is to help Veterans and young professionals create financial structure in their lives and BUILD wealth. I figure out all the small yet important details…so you don’t have to.

I primarily work with Veterans in their 20s, 30s, and 40s who are looking to plan for their transition from the military to the corporate world.  That age range is the most complex in life… family, kids, home ownership, careers, and the resulting financial obligations all while trying to figure out that long-term goal of financial independence and/or retirement.  Adding in everything tied to leaving the military and starting a corporate career means that these Veterans can make big mistakes… and seize great opportunities.

Outside of financial planning, I have a bit of a need for speed.  I like stuff that goes fast… cars, motorcycles, bicycles, airplanes, and horses. I follow Formula 1 and endurance car racing… and may have typed this bio while watching the 24 Hours of Le Mans at 3 AM. I’ll watch MotoGP, World Superbike, and the Tour de France when they are on TV.

I also help my family raise thoroughbred racehorses near Lexington, KY. So, when I’m not working on financial plans, I’m trying to not get kicked by a mare or her foal! Every year in April and October, I host friends and clients for a behind the scenes tour of Kentucky horse racing during Keeneland’s opening weekend.  Our goal is to someday breed a horse that runs in the Kentucky Derby or Breeder’s Cup. We’ve come close already but missed out when that horse was injured.

I always want to leave someone with useful takeaways after they meet with me regardless of their decision to become a client. Below this bio is a link to my calendar.  When you schedule the 45-minute intro call, we will see if it makes sense to work together and I will leave you with my thoughts on your top 1-3 financial priorities given your stated goals.

Schedule a Free Consultation

Derek Merkler, CFP®
Trophy Point Financial Planning, LLC
Stamping Ground, KY 40379
864-432-5575
www.trophypointfp.com

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Daniel Kopp, CFP®
Specializations: Gold Star Widows, Dual Military Couples, & FIRE

Hello, I’m Daniel – husband to Anna, widower to Sarah, Air Force veteran, business owner, writer, speaker, financial planner, and Christ-follower. I’m the founder of Wise Stewardship Financial Planning where we offer fee-only, fiduciary financial planning and investment advice with a special focus on young widows and widowers as well as servicemembers and their families.

I’ve always been interested in money since I was a little kid, including out-bidding my siblings for chores-for-hire, to providing loans to my siblings and friends when they had spent all their money and diligently saving my allowance for future goals. Over time this evolved into reading the stock pages in the newspaper as a young teenager and then choosing to major in economics in college. After completing Air Force ROTC at Purdue University, I commissioned as an officer into the Air Force in 2009 but continued my personal interest into personal finances, investing, and all things money-related.

In addition to being a CFP® practitioner, I’ve spent thousands of hours studying financial planning topics and am currently going deeper in the work of Financial Therapy with a Masters at Kansas State University. I also had the opportunity to be a volunteer financial counselor during many of the years when I was on active duty in addition to helping and educating family and friends over the years. Thanks to countless help along the way, I learned more about the financial services industry and found my way to fee-only, fiduciary financial planning. It was through these experiences that sparked my passion and helped me realize what I wanted to do whenever I decided to leave the military!

As an officer on active duty for almost 9 years, along with a brother, sister, and brother-in-law in the military, I experienced firsthand the benefits and challenges that military life can have on all aspects of life especially finances. Frequent changes like TDY’s, deployments, and PCS’s add unique potential opportunities and obstacles to meeting goals and dreams. Add in the often disparate and sometimes confusing military pay, benefits, scattered military benefits and discounts, and countless people offering advice or services, and there is often a lack of clarity on how best to optimize all of these to best meet goals.

I also know that grief is hard. But sometimes, determining what’s next is even harder.

I know because I’ve walked that road before. Like you, I know what loss is like and how it affects your financial life. It is my honor to compassionately guide my clients with financial planning and advice as a trusted companion in your ongoing grief journey.

Schedule a Free Consultation

Daniel Kopp, MA, MS, CFP®
Wise Stewardship Financial Planning, LLC
Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202
857-209-8437
www.wisestewardshipfp.com

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Sam Lewis, CFP®
Specializations: Guard & Reserve Members, Dual Status FERS Employees, Young Families

Sam Lewis, CFP

Greetings, I’m Sam, the founder of SJL Financial. Although I’ve spent my entire life in Delaware, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to explore the world through my travels. My journey began when I joined the military during high school, and today, almost 25 years later, I still proudly serve. Over the years, I’ve held diverse roles ranging from farmhand, drafter, and land surveyor to personal trainer, air cargo craftsman, recruiter, and senior enlisted leader. However, my true passion lies in financial planning.

Money management wasn’t always my strong suit, but meeting the love of my life inspired me to do better. The spark was ignited when, during a family trip to Disney World in 2013, I came across a copy of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine at an airport gift shop. This eye-opening experience made me realize how much I didn’t know about the financial considerations that would shape our future.
Determined to learn and grow, I immersed myself in every available resource. In 2018, I was honored to receive a full Veteran’s Scholarship to the American College of Financial Services through the Penn Mutual Center for Veterans Affairs. The rigorous coursework for the Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) curriculum followed, culminating in earning both the ChFC and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designations in 2022.

During my exploration of financial planning concepts, I recognized a gap in the industry’s ability to meet the unique needs of military families. I wanted to become a resource that could leverage the specific pay and benefits of military service to overcome obstacles and achieve goals.

Today, my mission is to serve you. I am committed to helping you understand your financial situation, setting clear goals for your future, and providing a well-marked path to success. Money is not only about numbers but also about emotions. It drives our dreams and supports our lifestyles, yet it can also create worries that keep us awake at night.
A financial plan is more than just investments, insurance, or products. It should be a collaborative effort, taking into account your partner and important relationships in your life. It encourages important but sometimes difficult conversations, being honest about the limits of your resources while remaining reasonable about assumptions regarding the unknown. It blends mathematical concepts with behavioral challenges, fostering accountability, confidence, and hope.

Currently, only 33% of people have a written financial plan, according to Schwab. I’m determined to change that statistic, as I believe everyone deserves a financial plan. Even if you’re on a path without a plan right now, having a written financial plan can make that path intentional.
When you’re ready to put your path on a plan, I’m here to help! My enthusiasm lies in transforming people’s lives through personalized financial planning. Let’s assess where you stand and discuss the life you aspire to build—because together, we can plan for that!

Schedule a Free Consultation

Sam Lewis, CFP®, ChFC®

SJL Financial, LLC
Wilmington, DE 19803
302-827-7526
www.wecanplanforthat.com

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Mike Hunsberger, ChFC®, CFP®, CCFC, MQFP
Specializations: Approaching Military Transition, Tax Planning, College Planning for Families with Jr/Sr High School Students, One-time and Project-based planning

Financial decisions are complex and interconnected.  Military life can add additional challenges. But, it also comes with benefits from reduced taxes, medical care, and a great pension for those who serve until they are retirement eligible.

So whether your concerns center on preparing for military retirement or transition, maximizing the use of the GI Bill, protecting your loved ones, or investing for the future, all can impact your financial freedom.

At Next Mission Financial Planning, we believe true
Financial Freedom = Options.  Our process is designed to help you set and achieve your Freedom By Date while balancing that with living your best life.

We work best with folks that are interested in learning and actively partnering through our planning only option or with those who are busy and just want to have someone do it for them through our planning + investment management option.

Let’s talk about how I might be able to help you achieve your goals.

A little about me:  I loved my 25-years in the Air Force but wanted to do something different when I retired. I’ve always enjoyed financial planning for myself as well as for friends and family.  Part of my learning curve was purchasing insurance and very high-fee mutual funds sold by a company that focuses on military personnel and who I believed had my best interest in mind. This is part of the reason I want to help military families… I don’t want them to make the same mistakes. I desire to educate you about your options, provide advice that is always in your best interest without having to sell specific products.

I’ll be excited to talk with you to see if we would be a fit and work together to achieve your Next Mission.

Service Offerings
– Planning Only
– Planning with Asset Management
– One-time or Project-based Plans
– Single Fee for all services

Visit our Website or Schedule an Introductory Call

Mike Hunsberger, ChFC®, CFP®, CCFC, MQFP
Next Mission Financial Planning, LLC
Saint Charles, MO 63301
314-328-0086
www.NextMissionFinancialPlanning.com

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Greg Young, CFP®, EA, ChFC®
Specializations: Educators, Military Transition to Federal/State Government, & Tax Planning/Preparation

Greg Young, CFP

When I started this journey, I didn’t even know financial advisors existed, let alone what they did or what financial planning was! I did know that I like money and I like solving complexities.

I went to Bryant University, a business school, and following graduation, I enlisted as a “nuke” in the world’s finest Navy. I served in the engineering department aboard the USS Pittsburgh and as one of her ship’s scuba divers. I read all the investing books I could find and listened to colleagues talk about stocks and rental properties, but I didn’t discover this industry until I got out. Enter my plot twist. Despite my passion for sports, fitness, and my various physical collateral duties onboard, I was diagnosed with cancer… twice. I was medically retired a year later, which was tough because I was (perhaps still am) a huge “dig it.”

I discovered the financial services industry while studying for my investment licenses and interviewing for advisor positions, keeping engineer positions as a backup. This allowed me to cut my teeth at a big-name, mid-western insurance and investment company. After some time, I realized that I was outgrowing my office both in education and vision. I broke away and formed Ahead Full Wealth Management to serve the communities that matter most to me and to serve them better than I ever could in my previous practice. Unlike most engineers, I use my powers actually to make your life and planning easier and more enjoyable! The best part is that I’ve been able to welcome Joe Brown, Ph.D., to my team and give him a launch ramp following his Coast Guard retirement to continue to serve as well!

Together we have a unique team that can add considerable value to families in the Military, Federal or State Governments, and Education. We’ve both served, we both have long-time marriages to teachers, and we’ve both taught at the college level. I am an adjunct at Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island, sharing knowledge and practical experience in management and finance topics.

I hold a Master’s in Advanced Financial Planning with a concentration in taxation from Golden Gate University. I’m a Certified Financial PlannerⓇ, Enrolled Agent, and Chartered Financial ConsultantⓇ. These designations mean that I have passed rigorous education requirements and abide by strict ethical standards of conduct. Additionally, being an enrolled agent means that I can prepare taxes and provide advice crucial to a successful financial plan.

If you’re interested, we’d love to meet you!

Schedule a Free Consultation

Greg Young, CFP®, EA, ChFC®
Ahead Full Wealth Management, LLC
North Kingstown, RI 02852
401-584-0313
www.aheadfullwealth.com

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Erik Baskin, CFP®
Specializations: Military Transition, Dual Military Couples, Small Business Owners

Erik Baskin, CFP

Hi, I’m Erik, Founder of Baskin Financial Planning, a fee-only financial planning firm located in Colorado Springs, Colorado focused on serving military families and business owners. In 2018, after graduating the U.S. Air Force Academy with an Economics degree, I began my professional career as a hospital administrator in the Air Force. As I was sitting in my apartment in Cheyenne, Wyoming after work every day, I quickly realized that this wasn’t going to be a career for me. It was a great first job, but wasn’t ultimately my calling and didn’t get me up out of bed every morning. I was captain of a Division I hockey team in college, and I still have that competitive drive that I need to harness into something. I knew that I needed to start a business, I just didn’t know what yet.

For the next 9 months, I binged business and entrepreneurship books and researched business ideas. I had a One Note with about 20 different ideas. I was teaching myself to code computer software, trade foreign exchange, and anything else that I could get my hands on.

One book in particular called the $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau said that you should find something that people naturally come to you for, something that you are passionate about, and something that people will pay for. This was my lightbulb moment. For me, that thing has always been investing and personal finance. I was always interested in the stock market, and many times found myself in conversations giving people finance pointers. I had also seen what the typical financial advisor did for family and friends, and was very frustrated with the lack of transparency, and lack of value for the fees that are paid.

From there on out, I was dead set on building a fee-only financial planning firm to help families align their money with their values. I began building the groundwork for Baskin Financial Planning in early 2019 while getting my MBA, studying for and passing the CFP exam, then finally launching the business in 2021 all while serving on active duty.

When I’m not busy nerding out with clients on financial planning and investing, I keep busy by spending time with my wife Shelley and my two Greyhound Annie, coaching hockey, working out, playing golf, hunting, going to country concerts, or reading a book outside on my favorite subject…personal finance.

 

Schedule a Free Consultation

Erik Baskin, CFP® 
Baskin Financial Planning, LLC
Colorado Springs, CO 80921
719-203-1463
www.baskinfp.com

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Dan Huffman
Specializations: Real Estate Investing, FIRE, Veteran Entrepeneurs

Dan Huffman, ChFC

Hello! I’m Dan, and I founded Cornerstone Financial Planning, LLC to help people live out their ideal life today through strategic financial planning and real estate investing. Life is too short to live with tension between our time, money, and values. The more clarity I’ve gotten on my values, the more I realized that I needed to redesign my life. I strive to live intentionally and focused on these most important areas in my life, which are my faith, my family, and making the biggest impact that I can in the world around me. My mission is to help you discover your ideal life, and then to create and carry out your personalized financial plan to make it happen!
Ideal Clients

My primary areas of expertise and that I enjoy working in the most are early retirement planning (in-line with the Financial Independence Retire Early – FIRE – community) and real estate investing. I add the most value to young(ish!) people in their 20s-50s who are looking to build wealth and replace their active income with rental income, freeing them up to take command of their time, energy, and life. However, I’ve also gotten a lot of fulfillment helping some Clients who were a little late to begin accelerating their retirement investments in preparation of a more traditional retirement timeline.

Financial Planning & Coaching for Real Estate Investors (and beginners!)
I incorporate real estate investment coaching into my ongoing financial planning process for those clients who want to pursue time and financial freedom through real estate investing but aren’t sure where to start, are afraid of making expensive mistakes, or who recognize that they simply don’t know what they don’t know about beginning to invest in real estate. My aim is to be that coach that actually knows you, your life goals, and your financial situation and has a fiduciary responsibility to you rather than some random person on the internet selling you and everyone else they can get to click their link a course with nothing but videos without any one-on-one coaching that’s in-line with your financial plan. My ongoing Clients who are real estate investors receive significant access to me for financial planning and real estate coaching so that they can make investment decisions in a timely manner with the utmost confidence. This is what I wish I had when I was starting out! The only problem with me back then? I was too cheap to pay for it and I couldn’t find anything as robust as what I wanted. But since then, I’ve come to learn the truth of Robert Kiyosaki’s quote “Experience is expensive, education is cheap”. And of course, my coaching includes the financial analyses and strategic tax planning that general coaching programs don’t include, because they can’t!

Financial Planning for FIRE
While real estate investing is a passion and one of the greatest ways that I’ve found to make an impact that extends beyond my immediately community, I’m also passionate about the FIRE community and financial education. For those of you interested in more of a beginner-level financial plan for early retirement, I offer those as one-time plans or as ongoing engagements to help plan out your desired retirement, or recreational employment as I prefer to call it! I really enjoy planning out for different phases of life and helping you envision what each might look like and how we can tax plan around those times when you may have less active income.

About Dan

My wife, son, and I live in Colorado Springs, CO. I began my professional career as an athletic trainer out of college, working at a couple different DI universities. After getting burned out, I switched to physical therapy and was accepted into the Army-Baylor Doctor of Physical Therapy (PT) Program, which was the #5 ranked program in the USA at the time. So, in 2010, I direct commissioned, and I never looked back. I spent 11 years on active duty serving as a PT and deploying twice to Afghanistan. Our last duty station was at Landstuhl, Germany, and we absolutely loved it with all the Christmas markets and how easily we could travel! We have been to 37 countries and counting! But while I loved my time serving our nation’s servicemembers, over time I became more passionate about teaching them personal finance education rather than cracking backs and stabbing people with needles (the official term is “dry needling”) and I also had a couple of key experiences that weren’t so good where I didn’t feel that the military had my best interest in mind. So, in 2021, I ETS’d and switched to the Reserve component where I plan on completing my Army career and to take a sabbatical from working full time to go through the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) educational program, which I completed and passed the exam in July 2022 before finally launching my firm in early 2023. I’m now grateful to be part of a group of advisors such as MFAA and I look forward to serving you if I’m the best fit! If not, I’ll gladly refer you to someone that I think may be better for your situation.

Schedule a Free Consultation

Dan Huffman
Cornerstone Financial Planning, LLC
Colorado Springs, CO 80924
719-286-0403
www.cornerstonefiplanning.com