This post is part of Across the Table, the series where I answer the questions women actually ask me, the way I would if we were sitting across from one another. The first entry covered the money questions: do we have enough, can we keep our lifestyle, which accounts come first, Social Security timing, and what happens if one of us dies first.
This one covers a different kind of question. These are the ones about me, about fit, and about how working together actually works.
1. What does “fee-only fiduciary” actually mean, and why should I care?
Fee-only means the only money I make comes directly from my clients. No commissions, no products to sell, no company steering my recommendations. I structured my business that way on purpose, so that when I give advice on what you should own, you can trust that I mean it, with no product quietly paying me more than another.
Fiduciary means I’m legally required to act in your best interest, all the time, not just when it’s convenient. A more detailed comparison is on my process page.
If you’re interviewing any advisor, start with these two questions: “How exactly do you get paid?” and “Are you a fiduciary 100% of the time?” The answers tell you whose interests sit at the center of the advice.
2. Will I work with you directly, or get handed off to a team?
With me, every meeting, every year. I keep Thistle Wealth deliberately small so that I know each family’s full picture, remember the conversation from last spring, and notice when something shifts.
That’s the benefit of a small practice: when you call, a real person (me) answers and gives you real information. No pressing 1 five times, no AI receptionist standing between you and an actual answer.
3. Is our situation the kind you work with?
My clients are typically women, and couples where she leads the finances, about five to eight years from retirement, usually with at least $1 million in investable assets. What many of my clients share is complexity: multiple retirement accounts, taxable investments, sometimes a rental property, an inheritance, or equity compensation, all of which need to work together to be as tax efficient as possible.
If we’re not the right fit, I’ll tell you directly and point you somewhere better suited. Nobody benefits from a mismatch, least of all you. I’m committed to helping you find the best fit for you, even if it’s not me.
4. Do you understand what retirement looks like here in Corvallis, Oregon?
I grew up on a farm just south of town, and Thistle Wealth is “rooted” here. (Pun intended.) Many of my local clients built their careers at Oregon State (Go Beavs!), Samaritan Health, or HP, and their retirement pictures show it.
OSU employees are usually either on the OPSRP pension track or chose the self-directed ORP through TIAA or Fidelity, and the two paths call for very different planning. At HP, there’s usually an old 401(k) to coordinate, whether it stays in the plan or uses the BrokerageLink account, and it has to tie in with the HP Equity Plan and any HP pension. All of that then needs to work with everything saved outside of work, whether that’s rentals or a side business. I’ve written in more depth about what your OSU benefits package is actually worth and what to review before accepting an HP early retirement offer.
Getting those pieces to pull in the same direction is critical, and Corvallis has a great community of CPAs and estate attorneys I work alongside so your whole plan moves as one.
And while Corvallis is home, I work with families across the country on the same family financial planning questions.
5. How do we bring our adult kids into the plan without handing over control?
Slowly, through education, and on your terms. There’s a real difference between showing your children the full balance sheet and making sure they know where things are, who to call, and what you’ve decided. Most families need the second long before the first.
Clarity instead of confusion is one of the kindest gifts you can give your children.
Ask me the eleventh question
Every family has one more question that didn’t make either list. That’s the one I most want to hear.
If any of these answers sounds like the way you want to work, start with the short form on my contact page. It asks what you’re hoping for, which lets me show up to our first conversation already prepared for you. And if you haven’t read the money questions yet, start there. More Across the Table entries are coming; each one takes a single question and goes deep.
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not personalized financial, tax, legal, or investment advice. Your situation is unique and may call for different strategies than those described here. Please consult with a qualified professional who can provide guidance tailored to your specific circumstances. All investing involves risk, including potential loss of principal.
