Craig and his wife, Ann, have three beautiful, healthy children under the age of 16. Both Craig & Ann are native Iowans.
Their kids are involved in softball, baseball, and soccer where Ann and Craig help coach their kids' teams. The family enjoys playing board games together? Rummikub, Sorry, Life, UNO, Clue and Monopoly of course!
Besides a busy family life, Craig has been very active in the local community. He served 8 years as a Marion City Council Member and 2 years on the Marion Planning and Zoning Commission. Currently he is a Chamber of Commerce member, chair of the Marion Public Services Board, and is on several other boards related to continuing education and advocacy for his profession.
Craig enjoys reading biographies, history, and business books. He is an avid Iowa State Cyclone fan -holding season tickets for multiple sports and watching them play on TV.
We help you gain power over your money through a multi-stage financial planning process. The goal
is to get to know you very, very well to create a customized plan that fits what you and your
family need, not what some high-budget advertising campaign is designed to sell you.
Our goal is to become your trusted partner to help you understand what you have, as well as what
you may need to move you closer to your financial goals. Our independent structure allows us to
work with your current advisor team, or to introduce you to other professionals who may be able
to help you -such as legal or tax advisors.
We want to work with people who value professional advice and want an independent, professional
advisor to help them make informed decisions about their money. If that describes you, we'd like
to meet you to see if we can partner with you.
General Information |
| Firm Start Year: | 2000 | |
| No.of Employees: | 2-4 | |
| Insurance License#: | 6864412 |
| Name of Broker/Dealer: | LPL Financial |
| Name of Custodial Firm: | LPL Financial |
| States Licensed in: | IA, AZ, CO, FL, GA, IL, KS, KY, MN, MO, NE, NY, TX, VA, WI, WY |
| Number of Years with Current Firm: | 20 |
| Work Experience: | Business Owner - 20 years (present) Advisor - Wells Fargo Investments - 4 years |
| Work with the following types of clients: | Non-Profit Organizations, Businesses, Individual Investors |
| Advisory Services Provided: | Financial Planning for Businesses, Financial Advice & Consulting, Annuities, Financial Planning for Individuals, Retirement Planning, Education Funding and Planning, Money Management, Wealth Management, Wealth Management, Insurance Planning, 401K Rollovers, Tax Advice and Services, Estate Planning & Trusts, Portfolio Management |
Services |
| Investment Types: | Stocks, Insurance, IRAs, Annuities, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), Alternative Investments, Bonds, Mutual Funds, Socially Responsible Investments (SRI) |
| Can meet clients in the following ways: | Your Office, Via Phone, Via Email, Video Conference, Your Home, Our Office |
Qualifications & Memberships |
| Insurance and Annuity Licenses: | Variable Life, Variable Annuity, Long Term Care, Life, Health, Disability, Annuity |
| Financial Organization Memberships: | Society of Financial Services Professionals, National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) |
| Non-Financial Organization Memberships: | Chair - Marion Public Services Board Board Member - Marion Senior Living Community Board Member - Cedar Rapids National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors Board Member - Cedar Rapids Society of Financial Service Professionals Board Member - Retirement Income Industry Association Education Board & Peer Reviewer for Retirement Income Journal Member - CEO Roundtable Member - Marion/Cedar Rapids Chamber of Commerce Local President - Iowa State University Alumni Assn for Linn & Johnson Counties Assistant Coach - U-10 Linn Mar baseball Assistant Coach - U-8 AYSO Girls soccer Former - Marion City Council Member Former - Board member of Cedar Rapids Financial Planning Assn. |
Firm Information |
| Advisor's Number of Clients: | 200 |
| Advisor's Number of Managed Clients: | 200 |
| Advisor's Number of Planning Clients: | 150 |
| Assets Managed by Advisor: | $40MM |
Compensation and Fees |
| Fee Structure: | Fee-Based |
| Compensation Methods: | Commissions, Based on Assets, Flat Fee, Hourly |
| Fee % Based on Assets: | 1 |
| Additional Details on Charges: |
Fees are discussed up-front with clients. Fee estimate is provided at time planning engagement is agreed to. Annual fees for investment management are assessed on a sliding scale and may be increased or decreased depending on the services needed by the client. I will work with the client to define those needs to make the appropriate choices when implementing their investment strategy. |
| Minimum Fee Charged for Managed Accounts: | $500 |
| Minimum Fee Charged for Hourly Planning Accounts: | $300 |
| Minimum Fee Charged for Flat Fee Accounts: | $0.00 |
Board Positions |
| Organization: | National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors Statewide |
| Position : | State Board Member |
| Duration : | 01/01/2018-Currently holding |
| Organization: | National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisos Cedar Rapids Metro |
| Position : | Local Board Member |
| Duration : | 01/01/2016-Currently holding |
| Organization: | Society of Financial Services Professionals Cedar Rapids Metro |
| Position : | Local Board Member |
| Duration : | 01/01/2016-Currently holding |
| Organization: | Linn County Solid Waste Agency Linn County |
| Position : | Member |
| Duration : | 02/01/2020-Currently holding |
| Organization: | Marion Public Services Marion, IA |
| Position : | Chair |
| Duration : | 05/01/2014-Currently holding |
Education |
| Bachelor of Arts |
Iowa State University - Ames, Iowa
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Financial Services |
Financial Advice & ConsultingWe help clients match their finances to their unique needs. For those client who want their finances to better reflect their values we invite you to explore our "Empowered Wealth" program. |
Financial Planning for IndividualsAre you a busy person? Lots of our clients are -family, work, volunteering, you name it! Many of them are fully capable of managing their own money. But they have partnered with us to help keep them on track or to stay on track toward their goals. |
Financial Planning for BusinessesOur business clients are busy running a company. In most cases they have employees who are counting on them for a paycheck. There isn't a lot of time or energy left most days to stay up on some of the tax implications of owning a business. We work with our clients to identify strengths and weaknesses in their personal and business planning as it directly impacts how much they pay in taxes versus how much money they keep in their pocket. |
Risk managementWe help you determine what risks you are exposed to and if you have the appropriate coverage for the risk you are willing to bear. We partner with nearly 50 top companies to help our clients manage the risk and protect their families and/or businesses should the worst happen. |
Portfolio ManagementWe are independent. So we are able to use products from nearly all companies who partner with independent advisors. We can work passively or actively depending on the needs of our clients. |
Retirement PlanningFor most people this is the most important part of their planning. We spend a lot of time understanding our clients' current health situation, and where they see challenges in the future. Successfully managing "longevity" is directly related to how you manage money so you don't run out of it. Most people don't understand this relationship. We help them with that struggle by sorting out and identifying the challenges so we can create strategies to meet them head on. |
401K RolloversWe help educate people on their options before doing anything. Its why we beleive so strongly in the planning process. When you know your ?why? and your ?what? then decisions become much clearer. |
AnnuitiesKen Fischer hates annuities. But he doesn't really know how they work, nor does he want to. He makes alot of money by scaring people with outrageous statements while failing to explain how much he charges for his services. On the otherhand, we love annuities -when our clients actually need them and understand their purpose in an overall retirement income strategy. Annuities don't have to be scary, or hated, or bad. But when used incorrectly they certainly can be. So don't be afraid to ask questions. We try to help our clients make educated choices related to using annuities to create lifetime income for themselves. |
Insurance PlanningDo you love buying insurance? Didn't think so. Most people would rather die than deal with it. We get that. Which is why we don't work for an insurance company directly or via an affiliation. We are able to "broker" all our insurance -life, disability, and long-term care to multiple companies. That way we can offer more than one option and a variety of pricing options. |
Estate Planning & TrustsThis is an important but scary part of financial planning. We work hard to minimize the complexity and the scare tactics that some people use to explain how trusts and estates work in the real world. Not everyone should have a trust, but everyone is going to die so we all need a plan on how to handle our affairs after death. |
Tax Advice and ServicesWe love tax planning! While none of our staff are enrolled agents or CPAs, we work closely with them (whether it is your advisor or you ask to be referred to one we know) to minimize or even eliminate future taxes. This is an important part of our planning for clients and changes as often as Congress is in session. |
Education Funding and PlanningWe have numerous options to provide help for your child or grandchild. We have college planning and selection services along with strategies to maximize your ability to receive financial aid. We can also educate you on the realities and myths of 529 plans. |
Investment Advice & ManagementWe have many strategies and have access to too many companies to mention here. The important thing is to figure out what you need and why. Then we can find a strategy that matches your needs. |
Wealth ManagementWealth management encompasses many different aspects of personal finance. And for clients with high net worth (over $3 million) there are many intricacies... especially tax planning and legacy planning that become increasingly important to managing wealth for current and future generations. |
Money ManagementWhile we do help clients with their budget, for people who struggle with debt and bill paying we have partnered with a local company who is better equipped to handle those special situation. |
Wealth ManagementWhen you have been successful, it seems like their are more complications than when you didn't have any money. Wealth management encompasses more than investing -it includes tax planning and risk management, as well as estate planning. And then there is the everyday cashflow issues of running a household. We help clients think thru what they value most and build a plan that fits their personal situation. |
Faqs |
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Do you have a customer satisfaction or refund policy? No. All our planning and analysis work is done on a fee-only basis. A client or potential client cannot buy anything other than my time and expertise. This reduces, if not eliminates, the potential for conflict of interest in assessing a clients financial situation. |
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Why should I choose you as my financial advisor? I have been advising clients since 1996. I hold four specialized retirement credentials and actively pursue over 70 hours of continuing education each year on a variety of financial planning topics including: Retirement Accumulation Planning; Retirement Income Distribution Planning; Estate Planning; Income Tax Planning; and College Planning. |
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What are your qualifications? What is your education background? While the numbers are important, YOU -the client- are most important. A personalized financial plan is useless until it is implemented. If we don't understand you, and you don't understanding the ?what? and the ?why? you won't take action. The majority of our clients want us to create the plan and help them implement the steps. |
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How do you charge for your services? My firm offers independent financial planning and investment management. We specialize in managing both phases of your retirement planning: Accumulation (Saving) and Distribution/De-Accumulation (Spending). This includes portfolio management, insurance coverage, and tax planning. Our clients don't want to live with their children, nor ask them for money. They too want to be independent for their entire lifetime. |
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How are you compensated? How will I pay for your services? I manage nearly 200 households. My practice grows by 15 to 20 households each year. My goal is to serve 250 households by 2020. At that time I will expand my office by adding additional advisors and support staff. |
Disclosures |
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LPL ADV 2A https://www.lpl.com/content/dam/lpl-www/documents/disclosures/A58.pdf LPL WiserAdvisor Cash Solicitor Disclosure |
Disclaimer |
| Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor. Member FINRA/SIPC. Financial Planning offered through TrueWealth Stewardship, a Registered Investment Advisor and a separate entity from LPL Financial. |
Registered Representative:
Yes
Investment Advisor Representative:
Yes
Acknowledged fiduciary:
Yes
Compliance Disclosures in Last 5 years:
Have a clean record
Criminal Disclosures in Last 5 years:
Have a clean record
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Mon. | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
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Tue. | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
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Wed. | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
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Thu. | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
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Fri. | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
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Sat. | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Alburnett | Amana |
| Anamosa | Atkins |
| Cedar Rapids | Center Point |
| Central City | Coggon |
| Coralville | Ely |
| Fairfax | Hiawatha |
| Hopkinton | Lisbon |
| Martelle | Mechanicsville |
| Middle Amana | Monticello |
| Morley | Mount Vernon |
| Newhall | North Liberty |
| Norway | Olin |
| Palo | Quasqueton |
| Rowley | Ryan |
| Shellsburg | Solon |
| Springville | Stanwood |
| Swisher | Tiffin |
| Urbana | Vinton |
| Walford | Walker |
| Any | |
| Check | Bank Transfer |
| Visa | MasterCard |
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