FAQ

An independent and virtual-first financial services firm that assists people in planning for their retirement income distribution.

An area of financial planning focused on managing spending, investments, risks, and taxes to meet daily expenditures for as long as possible, maintain a desired standard of living, provide a legacy for the family or community, and preserve liquidity for unexpected expenses and contingencies during retirement. 

Many financial planning firms focus on helping their clients accumulate retirement assets. It is important to save for retirement, but planning for how to spend it in retirement is much more challenging. Managing steady spending power over a potentially long retirement while facing many risks isn't something everyone can manage effectively. Our clients benefit from our unique combination of experience, skills, and training in this problem domain.

• You are an empty nester with needs centered on you.
• You are 5 years either side of retirement and want income planning, tax planning & preparation, and investment planning & management.
• You have an investment, retirement, or tax planning challenge hampering retirement.
• You have saved for retirement and now need to know how you will spend in retirement.
• You are a delegator more focused on enjoying retirement and accommodating to expert guidance and desire an ongoing advisory relationship.

• You are early to mid-career, and retirement is a ways off.

• You are more worried about how to save for retirement and less worried about how to spend in retirement.

• You have needs in young family planning, college planning, debt management, student loan management, special-needs planning, stock options, and alternative investments.

• You are self-directed and confident in creating and implementing financial solutions without ongoing advisory services. 

• You are reluctant to delegate investment, retirement, and tax planning needs to a financial professional.

Several pricing options are available. Click here to learn more.

No. As a virtual-first financial services firm, we can work with clients in Portland and across the country using the latest technology. All we ask is that you be comfortable with virtual interactions.

We offer project and subscription service options without assets under management (AUM).  

A fee-only model means that we do not accept commissions from third parties for the financial products and services we recommend. Our services are compensated directly by you, our client(s). By doing so, we are able to serve as an objective partner in making financial planning decisions for you. Our fees will always be clearly outlined in advance of our engagement.  

We are fiduciaries for our clients at Mark Sharp Retirement. Fiduciaries are ethically bound to serve their clients' interests above their own.

The CFP® designation represents a high level of competency, ethics and professionalism. Many professionals can call themselves "financial planners", but as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, I have completed demanding training and experience requirements and I am continuously held to rigorous ethical standards. To learn more about what it entails to become a CFP® professional, read here. 

The RICP® designation provides comprehensive instruction on building integrated and comprehensive retirement financial plans. A retirement income certified professional (RICP®) specializes in retirement income planning. RICPs help retirees and near-retirees to use the assets they have accumulated to spend sustainably in retirement. To learn more about what it entails to become a RICP® professional, read here. 

The WMCP® designation provides comprehensive instruction on building integrated and comprehensive investment plans. A wealth management certified professional (WMCP®) specializes in investment planning and management. WMCPs help retirees to build goal-based investment plans and manage behavioral challenges, wealth transfers, and asset management to improve investing outcomes. To learn more about what it entails to become a WMCP® professional, read here. 

An enrolled agent is a tax practitioner licensed at the federal level by the IRS skilled in tax law, tax preparation and tax planning. The enrolled agent status is the highest credential awarded by the IRS. To learn more about what it entails to become a Enrolled Agent professional, read here. 

We are member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) the country’s leading professional association of Fee-Only financial advisors—highly trained professionals committed to working in the highest interests of those they serve.  

We are a member of the Fee-Only Network, a network of financial planners who have been vetted to meet the high standards of NAPFA for strict fee-only compensation and ethical obligation. 

We are a member of the Garrett Planning Network, an organization of advisors who provide advice to people from all walks of life, without minimum account requirements, sales commissions or long-term commitments. We embrace our fiduciary duty, always placing our clients’ best interests first. 

Great! Schedule a discovery call here. We look forward to speaking with you!