Financial coaching is helping clients obtain the knowledge, skills, and behaviors that will aid them in attaining their life and financial goals. If a physical fitness coach teaches you stretches and exercises that help you increase your physical fitness, a financial coach teaches you skills and habits that help you increase your financial fitness. One common way to describe financial coaching is to contrast it with financial planning. Financial advisors generally assist clients in managing their existing wealth. Financial coaches help clients create new, positive habits that assist clients in building wealth. Financial advisors might manage clients' investments and sell insurance or other financial products. Financial coaches do not manage clients' money nor sell anything other than their coaching services. Financial advisors who do not receive commissions or kickbacks are commonly described as being "fee-only"- they're compensated only through fees paid directly by the clients. FinanciFI provides fee-only coaching, which allows us to provide clients information and recommendations that are not influenced by commissions or other compensation.

NO! Financial coaching will help you decide what's most important to you, and we'll help you align your spending with your values. Most clients share that implementing their carefully crafted budget (or spending plan, as we prefer to call it) isn't hard at all, because the things that are most important to them are included and accounted for. Our job isn't to tell you "no;" instead, we help you discover your "yes"es that you'll naturally want to prioritize.

FinanciFI's founder, Jex, has two masters degrees- one in education and one in business. She is an Accredited Financial Counselor® (AFC®), which means she completed a financial education course, passed a rigorous industry exam, abides by a standard of ethics, and has more than 1,000 hours experience assisting clients with their money. Additionally, Jex is a parent, a veteran, and a military spouse herself, so she gets you! She knows your time is limited and valuable, so she plans her courses and individual sessions so as to create the most impact in the least amount of time. She is also a Military Qualified Financial Planner® (MQFP®), which means she also intimately knows the complex pay and benefits available to Active Duty service members and veterans.

Excellent news! I start all clients with a free 20-minute consultation call. This call gives me a chance to get to know you, your financial situation, and your goals. It also gives you the opportunity to get to know me a bit. If we both determine we're a good fit to work together, then I'll provide the client agreement and next steps.

Yes... and no. Implementing any major change always requires some level of effort, but we help you every step of the way. Our clients find that the heavy lifting they accomplish during the first three-month program is more than worth it in the long-term. Getting your financial house in order requires work upfront, but it saves time, money, and stress in the long run.

Absolutely! In fact, helping clients implement a debt pay down plan is one of the most rewarding parts of my job! Clients generally feel a sense of relief after our very first session together- just having a plan and a coach in your corner lifts a huge weight from your shoulders.

Absolutely! In fact, for families with variable income, it's even more important to have a deep understanding of your cash flow. There are a variety of strategies for managing irregular cash flow, and we'll work together to find the method that works best for you and your family.

Yes, but know that you'd have more progress with a supportive and engaged partner. However, you can only control your own actions. If you want financial coaching and your partner doesn't, you're still likely to gain clarity around your own relationship with money and make some progress toward your financial goals. Sometimes, a reluctant partner will see your progress over time and become willing to participate later on. In other instances, the partner remains "money avoidant" and never joins coaching, but you'll learn tools to approach money conversations with your partner in a more productive way. Either outcome is a win!

You don't have to- if you have the time, energy, and discernment to sift through the wide variety of information (and misinformation) out there, decipher what is useful and ignore what is harmful, and then effectively implement it in your own financial situation. However, most of my clients are busy! Instead of poring over blogs or decoding tax rules, they’d rather focus on their families and careers. Just like you might consult a doctor or lawyer for important matters despite free online advice, serious financial goals often call for expert guidance.

The short answer is: almost anything you want! If you are a small business owner looking to provide financial education workshops to your employees, we'll work together to decide the content and structure that will be most valuable to your employees. Topics can be about general personal finances, or we can explain the specific employee benefits you provide at your company. Note: Jex is not licensed to sell insurance policies nor give investment advice. She can provide general education about insurance products and investments, but cannot advise clients to include or exclude any particular thing within their plan. For example, Jex can explain your company's 401(k) plan, how it works, what features are included, and what the different investment classes are, but she cannot recommend that your employees invest in any particular fund.