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Helping you branch and bloom – personally and financially

Trust the seeds you are planting.

Helping you branch and bloom – personally and financially

Trust the seeds you are planting.

Affiliations

Your growth is my focus

My most meaningful work as a financial planner has always been about growth. I start by helping you build a strong foundation: clarifying what you value, what you’re working toward, what money means to you, what you own, and why you own it. From that solid base, we can branch out into more complex decisions and create space for you to bloom, both personally and financially.

Part of building that foundation is solidifying investment concepts you’ve wondered about, felt you “should” understand but don’t, or once knew and forgot. We start with what you’re curious about.

Your questions are the best guide for where our work can have the greatest impact.

Who I’m Especially Well-Suited to Support

Wendy

Staying invested through market ups and downs
Wendy feels anxious about stock market volatility and tends to sell during sharp market drops, worried that short-term declines could threaten her future security. She has significant invested assets and does not expect to need the funds for many years, so she wants to develop a cohesive long-term investment plan.

In working with someone like Wendy, I might identify an asset allocation that better fits her risk tolerance so she can stay invested over time. I could also use visual tools to clarify how volatility, inflation, and other risks show up in her portfolio and explore the beliefs that influence her decisions.

By recognizing these patterns and understanding how long her income and safer assets could support her through market fluctuations, she might become more comfortable staying invested and learn ways to navigate uncertainty by focusing on what is in her control.

Clara

Gaining perspective after a sudden wealth event
Clara works for a company that is preparing to go public, which could trigger a major liquidity event from her stock options. She is considering retiring, but she and her husband have doubts about whether they will be able to afford it and what such a major shift might mean for their lives. They are also concerned about how a sudden increase in wealth might affect their ability to raise grounded kids in the Bay Area.

In working with a family like Clara’s, I might start by talking through their concerns and then mapping out the details of their financial picture, modeling several paths, including retiring, continuing to work, scaling back, or changing careers entirely.

As we explore both the numbers and the emotions around this kind of change, what matters most to them may come into focus and give them a clearer view of the lifestyle trade-offs and planning opportunities in front of them.

Melanie & Robert

Defining what ready means when thinking about retirement
Melanie and Robert are starting to have more serious conversations about retirement. They’ve done well in their careers and managed their investments responsibly, but they’re not sure they feel ready, financially or emotionally. They might seek out a planner like me to clarify their full financial picture, confirm whether they’re on track, and see how they can improve their preparedness.

Together, we could explore what it means to move from a preservation mindset into a withdrawal phase, discuss the risks that could derail their plan, and outline a drawdown strategy that defines which accounts to use and in what order.

We might also set up a “retirement test run,” drafting a cash flow plan and having them trial it to see if it feels sustainable and aligned with the lifestyle they envision. The process could clarify the steps to take before retiring and give them more confidence as they approach their next chapter.

Jamie & Priya

Mapping dual-income equity into a broader financial picture
Jamie and Priya are a dual income couple whose growing equity compensation could turn what once felt like an exciting opportunity into a series of stressful decisions. Each time shares vest, they might worry about whether they’re withholding enough, if they’ll owe underpayment penalties, and when to sell. If they do sell, they may wonder which shares to sell first. Stuck in indecision and concerned that selling might seem disloyal, they could end up with a growing concentration in their company stock.

In working with a couple like Jamie and Priya, I might help them map out how their equity fits into their broader financial picture and create a clear, repeatable framework for “every vest, what do we do?” decisions.

Looking at both the numbers and the emotions might help them see the trade offs between holding and selling, clarify their diversification options, and feel more confident that each sale supports the life they want to build.

Disclaimer: These are hypothetical case studies designed to demonstrate the type of support and solutions that I might offer in a similar situation. The individuals described are not real people, and these are not actual results. The content is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be investment advice. Any financial decisions should be made in consultation with an advisor or tax professional who can consider your individual circumstances.

Who I’m Especially Well-Suited to Support

Wendy

Staying invested through market ups and downs
Wendy feels anxious about stock market volatility and tends to sell during sharp market drops, worried that short-term declines could threaten her future security. She has significant invested assets and does not expect to need the funds for many years, so she wants to develop a cohesive long-term investment plan.

In working with someone like Wendy, I might identify an asset allocation that better fits her risk tolerance so she can stay invested over time. I could also use visual tools to clarify how volatility, inflation, and other risks show up in her portfolio and explore the beliefs that influence her decisions.

By recognizing these patterns and understanding how long her income and safer assets could support her through market fluctuations, she might become more comfortable staying invested and learn ways to navigate uncertainty by focusing on what is in her control.

Clara

Gaining perspective after a sudden wealth event
Clara works for a company that is preparing to go public, which could trigger a major liquidity event from her stock options. She is considering retiring, but she and her husband have doubts about whether they will be able to afford it and what such a major shift might mean for their lives. They are also concerned about how a sudden increase in wealth might affect their ability to raise grounded kids in the Bay Area.

In working with a family like Clara’s, I might start by talking through their concerns and then mapping out the details of their financial picture, modeling several paths, including retiring, continuing to work, scaling back, or changing careers entirely.

As we explore both the numbers and the emotions around this kind of change, what matters most to them may come into focus and give them a clearer view of the lifestyle trade-offs and planning opportunities in front of them.

Melanie & Robert

Defining what ready means when thinking about retirement
Melanie and Robert are starting to have more serious conversations about retirement. They’ve done well in their careers and managed their investments responsibly, but they’re not sure they feel ready, financially or emotionally. They might seek out a planner like me to clarify their full financial picture, confirm whether they’re on track, and see how they can improve their preparedness.

Together, we could explore what it means to move from a preservation mindset into a withdrawal phase, discuss the risks that could derail their plan, and outline a drawdown strategy that defines which accounts to use and in what order.

We might also set up a “retirement test run,” drafting a cash flow plan and having them trial it to see if it feels sustainable and aligned with the lifestyle they envision. The process could clarify the steps to take before retiring and give them more confidence as they approach their next chapter.

Jamie & Priya

Mapping dual-income equity into a broader financial picture
Jamie and Priya are a dual income couple whose growing equity compensation could turn what once felt like an exciting opportunity into a series of stressful decisions. Each time shares vest, they might worry about whether they’re withholding enough, if they’ll owe underpayment penalties, and when to sell. If they do sell, they may wonder which shares to sell first. Stuck in indecision and concerned that selling might seem disloyal, they could end up with a growing concentration in their company stock.

In working with a couple like Jamie and Priya, I might help them map out how their equity fits into their broader financial picture and create a clear, repeatable framework for “every vest, what do we do?” decisions.

Looking at both the numbers and the emotions might help them see the trade offs between holding and selling, clarify their diversification options, and feel more confident that each sale supports the life they want to build.
Disclaimer: These are hypothetical case studies designed to demonstrate the type of support and solutions that I might offer in a similar situation. The individuals described are not real people, and these are not actual results. The content is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be investment advice. Any financial decisions should be made in consultation with an advisor or tax professional who can consider your individual circumstances.

Deirdre Hegarty, CFP®
Financial Planner

It all started with wanting to better support my own family by understanding how our finances were being managed. I joined a global network of women who wanted to learn more about finance and completed a year-long series of educational courses. That experience sparked a deeper curiosity about personal finance, which led me to a Private Wealth Management program at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, and then to Boston University’s Financial Planning curriculum, where I completed the full seven-course program and passed the CFP® exam.

Along the way, I gained perspective on aspects of the advice industry many clients don’t see day to day, including the differences between fee‑based and fee‑only models and between investment‑focused advice and comprehensive financial planning. I also saw how challenging it can be to find straightforward hourly or project‑based guidance without needing to turn over assets to be managed.

Today, I work with a small number of families who value thoughtful, transparent, values‑driven advice. Many of my clients are navigating sudden wealth or complex decisions related to equity compensation, career transitions, or major life changes. I focus on helping them clarify what they can control, build resilient strategies for what they cannot, and make decisions that align their money with what matters most.

Deirdre Hegarty, CFP®
Financial Planner

It all started with wanting to better support my own family by understanding how our finances were being managed. I joined a global network of women who wanted to learn more about finance and completed a year-long series of educational courses. That experience sparked a deeper curiosity about personal finance, which led me to a Private Wealth Management program at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, and then to Boston University’s Financial Planning curriculum, where I completed the full seven-course program and passed the CFP® exam.

Along the way, I gained perspective on aspects of the advice industry many clients don’t see day to day, including the differences between fee‑based and fee‑only models and between investment‑focused advice and comprehensive financial planning. I also saw how challenging it can be to find straightforward hourly or project‑based guidance without needing to turn over assets to be managed.

Today, I work with a small number of families who value thoughtful, transparent, values‑driven advice. Many of my clients are navigating sudden wealth or complex decisions related to equity compensation, career transitions, or major life changes. I focus on helping them clarify what they can control, build resilient strategies for what they cannot, and make decisions that align their money with what matters most.

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