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Paladin Research Report For:

Michelle Vargas

Waymaker Financial Planning

CFP®
1751 River Run Suite 200
Fort Worth, TX 76107
817-935-0825

About Michelle Vargas

Michelle Vargas, Certified Financial Planner is the President of Waymaker Financial Planning, a Fee-Only planning and investment management firm in Fort Worth, Texas. She focuses on helping Christian women make smart money decisions, especially those in transition to retirement, widowhood, and managing wealth for the first time. Her goal is to help all clients successfully navigate their financial life so that they will be worry free and spend more time doing what they love.

After earning a degree in Finance from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 1990, she moved to Orlando, Florida and started her career with Harcourt Brace Publishing. Her journey into personal finance began when she enrolled in her 401K and wanted to learn about additional options to plan for retirement. Not many advisors were willing to help her with her 401K choices, and none offered a written financial plan. In 1994 she left Harcourt Brace Publishing and became licensed to work as a Financial Advisor. In 1998, she completed the rigorous education and experience requirements to become a CFP.

With over 9 years of professional experience as a financial advisor, she daily strives to make the complex simple when advising clients. She often remembers what the experience was like when she was young and looking for an advisor. This memory enables her to be sensitive and patient in all of her interactions. Education is also an important component of her practice, and she has been quoted by CBS News, Yahoo Finance, and MSN.

She and her husband live in Fort Worth, and they have an amazing son Andrew. He is a Young Steinway Artist in graduate school at Texas Christian University. When her son was younger, she was very active in the homeschool community and served as a director, teacher, and support group leader. Her proudest accomplishments are persevering in homeschooling through high school and founding Waymaker Financial Planning.

In her spare time, she enjoys walking through the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens to get inspired to make her own garden more beautiful. Spring is her favorite time of year and she loves exploring backroads filled with beautiful fields of Texas Bluebonnets. Occasionally, when her adventurous side kicks in, she goes white water rafting - with an experienced guide, of course!

See Disclosures

General Information

Firm Start Year
  • 2020
No. of Employees
  • 1
CRD#
  • 2441702
Firm CRD#
  • 308177
Name of Custodial Firm
  • SEI, Altruist, Schwab
Years of Experience in Financial Services
  • 9
Number of Years with Current Firm
  • 4
Work Experience
  • I have over 9 years of professional experience advising clients. I love helping families make wise financial decisions and simplify their finances so that more time is freed up to do what they enjoy. I have worked for other large advisory firms, but what I value most at Waymaker Financial Planning is that I am independent, and there are no proprietary funds, which minimizes conflicts of interest. I work as a Fiduciary for my clients at all times.
Work with the following types of clients
  • Individual Investors
Advisory Services Provided
  • Financial Planning for Individuals, Risk Management, Financial Advice & Consulting, Investment Advice & Management, Financial Planning, Portfolio Management, Money Management, Wealth Management, 401K Rollovers, Retirement Planning

Compliance

Registered Investment Advisor
  • Yes
Investment Advisor Representative
  • Yes
Acknowledged fiduciary
  • Yes
Compliance Disclosures in Last 5 years
  • I have a clean record
Criminal Disclosures in Last 5 years
  • I have a clean record

Qualifications & Membership

Certifications, Accreditations & Designations
  • CFP®

Compensation and Fees

Fee Structure
  • Fee-Only
Compensation Methods
  • Flat Fee, Based on Assets, Hourly
Fee % Based on Assets
  • .75 to 1%
Hourly Rate
  • 250
Additional Details on Charges
  • One-Time Financial Plans - Typically $3750. Increases with complexity. Ongoing Financial Planning - Typically $1500 per quarter. Increases with complexity. Limited Scope Plans - Available for 1 or 2 subject areas.
Minimum Fee Charged for Hourly Planning Accounts
  • $500

Education

Bachelor of Science - Finance

University of Louisiana
1985 -1990

CFP Professional Education Program - Financial Planning

College for Financial Planning
1996 -1998

Disclosures

PaladinRegistry.com provides referrals to financial professionals. PaladinRegistry.com is not a current client of advisor or advisory services. Financial professionals pay cash compensation for these referrals, which creates the incentive for PaladinRegistry.com to make these referrals, resulting in a conflict of interest.

Additional Detailed Disclosures
https://www.paladinregistry.com/disclosure/1891780/paladinregistry-Waymaker-Financial-Planning-detailed-disclosure.html

Disclaimer

Waymaker Financial Planning, LLC is an Investment Advisor registered with the State of Texas. All views, expressions, and opinions included in this communication are subject to change. This communication is not intended as an offer or solicitation to buy, hold or sell any financial instrument or investment advisory services. Any information provided has been obtained from sources considered reliable, but we do not guarantee the accuracy, or the completeness of, any description of securities, markets, or developments mentioned. We may, from time to time, have a position in the securities mentioned and may execute transactions that may not be consistent with this communication's conclusions. Please contact us at (817) 935-0825 if there is any change in your financial situation, needs, goals or objectives, or if you wish to initiate any restrictions on the management of the account or modify existing restrictions. Additionally, we recommend you compare any account reports from WFP with the account statements from your Custodian. Please notify us if you do not receive statements from your Custodian on at least a quarterly basis. Our current disclosure brochure, Form ADV Part 2, is available for your review upon request, and on our website, www.waymakerfp.com. This disclosure brochure, or a summary of material changes made, is also provided to our clients on an annual basis.