Personal Finance LLC
Financial Planning for High-Performing Gen Z & Millennials
Invest Wisely | Manage Your Money Intentionally | Reduce Taxes
As Seen In
We seek to maximize your money, so you can maximize your life.
Specializing in Financial Planning for Tech Professionals & Crypto Investors
Ascent exists to empower you to build your financial foundation the right way. We're committed to building genuine & deep relationships so we can help you when you need it most.
As a next-generation firm, we exist to provide advice-only financial planning to Gen Z & Millennial Innovators.
Our Commitment to You
We value your trust. Here is how we show our commitment to you.
Accessible.
At Every Step.
We're committed to helping you no matter your financial situation.
To show our dedication to the accessibility of quality financial advice, we have no minimum asset or income requirements to work with us.
Fiduciary.
All The Time.
As fiduciaries, we are obligated to provide objective financial advice that is in your best interest.
Our goal is to provide you unbiased, objective solutions & strategies for your situation.
Advice-Only.
No Products.
As a fee-only, advice-only firm, our model is built so that when you do well, we do.
Unlike brokers, we are independent of specific products or services, have no sales quotas, & do not accept commissions.
Ready to build your financial foundation?
Our Passion is Seeing You Succeed.
How We Help
Together, we partner to create a personalized action plan that builds your financial foundation.
Financial Planning Advice We Offer Covers:
We provide advice on all facets of your personal finances including the aspects below. Additionally, we can coordinate the preparation & filing of your income taxes through Ascent Tax Services, a separate company that's under common ownership with Ascent Personal Finance.
Cash Flow & Debt Management
Investment Direction
Tax Strategies
Business Planning
Retirement Planning
Education Planning
Career Asset Management
Risk Management
Estate Planning
Charitable Giving
Holistic Financial Planning
Check Out Our Videos & Slides That Describe How We Help in Detail!
Ready to Get Started?
Discover Clarity For Your Today.
The AscentCare Process
AscentCare is Advice-Only Financial Planning designed for you.
We tailored every aspect of our process specifically for Gen Z & Millennial Crypto Investors in STEM/Healthcare.
Zechariah's Story Behind Developing The AscentCare Model
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Thanks for watching! Keep reading to see how you can get started & what our ongoing service process looks like.
Getting Started With AscentCare
We invest a significant amount of time, thought, and resources into a thorough onboarding process for our clients.
To create the influence you desire, we need to get to know you, your values, and your vision.
"The Story & Not The Numbers"
Initial Consultation
We'll have a relaxed conversation where we get to meet you and you get to meet us. We'd love to learn all about where you've come from, where you are now, & discover together whether working with us will help get you where you want to go!
Many people view meeting with their financial planner like reading a book they don't want to - "It's going to be a bit painful, but I'll be better off for it in the end". We make sure it isn't that way. That's why we like to say this meeting is all about "the story and not the numbers". It's all about what's important to you which means we may not even discuss "the numbers" until the Discovery meeting.
Discovery Meeting
In your discovery meeting, we listen closely to uncover data on your financial picture & learn more about your goals, habits, and motivations. The purpose of this time is to begin analyzing your current situation, discovering strengths and weaknesses, and uncovering opportunities.
At this time, we will gather any relevant info appropriate to your situation including asking you to organize several documents that will provide us with key information on your financial picture. We invest a significant amount of time in our discovery process because the better the information we have, the better our recommendations will be.
"The Numbers Behind The Story"
"Let's Get
To Work!"
Foundations Meeting
Equipped with the information we've discovered in conversations with you, we develop your plan and proceed to refine it with you. This process involves analyzing data using sophisticated models, determining your financial probability of success, and setting attainable expectations and investment objectives for you to strive for.
Together, we’ll put to work the strategies our team and professional partners have developed to support your individual aspirations and financial goals.
You're In!
How Ongoing Planning Works
You're in! Here's how we serve you on an ongoing basis.
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During your regular strategy sessions, we'll cover what matters to you while also assessing your current situation, reviewing your progress, and making recommendations to propel you toward your goals.
Winter, Spring, & Fall Strategy Sessions
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AscentCare is designed to be centered around what matters to you. Our advice covers:
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Cash Flow & Debt Management
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Investment Direction
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Tax Strategies
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Estate Planning
Holistic Advice On What Matters
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We understand your life is moving fast and you may need advice during our meeting off-season.
For that reason, we designate several days every month where we're available for impromptu client meetings.
On-Demand Access to Your Financial Planner
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We coordinate your tax return preparation & filing with a third-party accounting firm so your tax season is as stress-free as possible.
Depending on the terms of your engagement, this may be included in your fee.
Stress-Free
Tax Preparation
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As AscentCare clients, you'll get access to your own personal finance website & app that syncs to your financial accounts.
We'll use this site to organize your finances, review your plan, & monitor progress.
Your Own Personal Finance Website
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As your financial planner, we're at the center of your professional team.
For the services we don't offer (estate, insurance, etc.), we manage your team of qualified professionals to ensure you're served well.
Coordination of Your Professional Team
Ready to build your financial foundation?
Unlock Confidence For Your Tomorrow.
How Our Pricing Works
We believe transparency & trust are at the center of any healthy relationship.
That's why we've laid out exactly how our subscription works here.
Onboarding Fee: $450-$4,000
Most onboarding fees are $500-$1,500. The amount depends on complexity. This fee is charged upon engagement.
Annual Retainer: Begins at $150/Month
Most client's annual retainer is determined by the sum of 1.5-2.5% of gross household income plus 0.0-0.4% of net worth. The exact percentages of these figures are determined by the complexity of the situation.
In certain situations when assets and income are not an adequate gauge of the work needed, we will collaborate to agree upon an appropriate retainer. We always notify you in advance of any fee changes.
The Heart Behind Our Fees
Our goal is simply to have a fee that is fair for both of us. We believe paying a small portion of your income and assets each year to have advice designed to help you manage the rest significantly better is worth it.
What will your fee be?
Our dedication to transparency goes beyond explaining how our fees work.
Completing the form below will give you an exact estimate for your unique situation.
AscentCare Subscription Calculator
Ready to get started?
Align Your Decisions With Your Values.
Get To Know Us
Our goal is to build a deep and genuine relationship with you.
Meet Zechariah
Professional Zechariah 👨💼
In his role, Zechariah loves the challenge of communicating complex financial information and the joy of building long-term relationships with clients. He begins each of his partnerships with a series of conversations to discover and prioritize his client’s goals and interests. Zechariah is dedicated to his clients and works hard to provide high-quality service to ensure they remain on track to reach their financial goals. Zechariah also does a bit of consulting work helping other advisors start excellent, efficient firms. He's currently working with Daniel Colston at Upward Financial Planning.
During his schooling, Zechariah discovered his passion for empowering others to achieve financial freedom through tailored education and mentoring. He completed his financial planning degree at Liberty University and has worked at several premium boutique wealth management firms. He recently passed the Certified Financial Planner exam and is expected to be completely satisfy the education, experience, and ethics requirements of the CFP board by early 2023. He passed the series 65 exam in July of 2020.
One common theme that he noticed during his time working at those firms was the immense challenge that finding excellent, personalized financial help is for young people. He founded Ascent with the objective of providing this group of people with the quality financial help they need.
Weekend Zechariah 😊
I’m all about living life as the adventure that it is! My passions are getting to know people deeply through genuine conversations, discovering unique coffee shops, & exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains, where I live. If I’m not outdoors, then I’m in a coffee shop helping someone reach their financial goals.
I'm a technologist, advocate for accessible financial advice, & excited to be a part of the movement revolutionizing financial planning.
Zechariah Schaefer
Financial Planner
Hometown: Lynchburg, VA
Education:
Liberty University
B.S. in Business Administration
Financial Planning Specialization
Passions:
😁 People. I LOVE people.
📈 Finance (If it wasn't obvious 😂).
🏔 Nature. Hiking & backpacking!
🚀 Blockchain technology. It's sick 🤓.
Interested in Learning More? We'd love to chat.
Based in Lynchburg, Virginia
Passionate about serving Gen Z & Millennials in LYH & Beyond
Connect With Us
Our goal is to be your trusted financial partner.
We'd love to get to know you and give you a chance to get to know us! Choose one of the options below and we'll get back to you soon.
Send Us A Message
Inquiries
Mailing Address:
Ascent Personal Finance LLC
3300 Odd Fellows Rd Unit 10278
Lynchburg, VA 24506
Email: Zechariah@AscentPersonalFinance.com
Text/Call: 609-772-5665