Your financial life is about more than investments.
It’s your income, savings, taxes, retirement plans, insurance, family, goals, and the decisions that connect them all. When those pieces aren’t working together, it can be difficult to know whether you’re making the right choices or simply checking boxes.
As a fiduciary financial advisor in San Jose, CA, True North Advisors takes a comprehensive approach to financial planning that goes beyond investments. We take the time to understand your goals, priorities, and concerns before recommending a strategy.
Your Financial Plan Starts With You
There is no one-size-fits-all financial plan.
We begin by understanding what matters to you, what you've built, what you're working toward. From there, we look at your complete financial picture, including:
Cash flow and savings
Investments and retirement accounts
Retirement income needs
Tax planning opportunities
Insurance and risk management
Education and family planning
Estate and legacy considerations
Long-term wealth preservation
We can then examine different scenarios and strategies to help you understand your options before making important financial decisions.
Comprehensive Financial Planning for Every Stage of Life
Your financial priorities can change significantly over time. A good financial plan should be able to change with them.
Retirement Planning
Determine how your savings and investments can translate into sustainable retirement income while accounting for Social Security, taxes, inflation, and your desired lifestyle.
Investment Planning
Develop an investment strategy based on your goals, timeline, and risk tolerance, not simply what's happening in the market today.
Tax Planning
Identify opportunities to manage your lifetime tax burden through strategies such as Roth conversions, RMD planning, withdrawal strategies, and tax-efficient investing.
Insurance & Risk Management
Evaluate how insurance and other risk management strategies can help protect your income, assets, family, and longterm financial plan.
Estate & Legacy Planning
Coordinate your financial strategy with your estate planning goals so the wealth you've worked to build can support the people and causes that matter to you.
Lifestyle & Cash Flow Planning
Understand how today's spending decisions can affect tomorrow's goals and create a plan that balances enjoying life now with preparing for the future.
Why Work With a Local Financial Advisor
Working with a financial advisor who understands the Silicon Valley landscape matters.
From equity compensation and concentrated stock positions to high cost-of-living retirement planning, the financial questions facing Bay Area families are often more complex than a generic financial plan can address. True North Advisors specializes in comprehensive financial planning for individuals and families in San Jose and throughout the South Bay.
Looking for a Financial Advisor in San Jose?
Choosing a financial advisor is about more than credentials or investment performance. It's about finding someone who understands your priorities and can help you think about the bigger picture.
True North Advisors takes a relationship first approach to financial planning. As a fee-based fiduciary financial advisor serving San Jose and Silicon Valley, our recommendations are always based on what's right for you, not what generates a commission.
We serve individuals and families seeking a financial advisor in San Jose, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Cupertino, Santa Clara, Palo Alto, Los Gatos, and Saratoga, as well as clients throughout California and nationwide via virtual meetings.
- San Jose
- Sunnyvale
- Cupertino
- Santa Clara
- Mountain View
- Palo Alto
You Don't Have to Figure It All Out Alone
Whether you're approaching retirement, navigating a major financial decision, managing significant assets, or simply want a second opinion on your current strategy, the right financial plan can provide a clearer path forward.
At True North Advisors, we're here to help you understand where you stand, what's possible, and what steps can help move you toward the future you want.
Ready to get a clearer picture of your financial future?
Frequently Asked Questions
-
1. How do I choose a financial advisor in San Jose?
Look for a fiduciary advisor who is legally required to act in your best interest, not just recommend suitable products. Ask about their planning process, how they are compensated, and whether they specialize in the areas most relevant to your financial situation. True North Advisors is a fee-based fiduciary firm serving individuals and families throughout San Jose and Silicon Valley.
-
2. What is a fiduciary financial advisor?
A fiduciary financial advisor is legally obligated to act in their client's best interest at all times. This is different from advisors who operate under a suitability standard, which only requires recommendations to be generally appropriate rather than optimal for the client. Working with a fiduciary removes conflicts of interest from the relationship.
-
3. What does a financial advisor do?
A financial advisor helps you develop a comprehensive plan for your financial life, including investments, retirement planning, tax strategy, insurance, estate planning, and cash flow management. Rather than focusing on any single area, a financial planner looks at how all of these decisions connect and affect each other.
-
4. How much does a financial advisor in San Jose cost?
Financial advisor fees vary based on the type of advisor and the services provided. Fee-only or fee-based advisors charge either a flat fee, an hourly rate, or a percentage of assets under management, typically ranging from 0.5% to 1.5% annually. At True North Advisors, we are transparent about our fees and discuss compensation during your initial consultation.
-
5. What is the difference between a financial advisor and a financial planner?
These terms are often used interchangeably. A financial planner typically focuses on building a comprehensive financial plan across multiple areas of your life, while a financial advisor may focus more narrowly on investments. At True North Advisors, we provide comprehensive financial planning that includes both.
-
6. Do I need a financial advisor if I already have a 401(k) or retirement account?
Having a retirement account is a good start, but it's only one piece of your financial picture. A financial advisor can help you coordinate your retirement accounts with Social Security, taxes, insurance, and estate planning to make sure all of the pieces are working together toward the life you want.
