Sierra Pacific Offers Fee-Only Financial Advice

By Zoe Francis, Hacienda Network Staff Writer

A little professional guidance can help tremendously when it comes to financial planning and setting goals like saving for college and retirement.

The experts at Sierra Pacific Financial Advisors are eager to help individuals and business owners plan for their financial futures.

"We are a fee-only financial advisory firm," Janet Wan, founder and principal of the firm, said. "Our differentiation is that we do not receive commissions from third parties nor do we sell products to the clients. We always put the client's interest first. Our primary business model is doing comprehensive financial planning and providing personalized wealth management services for individuals and corporations."

Many financial services firms make their money by charging for products, such as mutual funds or insurance, and working on commission.When product fees and commissions are removed, Wan noted, "we can avoid a conflict of interest."

Wan, who has more than 17 years in the financial industry, previously worked for a fee-only wealth management firm on the East Coast. After moving to California, she opted for that business model to start her own firm.

"The Bay Area has a lot of well-educated and affluent clients," Wan stated. "They're working hard. They need advice on how to continue to grow their assets and achieve their goals, like funding the kids' education and having a comfortable retirement."

Wan opened Sierra Pacific in Newark in 2005 and moved to the company's new Hacienda office in February of this year. The firm has satellite offices in Oakland and Cupertino.

"The reason we like Pleasanton is we feel it's a faster growth area. It attracts all kinds of entrepreneurs and business owners, who are our primary clients.We will continue to grow the business."

Typical Sierra Pacific clients are "IT professionals and corporate executives with stock options," Wan said. "They have their wealth tied to one single company, and they want to know how to diversify their assets."

"Our other clients are business owners who need to establish corporate and retirement planning for themselves as well as their employees. Most of our clients are small- to medium-sized business owners. They prefer to have cost-effective and efficient business retirement solutions."

Sierra Pacific prides itself on helping women hone their financial skills.

"A lot of women face challenges to manage their own assets," Wan said. "Sometimes there are life changes such as divorce or the passing away of loved ones. We help a lot of women with financial wellness during those difficult times. We make sure they're more confident about dealing with finance."

Interested clients get a brief consultation with a financial expert to understand the planning process and decide if Sierra Pacific is a good match for the client.

"This is a two-way street," Wan explained, noting Sierra Pacific wants to make sure their business model is right for the client while also ensuring the price is right for the customer. "We encourage them to sign up for an initial consultation and then we can go from there."

Most people have never used a financial adviser simply because they do not understand the value of professional guidance.

"I believe everyone needs financial advice based on how much motivation they have to achieve their goals," Wan said. "Everybody has their financial goals to reach. Engaging the financial adviser will really help them with their financial road map so they know how to take action to reach their goals."

Learn more about Sierra Pacific Financial Advisors at sierrapfa.com.

Photo: Janet Wan, Principal, of Sierra Pacific Financial, located in Pleasanton Business Solutions in Hacienda.

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