Fee Only Financial Planner Cedar Falls, IA| Ignite Financial

Our Vision

A proven process optimizing overall financial well-being while putting the client’s life at the center. We answer what are you working to accomplish in the mid or long-term future. Answering what you will have accomplished when you reached your mission.

Book free consultation

DISCOVER

We dive into your needs, aspirations, and financial situation.

Indentify

We clarify your goals and financial data.

Analyze

We assess whether the current course of action will achieve your goals.

DEVELOP

We create and communicate your financial plan and ongoing strategies.

implement

We put your plan into action based on our professional recommendations.

monitor

We continue to track your plan and make adjustments when life happens.

One of our core principles is keeping fees low.

We charge a flat fee for financial planning and investment/wealth management. As a fee-only firm, we never collect commissions or kickbacks of any kind, as we aim to keep costs low for our clients.

Learn about pricing

College Planning

Sending your kids or loved ones to college is a big decision. Thankfully, there are many strategies that can be utilized depending on your unique situation. At Ignite Financial, we aid in establishing and implementing a suitable plan of action for you and your teenager.

Utilize 529 education accounts (if appropriate)

Determine order of assets used to pay for college

Calculate expected family contribution

FAFSA application guidance

Determine merit based scholarships

Educate throughout the entire process

Tax Guidance

If you hold investments, they will be taxed in various ways. We help optimize investment and withdrawal strategies to minimize the taxes you will pay throughout your pre-retirement and retirement years. You will be kept up-to-date on new tax polices and how they may, or may not, impact your tax situation.

If you have money in any of the following account types listed here, please reach out as we may be able to help you pay less in taxes.

Roth IRA

Traditional IRA

Roth 401(k)

Traditional 401(k)

Roth 403(b)

Traditional 403(b)

Flex Savings Account

Health Savings Account

Investment Management

Everyone has their own unique goals when it comes to investing. We are here to help you achieve those goals in the most stress-free environment possible. Here is a brief overview of our proven investment strategy:

Keep Fees Low

There is a single factor that has been shown to be correlated with higher returns—low fees. A study conducted by Morningstar® concluded that the expense ratio, or annual cost, of a fund is the only dependable predictor of future performance.1

Diversify Assets

By dividing your investments across different asset classes (e.g. bonds, U.S. stocks, international stocks) rather than putting all your eggs in one basket, you can reduce risk by letting one part of your portfolio cushion the blow if another part goes down.

Think Long-Term

Markets consistently fluctuate as speculation and basic human psychology influence investor behavior. Despite this volatility, the overall market has produced a 10.2% gross average return in the last 89 years.

Insurance Planning

The primary goal of insurance is to mitigate risk and put some of your worries at ease. At Benchmark Financial, we help determine which insurance policy best suites your unique situation. Moreover, we help determine if you are carrying a policy that you actually don’t need — this is where a lot money can be saved.

Are you overinsured or spending money on an insurance product that you don't need?

We look at the full picture

If you have an existing policy or policies, we take a look at all the relevant details. We make sure that the amount of coverage you have is appropriate, that you are maintaining the correct deductible, and more.

But many times you may be overinsured and not know it. For example, if you have a healthy emergency fund, you probably don’t need a $500 deductible on your auto policy. This means you are wasting valuable money on a product which could be better utilized elsewhere; such as investment products that earn interest.

Estate Preparation

Preparing your estate to transfer to your heirs can be cumbersome. That’s why we help you to determine how your assets will transfer in the most tax efficient way possible. That means we look at your entire portfolio, including investments, real estate, business interests, and more.

To begin, we will help you:

Establish and set up beneficiaries

Review the nuances of your will

Review any applicable trust agreements

File any insurance claims

We are proud memebers of:

Link to NAPFA - The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors

Contact Us

319-220-0401

mike@igniteplanning.com

2616 Orchard Drive, Suite C1. Cedar Falls, IA 50613

Quick Links

Form ADV

FINRA Broker Check

Client Login

BENCHMARK FINANCIAL, LLC (“BENCHMARK FINANCIAL”) is a registered investment advisor offering advisory services in the State[s] of IOWA and in other jurisdictions where exempted. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training.The information on this site is not intended as tax, accounting or legal advice, as an offer or solicitation of an offer to buy or sell, or as an endorsement of any company, security, fund, or other securities or non-securities offering. This information should not be relied upon as the sole factor in an investment making decision.Past performance is no indication of future results. Investment in securities involves significant risk and has the potential for partial or complete loss of funds invested. It should not be assumed that any recommendations made will be profitable or equal any performance noted on this site.The information on this site is provided “AS IS” and without warranties of any kind either express or implied. To the fullest extent permissible pursuant to applicable laws, BENCHMARK FINANCIAL, LLC disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including, but not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability, non-infringement, and suitability for a particular purpose. BENCHMARK FINANCIAL does not warrant that the information on this site will be free from error. Your use of the information is at your sole risk. Under no circumstances shall BENCHMARK FINANCIAL be liable for any direct, indirect, special or consequential damages that result from the use of, or the inability to use, the information provided on this site, even if BENCHMARK FINANCIAL or a BENCHMARK FINANCIAL authorized representative has been advised of the possibility of such damages. Information contained on this site should not be considered a solicitation to buy, an offer to sell, or a recommendation of any security in any jurisdiction where such offer, solicitation, or recommendation would be unlawful or unauthorized.

Source: Morningstar white paper: "Predictive Power of Fees"

Source: 401(k) Averages Book, 18th Edition.

At Benchmark Financial, we aim to educate as much as advise. Here is our database of recommended books, videos, and terms to further educate yourself.

No matter who you are, we will work with you.

Young Professional

This option usually suits younger individuals that have just entered the work force.

Employer 401(k) Analysis

Employer Insurance Analysis

Student Loan Repayment

Housing & Car Purchases

Debt Management

Investment Strategies

Savings Strategies

Emergency Fund

Budgeting

Established career

This option is best suited for those who are in a mid-life stage, that have been working for roughly a decade.

Kids College Planning

Retirement Planning

Tax Strategies

Insurance Planning

Investment Managment

Emergency Savings

Vacation Home Buying

Charitable giving

Caring for aging parents

Rental Properties

Estate Planning

Retiree / Pre-Retiree

This option is for those who are reired, or close to retirement, and may have a more complex financial picture.

Retirement Planning

Social Security

Medicare

Estate/legacy planning

Insurance Planning

Budgeting

Debt management

Charitable giving

Investment Management

At Benchmark Financial, we aim to educate as much as advise. Here is our database of recommended books, videos, and terms to further educate yourself.

Pricing / Fees

Financial Planning Projects

A project based financial plan is charge as a flat-dollar fee. This fee may vary depending on the complexity of your situation, and can be broken up into separate payments for your budgeting purposes.

$1,500 - $4,000

One Time Fee

Ongoing wealth Management

Wealth management allows for an ongoing relationship where we meet at regular intervals throughout the year and discuss relevant topics.

Total personal assets

Annual
Advisory Fee

$0 - $500,000

0.85%

$500,001 - $1,000,000

0.75%

$1,000,001 - $2,000,000

0.65%

$2,000,001 - $5,000,000

0.45%

$5,000,001 - $10,000,000

0.35%*

$10,000,001 - $25,000,000

0.20%*

Menu

Call

Contact

Plan Better.Live Better.

Ignite is a different kind of advisor

straightforward fees

investment management

Always a fiduciary

social sec. & medicare

Sensible investments

College planning

comprehensive planning

Tax guidance

Goal-focused and planning-driven.