Guiding You On Your Financial Journey

A financial planner builds your plan. A wealth advisor helps manage everything, including investments and more complex financial decisions.

A financial planner focuses on creating a comprehensive plan for your life, including cash flow, taxes, retirement, insurance, estate planning, and investments.

A wealth advisor does all of that and also manages investments, often for clients with more complex needs like equity compensation, business ownership, or multigenerational planning

A financial advisor is a broader term. Some focus mainly on investments or insurance and may earn commissions on products they recommend.

Guide My Finances is both a financial planning firm and a wealth advisor, providing written plans, ongoing investment management, and coordination with your tax and estate professionals.

We are paid primarily by our clients through transparent fees.

Guide My Finances uses a client-paid fee structure, which may include flat fees for financial planning and asset-based fees for investment management. All fees are clearly disclosed in writing before you begin.
There are three common advisor compensation models:

• Fee-only: Paid only by clients, with no commissions
• Fee-based: Primarily client-paid, but may also use commissionable products when appropriate
• Commission-based: Paid by selling financial products

We operate as a fee-based advisor, meaning our primary compensation comes from client fees. In certain situations, we may recommend a commissionable product if it is the most appropriate solution for your needs. When that occurs, it is fully disclosed in advance so you can make an informed decision.

Yes. We start with a flat-rate financial planning engagement so you receive unbiased advice with no obligation. We begin every client relationship with a flat-fee financial planning engagement. This allows us to build a comprehensive plan focused on your goals, without requiring you to move your assets or commit to ongoing investment management.

This approach helps ensure our recommendations are objective and aligned with your best interests. After your plan is complete, you can choose to: Implement the recommendations on your own, or Work with us for ongoing investment management and planning support.

For clients who move forward with ongoing service, we provide continuous guidance and update your financial plan regularly as your life and goals evolve.

We help you decide when to exercise and sell so you can reduce taxes and manage risk.
Stock compensation can be a significant part of your income. Each type is taxed differently:
RSUs: Taxed as income when they vest
ISOs: May qualify for lower tax rates but can trigger Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT)
NSOs: Taxed as income when exercised
ESPP: Tax treatment depends on how long you hold the shares
We help you build a strategy around timing, taxes, and diversification so your stock compensation supports your long-term goals.

It helps you understand how a settlement impacts your long-term financial future.

Divorce financial planning looks beyond the surface of asset division and focuses on after-tax outcomes, retirement, and cash flow.
Two settlements that look equal can lead to very different financial outcomes once taxes and long-term needs are considered.
It’s best to involve a planner before finalizing a settlement so you can make informed decisions.

Yes. Our firm was founded by a female advisor and has a predominantly female team.
Guide My Finances was founded by our President, Jackie Mazur, CFP®, CDFA®, Jackie is a highly recognized leader in the industry, recently named to the 2026 Forbes | SHOOK Best-In-State Wealth Advisors list and the 2026 Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors.

Our firm is dedicated to female financial planning, and our predominantly female team of financial planners and support staff is uniquely equipped to handle complex transitions like divorce financial planning and special needs planning. When you work with us, you are working with some of the most recognized female financial advisors in California.
Many clients value working with a female advisor, especially when planning around life transitions, caregiving, or long-term financial security.

Special needs planning is a highly specialized field that requires more than just standard financial advice. At Guide My Finances, we have a ChSNC® (Chartered Special Needs Consultant) on our team—a rare designation that gives us the specialized ability to serve families in the highest capacity.
Start early and structure assets carefully to protect benefits.
Special needs planning helps ensure your loved one is financially supported while maintaining eligibility for programs like SSI and Medicaid.
Key steps include setting up a Special Needs Trust, using ABLE accounts when appropriate, and structuring inheritances correctly.
We coordinate with attorneys to build a long-term plan that protects your family.

When clients ask "How do I invest money?", we start with a foundation of risk assessment and goal setting. Start with a plan, not specific investments. Before choosing investments, define your goals, time horizon, and risk tolerance. From there, build a diversified portfolio designed to be held long-term, rather than trying to time the market.

Working with a local financial advisor means you have a partner who understands your regional economy, state tax laws, and community. Guide My Finances provides the personal touch of a boutique firm with the sophisticated tools of a global wealth manager.

As soon as you have earned income.
Starting early allows your savings to grow over time, especially in tax-advantaged accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs.We help you determine how much to save and which accounts make the most sense for your situation.

A financial planner can help you create a strategy for retirement, investments, budgeting, tax planning, and long-term financial goals based on your unique situation.

When choosing a fee-only financial advisor, look for fiduciary responsibility, transparent pricing, experience, certifications, and a personalized approach to financial planning.

A local financial planner can provide more personalized guidance, face-to-face consultations, and strategies customized to your lifestyle, financial goals, and local market considerations.

Most financial plans should be reviewed at least once a year or whenever major life events occur, such as career changes, marriage, retirement, inheritance, or divorce.

Financial planners help clients build diversified investment strategies designed to align with their goals, risk tolerance, and long-term financial objectives.

A fiduciary financial advisor is legally obligated to act in the client’s best interest, helping ensure recommendations are based on your goals rather than product commissions.

Financial planning can provide clarity and structure during life transitions such as retirement, divorce, inheritance, career changes, or starting a family.