Genuinely invested to be your trusted partner
Columbus Street Wealth Management’s fiduciary, flat-fee structure, ensures our advice and your best interests are always aligned. We never accept commissions or charge asset-based percentages–so you’ll always know where you stand.
A TRANSPARENT ADVISORY IS A TRUSTED ADVISORY
As a fee-only fiduciary our client’s concerns come first, always. We are not incentivized to make recommendations for any reason other than alignment with your financial goals.
A GUIDE FOR YOUR GREATEST ADVENTURES
Financial health is about much more than money. True wealth is having new experiences, sharing memorable moments with the people you love and getting the most out of life.The right strategies help your finances take you further.
Shawn Ballinger, CFP®
Shawn founded Columbus Street in 2019 with a simple conviction: comprehensive wealth management shouldn't cost clients 1% or more of their portfolio every year, and an advisor's fee shouldn't climb just because the market did. That flat-fee, fiduciary philosophy is the foundation of everything the firm does today.
More than anything, Shawn is driven by helping people reach their financial and personal goals through honest, proactive conversations, the kind that clarify what matters most and turn it into a plan that actually gets there. For him, good planning is as much about the life a client wants to live as it is about the numbers behind it.
He brings roughly two decades of experience working exclusively in a fee-only capacity with high-net-worth families. Before launching Columbus Street, Shawn served as a Wealth Manager at Budros, Ruhlin & Roe and as a Senior Planner at Waller Financial Planning Group, and he began his career at Nationwide Financial. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Finance from Franklin University in 2003, holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation, and is a past Chapter President of the Financial Planning Association of Central Ohio. That range of experience means clients get thoughtful, well-rounded guidance across every corner of their financial lives, from retirement and tax planning to college funding, equity compensation, and estate and wealth transfer.
Service has been a throughline in Shawn's life well beyond his career. He served as a Combat Medic in the Ohio Army National Guard from 1992 to 2003, and today he gives back to the community through the Kiwanis Club of Columbus, supporting at-risk children across central Ohio. He and his wife, Susan, live in Grove City with their two sons, Brady and Carter. Much of the family's time together is spent exploring the country's National Parks, a fitting pursuit for someone who believes true wealth is measured in the experiences we collect and the people we share them with.
Introduction
On this complimentary introductory call we will discuss your financial situation and goals. Ask me any questions you may have about Columbus Street and how we work and we’ll determine whether or not it’s a good fit.
Alignment
Once we understand the goals, we’ll decide whether or not to move forward with Columbus Street as your planner.
Proposal
Columbus Street will submit a proposal tailored to meet your individual goals and immediate needs. Once you have the opportunity to review and accept, we’ll get to work.
Discovery
Through the data gathering process, we will begin to assess and understand your qualitative and quantitative circumstances. Inventorying, gathering and organizing all of your pertinent information will begin to provide you the immediate feeling that you are in control.
Goal Identification
Your goals are unique to you. We'll help you define your short and long-term goals and prioritize them. We will also discuss and understand any trade-offs you may be willing to make to reach your goals.
Analysis
Whether you are on track to achieve your goals or need to make adjustments, your planning analysis and our observations will let you know where you stand and any alternative measures you should consider to increase the probability of reaching your goals.
Recommendations
Together with you, we will assess and determine the best course of action based on your planning analysis and ability to reach or maintain your current goals.
Implementation
We will provide you with a clearly defined list of action items necessary in implementing modifications to your savings and budgeting, taxes, insurance coverages, estate documents, and investments.
Collaboration
We will collaborate with your other professional advisors to implement and make necessary changes to all facets of your financial life.
Evolvement
Life changes unexpectedly. We will assist you in monitoring and updating along the way to ensure you're on track to meet your goals.
How we work together
Yes. Goals evolve throughout every stage of life. We will help you determine your ability to maintain your lifestyle and assist you with your estate, gifting and philanthropic goals.
No. We will, however, maintain a proactive relationship with your tax professional for Wealth Management clients.
Absolutely not. Discovery Meeting conversations are complimentary.
Our client experience is not defined by location. We're always happy to meet in person. Many of our local clients enjoy the time-saving experience of meeting virtually.
No. We believe in a broadly diversified global portfolio approach made up of low-cost mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). We always recommend keeping single stock exposure within your ability and preference to sustain additional investment risk.
Yes. We can work with clients all over the country.
Simply click here, call, email, or schedule a time to chat that's convenient for you.
Great question. A recent Vanguard study suggests an advisor can add value through relationship-oriented services such as financial planning and behavioral coaching. Humans have built-in behavioral biases that can lead to financial mistakes. The study suggests a good advisor can add as much as 3% of increased investment returns through behavioral coaching and other factors such tax reduction, mitigating your overall risk of financial loss, and portfolio asset location and periodic rebalancing between asset classes. CFP® professionals represent a high level of competency, ethics and professionalism. Many advisors hold themselves out as a "financial planner;" however, only those who have fulfilled the certification requirements of the CFP Board can display the certification marks. See more at: CFP Board
The asset under management (AUM) model fails to address variances of client complexity and time required by the advisor. Two clients with identical wealth can often need two extremely different levels of wealth management services. We believe advisors should be compensated for their time, not on the amount of your assets. Why should you pay more simply because of your portfolio size? Columbus Street's flat fee model eliminates the excessive cost and inefficiency of the AUM model.
Keep more of what you earn. Do more of what you love.
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