Hourly and Flat-Fee
Financial Planning
for Absolutely Everyone
As seen on
Why choose
Fearless Finance
Take advantage of our online platform to track your spending and more
Pay-as-you-go with hourly rates and no hidden fees
No need to be nervous you’re going to get scammed or sold something you don’t need. We don’t sell anything, nor do we take commissions.
Looking for a comprehensive financial plan or just want a quick review to make sure you’re okay? Do you have a specific question? Take a look at our services and see what fits your needs.
A complete financial plan with an advisor
you can trust.
A full financial plan – not just investments – at an affordable price. We meet you wherever you are on your financial journey. No question is too small, no challenge is too big. With Fearless Finance you get:
A human financial planner to understand your financial habits and fears.
A simple roadmap with your specific “to-do’s” that you prioritized.
A plan with steps to save, achieve goals, and contribute to retirement.
Full digital intake on our platform and spending tracking app.
Guidance on estate planning, insurance and a complete investment strategy.
Access to your planner by email for free for simple questions.
Our services
Whether you’re looking for Personal Financial Advice, Small Business Financial Planning or you’re looking for hourly financial advice for your employees or on behalf of your organization. We’ve got you!
Personal finance
Whether you’re young and single, getting married, having a child, planning for college or retirement, we’re here to help. We will work with you to generate a full plan or a plan for a specific life event, and we’re always here if questions come up.
Business
Small business owner, HR professional, or finance director, we can help. For small businesses, we advise on cash flow, profitability, pricing, and financing. For organizations, we provide bundles of planning hours for employees as a benefit or help you with your portfolio management by the hour.
How Hourly Financial Planning Works
No retainer. No lock-in. Just expert guidance exactly when you need it. We're always there when you need us.
Schedule a Free Intro Call
Meet you planner and make sure the fit is right. Share your goals for financial planning and ask all your questions about our services. No commitment and no high pressure sales.
Meet With Your Advisor, By the Hour
Book time with your financial planner to start your initial plan. Pay only for the time you spend in the meetings. An initial plan, usually 2-4 hours spread over 2-3 meetings.
Keep Moving Forward — We've Got Your Back
Meet us annually like a physical to check your plan. Email us with questions for free, or schedule another hour whenever you have a life change or more complex question.
How Fearless Finance works
Fill out our form and schedule your free intro call to see if it’s a good fit.
Schedule your first meeting
You can do intake online or with your planner. Whatever works for you!
What works for you
Online Intake
Our data intake includes looking at your last 30 days of transactions, getting your estimates for your monthly spending and understanding your balances in your debt and savings accounts along with other basic questions. You can do all of this on your own time through our platform for $110 and your Planner will see the data you’ve provided, analyze it and be ready for your first meeting. Online intake typically reduces the total amount of initial plan hours by 0.5-1 hour.
In-Person Intake
Not interested in loading your data or inputting your information, no problem. You can work with your Planner for in-person intake as part of your initial planning sessions. Your Planner will gather the data needed for the initial planning analysis by meeting with you virtually.
Special Topic
Do you have a specific financial goal or topic you need advice on? Maybe you’re trying to optimize paying back student loans or figuring out if you qualify for loan forgiveness. Maybe you inherited some money and you want to know how to best invest it? Maybe you want a portfolio check up? No problem, we can work with you on your Special Topic and hold off on a full plan.
Meet our Team
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Lori Atwood, CFP®Senior Associate |
Lori Atwood, CFP® is the founder of Fearless Finance, whose mission it is to bring money happiness to absolutely everyone. Lori founded Fearless Finance to provide fiduciary, hourly, virtual financial planning advice to people who felt expert financial advice was out of reach. No sales, no commissions, no minimums and no judgment. We meet our clients where they are on their financial journey. Fearless Finance has registered financial planners located nationwide who work with individual clients and small businesses on financial planning, budgeting and forecasting, debt, savings, goal setting, investments and retirement planning. We help clients understand their financial situation, make a plan to achieve goals and maintain and enhance their financial wellbeing, no matter whether they have lots of assets or are still building their wealth.
Lori Atwood started Atwood Financial Planning, LLC in 2016, and she has worked in finance for almost 25 years. The firm now operates under the brand Fearless Finance. Lori started her finance career in telecom investment banking in Europe. She then became the CFO of a 20-person internet start-up where she oversaw the sale of that company to a publicly traded company. After the sale, Lori went back to banking as an investment consultant managing assets for institutions, foundations and high net worth families. Lori also worked with a private equity firm to place capital in emerging markets.
Lori has an undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master’s degree from Georgetown University. In her free time, she loves to cook, go to boot camp and most of all, spend time with her husband and daughter. Lori is a CFP® Professional and Atwood Financial Planning, LLC is a Registered Investment Adviser with the SEC. Lori takes clients by referral only.
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Elizabeth Pennington, CFP®Senior Associate |
Elizabeth Pennington is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ with Fearless Finance. Elizabeth has been with the firm since 2019, and she became a partner in 2022. She loves working with clients at all stages of their financial journey, and she particularly enjoys helping clients in underserved communities, as well as those going through divorce and other significant life transitions. Elizabeth also firmly believes that effective financial planning incorporates behavioral science and an understanding of the important role of emotions and mental health. She’s passionate about working with clients on both the math and the emotions of money.
Elizabeth holds a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, where she studied International Political Economy and took her first class on personal finance. She lived in the DC area for 10 years, and she currently lives in Des Moines, Iowa, with her two cats, Momo and Miki. Elizabeth has traveled to 32 countries, and aside from travel, her hobbies include photography and gardening (aka yelling at the deer to stay away from her tomatoes). She also enjoys volunteering with the Polk County Master Gardeners Program.
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Katie Van WyngardenAssociate
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Katie Van Wyngarden, EA, is a financial planner with Fearless Finance, where she cares about bringing approachable, judgment-free financial advice to everyone. Katie is the firm’s retirement specialist, who works with individuals and families on budgeting, saving, retirement planning, investments, tax planning, and long-term financial goals so they can reduce stress, feel confident, and enjoy more financial freedom. She leads Fearless Finance’s retirement planning area, focusing on the key financial decisions in the 3-4 years just before retirement and practical help during the transition into retirement.
Katie began her career as a tax accountant, helping individuals and small businesses navigate the IRS and stay compliant. Her love of personal finance grew from years of seeing friends and peers struggle to make sense of their money, leading her to expand her work into practical financial planning. Today, Katie specializes in working with women and families who want to gain clarity, build wealth, and align their money with their values.
Katie holds degrees in Accounting and Finance from Washington State University. She is an Enrolled Agent (EA), licensed to represent taxpayers before the IRS. She lives in Eastern Washington, and in her free time enjoys exploring the Pacific Northwest, connecting with her local community, and sharing practical money insights through her writing and events.
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Katie HaynesAssociate
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Katie Haynes is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ with Fearless Finance. She’s been with the firm since 2020. Before starting at Fearless Finance, Katie worked independently as a financial coach. She has also worked in sales and marketing for the solar energy industry, and in international development and education. Katie works with clients in any phase of their financial journey, including life transitions and people starting out on their financial journey. Katie takes a holistic approach to clients’ financial well-being. She emphasizes prioritizing money decisions so clients feel good about their financial future without feeling deprived in the present.
Katie has an undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and an MBA in Global, Social, & Sustainable Enterprise from Colorado State University. She currently lives in Colorado. In her free time, Katie loves to garden, cook, and spend time in the great outdoors with her husband and dog.
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Kimberly Weihbrecht, CSLP®
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Kimberly Weihbrecht, CCFS®, CSLP®, is a financial planner at Fearless Finance, where she helps clients gain confidence and clarity around their financial lives. Kim works with individuals and families on cash flow management, debt and savings strategies, retirement planning, specializing in college financial planning, including guidance on FAFSA and financial aid decisions, and student loan management.
Kim joined Fearless Finance after years of applying her financial knowledge to her own life and those of friends and family. She understands firsthand how overwhelming financial decisions can feel and believes that personal finance is exactly that — personal. Kim is dedicated to helping clients navigate life’s financial challenges and build a strong foundation for the future, no matter where they are on their financial journey.
Kim holds both the Certified College Financial Specialist (CCFS®) and Certified Student Loan Professional (CSLP®) designations. She earned her undergraduate degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a Master’s in Public Administration from Columbia University. Originally from New York’s Hudson Valley, Kim enjoys weight training, reading, and learning new sewing skills in her free time.
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Jason Ross, CPA
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Jason Ross, CPA is a financial planner with Fearless Finance and was the first to join the team in 2019. His mission is to help his clients use their finances to reach their life goals and achieve financial freedom. Jason works with clients in all phases of their financial journey, including those in retirement and those expanding their families. Jason also enjoys maximizing credit card rewards and helping clients do the same.
Jason has worked in finance for over 20 years. He started his finance career in consulting for PwC in New York City and has also helped various public and private companies budget, forecast and make strategic acquisitions and partnership agreements.
Jason has an undergraduate degree from the SUNY Binghamton and is a licensed CPA in New York. In his free time, he loves to ski and hike with his wife and two sons.
Lori Atwood | CFP®
Founder
Elizabeth Pennington | CFP®
Jason Ross | CFP® Candidate
Kimberly Weihbrecht | CSLP®
Katie Van Wyngarden, EA
Katie Haynes, CFP
Frequently asked questions
We know you have questions and we want you to get all information you need. If you don’t see your question here, please email us at hello@fearlessfinance.com
How do I choose a financial advisor at Fearless Finance?
You can take a look at each planner’s profile here at Meet your advisor. See who makes the most sense for you. If you don’t have a preference, you can indicate “no preference” and we will match you as best we can. You can always change planners if the chemistry isn’t right.
What if I want to change planners?
What if I want to stop working with Fearless Finance?
How much will a Comprehensive Financial Plan be in total?
We don’t know that exactly yet until we start working with you, but typically it takes 2-4 hours spread over 2-3 meetings. Each meeting is about 1-1.25 hours. You are ONLY charged for the time you are actually meeting with your advisor. You are not charged for prep time and you cannot be charged in advance of a meeting with hourly financial planning. You pay for each meeting after the meeting ends. Our associates charge $280/hour for Initial Planning meetings (the first 2-3 meetings when you’re developing your plan) and $240/hour for all Annual Check-ins or Life Change meetings (e.g. buying a house, having a baby, etc., after your initial plan is developed).
What if I have a question for my Financial Planner, but don’t have a meeting set up?
How is Fearless Finance regulated?
How are Planners qualified?
Do I pay in advance? How can I pay?
Are there any hidden fees or charges for “prep” time?
No. You will not be charged for ANYTHING except the time you spend with a planner in a meeting, if you’re an hourly financial planning client. If you have a quick question by email (e.g. “My employer is offering a Roth 401k option now, should I do it?”), you can email your advisor and it could be FREE if your advisor thinks it’s simple enough to answer quickly over email. If your adviser indicates it is a more complicated question that requires discussion, your adviser will tell you how long it should take (e.g. “we probably need 15 minutes to discuss this”) and you can decide if you want to do it or not.
Do I have to pay for the spending tracker app? Or the online platform?
How are Fearless Finance planners paid?
Are there any online platforms to consult a financial doctor?
Yes! Fearless Finance planners are financial “doctors” and provide advice and recommendations with no strings attached, no minimums, no managing savings and no selling products. Book a free intro call and get the help you need now on your terms.
What our customers are saying
I read about Lori in the Washington Post and my wife and I both thought it sounded a bit too good to be true. The experience of working with Lori was like breathing pure oxygen. We instituted everything she recommended and know we are on a sustainable, long-term trajectory financially. Anyone who is serious about getting their financial lives in order (everyone should) and are willing to actually change their behaviors will reap the rewards of her advice.
Elizabeth and Lori mobilized quickly during Christmas week to help my mother with time-sensitive financial planning during a difficult time for our family. I’m so grateful!
I highly recommend working with Elizabeth and Fearless Finance. We did a lot of shopping around for a financial planner and we could not be happier with our choice. Elizabeth and Fearless offer a superior and more affordable/accessible model for financial planning.
Our initial three-meeting consult with Jason Ross helped us, for the first time ever, get a firm handle on our finances. Although my wife and I are not terribly finance-literate (to say the least), we had our first child and wanted to develop a “set it and forget it” system to build towards a comfortable future. We later scheduled a one-off session to talk through a potential home purchase, and Jason helped us figure out what we could afford. It’s a great feeling to have someone like Jason in our corner.
Jason tailored the financial planning to where we are at currently and where we want to be financially. He went above and beyond to make sure we had all our questions answered and felt comfortable with his recommendations. He gave advice that has changed how we plan our finances and I truly believe this will help us achieve our financial goals.
This is a good investment toward what is likely a life-long journey to be financially fluent, not just literate, at least for me. My Financial Planner, Elizabeth Westendorf, handled meetings professionally; she provided lots of background when we weren’t grasping some contexts; she didn’t try to push us to think one way or buy one thing–something I personally appreciated; she seemed genuinely invested in better financial management for all, and she was accessible during and after class to answer any follow-up questions.
Working with Elizabeth has been a life-changer for me. Elizabeth has helped me set up a financial structure that works for me, my retirement plan, and my spending habits. It has also been immensely helpful to have Elizabeth accessible vía email/text for random questions outside of our sessions. Highly recommend her!
The Fearless Finance app is incredibly useful and easy to use. It helps me stay on top of my monthly budget goals and track my expenses without having to get into the weeds of daily expenses. I’d recommend it to anyone wanting to gain better insights into their monthly spending habits.
True to her company name, Lori helped take the fear out of financial planning. She was patient and encouraging, and she gave me hope that I could achieve financial stability. My financial fitness has improved considerably. I’m really grateful.
Elizabeth is a pleasure to work with. I had never shared my finances with anyone since graduating from college so the fear of sharing such a personal thing with a stranger was real, but Elizabeth was great! There was no judgment about my financial position and she asked really well-targeted questions to help me think about the future and what’s important to me. She helped me sort out how to invest my retirement funds, how much and where I should be saving, and what is a realistic budget to stick to to meet all those goals and still have a life. I can’t recommend her highly enough!
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