Stephan Shipe is an awesome financial advisor I am grateful to have in my corner for all things financial. He is thorough, knowledgable, and has been very responsive when I've needed him. He has a very personalized approach to planning: he gathers all the information needed to fully understand my situation, and provides very clear models and tailored, concise recommendations that are straightforward and easy to follow through on. He and his team are absolutely great to work with. They make the whole process of scheduling, planning and meeting for annual check-ins a pleasure, and they make me feel valued every step of the way.

It took us a long time to find the right financial advisor, and we're so thankful to have found Stephan Shipe. He is a true fiduciary who prioritizes the client's interests with a genuine, fee-based model. We appreciate his extensive financial knowledge, paired with his down-to-earth manner. All of his recommendations are easy to follow and are data-driven and personalized. We're thankful for Stephan and his team!

There’s a lot to like about working with Stephan. He can explain complex topics so that a novice like me can understand. He can also dig deep into a complex topic to make certain he and we fully understand. His business model is enlightened in that he makes money by doing his job well, not by how much money he manages for you. He takes full advantage of leveraging passive index funds as a vehicle for wealth creation which makes investing much more straightforward and lower in risk. He’s straightforward to deal with, timely and efficient. Thanks, Stephan!

Stephan and the team have been terrific. We engaged Scholar Financial Advising about 14 months ago after selling our business and retiring at 55. My wife and I received the initial plan, and have been through year one and follow-on review to check status and adjust. Stephan is responsive, and very supportive if I have questions about the plan or mid-year concerns. All advice and materials provided have been informative and helpful. Recommendations are specific and actionable which has allowed me to manage our own finances effectively and transition away from the assets under management model and our past advisor with confidence. Highly recommended - wish I had found this firm sooner!

We are so glad to have found Stephan and are grateful for his excellent advice. Even during uncertain times we feel confident with his recommendations. He’s very personable and we feel he knows us and understands how to best advise us. He is always available for questions and advice when we need him. Thanks Stephan!

We have been DIY investors for the last decade after discovering the high-cost low-return fee structure associated with the large financial advising company we were working with at the start of our careers. Our finances have become too complicated to be completely DIY and we realized we needed expert advice to adjust our investing strategy and manage our assets better over the long term for taxes, retirement and estate planning purposes. The fee-based model is the only model I trust after our previous experience. We wanted to remain in control of our investments. We wanted to work with an objective financial expert on more of a consulting basis to develop and maintain a tailored plan for us to execute. Stephan and Scholar Financial Advising was the right fit for us. Stephen helped us get our financial picture organized and simplified. He developed a clear roadmap for what to consolidate and move around with a timeline for executing changes. We are grateful to have started working with him this year and look forward to continuing to work with him for many years.

My wife and I have always handled our own finances. As we get closer to retirement, we felt we needed a bit more help. We searched for a long time to locate someone we felt we could trust. We are very happy to have found Stephan. Stephan shares the same philosophy on investing as we do, and he has been able to provide us with valuable information and recommendations to help us on our path to a happy retirement.

My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our first meeting with Stephan. We are "do it yourselfers" and have reached a point where we need help and the AUM model just doesn't work for us. Stephan provided great guidance and a clear to plan that we are beginning to execute. A big thanks to him and his whole team for their responsive and thorough approach!

I had Mark as my financial advisor and I could not be more satisfied. His plan was comprehensive and he tailored it for exactly what I wanted and what I didn't know I needed. He explained it all in great detail and always responds to emails within a day when I have questions about the plan. Best of all the cost of the service. I will be sticking with SAF for the course of my career and beyond.

I have worked with Stephan Shipe for several years, and I have been very pleased with the detailed financial plan he provided to me. While my hope was to find someone that could help make sure I stayed on track, I have in fact gained much more than that over the years. His patience in providing financial education each year has been invaluable. In addition, the entire team at Scholar Financial Advising are incredibly helpful and very professional.

Very happy with the conversations my wife and I have had with SFA. The whole team is professional, responsive, and very knowledgeable. We've been working primarily with Mark, who has been amazing. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for financial advisors who will be sure to put your interests first in a data-driven and reasonable way.

My wife and I are very happy we decided to go with Stephan as our financial advisor. He explains everything clearly and is very responsive to questions. He has great advice for specific questions and also for comprehensive planning. After implementing all of his suggestions, we feel much more confident about our financial future. Highly recommend!

I have worked with several financial planners over the years. However this was the first time I went with a fee based financial planner. Stephan was recommended to me by a colleague who was very satisfied with the services. I was not exactly sure what to expect but I also ended up very satisfied with the plan. Stephan provided my husband and I with a very clear view of what retirement will look like as well as a recommendation on actions to take now. I learned a few things and also have a clear understanding. Well worth it and extremely satisfied with the service.

I searched long and hard, far and wide, to find the kind of financial assistance that fit my circumstances. I like to keep things simple, and paying someone 1+% per year to manage my situation did not offer sufficient bang for the buck. At the same time I value expertise from professionals and was willing to pay for a good consult and strategic advice. I was beyond pleased with my experience with Scholar Financial. My interactions with Stephan Shipe and with Deon Strickland were professional, timely, informative, and gave me the EXACT information I had been looking for. Deon reviewed my particular situation, drafted a specific plan for me, and held my hand as I implemented it. Finding these two was like finding a needle in a haystack - and it was exactly the needle I needed to stitch up the solution I had been looking for. I recommend them highly.

I recently had the pleasure of working with Stephan and Mark, two outstanding financial advisors, who have gone above and beyond to create a personalized financial plan for my wife and me. From the very beginning, it was evident that their primary focus was on understanding our unique financial needs and goals, and providing tailored advice to help us achieve them. It's clear that they have our best interests at heart, and their fee structure reflects that. They operate without any commission or incentives tied to our investments, which has allowed us to trust them fully and feel confident in their recommendations. Throughout the entire process, they were incredibly patient, thorough, and knowledgeable. They took the time to carefully explain the various aspects of our financial plan, ensuring that we fully understood each component and felt comfortable with the strategies they proposed. Their proactive approach to communication and their availability for any questions or concerns we had further solidified our confidence in their services. Stephan and Mark have not only crafted a comprehensive financial plan for us, but they have also provided us with peace of mind, knowing that we are on track to achieve our long-term financial goals. We are genuinely grateful for their guidance, expertise, and commitment to our success. If you are looking for financial advisors who will put your needs first and deliver exceptional results, we wholeheartedly recommend Stephan and Mark. They have exceeded our expectations and have been an absolute pleasure to work with.

I wanted an analysis on when I should start drawing Social Security and pension that considered funding my lifestyle from my retirement and investment accounts in a tax efficient way. They delivered. My initial conversation with Stephan confirmed they could provide the services I need now, and I have flexibility on how to use their services in the future. I worked with Mark who responded timely as I gathered and submitted my documents for the analysis. He sent me the financial plan so that I could review before our Zoom meeting. I appreciate how he listened. He incorporated my wishes and concerns as we reviewed the plan, and he explained how the plan would address those issues. Mark was very direct about the items that could derail my plan and why. I appreciate Mark's encouragement to enjoy my life funded by my decades of saving while having guiderails in place to ensure a financially secure retirement. In addition to an annual review, I know that I can contact them when a major unexpected expense or event arises, and they will be able to review my plan and provide guidance. Going into the conversation, I thought I was financially literate with good knowledge of the type of accounts I have and considerations as I retire. Afterwards, I felt confident in my knowledge and my ability to manage my investments for the foreseeable future. With the current volatile financial environment, it is good to know that I have support when I need it. If you need advice as you begin saving and investing for your future or if you want confidence in retirement timing or if you need someone to provide a sense check for you, Scholar Financial can help.

I consider myself very financially literate, but I was getting overwhelmed by the plethora of information out there on how to successfully plan for financial goals and retirement. Stephan took all the guesswork away, created a clear path, and provided much needed reassurance. We look forward to our meetings and are excited to share our progress each time! We always come away with concrete action items and it feels good to take ownership of our plan with his guidance. Thanks so much, Stephan!!

I was looking for an advisor that would give solid advice as my wife and I approach retirement, without conflicts of interest. Stephan has lived up to my high expectations. Concrete advice that is easy to understand, flexibility, availability, and no conflicts of interest. Meets our needs completely.

Having been with a previous planner a long time, I thought I knew what I wanted. I wanted a mix of coach/cheerleader that let me lead, but who brings expertise and knowledge I lack. Stephan has been that--and MORE! He's incredibly smart, great human skills, and a subtle and kind desire to help that's very comforting. This mix of technical savvy and support is an awesome fit for my needs. I like being coached and supported by Stephan and think we'll be together long term! I certainly hope so.