Joe Ward, CFP®, RICP®, TPCP®
Wealth Management for Oil & Gas Professionals | Fee-Only | Fiduciary
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Serving Clients Nationwide
Wealth Management for Oil & Gas Professionals | Fee-Only | Fiduciary
Areas of Focus
- Cash Flow
- Education Funding
- Equity Compensation Options
- Estate Planning
- Insurance
- Investment Management
- Retirement Planning
- Tax-Efficient Planning
About Joe Ward, CFP®, RICP®, TPCP®
Hi, I'm Joe Ward, founder and wealth advisor at Refined Wealth.Growing up in Oklahoma City, I've been around the oil and gas business my entire life. I watched it turn what many considered a flyover city into a place people are proud to call home.
As a teenager I had the chance to work on the tree farm of Chesapeake Energy's late founder, Aubrey McClendon. One piece of advice he gave me has stayed with me ever since: study accounting, as it's the language of business.
I took that to heart at Oklahoma State, where I earned a degree in accounting in three and a half years. But after an audit internship at Ernst & Young, I realized I was more interested in finance and investing. The problem was that while getting my finance degree, I discovered most roles back then were really just insurance and product sales. Plus, I'd interned twice with Phillips 66, and frankly they paid more, and wanted me to move to Houston. So that's where I went.
Over nearly a decade with the company, I saw many facets of the business while living in Houston, Bartlesville, Billings, and New Orleans. That experience gave me a firsthand understanding of the careers, compensation, and benefits people navigate throughout their careers.
While working there, perhaps like many of you, I had multiple financial advisors cold-call my desk phone. I questioned whether they knew anything I didn't already know. So during the pandemic, I signed up for the Certified Financial Planning (CFP) program at Rice University, to make sure. As it turned out, there weren't many salespeople spending their nights and weekends in those classes. What I found instead was the depth of planning involved with retirement, taxes, estate, and even insurance.
Along the way, I met a financial planner who said, "If you're doing this for fun, you ought to do it for a living." After much deliberation, I took a 50% pay cut, apprenticed under him, and earned my CFP. He offered me ownership. But I knew I wanted to build my own firm, one designed specifically for the people I understood best. So I joined an oil and gas-focused practice, worked with some amazing clients, picked up additional certifications in tax and retirement planning, and ultimately launched Refined Wealth.
Our mission is not to be the biggest firm, but to be the best firm for high-net-worth oil and gas professionals and their families.
On the personal side, my wife Angelea and I live in Houston, near the Medical Center where she works as a Nurse Practitioner on the Cardiovascular Surgery team at Texas Children's Hospital. We have a very spoiled three-year-old Golden Retriever, named Basil, snow ski more than most Houstonians, and do our best to escape Texas in the summer.
Professional Designations
- CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER ®
- Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP)
- Tax Planning Certified Professional (TPCP)
Affiliations
-
Fee Only Network
- National Association of Personal Financial Advisors
- XY Planning Network
- National Association of Personal Financial Advisors
Primary Location
Houston, TX 77005
Video
Meeting Options
- Video Conference
- In-Person
- Phone
Compensation Methods
- Fee Only
- Flat Fee
- One-time Financial Plan
- Percentage of Assets Managed
What to expect in the first meeting
Click the Book Intro Call button above to schedule a complimentary intro call. We’ll talk about your goals, your questions, and how we can help you create a plan for the future. I look forward to speaking with you.Offers Investment Management
Yes
About Refined Wealth
Refined Wealth is a fee-only, fiduciary financial planning firm based in Houston, Texas, built specifically for oil and gas and energy industry professionals. We don't jump on every new idea that comes along — we're looking for what will stand up over a long period of time. We are legally and ethically obligated to act in your best interest: no commissions, no hidden incentives, no conflicts.Certified Financial Planners® to Rely On.
As CFP® professionals, we bring the highest standard of care and expertise to your retirement planning, ensuring every strategy is tailored to your goals.
Specialists in the Energy Industry
We get what it’s like to navigate the challenges you face in the energy industry. We help tackle your unique challenges and uncover opportunities to maximize your financial future.
Retirement & Tax Planning
As RICP® & TPCP® designated retirement and tax planning experts, we focus on creating sustainable income streams and minimizing taxes so you can enjoy a stress-free retirement.
We’ve Made it Easy to Get Clarity
We help clients with retirement planning, investment management, tax planning, estate planning, insurance review, and cash flow planning — and everything else needed to help you feel calm and confident about your financial future.
We provide ongoing planning and wealth management with a transparent, tiered asset-based fee designed to lower costs as your assets grow, with no hidden fees ever. For those seeking a comprehensive financial snapshot, we also offer one-time plans tailored for both accumulators and retirees.
Education
Oklahoma State University, Bachelor's Degree (dual), Accounting and Finance | Rice University, CFP® Certificate Program, Financial Planning
Hobbies and Interests
- Family
- Skiing
SEC Lookup
View DisclosureWho We Serve
- Corporate Executives
- Engineers
- Families
- Intergenerational Families
- Living in Retirement
- Young Families
Wealthtender® is a trusted, independent financial directory and educational resource governed by our strict Editorial Policy, Integrity Standards, and Terms of Use. While we receive compensation from featured professionals (a natural conflict of interest), we always operate with integrity and transparency to earn your trust. Wealthtender is not a client of these providers. Testimonials may not be representative of other clients’ experiences and do not guarantee future performance or success.
Write a Review
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Best Pivot of 2026
Refined Wealth 10/10
Thorough, Honest, and Disciplined
Top Tier Advisor!
A Great Supporter of Future Financial Planners
Mentorship
Wealth Management Done the Right Way
Highly recommend working with Joe Ward
Summay
Great Advisor
Knowledgable and Trustworthy Advisor
Rollover advice
Trustworthy
A Trusted Advisor
Lucky to have worked with Joe
Client Centric
Knowledgeable, personable, and always growing
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