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Melissa Walsh, CFP®, CFA, AIF

You deserve financial clarity.

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Clarity Financial Design Melissa Walsh, CFP®, CFA, AIF she/her
Sarasota, FL

Serving Clients Nationwide

You deserve financial clarity.

407-494-0593

Website

Areas of Focus

  • Financial Life Planning
  • Investment Management
  • Owning a Business
  • Retirement Planning
  • Women & Wealth

About Me

Hello there, I'm Melissa Walsh!

My mission in everything I do is to make a positive difference in the lives of the people I serve. I aim to enthusiastically help my clients to achieve their goals and to be a trusted partner every step of the way.

I see each day as a new opportunity to enhance the lives of those I serve- my clients, my family, and my community. This intrinsic feel for what’s truly important in life helps to fuel my drive for the work I do both here at Clarity Financial Design and beyond.

I am a lifelong learner; constantly seeking out new ways to increase my knowledge base for the benefit of those I help. I am profoundly interested in learning about the people I serve so that I can communicate, recommend, and plan strategies that are both impactful and implementable for them.

I am most satisfied in life by finding injustices and righting them. I think this is why a career in finance initially appealed to me; the industry has widespread and systemic problems related to conflicts of interest, gender inequality, and lack of transparency. I’ve made a commitment to improving my industry as well as my clients’ individual lives by providing fiduciary, fee-only, transparent advice. I am, and will always remain, fiercely independent in my advocacy for my clients and my profession.

I’ve been working in finance for my entire career, and have focused on independent women for the last several years. I graduated from The University of Michigan with a degree in Organizational Studies- a major that explored the intersection of economics, psychology, and sociology. I’ve always loved the complicated dynamics between money and behavior, and call myself lucky to be able to focus in this area every day in my practice.

Professional Designations

  • Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF)
  • CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional
  • Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)

Affiliations

  • CFA Institute
  • CFP Board
  • Fee Only Network
  • National Association of Personal Financial Advisors
  • XY Planning Network

Primary Location

205 N. Orange Ave Suite 306 Sarasota FL 34236

Additional Locations

📍 941 W. Morse Blvd Suite 100 Winter Park FL 32789

Meeting Options

  • Video Conference
  • In-Person
  • Phone
Book Intro Call

Compensation Methods

  • Fee Only
  • Flat Fee
  • Percentage of Assets Managed
  • Subscription

What to expect in the first meeting

Click the 'Book Intro Call' button above to schedule a free, no pressure meet and greet call with Melissa.

Offers Investment Management

Yes

About our Firm

Whether you are approaching retirement, experiencing a life transition, or just starting out on your journey as an entrepreneur, Clarity Financial Design is here to help you.

✅ We design and implement customized financial solutions for women like you.

✅ We meet you where you are and walk alongside you on your financial journey. During our typical client relationship, we advise on retirement planning, investments, estate planning, taxes, insurance, and charitable giving.

✅ We are also experts in helping clients navigate the cash flow, tax, and legal complexities of being an entrepreneur.

We are based in Winter Park, Florida, serve clients throughout the Orlando area, and work virtually with clients across the country.

We are a great fit for women who are seeking a trusted advisor to support them on their financial journey. Our typical client is within a few years of a transition-retirement, selling a business, divorce, or widowhood. We also work with women who are entrepreneurs seeking comprehensive personal and business planning. If you are looking for a partner to help you gain clarity on all things financial, we are here to help you.

Locations:
📍 Sarasota: 205 N. Orange Ave Suite 306 Sarasota, FL 34236

📍 Winter Park: 941 W Morse Blvd Suite 100 Winter Park, FL 32789

Education

University of Michigan BA, Organizational Studies

Volunteer Experience

When I’m not at work, I enjoy volunteering in the Sarasota community. I’ve made a commitment to spend 10% of my time supporting organizations that are meaningfully impacting the well-being of local children and families. I am currently a board member and finance committee member at The Florida Center, a leading provider of therapeutic services, early education, and healthy development for children in southwest Florida. I am a finance committee member at the preeminent local leadership development organization for girls, Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida. I am a trustee and finance committee member of Community Day School, a private Jewish day school in Sarasota that serves children of all faiths and has made a durable commitment to step out as a safe space for members of the LGBTQ community, families at all economic levels, students with learning exceptionalities, and individuals of every race and religion. I am also a member of Impact 100 SRQ, a Sarasota- based giving circle that is designed to empower women to see themselves as philanthropists and overcome the barriers women have historically faced in this arena.

Awards and Honors

Badges

Hobbies and Interests

  • Beach
  • Cooking
  • Family
  • Reading
  • Running
  • Volunteering

SEC Lookup

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Who We Serve

  • Business Owners
  • Corporate Executives
  • Investors
  • LGBTQ
  • Living in Retirement
  • Single Women
  • Widow
  • Women in Transition
  • Women Professionals
  • Women’s Finance

To make Wealthtender free for readers, we earn a nominal monthly fee from financial advisors and firms in exchange for marketing services (including being featured on this profile page), subject to terms of use. This compensation creates a natural conflict of interest when we favor their promotion over others. Wealthtender is not a client of these advisors or firms. Testimonials may not be representative of other clients’ experiences and do not guarantee future performance or success.

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