Theresa Pablos, CFP®
Fee-Only Financial Planning for progressive tech pros, LGBTQ+ folks, and women
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Serving Clients Nationwide
Fee-Only Financial Planning for progressive tech pros, LGBTQ+ folks, and women
Areas of Focus
- Employee Stock Options
- Equity Compensation Options
- Financial Life Planning
- Investment Management
- LGBTQ Couples
- Retirement Planning
- Retiring Early (F.I.R.E)
- Socially Responsible Investing
- Taxes
- Women & Wealth
About Theresa Pablos, CFP®
👋 Hi, I'm Theresa Pablos.Most financial advice is built for people who want to retire at 65. That’s why I’m not like most financial advisors.
Traditional retirement planning just doesn’t work for tech. Even if you hope to stay at one company for 30 years, the reality of aging out, layoffs, and compensation tied to volatile RSUs makes old-school planning obsolete.
Here’s what most planners miss: Tech professionals generate incredible wealth but often lack the time or energy to actually enjoy it. After a day of high-stakes decision-making, the last thing you want to do is decipher the tax implications of exercising your ISOs or build a spreadsheet to decide whether selling your RSUs for a home downpayment is a mistake.
That’s where I come in.
I believe the point of planning isn’t just to have money. It’s to create options.
My goal is turn financial complexity into a clear, actionable plan that supports the life you want today, whether’s that taking a career break, traveling with your family, or just sleeping better at night knowing you have a financial partner.
Working with tech professionals is personal.
Helping my partner navigate ISO exercise decision trees, AMT calculations, burnout, and recovery sabbaticals is what inspired me to pursue a financial planning career. With roots in Silicon Valley and a home base in Santa Monica, I’ve seen firsthand how a $400K+ household income can still feel like a treadmill when balancing concentrated stock, high housing costs, and the pressure of supporting family members who helped you succeed.
My financial planning work is done through Equalis Financial, a 100% fee-only, fiduciary firm. I don’t sell products or take commissions. My only incentive is to help you navigate competing priorities with a plan that reflects your unique values.
Before becoming a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, I spent nearly a decade as a journalist, honing my ability to see problems from every angle and make complex information easy to understand. I bring that same curiosity and care to every financial plan I create, helping clients see their full financial picture and chart a clear, values-aligned path forward.
If you’re ready to build a life that gives you options, let’s chat.
6 Fun Facts About Me
1️⃣ My favorite TV show is Parks and Rec. I strive to live a life filled with friends, waffles, and work.
2️⃣ All my spreadsheets are color-coded. My paper planner is, too.
3️⃣ I’m an avid hiker and recently summited Half Dome.
4️⃣ Don’t forget to be awesome — a motto borrowed from my favorite YouTubers, Hank and John Green.
5️⃣ I take my whisky neat and, preferably, from Scotland.
6️⃣ There’s a good chance my black-and-white Bernedoodle, Barkley, will be in the background of a video call.
Professional Designations
- CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER ®
Affiliations
-
Fee Only Network
- Financial Planning Association
- National Association of Personal Financial Advisors
- Financial Planning Association
Primary Location
90027
Additional Locations
📍 1231 NW Hoyt St, Suite 203, Portland, OR 97209
Video
Meeting Options
- Video Conference
- In-Person
- Phone
Compensation Methods
- Fee Only
- Flat Fee
- Percentage of Assets Managed
- Subscription
What to expect in the first meeting
Click the 'Book Discovery Meeting' button above to get in touch. The first meeting is on us. There’s no cost and no pressure, just a conversation to see if we’re a good match. I look forward to speaking with you.Offers Investment Management
Yes
About Equalis Financial
At Equalis Financial, we help progressive individuals and families, especially those in the LGBTQ+ community, women decision-makers, and tech industry, define their vision, invest with purpose, and build financial lives that reflect their values… not just their balance sheets.How Equalis Can Help
✔️ Financial Planning
Just as Rome wasn’t built in a day, a great financial plan won’t be either. Together, we’ll create and adjust your financial plan to fit your specific needs.
✔️ Investment Management
We’re known for providing socially conscious values-aligned investing strategies, helping our clients put their money behind social causes they believe in.
✔️ Business Management
From tax planning to payroll to bookkeeping, we’ll cover the day-to-day operations of your business so you can get back to the creative work you love to do.
What Sets Us Apart
▪️ Fiduciary
We are proud to be an independent financial planning firm, meaning that it is our fiduciary duty to do what’s best for you. This requires us to always put your interests ahead of our own.
▪️ Impartial
Everyone deserves access to financial advice regardless of their sexual orientation, gender, or marital status. Equality isn’t just in our name but is our founding principle.
▪️ Fee-Only
This means we do not sell any investment products, represent any product or company, and do not receive any commissions. We work strictly for you and are paid only by you.
▪️ Technology
We are location independent, meaning we use web-based technology that allows us to work as a virtual advisor and assist you no matter your physical location. We’re here to help you anytime, anywhere.
▪️ Our Identity
Equalis was founded by a member of the LGBTQ+ community who is all too familiar with volatile financial environments. Your needs will be attended to with compassion and without judgement.
▪️ Advocacy
We are a voice for our clients and community. Our mission is to ensure every action we take and every dollar we spend positively impacts as many people as possible.
We believe in Human-Centered Financial Planning
Other planners address your finances first, but that’s not how we do things. Instead, we devote time to understand your vision before advising on your finances. It’s time for the financial planning process to focus more on you than your money.
Education
Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast and Digital Journalism from the University of Southern California
Hobbies and Interests
- Animals
- Beach
- Family
- Hiking
- Music
- Traveling
- Walking
- Writing
SEC Lookup
View DisclosureWho We Serve
- Americans Living Abroad
- BIPOC
- Blended Family
- Business Owners
- Couples
- Creative Professionals
- Crypto Investors
- Democrats
- Dual Income Family
- Entrepreneurs
- Expats
- Families
- Financial Independence Retire Early (FIRE)
- Gen X
- Gen Y / Millennials
- Hispanic | Latino
- Immigrants
- Individuals
- Intergenerational Families
- Investors
- LGBTQ
- LGBTQ Couples
- Newly Engaged / Newlywed
- Non-Traditional Clients
- Parents
- Remote Workers
- Startup Employees
- Technology Professionals
- Travel Lovers
- Women Professionals
- Women’s Finance
- Young Families
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