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William Hatton, CFP®

Financial Planner, Coach, and "Explain It Like I'm Five" Financial Translator

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Billfold Budget Counseling William Hatton, CFP®
Los Angeles, CA

Serving Clients Nationwide

Financial Planner, Coach, and "Explain It Like I'm Five" Financial Translator

(818) 522-0975

Website

Areas of Focus

  • Budgeting
  • Coaching
  • Emergency Savings
  • Employee Benefits
  • Family and Money
  • Federal Student Loan Option Analysis
  • Financial Aid Planning
  • Financial Life Planning
  • Getting out of Debt
  • Investing
  • Money Psychology
  • Other Loan Forgiveness Program Advising
  • Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Advising
  • Retirement Planning
  • Saving
  • Setting Up Retirement Accounts

About Me

Hello! My name is Billy, owner of Billfold Budget Counseling.

I believe that money is not a natural thing. Be it overspending, living paycheck to paycheck, or a low credit score…these money mishaps are actually quite common.

Because of this, I feel that there’s no shame in not understanding personal finance. Heck, when I was studying accounting as an undergrad, I managed to get in over my head with credit card debt. A situation due to a lack of personal finance knowledge. But this overwhelming burden would weigh on my every action, and my not-so-wise decision to ignore the problem only made it worse. I was eventually able to pay off my debt through sheer chance (and lots of part-time work), but I never wanted to feel that level of anxiety again.

However, what was bad for me is often worse for others. In this country, there are haves and have-nots, and money has historically been hoarded by haves: rich, white, powerful men. As a privileged white male, I had the opportunities that lead me to eventually being debt-free. I could see how my challenges were relatively small compared to the structural issues that other folks face. So, I’ve made it my mission to not only provide financial planning, education, and coaching but to have my advice be as accessible as possible. Especially to those who have had dealt with money hardships, but still want to give back to their communities.

That way, you can focus on your mission to make the world a compassionate, diverse, and understanding place.

So if you’re ready to enlist help to tackle your financial burdens (without cliché, condescending advice like “eat less avocado toast” or “don’t buy lattes”), please reach out for a complimentary consultation.

Professional Designations

  • CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional

Affiliations

  • Fee Only Network
  • National Association of Personal Financial Advisors
  • XY Planning Network

Primary Location

14900 Magnolia Blvd Ste 55474 Sherman Oaks, CA 91403

Meeting Options

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

Compensation Methods

  • Fee Only
  • Flat Fee
  • Hourly Rate
  • One-time Financial Plan
  • Pro Bono
  • Subscription

What to expect in the first meeting

We'll get to know each other and I'll listen to understand your unique circumstances so we can determine the best way to proceed. That could be how best we can work together, but also if I'm a good fit for you. If not, I'll refer you in the right direction.

About our Firm

Many Gen X & Y individuals are dragged down by debt or hampered by poor education regarding money management. Furthermore, the traditional system of financial planning and advice is for older, "High Net Worth" folks with substantial savings. This has resulted in wealth accruing primarily for privileged households and not historically disadvantaged people.

Billfold Budget Counseling aims to buck this trend by providing financial coaching and advisory services on a sliding scale for folks who have noticeable cash flow burdens but don't have the assets to work with a traditional advisor.

My services are as follows:

✅ "Spot Check" Financial Translating - If you want to understand your existing benefits, wrap your head around some "newsworthy" item, or just need a second opinion, then this service would work best for you.

I charge $250/hour for up to two hours for this service. If more time is needed, then I recommend my other services instead.

✅ “Sanity Check" Financial Planning - Sometimes folks know what their goals are, but they want to understand how to align their finances to meet it.

If this sounds like your situation, then this is the option for you. After a complimentary session to see if we work well together, we can begin work to develop a financial plan for you and your partner to follow.

With this package, I will meet with you four times to organize your records, gather financial data, and develop a written plan for you to follow. After presenting the plan, we will discuss any revisions you would like to see, and then I will make a "final draft" for you.

Six months after your final draft, we will meet to see how you're doing and offer suggestions on any difficulties you may encounter.

It will usually take a minimum of three hours for this type of engagement, but I cap payment at six hours of work. The total cost will vary depending on the complexity of your financial situation, though. Typically it is no more than $1,500. Fifty percent of the estimated cost will be paid upfront (with a maximum initial payment of $500), and the remainder paid off once the plan is complete.

✅ "Helping Hand" Financial Coaching

Through this model, I will work with you for the entire year to develop a financial plan, and aid you in implementing it as well.

Frankly, money sucks. You wouldn't be the first to avoid dealing with money problems with all your heart and soul. Whatever financial matters may arise throughout our relationship; I will be your chief advisor/counsel/chancellor/grand vizier/etc.

Furthermore, I believe that this level of service is reserved for folks who typically employ the services of a "traditional" financial advisor. Instead, I advise on a sliding scale based on your household income.

For this service, I charge 2% of your household's gross income with a floor of $1,200 annually and a cap of $7,200 annually, paid monthly after our initial complimentary consultation.

You can expect: Development of a financial plan to meet your financial goals. Monthly meetings (either online or in-person) and quarterly "deep dive" appointments. These sessions are usually one hour, while deep dives will typically range from one to three hours. Two hours each month for supplementary contact for any other topics/financial issues to discuss.

Education

California State University, Northridge, Bachelor's degree, Finance, General | College of the Canyons

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Hobbies and Interests

  • Board Games
  • Eating Out
  • Hiking
  • Relaxing
  • Video Games
  • Walking

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Who We Serve

  • College Graduates
  • Couples
  • Educators
  • Gen X
  • Gen Y / Millennials
  • LGBTQ
  • Newly Engaged / Newlywed
  • Nonprofit Employees
  • Parents
  • Young Families

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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