I am Chris Brown, a fee-only financial planner dedicated to helping families make the most of their financial resources in retirement. As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, I specialize in retirement planning and provide objective guidance to clients who may not traditionally work with a financial planner due to investment management requirements. I do not impose minimum income or asset thresholds and offer portfolio recommendations without taking direct control of client investments. Support is provided for up to six months as clients implement their financial plans after the initial planning agreement is signed.

My journey into financial planning followed a long career as a Finance professor, a role I continue to hold at Western Kentucky University, where I teach in a CFP Board registered Financial Planning Program. Over the years, I have taught numerous students who now serve as financial advisors across the country.

A few years ago, I developed an interest in learning as much as possible about the issues retirees face as they begin converting a lifetime of savings into a lifetime of income. I listened to hundreds of financial planning podcasts and, as I did, it became obvious that too many people rely on “rules of thumb” or blindly listen to advice from people who aren’t fully aware of their unique circumstances.  It was also apparent that the need for professional advice becomes much more vital as families approach retirement, due to the number of decisions that must be made all in conjunction with each other. Many people don’t use financial planners because they don’t want to give up control of their investments. Most financial planning firms require clients to give up control of their investments, since they charge fees based on the dollar value of assets under their management. The mission of Birdie Retirement Planning is to provide unbiased, comprehensive and tailored financial advice to clients as they face the many difficult decisions that must be made in or near retirement.