user avatar

Michael Helmut Graef

Advisor at Creative Financial Designs, Inc. — Gilroy, CA

Updated today

Credentials

CFP®, Series 63, Series 66

Experience

20 years

Location

Gilroy, CA 95020

Creative Financial Designs, Inc. logo

Creative Financial Designs, Inc.

Multi-team

Total advisors

161

Across 83 offices

Clients per advisor

65 High

Avg AUM per client

$275,989 Very Low

HNW client ratio

4% Very Low

About

Michael Graef is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 20 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Creative Financial Designs, Inc. in Gilroy, CA. He holds minority ownership and serves as a corporate officer at Inspire Investing, LLC, and is fully owned sole proprietor of Christian Wealth Management, a financial planning practice. Creative Financial Designs serves individual, charitable, corporate, and retirement plan clients with a range of investment management and financial planning services. The firm employs asset-class model allocations informed by third-party research and offers various strategies including Biblical Responsible Investing.

Client services

Based on Creative Financial Designs, Inc.

Financial planning Portfolio management Pension consulting Newsletters or periodicals Educational seminars or workshops

Expertise

Based on Creative Financial Designs, Inc.

ESG / Sustainable investing Options & derivatives strategies

Demographic focus

Based on Creative Financial Designs, Inc.

Religious/faith focused

Not sure if this advisor is right for you?

Answer a few questions to see advisors matched to you.

Fee options

Percentage

$0+: Starting at 0.50% annually up to 2.00% annually for Brokerage Management platform $0+: Starting at 0.50% annually up to 1.50% annually for Self-Directed Management platform $0+: Starting at 0.50% annually up to 1.50% annually for Variable Annuity Management platform $0+: Starting at 0.50% annually up to 1.50% annually for Non-Discretionary Advisory Services

Project-based

Hourly fee up to $350 per hour, negotiable

Subscriptions

Retainer fees from $25 per month up to $3,500 per month, negotiable

Other

Account minimum: $7,000 Minimum fee: Custodial fee charged by cfd Investments for accounts at NFS: $8 monthly minimum fee Fee-only: Advisory fees negotiated between 0.50% and 2.00% annually depending on service and platform

Location

See office

Gilroy, CA

8000 Santa Teresa Blvd Ste 130

Gilroy CA 95020

Advisors at this office

2

Most active in

California · Texas

Work history

20 years of industry experience

Inspire Investing, LLC

2015 - Present • 11 years

Hollister, CA

cfd Investments

2015 - Present • 11 years

Kokomo, IN

Creative financial Designs

2015 - Present • 11 years

Kokomo, IN

Next Financial Group, Inc.

2012 - 2015 • 3 years

CA

Fidelity

2007 - 2012 • 5 years

CA

Disclosures

Exclamation point means they have disclosures of this type. Check mark means no disclosures of this type were found.

Business activities & affiliations

user avatar

Peter M

CFP®, Series 66

Aromas, CA

Wealth Cairn, LLC

Peter Mu is a CFP® with 15 years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at Wealth Cairn, LLC. His prior experience includes roles at Park Avenue Securities and Guardian Life Insurance Company. He is also licensed to sell insurance products as part of his professional activities. Wealth Cairn provides advisory services to institutional and individual clients, specializing in portfolio management, pension consulting, and financial planning. The firm employs a long-term investment approach grounded in modern portfolio theory and often implements strategies through third-party managers with ongoing due diligence.

Annuities General retirement planning
user avatar

James W

CFP®, Series 66

Morgan Hill, CA

J Ward Financial

James Ward is a financial advisor at J Ward Financial in Morgan Hill, CA, holding CFP® and Series 66 credentials with five years of industry experience. He has worked at Simplicity Investments, The Leaders Group Inc, and Pathfinder Financial Solutions, among others. In addition to advising, Ward operates a law practice specializing in estate planning and elder law and owns a realty business. J Ward Financial provides discretionary investment management primarily for high-net-worth individuals, families, and trusts, focusing on asset-allocation strategies tailored to clients’ age, health, liquidity needs, and risk tolerance. The firm manages approximately $15.8 million across about 21 client relationships and may engage third-party advisers to assist with portfolio management.

Wealth management Retired
user avatar

Michael G

CFP®, Series 65

Gilroy, CA

Michael Garber Financial Planning

Michael Garber is the principal of Michael Garber Financial Planning in Gilroy, CA, holding the CFP® designation and Series 65 license with nine years of industry experience. He has worked at Keysight Technologies, Inc. and its predecessor companies since 1984 in various roles, currently serving as an internal organizational consultant for sales skills development. Michael Garber Financial Planning provides independent, fee-only financial planning and investment consulting services to individuals and families, emphasizing long-term, cost-minimizing strategies that primarily utilize passive investment vehicles. The firm operates under a retainer- and project-based fee model without discretionary trading authority or custody of client assets.

General tax planning General estate planning guidance Business ownership considerations Cash flow / budgeting
user avatar

Lindsay S

CFP®, Series 63, Series 66

Morgan Hill, CA

EquityFTW

Lindsay Stuart is a CFP® professional affiliated with EquityFTW, bringing 12 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Mercer Advisors, Moss Adams Wealth Advisors, and Charles Schwab. EquityFTW is a fee-only advisory firm serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and other businesses with advice-only financial planning. The firm provides written deliverables, educational seminars, and structured client service calendars, focusing on integrated planning and equity compensation analysis without managing or custodying client accounts.

Business ownership considerations Cash flow / budgeting College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Equity Recipients (RS/RSU, SOP, ESPP) General estate planning guidance
user avatar

Alex B

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Hollister, CA

RLS Private Wealth Consulting, Inc.

Alex Baier is a CFP® with 11 years of experience in financial advising, currently with RLS Private Wealth Consulting, Inc. Prior to joining RLS Private Wealth, he worked at Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company and Foresters Financial Services. RLS Private Wealth Consulting serves high-net-worth individuals and businesses by providing family office executive and comprehensive wealth-planning services. The firm offers non-discretionary investment consulting, estate-planning coordination, and specialized family office operations, focusing on administrative oversight and project-based billing rather than traditional asset-based fees.

Business exit / sale strategy Charitable giving & philanthropy College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Debt management General estate planning guidance Founder/Business Owner
user avatar

Jon Eric K

Series 66

La Selva, CA

Wealth Innovation

Jon Eric Kronvall is a financial advisor at Wealth Innovation with 23 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Wells Fargo Bank and OneDigital Investment Advisors. He also owns Esoteric Advisors, a consulting practice providing expert witness services unrelated to investment management. Wealth Innovation provides fee-only investment advisory and portfolio management services primarily to high net-worth individuals. The firm manages approximately $12.7 million in discretionary assets and focuses on tailored investment plans that utilize fundamental and technical analysis, modern-portfolio theory, and tactical adjustments.

General retirement planning
Warmer team member

Not sure where to start?

We'll help you think it through—whether you ultimately need an advisor or not. Warmer helps you compare advisors clearly, so you can choose with confidence.

Find your advisor

For advisor listings, we rely on sources including public filings and data provided by advisors, and we cannot guarantee that all information is current or accurate. Advisors are independent and may not have reviewed or updated this information. Please review an advisor’s Form ADV and do your own diligence before deciding whether to work with them.

Advisor matching and introductions are provided by FinanceHQ LLC (“FHQ”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Warmer and an SEC-registered investment advisor. We receive compensation from certain participating advisors for introductions or referrals. This creates a conflict of interest because we have an incentive to recommend advisors who compensate us, including those who pay us more. You pay no fee to use our matching service, and advisor fees are not increased because of a referral or introduction. We do not review the ongoing performance of advisors, manage or hold assets, guarantee performance, or provide advice about specific investments.

By using our service, you agree to our Terms of Service and Advisory Agreement, and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. Please review FHQ’s ADV Part 2A and Form CRS. Logos provided by Logo.dev

© 2026 Warmer Holdings Inc. (“Warmer”)