Shannon Schmidt

Most people in their 40s and 50s are doing well financially—but aren’t completely sure they’re on track for retirement. They’ve built careers, accumulated savings, and are making good money… But questions start to surface: Am I saving enough? When can I realistically retire? How do I turn what I’ve built into income later? Am I being tax-efficient? That’s where I come in. I work with professionals in their peak earning years to help them create a clear, realistic path to retirement—one that connects their income, investments, and long-term goals. Together, we focus on: Building a structured retirement plan Aligning investments with real-life goals Creating future income strategies Improving tax efficiency over time Bringing clarity and confidence to big decisions My approach is straightforward and practical. No jargon. No overcomplication. Just a plan that makes sense for your life. If you’re within 10–15 years of retirement and want a clearer picture of where you stand—and what to do next—I’m happy to connect. I am a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services based in Napa, CA.

WHAT I DO: I help Locum Tenens physicians and advanced practice providers gain clarity about their finances, identify opportunities and pitfalls, and stay on track with a trusted accountability partner. WHY IT MATTERS: Three recurring concerns stand out in my conversations with Active Duty Military and Civilian physicians and advanced practice providers: Skill Atrophy – Concerns about staying clinically sharp and staying competitive due to limited patient volume or exposure to diverse clinical settings. Financial Catch-Up – After years of training, many feel the pressure to fast-track savings and build long-term financial security. Time Flexibility – A deep desire for greater control over one’s schedule to prioritize family, entrepreneurship, or personal goals. These pressures often lead physicians to pursue Locum Tenens work—part-time or full-time—for its higher earning potential and flexible structure. But with that flexibility comes greater financial complexity, making a clear strategy and support system more important than ever. HOW I DO IT: Together, we assess your strengths and gaps across the six pillars of financial planning: Cash Flow Management, Risk Management, Estate Planning, Tax Strategy, Retirement Planning, and Investment Management. Then, we develop action items over 3 months to strengthen your financial foundation. Clients are empowered to self implement recommendations or collaborate with us for efficiency and accountability. NEXT STEPS: Ready to take control of your financial future? Connect with me on LinkedIn or reach out directly at [email protected]—I’d love to learn more about your goals and how I can help. MORE ABOUT ME: I rediscovered my love for running three years ago thanks to one of my sons, starting with local 5Ks around the San Francisco Bay Area. Since then, I’ve become especially fond of the half-marathon distance, with races like the Oakland and San Francisco Half under my belt. Marathon training is next on the horizon, and I’m looking forward to the challenge. I also love exploring new places—favorites so far include Ilocos Sur (Philippines), Tokyo, Seoul, Busan, Barcelona, Lisbon, and London.

Sean Scruby is a CFP® professional with over two years of experience at Olde World Investments. He has worked in the investment advisory field since 2006 and also owns and operates Olde World Design, a construction company in Napa, CA, where he serves as a licensed general contractor. Olde World Investments is a state-registered, sole-proprietor firm providing financial planning and discretionary portfolio management to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and small businesses. The firm offers customized financial plans and employs a flexible investment approach that includes passive, active, and core-and-satellite strategies tailored to client objectives and risk tolerance.

Patrick Brennan is the sole advisor at Brennan Asset Management in Napa, CA. He holds the CFA® designation and Series 63 license, with 12 years of industry experience. He has led Brennan Asset Management since 2015. Brennan Asset Management provides discretionary investment supervisory services to a select group of individual and institutional clients, focusing on client-specific investment policy statements and concentrated equity portfolios. The firm uses a bottom-up, fundamental research process and combines retail advisory services with active management of private funds and pooled investment vehicles.

Janet Mlynar is a CFP® with 44 years of industry experience and is the principal of Benefits Plus, LLC in Napa, CA. She has worked in healthcare compliance since 2013 and has been associated with LPL Financial since 2009. Outside of her advisory work, she owns a division production company that films historic properties for commercial and media use. Benefits Plus serves employer plan sponsors, employee benefit plans, professionals, and individuals by providing consulting and financial planning focused on settlement, pension, and health insurance matters. The firm delivers advice through fixed or hourly fee consulting engagements and written plans without managing client assets.

John Liles is a CFP® professional based in Napa, CA, with 32 years of experience at his own firm, John H. Liles, CFP. He has provided financial planning and investment advisory services since 1994. His firm offers investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals and entities including trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, estates, and charitable organizations. The investment approach emphasizes strategic asset allocation through a core-and-satellite structure with passively managed index funds and ETFs as the core, complemented by selected individual securities and actively managed funds, with portfolios reviewed at least quarterly.