Hello, I am Ben. I started Simplified Planning and Investments out of a deep desire to make a real difference in people’s lives. For nearly a decade, I have had the privilege of guiding individuals and families through some of their most important financial decisions. Over time, I realized my greatest fulfillment comes from building meaningful relationships, truly understanding people’s stories, and helping them find peace of mind in areas that often cause stress and uncertainty. This led me to create a firm centered on people first - where financial planning is about more than money; it’s about impact, purpose, and simplicity. At Simplified Planning, everything begins with a passion for people. This firm was built on the belief that the foundation of finacial planning is built on relationships, trust, and helping others live with greater peace and purpose. Our purpose is to equip you to make confident financial decisions with clarity and ease. Every story is unique, and so is every financial plan. Exceptional financial planning starts with listening and understanding. That’s why we take a holistic, relationship-driven approach - thoughtfully blending overarching strategies with the important details that matter most to you. Because we work on a fee-only basis, our only focus is providing sound advice that puts your best interests first. By viewing your financial life as an integrated system - cash flow, investments, taxes, insurance, retirement, and estate considerations - we ensure each piece works together seamlessly, so your money serves your goals and values. Our aim is to simplify complexity, bring clarity to uncertainty, and provide a roadmap that balances today’s priorities with tomorrow’s vision. Outside of work, my life is centered around my family. We love traveling and discovering new places together. I stay connected to my community through commitments to my church, volunteering, and teaching personal finance. I’m also a high school football official, a passionate sports fan, and yes - one of those lawn guys. I look forward to connecting, understanding your story, and helping you create a financial life that reflects both your goals and your values - bringing clarity, confidence, and meaning every step of the way.

Stoy Hall is a CFP® with 13 years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at Black Mammoth LLC since 2020. His prior experience includes roles at Centric Advisors, Majors and Mondragon, MWA Financial Services, and Modern Woodmen Of America. Outside of his advisory work, he is president of the board for the nonprofit Starts Right Here Movement and owns consulting firms LNC Financial and Legacy Fiduciary Services, Inc. Black Mammoth LLC provides discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, family office, and retirement plan consulting to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers business advisory services including CFO consulting and investment banking support, typically managing assets through firm-developed model portfolios and third-party sub-advisers where appropriate.

Alexandre Ducharme is a CFA® charterholder and the sole advisor at Woodlands Capital Management, LLC, where he has worked since 2014. He has 10 years of industry experience. Woodlands Capital Management is an independent registered investment adviser serving a small client base, including high-net-worth individuals, with approximately $5.8 million in discretionary assets under management. The firm offers long-only and long/short equity strategies based on fundamental analysis, emphasizing risk control and client objectives, and employs a performance-based fee structure for its long/short strategy with qualified clients.

Christina Lueders Ochanpaugh is a financial advisor at Kingdom Wealth Development, LLC with 19 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked with Cambridge Investment Research and Trinity Financial Group, where she also serves as an independent insurance agent. Kingdom Wealth Development provides financial planning and portfolio management services to individual and high-net-worth clients, focusing on written financial plans and ongoing portfolio oversight. The firm employs an asset-allocation framework primarily using mutual funds and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary management with regular portfolio reviews.

Michael Moller is the principal of DSM Financial L.L.C. in Urbandale, IA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 38 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at several firms and operating his own sole proprietorship since 1984. In addition to advisory services, he maintains an active life insurance agency, writing term and whole life insurance policies. DSM Financial serves approximately 200 client relationships, primarily high-net-worth individuals, plan sponsors, and business entities. The firm provides financial planning, educational seminars, and retirement-plan consulting, referring clients to third-party investment managers while acting as a liaison and offering non-discretionary ERISA services for retirement plans.

Brian Weckman is a financial advisor with Actis Wealth Management in Waukee, IA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 28 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at LPL Financial and ownership of several business ventures, including Central Iowa Resellers, which focuses on purchasing and reselling estate sale items. Actis Wealth Management provides discretionary investment management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers tailored investment programs that utilize a mix of analytical approaches and portfolio strategies, and it provides pension consulting services including ERISA 3(38) investment management.

Kyle Thompson is the sole advisor at Leetown Advisors, an independent firm based in Ankeny, IA. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has nine years of industry experience, including prior roles at Waddell and Reed, Park Avenue Securities, and Guardian Life. Outside of financial advising, he is involved with KT Constrictors, a non-investment-related business. Leetown Advisors serves individual clients, including high-net-worth individuals, offering investment management, financial planning, business consulting, and retirement plan management for employer plan sponsors. The firm primarily uses passive, asset-class-based portfolios with index funds and ETFs, supplemented by fundamental and technical analysis, and provides institutional retirement plan services and paraplanning support to other advisers.

Steven Reed is the principal of Reed Financial, LLC, an independent registered investment adviser based in Urbandale, IA. He holds the ChFC® designation and has 36 years of industry experience. Prior to founding Reed Financial, he held various roles at Northwestern Mutual and has operated his own sole proprietorship since 1987. He is also the managing member of Reed Commercial Lending LLC, which facilitates financial transactions between small business owners and lenders. Reed Financial provides discretionary asset management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and business entities, including qualified retirement plans. The firm employs tailored investment strategies and offers pension consulting services, including limited-scope ERISA 3(21) fiduciary roles and preparation of related disclosures.

Jayme Bresnahan is a financial advisor with Successful Resource Management, Ltd. in Johnston, Iowa, holding a Series 66 credential and 17 years of industry experience. She has worked with Successful Resource Management and Investacorp Inc. and is also involved in managing a family limited partnership and serving as an officer of a holding company. Successful Resource Management provides personalized financial planning and investment management to individuals, trusts, charitable organizations, and business entities, offering discretionary portfolio management, qualified-plan account management, financial planning, estate-planning services, and occasional CFO engagements. The firm uses documented investment objectives and technical analysis tools to guide asset allocation and security selection.

Michael Marusiak is a financial advisor at Acumen Associates LLC in Clive, Iowa, with eight years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has worked with firms including Eagle Strategies LLC and New York Life Insurance Company. Acumen Associates LLC is a solo independent advisory firm providing discretionary investment management to individuals and institutions. The firm employs a model-driven investment approach focused on volatility securities and derivatives, utilizing equity portfolios combined with covered-call and put-write strategies as well as proprietary volatility futures curve modeling.

Guthrie Gaylord is a financial advisor at 3G Capital LLC with seven years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 credential and previously worked at Wells Fargo. In addition to his advisory role, he serves as President and Managing Member of Double Eagle Capital Partners Management, LLC, where he acts as a fiduciary for partners' invested capital. 3G Capital LLC provides financial planning, investment advisory, and portfolio management services to individual investors, high-net-worth clients, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm employs an active, value-oriented equity selection approach combined with diversified allocations to low-cost ETFs, emphasizing strategic asset allocation and periodic rebalancing.

Kirk Bond is a financial advisor with RIA Advisory Group, LLC in Des Moines, IA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 15 years of industry experience. He has worked with RIA Advisory Group since 2011 and operates as a sole proprietor. Outside of his advisory role, Bond is a life insurance marketer and a 20% owner of Brokerstreet Insurance Services, a non-variable insurance business. RIA Advisory Group, LLC is a multi-team registered investment adviser serving individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and other entities. The firm manages a diversified portfolio including equities, fixed income, mutual funds, ETFs, REITs, insurance products, and private placements, typically providing discretionary account management supported by charting, fundamental and technical analysis.

Shawn Terrell is a financial advisor with Dentist Exit Planning in Windsor Heights, IA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 14 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Park Avenue Securities for 10 years and has been with Terrell Advisors, LLC since 2021. In addition to his advisory work, Terrell is the author of the book "The Professional Practice Trap." Dentist Exit Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to dental-practice clients and high-net-worth individuals, focusing on exit planning. The firm offers portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, and ongoing consulting, using a combination of direct implementation and third-party managers, with an emphasis on tax considerations and tailored strategies.

Cory Dawkins is a financial advisor with Elite Wealth Partners, LLC in Johnston, Iowa. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 14 years of industry experience, including prior work at Lincoln Financial Securities Corporation. Outside of advising, Dawkins is involved in consulting on alternative investments, assists clients with debt reduction strategies through United Financial Freedom, and supports estate planning services with Estate Docs Pro. Elite Wealth Partners provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and businesses. The firm manages client assets primarily through model portfolios with third-party sub-advisors and structures client engagements around a comprehensive financial health checklist covering various planning areas.

Kevin Klein is a financial advisor at LIS Inc in Urbandale, IA, with 18 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Lifestyles Investment Strategies since 2017, following three years at RIA Advisory Group. Klein is also a licensed life insurance agent, dedicating a small portion of his time to this activity. LIS Inc is an independent registered investment adviser that provides portfolio management and financial and estate planning advice to a diverse client base, including individuals, businesses, trusts, and nonprofits. The firm employs a rules-based, globally diversified investment approach, primarily using low-cost ETFs alongside selected stocks and bonds, with most accounts managed on a discretionary basis.

Peter Rothamel is the principal advisor at Rothamel Wealth Management, LLC in Urbandale, IA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 registrations with 25 years of industry experience. Before founding his current firm in 2019, he worked at Investacorp Inc. for five years and has been involved with Successful Resource Management, Ltd. since 2013. Outside of advising, Rothamel is an author of the book "Let's Blame Everybody" and serves as an officer at Cartright & Kennedy, Inc. Rothamel Wealth Management provides portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting to individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as plan sponsors and participants. The firm employs a value-oriented, primarily long-term investment approach combined with tactical and strategic asset allocation, actively monitoring and rebalancing accounts as needed.

James Weiss is a financial advisor with Weiss Financial Group, LLC in Johnston, Iowa, holding the ChFC® designation and Series 63 and 65 licenses. He has 22 years of industry experience and previously worked at Global Financial Private Capital and Weiss-Merkle Financial, LLC. Outside of his advisory role, he is the owner of JW Elite Holdings, Inc., a holding company that includes branding and insurance businesses. Weiss Financial Group, LLC is a state-registered investment adviser providing discretionary asset management, financial planning, newsletters, and educational seminars primarily to individual and corporate clients. The firm employs a value-oriented, long-term investment approach combined with tactical and strategic asset allocation, utilizing a variety of instruments and offering a proprietary wrap-fee program that integrates advisory and execution services.

Matthew Kimberley is a financial advisor with Des Moines Investments, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and over 30 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Des Moines Wealth Management LLC and Royal Alliance Associates, INC. Kimberley also operates Kimberley Tax Preparation, providing tax preparation services. Outside of finance, he coaches youth softball, offering private lessons in pitching and hitting. Des Moines Investments manages approximately $264.8 million in discretionary assets for around 700 clients, including individuals, business owners, and trusts. The firm offers portfolio management and financial planning services, creating tailored investment profiles and utilizing a range of securities such as ETFs, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and REITs.

Stephen Forrest is a CFP® professional with 24 years of experience in financial advising. He has been with Forrest Financial Services in Des Moines, IA, since 1996. Forrest Financial Services provides discretionary investment management, financial planning, and tax planning primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm combines investment advice with in-house tax preparation and planning, emphasizing fundamental analysis and strategic asset allocation through diversified portfolios.

Elizabeth Johnson is a financial advisor at Iowa Wealth Management, LLC with nine years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has worked at Iowa Wealth Management since 2018, following prior roles at LPL Financial and SII Investments, Inc. Outside of her advisory work, she is the owner and founder of Stylin' Iowan Blog. Iowa Wealth Management is a supported wealth management firm with two advisors managing approximately $124 million across about 136 clients. The firm offers tailored financial planning, personalized investment management, and consulting services to individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations, typically managing accounts on a discretionary basis using both fundamental and technical analysis alongside computerized portfolio models.