I am the founder of DIYFi Advisors LLC, a fee-only advisory firm in Chicago. I work with young professionals and recent graduates on financial planning, investing and portfolio decisions. I hold the Series 65 license and work on a flat-fee or hourly basis. I do not sell products or charge a percentage of assets. Before starting DIYFi, I spent nearly a decade in economic consulting at Bates White and Econ One. There I analyzed complex financial and economic data for litigation matters. I also worked as a product manager at Capital One. I hold an economics degree from the University of Chicago and an MBA from MIT Sloan. My approach is built on evidence: low-cost index funds, tax efficiency, and clear plans that clients can carry out on their own. The "why" answer is built from what I know about your approach, not from a personal story. If something specific got you started, like your own student loans at Sloan or friends asking you for help, one sentence about it would make the answer much stronger. I can also put together a short profile of your writing style so future drafts sound more like you.

Vincent DeCrow is a financial advisor at RISE Investment Management, LLC (dba RISE Investments) with 7 years of direct industry experience. He holds the Series 65 designation and has worked at RISE since 2019, following roles at Origin Investments and Duff & Phelps, LLC. RISE Investments provides discretionary investment management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, businesses, retirement plans, and non-profit organizations. The firm emphasizes long-term equity ownership, tax efficiency, and diversified portfolio construction, offering access to private placements and manager-of-managers solutions.

Brady Lawrence is a financial advisor at RCM Wealth Advisors with a Series 65 credential and four years of industry experience. He has worked at RCM Wealth Advisors since 2022 and is also involved with RCM Ag Services and Strategic Trading Advisors, where he specializes in commodities hedging and agricultural market research. Prior to his advisory roles, he attended the University of Mississippi. RCM Wealth Advisors is a multi-advisor SEC-registered firm managing approximately $324 million for around 530 clients, including individuals, pension plans, and corporate clients. The firm uses a combination of fundamental and cyclical analysis, supported by an internal Investment Policy Committee, and offers tailored portfolio management with both discretionary and non-discretionary account options.

Jared Goldstine is a dedicated financial advisor at Stirlingshire Investments, bringing 8 years of hands-on industry experience to help clients achieve their financial goals with confidence and clarity. He holds the Series 7 license and is a Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP). Jared has built his expertise at respected firms including Park Avenue Securities, Guardian Life Insurance Company and Northwestern Mutual. In addition to his professional work, Jared serves as Vice President of First Choice Networking Group, a professional networking organization, where he volunteers his time to connect business leaders and foster meaningful relationships in the community. Stirlingshire Investments is a forward-thinking wealth management firm on the leading edge of AI and technology in the financial services industry. We deliver discretionary portfolio management to individuals, trusts, families, and institutions — serving both non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth clients with sophisticated, personalized strategies. By combining deep human expertise with advanced AI-powered analytics, machine learning models, and cutting-edge technology platforms, Stirlingshire provides a significant edge in portfolio construction, risk management, and opportunity identification. Our team utilizes multiple analytical methods and offers a broad range of investment solutions, including mutual funds, ETFs, fixed income, REITs, private placements, and venture/alternative vehicles. At Stirlingshire, we believe the future of wealth management belongs to those who intelligently merge proven financial principles with the most advanced tools available. Jared Goldstine and the entire team are committed to delivering innovative, technology-enhanced investment solutions tailored to each client’s unique objectives, risk tolerance, and timeline.

Justin Dagostino is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license, with nine years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with Vertex Partners, where he has worked since 2019 in various capacities, including the launch of Vertex Partners as an independent investment advisor firm in 2022. His prior experience includes roles at LPL Financial, TD Ameritrade, Scottrade, Executive Wealth Management, and INVEST Financial Corp. Vertex Partners provides advisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, and charitable and corporate entities. The firm’s investment approach emphasizes asset allocation, diversification, and behavioral finance, using a combination of active and passive model portfolios implemented through various investment vehicles and third-party manager platforms.

Michael Corson is a financial advisor at United Advisor Group with three years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Thrivent Financial and Thrivent Investment Management Inc. Outside of advising, he is an independent insurance agent, primarily selling disability insurance. United Advisor Group serves individuals, small businesses, trusts, and charities through a network of independent advisers, offering discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and family office services. The firm combines proprietary model portfolios, custom trading, and third-party money managers using a variety of analytical and asset-allocation strategies.

Nicky Amore is a CFP® with 10 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Parallel Advisors, LLC since 2025. Growing up, Nicky’s grandparents were an influential part of her life and she recalls, “My Papa always said that I should be a mechanic because I wanted to take things apart and discover how they work. He inspired me so much with his military service that I carry his dog tag with me to remind me that my first job is to serve others before I serve myself.” As a child with special needs in a family of six children, Nicky remembers, “Being in a wheelchair and having to learn resiliency and patience to overcome this struggle taught me to find a way to make it work.” She knew her special needs were temporary and she knew she would walk again one day. After struggling and relearning how to walk, she was determined to help others and to become a Chartered Special Needs Consultant®. After she healed from her injuries, she earned her second-degree black belt in karate, taught self defense to adults with special needs, participated in a triathlon for St. Jude Children’s Hospital, the Chicago Marathon for Special Olympics, and an Ironman triathlon for the Wounded Warrior Project. Through her work for life, she finds that people remove their fear by connecting with and leaning on others. Prior to joining Parallel, Nicky worked at E*TRADE Capital Management, E*Trade Securities, and Morgan Stanley. Being a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® and managing competing priorities requires integrating moving pieces including attention to detail and knowing not only how to take the pieces apart, but to put them back together in a way that fits and makes sense. Working collaboratively with her clients, she makes what seems complex, simple to understand, she creates a work-optional lifestyle, and together with clients, they plan and organize so that the focus is not on just one challenge, but the entire family. Nicky's career in financial services includes advising veterans, business owners, and families with special needs or trauma and much like she did in her youth, “As a Certified Financial Therapist™, I know my clients are the experts in their own lives so I take apart the fragments of my expertise and put the pieces back together in a cohesive way that can best serve them.” Since earning her MBA, she is determined to share her passion and enthusiasm for finance with the next generation of the profession. She also serves as an adjunct professor of finance at multiple institutions, including Harper College, UCLA Extension, New York University, and John Carroll University. She teaches Introduction to Accounting, Decision-Making for Entrepreneurs, and CFP® courses in estate planning, insurance and risk management, tax planning and psychology of financial planning. Nicky’s time outside of work is spent with her alumni societies and volunteering with Savvy Ladies, an organization determined to reduce disparities in financial education, 3rd Decade, Hire Heroes, and Alpha Phi Omega. She and her wife, Lauren, enjoy training for triathlons with their rescue dogs. Parallel Advisors serves individuals, businesses, retirement plans, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations with discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a diversified investment approach that includes fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis, and integrates held-away account management and adviser-only investment vehicles.

Duke Lin is a Director of Private Funds and Vice President at CIBC Asset Management. Previously with Morgan Stanley's Consulting Group, he now leads alternative investment product management and capital formation across private equity, credit, hedge funds, and infrastructure for both institutional and private wealth clients across a 100B+ platform. He hold an economics degree from Northwestern University. CIBC Asset Management and CIBC Private Wealth Advisors provide investment advisory and wealth management services to individuals, families, trusts, employee benefit plans, corporations, and investment companies. The firm combines internal teams and committees to deliver customized portfolio management and offers access to specialized strategies, including options hedges and structured notes, with a notably high assets-under-management per advisor ratio.

Tom Sunny is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Schaumburg, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and nine years of industry experience. He operates Sunny Financial Strategies, LLC, offering New York Life products and brokering non-registered insurance products. He serves as a board member and marketing director for the Illinois chapter of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA). Eagle Strategies LLC provides financial planning, investment advisory, and retirement plan consulting services to individuals, employer-sponsored retirement plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm emphasizes client-directed solutions and utilizes third-party managers and model portfolios, operating as an indirect subsidiary of New York Life.

Richard Smith is the founder, CEO, and Chief Investment Officer of SRC Capital Management, an independent investment advisory firm based in Chicago, IL. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has over 20 years of industry experience. Alongside his advisory work, he has taught at multiple universities, including DeVry University, Southern New Hampshire University, Chicago Public School District 299, Argosy University, and University of Phoenix. SRC Capital Management provides discretionary investment management services to individuals, nonprofit and for-profit entities, endowments, pension plans, and government clients. The firm employs a fundamental, bottom-up value investing approach focused on under-owned and under-researched domestic equities, with an emphasis on stock selection and sector diversification to manage downside risk.

John Doncaster is the principal advisor at Doncaster Wealth LLC in Hinsdale, IL, with 12 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and previously worked at Northwestern Mutual and its affiliates for over a decade. He also maintains a role as a Pacific Life insurance agent. Doncaster Wealth LLC is a single-advisor independent registered investment adviser managing approximately $11 million for around 35 clients. The firm offers discretionary asset management and fee-based financial planning, tailoring investment programs to clients’ goals and risk tolerance using fundamental and cyclical analysis alongside Modern Portfolio Theory.

Wander Cedano is a financial advisor with Golden Foundation Advisors in Chicago, holding a Series 65 designation and three years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at RWA Wealth Partners, Adviser Investments, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Golden Foundation Advisors is an independent, fee-only firm providing financial planning and investment management services to individuals and high-net-worth clients. The firm emphasizes passive investment construction through diversified funds and uses an institutional custodial platform with discretionary trading and semi-annual account reviews.

I believe that everyone should have access to a professional advisor who understands their needs and can help them achieve the lifestyle they desire. As a financial advisor, I am dedicated to learning about your personal goals and using them to build a retirement plan tailored to your unique situation. NexJenn Financial Services was founded in response to the demand for financial planning from my tax clients. Often squeezed between spending for their kids’ education, caring for an elderly relative and saving for their own retirement, many were anxious about their financial future. I have enjoyed helping my clients find a balance and focus on building a strong financial future. I am a CPA® and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER Professional®, as well as a Retirement Income Certified Professional®. Additionally, I am a member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors and the XY Planning Network. In my spare time, my husband and I volunteer at a homeless shelter. I also love to bike and travel and am an aspiring photographer. I have been married for 30 years and together with my awesome husband, we’ve raised three awesome kids.

Edgardo Navarro is a financial advisor at Navarro Asset Management, LLC with three years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has been managing investments at Navarro Asset Management since 2022. Navarro is also the Managing Director of Kocoon Investments, LLC, a family investment entity he has been involved with since 2014. Navarro Asset Management serves individuals, including high net worth clients, as well as trusts and estates, providing discretionary and non-discretionary investment management along with financial planning and consulting. The firm employs a diversified investment approach using mutual funds, ETFs, equities, bonds, options strategies, and private funds, and incorporates fundamental, technical, and charting analysis methods.

Christopher Krzus is a financial advisor at Wolfstone Wealth with 23 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked for U.S. Bancorp Investments for 12 years before joining Wolfstone Wealth in 2023. Outside of his financial advisory role, he coaches 8th grade girls volleyball at the Sports Performance Volleyball Club in Aurora, IL. Wolfstone Wealth provides discretionary investment management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, families, trusts, businesses, and qualified retirement plans. The firm uses a proprietary, diversified asset allocation methodology informed by multiple analytical approaches and offers customized portfolio management with regular plan reviews.

Julia Zakarias is a CFP® with 21 years of industry experience and is the principal advisor at Genfi LLC, an independent firm based in Chicago, IL. She has been affiliated with Generations Family & Fiduciary Services LLC since 2011. In addition to her advisory role, Zakarias is a Certified Public Accountant and provides tax compliance and limited accounting services to certain investment clients through her affiliated tax practice, GenFi Tax. Genfi LLC serves family groups, individuals, trusts, corporations, corporate executive groups, and retirement plans with discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, family office services, and tax and estate planning. The firm creates client-specific investment policy statements and constructs portfolios based on goals, time horizons, cash-flow needs, tax considerations, and risk tolerance, while maintaining an affiliated tax compliance practice that offers multi-year tax projections and return preparation.

Jeffrey Dvorak is a CFP® professional with 13 years of experience in financial advising. He has been the sole advisor at 4D Financial Advisors, LLC since 2012. 4D Financial Advisors serves individual and high-net-worth clients by providing investment supervisory services and comprehensive financial planning, including retirement, tax, estate, insurance, and education planning. The firm manages approximately $88 million for about 62 clients, employing a long-term, globally diversified investment approach tailored to documented client objectives and risk tolerance.

Michael Akinosho is the principal advisor at MOA Advisory & Financial Services Co. He holds a Series 65 designation and has five years of industry experience. Prior to his current role, he held positions at Engooden Health Inc. and Global View Capital Management, Ltd. In addition to his advisory work, he serves as Manager of Technical Accounting for the American Medical Association, overseeing financial reporting and budgeting for over 240 physicians and medical students. MOA Advisory & Financial Services Co is a state-registered investment adviser that provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning to individuals, families, trusts, estates, pension and profit-sharing plans, pooled investment vehicles, and small businesses. The firm integrates a long-term core asset-allocation approach with technically based, rule-driven strategies, and maintains an in-house tax and accounting practice offering tax preparation and planning services alongside its advisory work.

Zhe Li is a CFA® charterholder and principal at April Asset Management LLC in Naperville, IL, with one year of experience in financial advising. Prior to founding the firm, Li held roles at FICO-Wiseco, Tongdun Technology, Ernst & Young, and Protiviti Inc. April Asset Management LLC, formed in 2026, provides discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management and financial planning services to individual and business clients. The firm employs a long-term, diversified investment approach using U.S. equities, ETFs, bonds, and certificates of deposit, and offers both hourly and fixed-fee financial planning arrangements.

Michael Lamke is a CFP® professional with 13 years of experience in financial advising. He is the sole advisor at Lamke Financial LLC in Wheaton, IL. In addition to his advisory role, he has been a manager at AT&T since 1984. Lamke Financial provides financial planning and investment guidance to individuals, families, and small businesses, focusing on tailored advice for retirement, estate, and tax planning. The firm emphasizes a long-term, safety-oriented investment approach using passive equity exposures, dividend stocks, and fixed-income instruments, and operates on an hourly or project-based fee model without discretionary trading authority.