Financial Planning
Financial planning isn’t just about charts and software. It’s about understanding your life—and building a plan that fits it.
Proactive Planning to Keep More of What You Earn.
At First Wealth Advisory, we take the time to understand where you are, where you want to go, and what’s important to you along the way. From simple goals to complex financial lives, we’ll help you get organized, stay focused, and move forward with confidence.
We serve individuals and families across the Tri-Cities area—St. Charles, Geneva & Batavia—as well as clients nationwide. Whether you're five years from retirement, running a business, or managing inherited assets, we tailor your plan to match your priorities.
Our Process
Get to Know You
We start with a conversation. We’ll ask about your goals, your family, your finances, and the things that keep you up at night. You’ll have space to talk about what matters most—whether that’s retiring early, caring for aging parents, or leaving something meaningful behind.
During this phase, we’ll also walk you through the tools and strategies available, and how they might apply to your situation.
Build the Plan
Every plan is custom. It might focus on a single goal—like saving for retirement, managing a large stock position, or funding college for a child or grandchild. Or it could be more complex—like selling a business, generating retirement income, setting up a charitable trust, or balancing multiple family priorities.
Using RightCapital planning software, we’ll create a detailed, interactive plan you can actually understand.
Put It into Action
Once you’re comfortable with the plan, we help you implement it step by step. That could mean reallocating investments, working with your CPA on tax strategies, or reviewing estate planning documents with your attorney. If you already have a team, we’ll collaborate. If you need referrals, we can provide them.
You stay in the loop the entire time—and nothing moves forward without your say-so.
Adjust as Life Changes
Planning isn’t a one-and-done process. Life happens. Markets shift. Priorities evolve. We meet regularly to track your progress, make adjustments, and revisit the plan as needed.

Whether it’s harvesting tax losses in a volatile year, planning a major purchase, or rethinking your retirement timeline, we’ll be there to help you pivot without losing sight of the big picture.
Retirement Income Planning
We’ll help you figure out when you can retire, how much income you’ll need, and how to draw from your savings in a smart, tax-efficient way. This includes modeling Social Security timing, pension options, and how to make your money last—especially important for clients in their 50s and 60s who want to retire on their terms.
Tax Strategy
Your investments, withdrawals, and timing all affect your taxes. We help you plan ahead to manage your taxable income, reduce unnecessary distributions, and explore strategies like Roth conversions. Our planning includes annual reviews of how tax law changes may impact your decisions.
Cash Flow & Savings Goals
Whether you're budgeting for a family of five or managing seasonal expenses around the Fox Valley, we’ll help you understand what’s coming in, what’s going out, and how to set up a system that supports your short- and long-term goals.
Major Purchases & Life Events
Planning to buy a second home, fund a wedding, or help a child with a down payment? We’ll show you how those decisions affect your long-term picture—and how to do them without derailing your other priorities.
Education Planning
We’ll walk you through college savings options like 529 plans, set realistic goals based on your timeline, and explain how education funding fits into your broader plan—especially if you’re also saving for retirement.
Business Transitions
If you’re planning to sell your business—now or in the future—we’ll help you prepare financially. That includes positioning the business for sale, projecting proceeds, minimizing tax liability, and investing the gains to create lasting income.
Charitable Giving Strategies
If giving back is important to you, we can help structure charitable giving in ways that are meaningful and tax-smart—through donor-advised funds, charitable trusts, or direct gifts.
What We Help You Plan For
Your goals might be clear—or still taking shape. Either way, we’ll help you define what success looks like and build a plan that gets you there. Here’s what we typically cover: