Our guest on the podcast today is Mark Berg. He is the founder of and lead advisor at Timothy Financial Counsel, which is an hourly financial planning firm that he started in 2000. Prior to launching Timothy Financial, Berg served as a client manager at a fee-only financial planning firm and has provided fee-only financial guidance since 1995. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Wheaton College and is a certified financial planner practitioner and is registered with the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors. He served on the national board of directors for NAPFA from 2008 through 2011. Timothy Financial is the firm that Christine Benz and her husband use for financial planning, and a member of Jeff Ptak’s family is a Timothy Financial client as well.BackgroundBioTimothy Financial Counsel“Scaling Up to $1.4M of Revenue With (Only) Hourly Financial Planning Fees With Mark Berg,” by Michael Kitces, Financial Advisor Success podcast, March 20, 2018.InfluencesGarrett Planning Network“Voices: Sheryl Garrett, on the Evolution of a Planning Firm,” Thomas Coyle, The Wall Street Journal, Dec. 31, 2009.“Sheryl Garrett: ‘The Industry Thought I Was Nuts,’” The Long View podcast, Morningstar.com, July 17, 2019.Tax Planning/Direct Indexing“An Inside Look at Direct Indexing,” by Danny Noonan, Morningstar.com, March 23, 2023.“Could Direct Indexing Lower Your Taxes?” by John Rekenthaler, Morningstar.com, March 27, 2023.“4 Questions About Direct Indexing,” by Sheryl Rowling, Morningstar.com, Oct. 24, 2022.Retirement“What Is the ‘Retirement Spending Smile’?” by Wade Pfau, Retirement Researcher.ResourcesMichael KitcesFinancial Planning AssociationThe National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA)OtherMorningstar Investment Conference 2023

Mark Berg, founder of Timothy Financial Counsel, scaled his firm to generate $5M in annual revenue through an hourly fee model. He shares insights on structuring his firm for success, implementing time-tracking software, using a client waitlist, and hiring a president without a financial planning background. Berg sees the hourly fee model as an opportunity to reach a broader client base and discusses strategic growth and pricing strategies.

Mark Berg, founder and lead advisor at Timothy Financial Counsel, shares insights on helping children navigate financial challenges. He emphasizes the importance of teaching financial responsibility without fostering entitlement. Mark discusses strategies like allowance systems and the value of family experiences as investments. He also addresses the delicate balance of supporting major life events while maintaining financial prudence. Listeners will learn how to manage gifts and ensure a meaningful inheritance, promoting independence in their children.