Job loss. Divorce. Early retirement. Inheritance. When something major shifts, financial decisions get harder and more consequential. Checkpoint Planning brings a fiduciary advocate and a proven five-phase process to help you move forward with clarity, not guesswork.
A complimentary, no-obligation 45-minute conversation. No forms, no pressure, just clarity on your next step.
Your information is confidential and never sold. No obligation.
Most people know they need a plan. Few have one that actually keeps up with life. Here's where we focus.
Severance decisions, COBRA vs. marketplace coverage, unemployment, and a financial runway plan for what's next.
Retirement readiness, Social Security timing, pension elections, and building income that lasts longer than you planned for.
Settlement analysis, QDROs, tax impact, and rebuilding a financial plan that's entirely your own.
Thoughtful, unhurried decisions about a windfall: taxes, investing, and honoring what it represents.
Benefit claims, beneficiary transfers, and stabilizing finances during an emotionally difficult time.
Sabbaticals, career pivots, and equity compensation decisions when you're building something new.
A structured, five-phase planning process designed to bring clarity and confidence to life's most important financial transitions.
1
Awareness & Direction
A complimentary 45-minute clarity session. No cost, no obligation.
2
Secure the Essentials
Stabilize cash flow, review benefits and insurance, protect what matters most.
3
Create the Roadmap
Build your plan with clear 30-, 90-, and 180-day milestones.
4
Take Intentional Action
Execute the plan: rollovers, portfolio changes, documents, referrals.
5
Adapt & Maintain
Ongoing reviews and recalibration as your life evolves.
Scott is a financial planner and CRPC™ professional who helps people find clarity and direction during major life and career transitions. As founder of Checkpoint Planning and creator of The Checkpoint Strategy, he brings structure and calm to moments that often feel chaotic.
His planning philosophy was forged on the race course. As a State Champion mountain bike racer and National Champion in 24-hour endurance racing, Scott learned that winning required breaking a massive challenge into manageable checkpoints and adjusting to real conditions along the way. Financial transitions work the same way.
"One checkpoint at a time."
Based in Orange County, California, serving clients across the United States, primarily via video conference and the Checkpoint Planning Client Portal.
Read Scott's full story and meet the extended planning team →
These are not aspirational statements. They are structural commitments built into how this practice operates.
We are legally required to act in your best interest at all times, not the firm's, not a product manufacturer's, and not our own.
Every fee is disclosed before work begins. Planning fees are flat. Investment management fees are AUM-based and billed monthly.
Planning engagements are flat-fee agreements. Investment management relationships can be terminated at any time.
You work directly with Scott in every meeting, every review, every planning conversation. Never handed off to a junior associate.
Some insurance and annuity products carry commissions. When that's the case, it's disclosed to you in writing before any recommendation.
We work with your existing CPA, estate attorney, and other advisors so your decisions are never made in silos.
Pick the package that fits your situation. All planning packages include access to the Checkpoint Planning Client Portal. See the full fee schedule →
The "Where We Begin" session is a 45-minute clarity conversation. We ask about your situation, your goals, and what feels most uncertain. No preparation needed.
We are an independent, fee-based practice. We do not sell proprietary products, meet sales quotas, or earn commissions on managed assets. Our only financial incentive is the fee you pay us.
No. While we are based in Irvine, we serve clients across the United States. Most planning work is done via video conference and our online client portal.
Fees are charged as a percentage of assets under management, billed monthly. Rates range from 0.65% to 1.25% depending on portfolio size, stepping down as assets grow.
No. Planning and investment management are separate services. Some clients engage us for planning only. We discuss what makes sense in the Where We Begin session.
Someone navigating a major life transition who needs a structured process and a fiduciary advocate. If that describes you, you are likely a strong fit.
The best next step is a conversation. The Where We Begin session is complimentary, carries no obligation, and takes 45 minutes. It is designed to give you clarity, not sell you something.
Schedule Your Free Session