Client Stories
Financial planning isn't one-size-fits-all. Here's how we've helped real people navigate major transitions, build their chosen families, and create accessible money systems that work with their brains, not against them.
Important Note
These case studies are composites created to reflect real-life scenarios. They are intended for educational purposes only and do not represent any specific individual. You should always consult a financial, tax, or legal professional familiar with your unique circumstances before making any financial decisions.
Coming Out After Divorce: LGBTQIA+ and CalPERS Financial Planning
Meet the Client: Later-in-life lesbian, mother of a son in high school, mid-career California state employee
Challenge: Untangling finances during a divorce while planning for retirement security
The Situation
After coming out later in life and navigating a divorce, this client suddenly found herself needing to make financial decisions on her own for the first time in decades.
She was proud of her career in public service and the stability of her CalPERS pension, but she wasn’t sure how the divorce would impact her benefits, retirement timeline, or long-term security. She worried about how much she needed to save outside of her pension, whether she could afford to stay in her home, and how to start fresh while also planning for the future. She also wanted to make sure that even if her ex didn’t assist with their son’s college education, she’d still be prepared to cover his first two years of tuition at an in-state school.
On top of that, she felt pressure to get everything “right” this time, without repeating the financial patterns that hadn’t served her in the past when she had credit card debt in her twenties.
The Approach
We focused on education as a way to build her confidence, and together we:
Reviewed her CalPERS benefits and modeled how the divorce settlement would affect her pension
Created a cash flow plan that balanced short-term stability with long-term goals
Established a “fun money” account and emergency fund so unexpected expenses wouldn’t result in credit card debt
Outlined options for staying in her home versus downsizing, and the trade-offs of each choice
Provided an estimate of future in-state tuition costs, and an annual target savings goal
Discussed student loan options and the pros and cons of each
Helped her prioritize self-care during this transition
The Transformation
Instead of feeling like she was starting over from scratch, she began to feel grounded and empowered:
She understood exactly how her pension and savings fit together for retirement
She created a realistic plan for her housing decision without feeling rushed or pressured
She began saving and investing with intention, building independence and security
Most importantly, she felt confident in her ability to write her next chapter
Building Financial Harmony in a Polycule: Chosen Family Financial Planning
Meet the Clients: A nesting polycule of four partners
Challenge: Juggling shared expenses while honoring individual autonomy
The Situation
This household of four loved their life together but struggled with the financial logistics, especially since they were splitting everything equally, but not everyone had equal resources.
They wanted to build shared stability, like saving up to buy a big home together and making sure bills got paid, while also respecting that each partner had their own financial history, goals, and income level.
They worried about what would happen if someone lost a job or if the household structure changed. While deeply committed to each other, they worried what would happen if in the future one of them wanted to leave the relationship, especially if they had bought a home or started a family together.
The Approach
We created a structure that was flexible, values-driven, and inclusive of everyone. Together, we:
Built a cash flow plan for shared expenses that felt equitable.
Outlined joint goals (like a future home) alongside individual priorities.
Talked through “what if” scenarios and what would feel fair to everyone.
Provided recommendations to poly-friendly California attorneys to establish legal protections for their chosen family members.
The Transformation
Instead of stress and guesswork, the household had a plan that worked for them:
Shared bills were covered without resentment or imbalance
Each partner had space to pursue individual goals
They felt more secure about the future, even if circumstances shifted
Most importantly, money stopped being a source of tension and became a tool to support the love, care, and stability they were building together
Building a Spoon-Friendly Financial System: Neurodivergent Money Management
Meet the Client: Neurodivergent early-career professional
Challenge: Traditional budgeting systems felt overwhelming and unsustainable
The Situation
This client was great at their job (a special interest of theirs that they could hyper-focus on for hours), but found keeping on top of daily life maintenance tasks challenging and difficult to get motivated for. They weren’t sure why they rarely had money left over at the end of the month, but suspected their shopping apps may be encouraging impulse spending.
In particular, they wanted to save money, get started investing, and stop feeling anxious about bills, but every time they tried to follow a “normal” budgeting system, it was too much. Tracking every dollar felt exhausting. Automating everything felt too hands-off, and going onto their phone to check the app inevitably wound up with them on Youtube instead. They wanted a system that worked for them.
The Approach
We kept things simple, supportive, and spoon-friendly. Together, we:
Identified their financial priorities and what a healthy level of shopping therapy looked like for them
Set up a lightweight savings system to make sure bills and “big goal” savings happened automatically
Broke down financial tasks into bite-sized, manageable steps
Built a shame-free plan for how to handle the months when executive functioning dipped
The Transformation
Instead of shame and overwhelm, they felt relief and like their money had purpose.
Their bills were paid and savings were growing without needing any effort
They had deleted the shopping apps from their phone and found other ways of introducing friction to curb impulse spending
They no longer felt like they were “failing” at money; instead they felt proud and capable, finally seeing themselves as someone who can manage money with neurodivergent-friendly systems.