A Seattle Financial Advisor Who Works for You, Not a Product Line

Fee-only, fiduciary guidance from CFPs who know the Pacific Northwest — and the financial complexity that comes with building a life here.

 

John Carruthers CFP® and Neil Fenning CFP® built A5 Financial on a simple premise: the advice you get should never be shaped by what earns a commission. As fee-only fiduciaries, we don't sell products and we don't earn referral fees. Every recommendation we make is designed around your financial picture — your timeline, your tax situation, your goals.

 

Seattle residents come to us at pivotal moments: a few years from retirement and unsure if the numbers work, a tech career that's generated real wealth through RSUs and stock options, a life transition that's made financial clarity feel urgent. Whatever brought you here, you'll work directly with John and Neil — not handed off to a junior associate after the first meeting.

Financial Guidance Built for Seattle's Complexity

Seattle is not a simple financial environment. Home values are high, income is often layered with equity compensation, and the cost of getting retirement wrong is steep. We work with clients across the city — from Capitol Hill to Magnolia to West Seattle — who need a plan that accounts for all of it.

 

  • Retirement income planning that sequences withdrawals to reduce tax drag and extend portfolio longevity
  • Investment management built around your risk tolerance, time horizon, and income needs
  • Tax planning that coordinates Roth conversions, capital gains timing, and deduction strategy year-round
  • Equity compensation planning for Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and startup employees navigating RSUs, ESPPs, and stock options
  • Ongoing fiduciary oversight with direct access to the same two advisors, every time
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Ready to Talk Through Your Financial Picture?

A conversation costs nothing and commits you to nothing. Schedule a meeting with John and Neil directly — no intake form handoff, no sales process.

Our Approach to Retirement Income Is Different

Most advisors hand you a portfolio and a withdrawal rate. We build a layered income structure designed to give you predictability and growth at the same time. Our signature strategy pairs a principal-protected income ladder — using CDs, bonds, and annuities — with a growth sleeve invested for the long term.

 

The income ladder covers your fixed expenses for years one through ten. The growth sleeve has time to work. You're not forced to sell during a downturn to pay your bills. That separation is the foundation of a retirement plan that holds up under real-world conditions.

Pre-Retirees and Retirees

If you're within ten years of retirement — or already there — we help you answer the questions that actually keep people up at night. When can I stop working? Will this last? What happens if markets drop in year two? We build plans designed to hold up under pressure, not just look good on a spreadsheet.

Seattle-Area Tech Professionals

Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and the startup ecosystem have created real wealth for a lot of people in this city. They've also created real complexity. We work with tech professionals who need a coordinated strategy for RSUs, ESPPs, concentrated stock positions, and the tax events that come with them.

Who We Work With in Seattle

Whether you're planning alongside a partner or navigating finances independently, we work with women who want a financial relationship built on clarity and direct communication — not jargon and assumptions.

What Sets A5 Financial Apart

  • Fee-only fiduciaries. No commissions. No product sales. Our compensation comes from you, which means our advice answers to you.
  • Two CFPs, every client. John Carruthers CFP® and Neil Fenning CFP® work directly with every client. You won't be reassigned as your account grows.
  • Boutique capacity. We keep our client roster intentionally limited so we can give each relationship the attention it requires.
  • Pacific Northwest roots. We live and work in the same communities our clients do. That's not a marketing line — it shapes how we understand the financial environment here.
  • Integrated planning. Retirement income, investment management, tax strategy, and equity compensation planning are coordinated together, not handled in separate silos.

Frequently Asked Questions About Working with a Seattle Financial Advisor

  • What does a fee-only financial advisor mean, and why does it matter?

    A fee-only advisor is compensated only by the client — through flat fees, hourly rates, or a percentage of assets under management. We receive no commissions from financial products. That structure removes the conflict of interest that exists when an advisor earns more by recommending one product over another.

  • Do I need to live in Seattle to work with A5 Financial?

    We serve clients throughout the Seattle–Eastside region, including Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Bothell, and surrounding communities. Many clients meet with us virtually, and we're comfortable working with both in-person and remote relationships.

  • I have RSUs and stock options through my employer. Can you help with that?

    Yes. Equity compensation planning is one of our core service areas. We work with tech professionals across Seattle to build strategies around RSU vesting schedules, ESPP participation, concentrated stock positions, and the tax events that come with each. This planning is integrated with your broader retirement and investment strategy — not treated as a separate issue.

  • How is working with a boutique firm different from a large national firm?

    At a large firm, your relationship often starts with a senior advisor and migrates to junior staff over time. At A5 Financial, you work directly with John and Neil from the first conversation forward. That continuity matters when your financial situation changes and your advisor needs to understand the full context.

  • When is the right time to start working with a financial advisor?

    The most common answer is: earlier than most people think. For pre-retirees, the decade before retirement is when the decisions you make — about savings rates, asset allocation, tax strategy, and Social Security timing — have the largest compounding effect on outcomes. For tech professionals, equity compensation events create planning windows that close quickly. The right time is usually now.