Ben K. Navratil - Financial Planner

Ben K. Navratil - Financial Planner I'm an enlisted Army vet turned financial planner. I provide honest advice, without any pressure or jargon. Licensed in CA, GA, ID, TX & WA. Ca Lic. #4465963.

When I retired from the Army last year, my fitness regimen dropped to the bottom of my list of priorities. New city, new...
07/24/2026

When I retired from the Army last year, my fitness regimen dropped to the bottom of my list of priorities. New city, new career — I was starting a whole new life. Without the constant fear of PT tests hanging over my head, staying in shape just wasn’t on my radar.

I maintained a gym membership, but planning my workouts, finding an alternative when the one squat rack* was occupied, and getting off my butt to go to the gym regularly seemed overwhelming with everything else I had going on.

Now that I’ve gotten a bit more settled and seen what my sedentary lifestyle was doing to my mental and physical health, I’ve spent this year getting back into shape — no easy task in my mid-40s. I’m working hard to keep myself accountable. I switched from a traditional “go-when-I-feel-like-it” gym to a more expensive, class-based program. I appreciate that my new gym has a small, local, and tight-knit community, and the higher investment puts more pressure on me to get to classes.

I mentioned to one of the coaches at the gym that I was starting to run again, and we decided to sign up and train together for a 5k. Having a running buddy was critical to getting me back into a sport that I used to love. Feeling good about that, I went and signed up for the Seattle half-marathon. A big step up from a 5k, but it’s a goal; I have a specific amount of time to prepare, and a training routine I’ve sourced from professionals. Challenging but doable if I stick with it.

This hasn’t been without setbacks. I’m still not as consistent as I’d like to be in getting to gym classes. I did not — in fact — run the 5k (I got shellacked by a respiratory infection I’m still recovering from), and I’m already behind on my half-marathon training due to that same illness. But I have a training routine built by people who know what they’re doing and a coach who expects me to show up (as soon as I can breathe again).

I see myself as a coach for my clients. Running isn’t about the miles; it’s about the feeling I get on the road, the health benefits, and the community. Likewise, financial planning isn’t about numbers and charts, but about the confidence to make a decision and the financial foundation that makes that decision possible.

*Seriously. What gym has only one squat rack?

Ever since I started working in finance, I’ve seen a nonstop discourse about how we get paid. And by discourse, I mean a...
06/18/2026

Ever since I started working in finance, I’ve seen a nonstop discourse about how we get paid. And by discourse, I mean a ton of straw person arguments.

The gist is this: planners who charge a fee based on how much you invest with them (assets under management, or AUM) are getting paid for doing nothing because they’re just investing your money in an index fund or similar and skimming a percentage off the top. And planners who sell insurance products are the worst, because – according to most posts I see that refer to planners that work for insurance companies, like me – are only there to push expensive and unnecessary products to rack up commissions.

Look, this industry contains legions. I’m sure there are some bad apples, but the narrative that one-time-fee based advice is the only transparent and fiduciary method of compensation is nonsense.

My role as a fiduciary is my North Star in every interaction I have with my clients. My mission is to put them in a better place, whether that means working with them to find the right insurance product, developing a comprehensive investment strategy, or simply educating them on managing their finances.

In my opinion, the measure of a planner is not how they get paid, but the value they provide in return. If your planner charges you a percentage of AUM and simply invests your money in a retail-accessible index fund, they’re not providing much value. On the other hand, if they work with you to develop a comprehensive strategy aligned to your goals, which may include tax mitigation, withdrawal sequencing, and regular check ins, then an AUM-based fee may be an appropriate form of compensation.

Ultimately, as a client, it’s your decision on how you want to work with and pay for financial advice and planning. Ask your planner directly how compensation works for them. A good planner will be up front, honest, and openly discuss their fee structure.

I worked with a client recently who’d just been laid off. There was nothing I could do for her employment situation, but...
06/16/2026

I worked with a client recently who’d just been laid off. There was nothing I could do for her employment situation, but I was able to help her take care of her old 401k. One less thing she has to think about while she navigates the job market.

I totally understand that what you’re doing with an old 401k is probably the last thing on your mind when you’re changing jobs. But these orphaned accounts will work against you in the long run.

You have a few options. One is cashing it out*, but that may come with significant taxes and penalties. You can just leave it where it is, but if your plan manager loses track of you, they may move the funds into a conservative position with little growth or even cash it out, depending on the balance.

The third option is to roll it over into your own IRA or your new employer’s plan. Keep that money working for you, under your control, on your own terms.

There are more than 30 million orphaned 401k accounts floating around. Don’t let yours become one of them.

*Please don’t.

06/12/2026

Pop Quiz: What do the best budget, workout plan, and diet have in common?

Answer: they’re the ones you’ll actually follow!

A manageable budget is a key tool in taking control of your finances, but too many people treat budgeting like it's a punishment, when it should be more of a guideline to nudge yourself back on track.

You can spend all day building a “perfect” budget and daydream about what you’ll do with all the money you saved, but if sticking to it makes you miserable, it’ll fail on first contact with real life.

If you want to build a budget from scratch, start from where you are, not where you want to be:
1. Pull your last 2 – 3 months of statements
2. Review everything you spent (no judgment!)
3. Separate your necessary expenses from discretionary
4. Pick one discretionary category to trim back
5. Re-check periodically and adjust

Your budget isn’t a punishment. It’s more like what you’d call “guidelines” than hard and fast rules.

I retired after 20 years in the Army about a year and a half ago.During my time in uniform, I saw the same pattern play ...
06/01/2026

I retired after 20 years in the Army about a year and a half ago.

During my time in uniform, I saw the same pattern play out again and again: smart, hardworking people making expensive financial mistakes. Not because they didn’t care. Not because they lacked discipline. But because personal finance is complicated, and most people were never taught the basics.

That’s why I’m doing what I do now. As a fiduciary financial planner, I’m here to explain this stuff in plain English, no jargon, no judgment, no hard sell. I spent my Army career translating complicated concepts into clear language that anyone can understand. Turns out financial planning needs that skill too.

My vision is simple: to empower you to make thoughtful and confident decisions about your finances in an uncertain environment.

I’ll be posting here about money, planning, and whatever’s on my mind. If you ever want to talk about where you are financially, or how to get where you want to be, my door is always open.

I think about this image a lot.Every year, right before Memorial Day weekend, hundreds of soldiers flood into Arlington ...
05/22/2026

I think about this image a lot.

Every year, right before Memorial Day weekend, hundreds of soldiers flood into Arlington National Cemetery to plant a flag at each grave. In 2012, I was honored to be a part of that tradition as The Old Guard’s media relations chief, and it’s an experience that I’ll carry with me throughout my life.

I remember looking over and seeing an image that I will never forget. It was toward the end of the day, my phone was dead, and I didn’t have my camera. I called over to one of my colleagues and asked him to take the picture:

Three graves among thousands. Above each Soldier’s name, a religious symbol: a Christian Cross, a Star of David, and a Muslim Crescent and Star. Three different religions laying peacefully, side-by-side, for eternity; the American flag waving gently in front of each.

Address

7525 SE 24th Street SW, Suite 110
Mercer Island, WA
98040

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