Zachary Ryan

08/21/2026

“This was so much more productive than the $250 I paid to talk to an advisor at Vanguard!”

I received this feedback today after having a 40 minute session with a new client.

This client was not a young person learning the basics. She is a career woman who already understands personal finance at a high level. She asked intelligent, complex questions around retirement planning, and she left our call with a lot more clarity on her strategy moving forward.

Financial coaching is so much more than budgeting. I can help people at every stage of their financial journey, whether they’re just starting out, or they’re just a few short years away from retirement.

If you have big financial questions and want attentive, 1 on 1 coaching, send me a message, or book a discovery call at the link in my bio.

08/10/2026

If you want help thinking about retirement, answer these questions and let’s interact! 👋

1️⃣How much money do you think you will need to have a comfortable, carefree retirement?

2️⃣How did you come to this number?

3️⃣Optional: Are you on pace to achieve this number at an age you’re happy with?

07/31/2026

As a financial coach, I’m on a mission to help as many people as possible make better, smarter decisions with their money. A huge part of that is helping people see how much of their future wealth is being eaten away by unnecessary investment fees.

If you hire a financial advisor who charges 1% of your assets under management (AUM), there is a very high chance you are paying far more than you need to, especially if your portfolio has crossed the $1 million mark.

A 1% AUM fee on a $1 million portfolio is $10,000 every single year. On $2 million, that’s $20,000 a year. That is a massive drag on your compound growth, costing you hundreds of thousands of dollars over a multi-decade horizon.

For many everyday investors, portfolio management isn't nearly as complex as the financial industry makes it out to be. Many people are fully capable of self-managing a low-cost index portfolio once they learn the basics.

If you truly aren't comfortable doing it entirely on your own, I get it! You still have far better, lower-cost options than paying 1% AUM:

• Flat-Fee Planning: Companies like Facet or Domain offer professional CFP guidance for a predictable annual flat fee (often roughly $3,000–$7,000/year depending on complexity). Moving a $2 million portfolio from 1% AUM to a flat-fee model can instantly save you $13,000 to $17,000 annually for comprehensive financial planning.

• Low-Cost Hybrid Advice: Services like Vanguard Personal Advisor offer access to professional management for around 0.3%, a fraction of the traditional 1% fee.

• Robo-Advisors & Technology: Low-fee automated platforms are making high-quality portfolio management accessible for pennies on the dollar.

The wealth management industry is finally being disrupted again, and I love to see it. If you're diligently saving for retirement, run the math today and ask yourself: Am I truly getting tens of thousands of dollars in value for the fees I’m paying?

I’ll leave you with two of my favorite quotes from my heroes in the financial industry:

“The miracle of compounding returns is overwhelmed by the tyranny of compounding costs.” — Jack Bogle, founder and former CEO of Vanguard

“By periodically investing in an index fund, the know-nothing investor can actually outperform most investment professionals.” — Warren Buffett, 1993 shareholder letter for Berkshire Hathaway

Disclaimer: This post is for educational purposes only and does not constitute personalized financial, legal, or investment advice. I am not affiliated with the third-party platforms mentioned above.

06/15/2026

My first ever paid writing assignment is officially published! I wrote an article for Fruition, where I am a financial mentor. Check it out when you have a minute! 😀

Spending now or saving for later? Start building a financial life that makes room for both.

06/02/2026

In my latest YouTube video, I was very excited to interview Ian Cohen, who recently turned a $400 satellite entry into $656,200 by winning the World Poker Tour Showdown Main Event, taking down legendary NFL Hall of Famer Richard Seymour heads up for the trophy!

In our interview, we discuss the thrill of winning such a prestigious title, and the windfall that comes with it.

We explore many financial concepts, including managing and investing large sums of money, getting maximum utility and joy out of your money, and strategies for reducing tax burden when you have a big year.

I hope you enjoy the video. Please like and subscribe, as I have plenty more videos in the pipeline!

What would it feel like to turn $400 into over $656,000? Today, I a...

05/29/2026

One personal finance opinion I have that frugal people might not like: Upgrading to a new or almost new car makes a lot of sense if you can swing it.

Driving a 13 year old car when you can easily afford better is not the flex you think it is, especially if you have a spouse and kids.

Safety features have improved dramatically. Adaptive cruise control, lane assist, blind spot detection, backup cameras, and better design for crash situations. All of these features make driving safer and less stressful.

When my wife got pregnant the first time, I bought a brand new SUV, and I never regretted it for a second. Driving is so much nicer of an experience than when I was driving a 2016 sedan.

I’m not saying that’s the right move for everyone, but so many people who are good with their money talk about how old their car is like a badge of honor.

05/27/2026

The hyper frugal FIRE movement vs people who live a YOLO lifestyle, which is the best approach to getting the most out of life? In my newest video, I explore this topic at length, and I break down the economic concept known as diminishing marginal utility very simply, which will help you better understand what a healthy relationship with money looks like!

The full video can be found on my channel ‬ https://youtube.com/

I would encourage everybody to watch it, and drop a comment with your thoughts 👇!

05/26/2026

Hi friends! I just posted my third video to YouTube, and it’s definitely my favorite one to date.

In this video, I’m exploring a difficult dilemma people face with their money: how much to be saving and investing, vs how much to be spending on lived experiences.

I think this video may help you think about your money in a new way!

Please check it out when you have the time, and I’d love to get a conversation going on this topic, either here or in the YouTube comment section! 🙏

Are you constantly torn between saving every penny for retirement a...

05/21/2026

Easy choices now, hard life later.
Hard choices now, easy life later.

I don’t think there are too many truths more universal than this. It applies to maintaining your health and fitness. It applies to raising healthy, disciplined, well-adjusted kids. It applies to growing your career.

Personal finance is one of the greatest examples of this, because of the effects of compounding over time. Investments and good decisions can compound to make your life quite easy, but the opposite is true for debt and poor decision making.

“Easy” now is ignoring debts, spending all of your money every paycheck, and having no plan or vision for your future. You know where this leads. It’s nowhere good.

“Hard” now is paying off and avoiding bad debt, keeping your living expenses in check, saving up to buy things in cash, automating savings and investing every month, and building a bold but realistic vision for your financial future.

“Choose your hard”

05/15/2026

Most people think a financial coach would be all about numbers, but my work is much more about behavior than mathematical. In this clip from my video "What Does A Financial Coach Actually Do?", which you can find on my Youtube channel, I explain my client-driven approach to counseling. I focus on listening to you, your specific circumstances, and using proven methods to help guide you to financial habits that are more aligned with your goals. Check out the full video now!