Frequently Asked Questions
Clarity. Confidence. Partnership.
Services & Pricing
Oak & Co. offers three service levels — each one built around where you are and what you actually need.
Clarity is financial coaching. If you’re building stronger habits, getting a handle on cash flow and debt, and moving from confusion to clarity — this is where you start.
Confidence is comprehensive financial planning. We look at your full picture: retirement, taxes, insurance, estate planning, investments. You get a real plan with clear action items and ongoing accountability.
Partnership is everything in Confidence, plus active investment management. Your portfolio and your financial plan work together — coordinated, monitored, and aligned with your goals.
Not sure which level is right for you? That’s exactly what the Clarity Call is for.
That’s a fair question, and transparency here matters.
All clients start with an onboarding fee. From there, Clarity clients pay a coaching fee. Confidence and Partnership clients pay a financial planning fee. Partnership clients also pay a percentage of assets under management — and that fee is capped, because at a certain point a percentage simply stops being fair.
I also earn a commission when I help clients with insurance — but insurance only enters the conversation when we’ve uncovered a genuine gap in your financial picture. You’re never obligated to buy from me.
A true fiduciary always discloses how they get paid — clearly, completely, and before you sign anything. This is what that looks like.
Oak & Co. offers three service levels with transparent, fixed pricing. Specific pricing is shared during your Clarity Call, where we talk through which level fits your situation and what the investment actually looks like.
No pressure. No pitch. Just an honest conversation about what you need.
Yes. Absolutely.
Oak & Co. wasn’t built for a certain income level or a perfectly organized financial life. It was built for people who are ready — ready to stop guessing, ready to have a real plan, and ready for someone genuinely in their corner.
Some of my clients started exactly where you are: overwhelmed, uncertain, and wondering if they had “enough” to deserve real guidance. They did. So do you.
If budget is a real concern right now, Clarity coaching may be the right starting point — because everyone deserves guidance, not just people with substantial incomes and fully-funded accounts. And if even that’s not the right fit yet, no hard feelings. Truly. Timing matters, and I’d rather you come back when it makes sense than stretch yourself when it doesn’t.
In the meantime, I’d love to stay connected. Subscribe to The Oak & Co. Letter for monthly financial tips and ideas, and follow along on social media. I’ll be here when the timing is right.
Working With Me
It all starts after your Clarity Call. Once you’ve chosen your service level and signed your planning agreement, and paid your onboarding invoice, you’ll receive your Welcome Guide — your introduction to what working together actually looks like.
From there, we get to work. Clarity clients typically meet 3-4 times during onboarding; Confidence and Partnership clients meet 4-5 times. Meetings are generally spaced 1-2 weeks apart, at a pace that works for your life. These aren’t rushed conversations — we’re building your full financial picture together before anything else happens, and that’s exactly what the onboarding fee covers.
Planning agreements are renewed annually. Each year we celebrate what you’ve accomplished, take stock of where you are now, look at where you’re headed, and decide together whether continuing to work together still makes sense. I’m not here to trap you or keep you out of a sense of obligation — I want to earn your trust and your business with every interaction. Recommitting each year should feel like an easy yes.
Throughout our relationship you’ll always know what’s coming next. After every meeting you’ll receive a recap of what we covered and clear next steps — for both of us. And I’m always reachable by text, email, or video — with the occasional call when it’s the quickest way to connect. You’ll always feel supported, never left wondering where things stand.
Yes to all of these.
These situations aren’t obstacles to planning — they’re exactly why planning matters. Blended families need clarity on how assets flow and who’s protected. Divorce requires rebuilding a financial foundation from scratch. Widowed clients need guidance on managing inherited assets and moving forward with confidence. Significant debt needs a coordinated strategy, not shame.
If your life is complicated, that’s not a reason to avoid planning. It’s a reason to have it.
Yes — not by forcing agreement, but by creating clarity.
Money disagreements usually aren’t really about money. They’re about values, priorities, and fears — and not having the same picture of where you’re headed. One person is thinking “retirement security,” the other is thinking “enjoying life now,” and neither has actually said that out loud because you’re both too busy.
A good financial plan brings those conversations to the surface and helps you build something together that honors both perspectives. It’s not about who’s right — it’s about understanding what matters to each of you and building a coordinated strategy that works for both.
Yes. I work with clients virtually throughout South Carolina, North Carolina, New York, and Texas — and I’m always open to expanding where it makes sense.
Onboarding happens via video call, which works really well. We get to know each other, build your plan, and establish everything we need without ever being in the same room. Ongoing communication is primarily video, email, and text — with the occasional call when it’s the quickest way to connect. Whatever works best for you.
That’s a fair question, and I’m not going to tell you to leave someone you trust.
If you already have an advisor with fiduciary standards, a CFP® credential, and genuine independence — that’s worth celebrating. Hold onto them.
But if you’re asking the question, there’s probably a reason. Maybe you don’t feel like a real partner in the relationship. Maybe you’re not sure how they get paid or what they’re recommending and why. Maybe you just don’t feel seen or understood.
Here’s what I’d suggest: before you make any changes, get clear on what’s not working. Then book a Clarity Call. We can talk through your situation and whether Oak & Co. is actually the right fit — no pressure either way.
Sometimes the answer is “stay where you are and have a different conversation with your current advisor.” Sometimes it’s “let’s talk about making a change.” Either way, you deserve clarity.
About Amanda
I became a financial advisor because I needed one and didn’t have one.
I was the first in my family to go to college. I took out student loans and had plenty of people who cared — but no one in my corner who had learned from experience. So I got to make a lot of mistakes along the way, and it shaped the kind of advisor I am today.
That experience is the reason Oak & Co. exists. Because the people who navigate their finances without guidance aren’t less capable than the ones with a advisor in their corner. They just didn’t have the same starting point. I wanted to be the person I didn’t have.
Here’s what that looks like in practice: I’m completely independent, which means I only answer to you. I don’t answer to a parent company. I’m not captive to a product shelf. I have no quotas to hit and no firm telling me what to recommend. As a fiduciary and a CFP®, my sole focus is working in your best interest — empowering you with the information you need to make a confident next step toward your goals and delivering real value in every interaction.
That’s not something every advisor can say. I think it’s worth knowing.
→ Read more: What I Wish More People Understood About Financial Advice
A fiduciary is legally required to act in your best interest. Always. Not most of the time. Not when it’s convenient. Always.
That means no hidden incentives. No products quietly tucked into a recommendation because they pay a better commission. No advice shaped by what’s good for the firm. Just someone who is genuinely, legally obligated to put you first.
It sounds like the baseline, doesn’t it? It should be. But it’s not the standard across the financial services industry — and that gap has real consequences for everyday people trying to make good decisions with their money.
I’m a fiduciary. It shapes everything about how I work with every client. And it’s one of the first questions you should ask any advisor before you hire them.
“Financial advisor” isn’t a protected title. Almost anyone can use it. There’s no universal standard, no required credentials, and the gap between what people assume and what’s actually true is enormous.
A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ is different. Earning the CFP® certification requires a bachelor’s degree, a comprehensive board exam, and between 4,000 and 6,000 hours of real client experience — plus ongoing continuing education and ethical standards. It’s not a weekend course. It’s one of the most respected credentials in financial planning — CFP Board calls it the standard of excellence — because this work deserves to be taken seriously.
CFP® professionals are also fiduciaries, meaning they’re legally required to act in your best interest — always. It’s not just a credential. It’s a commitment.
I’ve been a CFP® since 2018 — it’s not just letters after my name. It’s the foundation everything else is built on.
Yes. My faith is important to me and it’s woven into who I am — it comes up naturally because it’s genuinely part of how I live and work.
At the same time, Oak & Co. is genuinely for everyone. I work with clients of diverse beliefs and backgrounds, and all of my planning is values-based — rooted in what matters to you, not what matters to me. Whatever you believe, you are welcome here.
During onboarding, I ask every client whether they’d like to open or close our meetings with a brief prayer. There’s no pressure either way — it’s simply an invitation. But if faith is part of how you approach life and money, I want you to know it has a place here too.
Financial planning isn’t just about accumulation. It’s about stewardship. About living according to your values. About building a life that reflects what actually matters to you.
If that resonates with you, we’ll work really well together.
Getting Started
Onboarding begins once your agreement is signed and your onboarding payment is made — and from that point, it’s intentional and high-touch by design.
Clarity clients typically meet 3-4 times; Confidence and Partnership clients meet 4-5 times, generally spaced 1-2 weeks apart. During this season we’re in frequent communication — organizing your full financial picture, working through your initial planning together, and making sure nothing falls through the cracks.
It’s the most concentrated season of our relationship, and it sets the foundation for everything that comes after. By the time onboarding wraps up, you’ll have clarity on where you stand, where you’re headed, and exactly what comes next.
That depends on you — and on the season of life you’re in.
Some seasons call for more frequent check-ins. A job change, a new baby, a business decision, an unexpected expense — those moments call for more conversation. Other seasons are steadier, and our touchpoints reflect that.
What I’ve found over the years is that the longer we work together, the less often clients feel the need to meet formally — because the plan is sound, the habits are built, and the foundation is strong. That’s actually a sign things are working.
Typically, clients meet quarterly in year one and move to semi-annually after that — with as-needed conversations in between. You’ll hear from me proactively — not just when something needs your attention, but because staying connected is part of the partnership. And my calendar is always open when you need it. I’m also available by text and email between scheduled meetings.
My clients are respectful of my time and I’m respectful of theirs. It’s a relationship built on mutual trust — and that shows up in how we communicate too.
Yes. Always.
Planning agreements are renewed annually, and that renewal is a proactive conversation — not an automatic checkbox. Every year we celebrate what you’ve accomplished, take stock of where you are now, look at where you’re headed, and decide together whether continuing to work together still makes sense.
My goal is to add value and to support you. Sometimes that’s for a short season, sometimes it’s for good. Either way, we have the conversation every year — so there’s no awkwardness if it’s time to move on, and no obligation to stay beyond a sense that it’s still working.
Some relationships are here for a season. Life changes. Priorities shift. And if the day comes when our work together isn’t the right fit anymore, we’ll handle it with the same respect and clarity we brought to the start.
Not Quite Ready to Book?
So glad you asked!
There are plenty of ways to get a feel for who I am and how I think before we ever meet one-on-one.
Read: The Acorn is my blog, where I write about real financial planning topics in plain language — no jargon, no fluff. A good place to start is “Is Oak & Co. Right for You?”
Subscribe: The Oak & Co. Letter is my monthly newsletter — a warm, conversational note with financial tips, ideas, and what’s on my mind.
Follow along: Find me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook for regular financial tips, behind-the-scenes moments, and a peek at the person behind the plan.
Meet me in person: I host a monthly Coffee & Clarity gathering at The Roasting Route Coffee House in Fort Mill — third Thursdays at 9:00 AM. It’s small by design, it’s casual, and I’d genuinely love to meet you there. Spots are limited, so registration gets you a seat.
→ Reserve your Coffee & Clarity spot
Whenever you’re ready, I’ll be here.
You deserve a financial partner who actually gets your life.
Not someone who talks at you. Not someone who sells you something and only checks in once a year — or worse, only when you initiate the conversation. Someone who knows your full picture, tells you the truth, and shows up for the long haul.
Think of me as the friend who happens to be a CFP® — someone who asks the right questions, explains things in plain language, and genuinely cares about where you end up.
When you’re ready, I’d love to meet you.