I specifically worked with Amie. 15/10 recommendation. The first time we spoke, around a year and a half ago, Amie (gently) turned me away and shared her free PDF as a resource to get a better handle on my finances before I paid for her services. I feel like most places would have taken my money and not have put my best interest first so that was really surprising and honestly, solidified my interest in working with her. She has a really good character! A couple of months ago, we met for the second time and I had paid off all of my debt and had an emergency savings, so we agreed to move forward with the final call & financial plan! I feel a lot more confident about retirement and that I'm making the right choices with my money. Amie is very kind and straightforward, and also happy to answer any questions! I am 25 so I had a lot of questions haha. My only regret is that I did not know about a financial planner when I was younger. Had I had seen Amie at age 20 or 21 I feel like I would be in an even better financial situation. Again, I highly recommend Amie and can only imagine that the others who work at Lulafinancial are just as great! read more

I've known Amie for years as a performer, and after discovering they were also a professional financial adviser, I jumped at the chance to meet with them. I've worked the last 15 years as a professional freelance musician and teaching artist, and had never met with a financial adviser, so I came in quite nervous, though eager to learn. Within minutes of our first session, she laid out some excellent core tenets for me to follow, assessed my financial situation, was realistic and transparent, suggested several easy steps for me to start. She did all this while being supportive and encouraging - allowing me space to drop any guilt or shame for having "started late" on things like building retirement savings and investments. She was professional, knowledgeable, kind, and followed up immediately with a write-up with action items for me. Needless to say, I feel infinitely more confident and clear on next steps, and I'm excited to continue working with her. Do yourself a favor and hire Amie for a financial planning meeting! It's one of the most important steps I took in adulthood and you won't be sorry. read more

My wife and I engaged Amie for financial planning help to get a sense of how far we are from retirement. We found her super nice to work with, but we also ended up feeling that the service she provided was too simple for our needs. I think the level of detail in her planning would be appropriate for someone who is new to the basics of financial planning, and could be the right choice for clients who might get overwhelmed by too many details. But we ended up not feeling confident in some of her advice because we wanted to get at the underlying details. Here is an example. Aime provided us with a financial calculator to predict whether our portfolio was sufficient to generate sufficient income for retirement. This calculator was based on a single predicted rate of return in the market. We have since learned that such calculators ignore a significant factor, called "Sequence of Return Risk", which are accounted for by other calculators. When I brought this up with Amie, she said she had no objection to us using other calculators, so long as we didn't get overwhelmed. There were a couple of other examples where we would have appreciated more detail. For example, she recommended a 100%/0% stock/bond allocation. Since this is substantially different from typical advice, it would have been nice to hear more justification than she provided. Anyway, I ended up feeling that Amie is a great resource for beginners to get their finances in order. But for people further along, where there are significant risks to making mistakes, the simplicity of her approach may be insufficient. read more

We worked with Amie for 2 years, she handled everything from getting my partner and I aligned on financial goals to physically getting on the phone with financial institutions with me to help move accounts and make sure stocks were reinvested in the right place (so I couldn't make a mess of it). She has such a great disposition, and wonderful, practical advise to get you to your goals. She also understands goals change and helps you pivot as needed! We will definitely be working with her later as our goals change over time! 1 million thank you's Amie!! read more

I came to Lula looking for essentially a money manager (I was really green to personal finance at the time, I didn't even know what the proper name for it was). After a few talks with Amie, she was able to explain to me that actually managing your personal finances is not as intensive as I first thought, and I left my meeting feeling empowered and capable. I worked with Amie to come up with a financial plan and budget suited for me and I was able to execute on it by my self. I am happy : ) read more

My only caveat to those reading this review is that my experience with Lula Financial was very brief (so far) - but it was very positive. I know very little about investing, and met with Benjamin Packard for what was supposed to be a short "get acquainted" type call. When I gave him a high-level outline of what my needs are, he said that I didn't need to spend the money to hire him, and proceeded to produce, on the spot and FOR FREE, a simple investment plan that would meet my needs. He outlined the exact steps to take and how to take them, and then had me read my notes back to him to make sure I understood it. Again, all of this for free. He offered to meet with me for follow-up questions for an hourly rate, but thought it wouldn't be needed. Throughout, he explained things very clearly, in a way understandable to somebody like me with little or no investing experience, and continued to ask questions to clarify and confirm his understanding of what I needed. read more

During our first introductory meeting with Amie, she impressed us with her strategy which is very grounded. In our second meet, she went through all our incomes, investment, and expenses and came up with a solid financial plan. She helped us make major changes to our investment and savings in order to meet our retirement and savings goals. She ensured that we follow up on her plan and execute it. Amie really cares for her clients and their well-being. read more

As a woman who never had exposure to nor mentorship around financial literacy, working with Amie at Lula was invaluable! My goals were 1) prevent having to work when I'm old (and likely more bitter towards capitalism), 2) secure enough resources to avoid becoming homeless if I loose a job and get get another one for a long-ass time, 3) practice actual collaboration with my partner on financial goal setting and contributions, 4) try and walk a different path than stale, old, unethical white men who have kept working class women and people of color out of their good old boy money making schemes, 5) have an accountability buddy who is hands on, accessible and likes to joke around to make all this boring stuff more fun. Well, Amie was the total package. She respected my sense of resentment towards late-stage capitalism while also helping me take baby steps to create my own financial safety net. She didn't shame me for how much money I spent eating out or going to therapy and helped me find a way to use credit card points to pay for most of my plane fare! She also taught me and my partner about how bananas these institutions and markets really are, but instead of feeling overwhelmed, we felt empowered to take meaningful action. She's also funny and has good recommendations about yummy vegan spots in Oakland. I loved working with her and feel waaay more like a grown up who didn't completely compromise my values to get here. read more

I reached out to Amie last year, and she helped me set up a financial plan that felt clear, manageable, and sustainable. As someone who had really never learned anything about managing money and building wealth, and who also came with resistance to it, I really appreciated Amy's ability to hear and consider the nuance of my experiences and concerns. We had a really open, frank conversation at the start, that helped me feel confident I was going to work with someone who aligned with my values. She answered questions and provided really helpful guidance. I chose to move forward with the financial plan and then continued working with her for a few months, which felt very supportive. I definitely recommend working with Amie if you're just starting to wade into the waters of taking charge of your finances; I feel good about the tools Amie gave me, and could definitely imagine reaching out to her again in the future were I to require more financial advice. read more

Of all the financial advisors I've met with there have been none as full life and wisdom as Amie. She was very genuine and candid about my current strategy and provided useful insight on where to prioritize my efforts. As soon as we got off the phone I had an email with her recommendations in an easy to read bullet point format. Thanks Amie! read more

We booked an hour of Amie's time to do a check-up of our finances. I had already used another financial planner some years ago to get the major pieces of our financial picture in place, but Amie helped us evaluate the current state of our finances and propose some helpful changes that would help us optimize for not just our future wealth, but our current needs with our growing family. We needed a voice walking us through some big changes with a potential move and Amie provided the steady hand to guide us through the conversation. Thank you Amie and Lula Financial! read more

Amie is what I've been looking for but had almost given up on finding. I had trepidation going into our meeting that she'd be another of those financial advisors whose "advice" would take the form of trying to sell me life insurance, or who would want to manage my investments. Nope - selling anything or trying to manage my money was not in the least bit on her agenda. I believe she gave me excellent advice that should be easy to implement. She answered all my questions to my satisfaction. It was a pleasant and informative meeting. I would absolutely recommend Amie for financial planning. read more

Amie is wonderful to work with! Very down-to-earth, attentive, and thoughtful about my particular needs. Needless to say, my wealth has grown! read more

My wife and I engaged with Amie at Lula financial and had a fantastic experience working with her. Amie was super helpful, clear, and really helped us put a great plan together. She listened to our needs, desires and future plans and helped us align our finances with a thorough and well thought out plan. We continued working with Amie for over a year and she guided us through investment strategies and retirement plans. Beyond being a solid financial advisor, Amie was so kind and personable it really was a pleasure to work with her. If you are looking for a responsible, expert and kind financial advisor, we highly recommend Amie and Lula Financial! read more

I found myself in the odd position of working for a FinTech, while not having my personal finances under control. Amie helped me demystify my finances, and has empowered me to feel good about taking ownership of them. She's also guided me towards confronting my student debt, (which I had been avoiding and was frankly terrified of) and helped me take sensible steps with my other finances. She's been willing to move at my pace, but isn't shy about pushing me if I'm stuck or hesitating. (She seems to have a great sense of timing with these things.) Working with Amie has helped me feel good about my financial future, and there is no substitution for that feeling of security! She has a real talent for empowering people with knowledge and seems to really enjoy helping people. Side note: I've developed an interest in macroeconomics as an unexpected side effect of working together... Thanks for everything Amie! read more

My husband and I worked with Amie at Lula Financial to come up with a joint financial plan last year and had a pretty negative experience. We were dealing with some pretty large financial decisions - namely buying a new home (and selling two homes), and budgeting to have our first child. The plan we received was very standard, seemed mostly copied from a template, and did not address our primary question of how much of a mortgage we should take out -- even though we had made it clear prior to the meeting that buying a new home in the Bay Area was our main financial concern at the time. When we followed up to address this issue again during our final meeting, and then again afterwards, it was still not addressed and even ignored. We ultimately walked away from the experience feeling like we got very little value for what we paid for the service. Perhaps the service is better suited to those just beginning their financial planning journey, or making a budget for the first time. However, the lack of professionalism we experienced, and the poor value we received, makes it so I would not recommend using Lula Financial to anyone in my circle. read more

I am so grateful that I have CJ to help me get my finances in order. Throughout my life, I have avoided managing my finances like the plague. I now finally feel comfortable with my money (and my future) as I know that CJ has my back. He's well-versed in everything from paying off debt to investing to retirement planning. His financial expertise has paved a path for me to follow, and am I able to stay on that path as he also coaches me in financial accountability. I think of CJ as my personal trainer -- but instead of helping me meet my fitness goals, he is always there leading me toward my financial goals. THANK YOU CJ! read more

If you are seeking financial advice delivered with the highest levels of integrity, authenticity and practicality, CJ is your man. It's pretty rare to find someone with such a grounded and holistic approach in the finance industry, someone who truly cares about their clients and wants to uplevel the quality of service that is delivered. I was hesitant to work with an advisor due to bad experiences in the past (e.g. self-interested, myopic "advisors" who care more about closing a deal and getting a commission, than digging DEEP into my goals). CJ asks the right questions to get a clear picture of your life and also acts as a coach to help you think about the future. It's like couples counseling + financial prowess in one session. Can't say enough good things about this experience. CJ has not only helped me and my husband create a saving plan that is really exciting for us, he's also helped us clarify our goals. We are so appreciative that we get this level of care and expertise in one person. If you're ready to transform your financial picture AND to feel completely heard, seen and understand, you'll want to book with CJ before he gets too busy to help everyone!! :) read more

CJ's analytical skills and pragmatism are second to none. His wide breadth of financial knowledge has been very helpful in addressing my family's personal, tax, business, investment, and education related finance goals. He's also given us great advice on negotiating new job offers and other contracts, putting me in a better place than we otherwise would have been. What I like most about CJ is that he cares about his personal and professional relationships very deeply, and it shows. Speaking to CJ isn't like speaking to just anyone. He asks the right questions, listens carefully, and his analysis and responses display his thoughtfulness, attentiveness, and relevant experience and knowledge. I always trust his personal finance advice to be very safe, sound, and smart. I won't hesitate to refer my friends and family for his services. Highly recommend. read more

Multiple times, my partner and I have said to each other "we shudder to think of a world where we didn't work with Amie" -- because that's how informative, valuable, and stress-relieving our work with her has been. We learned so much in the process, and not just about how to most effectively manage our savings and work towards financial goals, but about our own relationship to money in a psychological/emotional sense. I am so grateful to now have a handle on my finances, from having confidence in what I'm invested in to streamlining accounts and optimizing my tax profile. Amie is also an awesome person -- incredibly human and warm, with well timed humor (a treat for financial services!). I've already recommended Amie to friends. read more

Amie is calm, funny, and effective. She breaks down big concepts into something easily digestible; and creates a safe space to ask even the most silly questions. She was clear about what she had to offer, followed through exactly as described, and was worth every penny. I felt empowered and confident in moving forward with the financial plan she put together for me. I highly recommend anyone who wants to understand their own finances and feel ready for their future to email her ASAP! read more

Another five-star review for Amie. Hey people trying to compare one financial advisor to another on Yelp: take a hint from all of the stars on this page and give Amie a ring. She was incredibly personable and easy to talk to about that oh-so-scary subject of money. She never tried to push some big sale of things I didn't need and is only looking to help you be the best (and most financially literate) version of you. If you're looking for someone to help get a budget together, review your current situation, or figure out what to do with your IPO billions, Amie could probably help you out. read more

Amie is excellent at laying out the building blocks of how to approach your personal finances in order to build a stable and profitable future. She listened to my concerns about investing in ethical/sustainable companies, and had some great ideas about how I might approach building a portfolio based on my needs and interests. She gives you the space to be heard and is very honest in her assessment. I highly recommend her! read more

Amie at Lula Financial is AMAZING!! My husband and I have never really had a financial plan other than winning the lottery (ha!), so when we found Lula, we were so appreciative of how simple the process was and how thorough Amie was in explaining everything. We actually live in Southern California, but that wasn't a problem for Amie - we were able to do everything via Google Meet and secure documents. We truly knew nothing about financial planning, so even in our first meeting Amie was going over the basics and explaining to us what the S&P 500 was and what a brokerage account is! Now that we've met with Amie 3 times, we have a full financial plan for how to budget each month, how to save money towards big expenses, and how to plan for retirement. We also had no idea we were spending way to much money on car insurance...Amie explained it all and now it all makes so much sense! The financial plan is spelled out exactly for what we need to do, and we feel like for the first time EVER we have a plan to get us where we want to go. I cannot give Amie a good enough review - she is so personable, so open, so helpful and so wonderful! Thank you so much Amie!!!! read more

I felt like I had a very moderate to low knowledge base of finances going in but Amie walked me through the process like a champ. She puts together a realistic and flexible plan for you designed for the future. Given the financial state of the world, getting extra assistance like this is a must. Would certainly recommend her to anyone. She provides an affordable service that I personally view as a need and she does so like an expert. read more

Amie helped ease my anxiety and put me on a path towards finally paying off my debt. She worked me with on how to safe on credit card interest, and where to start a savings account. I feel very fortunate to have Amie's professional help with my finances, she truly cares about her clients. read more

Amie was a lifesaver. She answered all of my financial questions in a practical way and helped me put together a plan and a budget when I didn't know where to start. She is empathetic and really knows her stuff. Highly recommend! read more

Just trying to get your financial health in order? Unsure of where to start, how to start, how to organize, what to do? CJ at Lula Financial is where you should start! CJ's approach is non-intimidating, non-judgemental and kind. He's flexible--understands resistance to some of the more tedious tasks, and is willing to craft a plan that works for your personality and lifestyle. He's smart--very smart. Asks the right questions about your short-term goals, long-term goals, and if you're not sure about those, he's able to ask more questions about the direction you want to head in. As a woman in my mid-fifties just getting my $$ together, I thought I was a lost cause--and CJ reassured me that I'm not. Just talk with him! Have a consult, and see if you don't vibe with him immediately. :-) read more

CJ has a trait that many don't - his brain is like a calculator with his accounting background, but he is also empathetic. I expected our first conversation to be a scolding of my spending habits, but it was nothing like that. CJ explained that his job will never be to judge, but to shine a light on my goals through analysis of current financials and holding me accountable. CJ makes the process easy, understandable, and his enthusiasm for finances is contagious. read more

I highly recommend CJ as a financial advisor. He is smart, thoughtful, and clear in his explanations. He's widely versed in a range of important topics for financial health, from paying off debt, to setting your own financial priorities, to working toward financial independence/ retiring early ("FIRE"). What I've especially appreciated is that he's also a good listener who's sensitive to the fact that money is a very loaded topic for many people. Let's face it: many of people's (I mean my own) money problems are psychological in nature. But despite my tendencies toward shame and avoidance but I found that CJ made me feel at ease, even when I was calculating my own monthly expenditures for the first time in years. Two other things about CJ: one, he absolutely walks the walk: he has saved aggressively to where he could basically live off his savings/ investments before the age of 40. And two, he is a financial advisor for the right reasons: to help set regular people on the path to financial health, not to get rich off others' wealth (just compare his business model with others: he does not take a percentage!). read more

Amie is an absolute asset! Not only does she clearly know what she's talking about, she also does a fantastic job of explaining complicated ideas in ways that make sense. Before speaking with Amie, I didn't feel financially literate, whether when trying to open a high-yield savings account, rollover a 401k or refinance a mortgage. There's no such thing as a dumb question and I feel empowered to make informed decisions about my finances because of Amie. read more

I have been working with CJ for over 6 months now and I could not be happier with the consultation he has provided. We discussed my risk aversion and found an investment strategy that includes a combination of low-cost index funds and strategic property investments in an emerging housing market. What I really appreciate about CJ is that he takes the time to get to know his clients personally, digging into their personal goals and then tailoring a financial plan to help them achieve them. CJ is diligent, hard-working, and trustworthy. He has made an unfamiliar (and fankly, overwhelming) topic understandable and actionable. I would strongly recommend his services! read more

Amie is a life saver. Financial wellness has always scared me. Being honest about my finances and my goals is hard for me. But, in these present times I know its more important than ever to make sure I am planning for my future, cleaning up my debt, and making focused financial decisions. Within minutes of our consultation Amie had me feeling shame free and ready to really talk about whats possible. She is kind, she is direct, and most importantly extremely smart. I am really looking forward to continuing to work together. read more

My wife and I can't say enough good things about working with Amie. We initially contacted her when we got engaged to help us figure out how we should approach merging our finances. She crafted a thorough, actionable, and easy to understand financial plan that helped us clearly understand what we want and how to get there. Her advice has already paid for itself many times over. We're super grateful for Amie's expertise, good vibes, and general wisdom about money, and we only wish we'd reached out sooner. read more

CJ was extremely helpful in helping us identify our short and long term goals and how best to allocate money to meet these goals. Especially in times of uncertainty and extreme market volatility, his knowledge, experience, calm demeanor and patience were so helpful to navigate through all the madness. Forever grateful for CJ's role in our family's financial plan. read more

Over the past year or so, Lula Financial has helped me greatly with my financial goals, especially regarding 401k investments. I had a nest egg that I was being indecisive with but am not super interested at the moment in home ownership. CJ set up a plan for me to follow and I've been investing more and more in the the stock market, particularly low cost index funds. The model has me investing little by little through dollar cost averaging where you buy in a number of times over the span of however long to make sure you're not buying in 100% at the top of the market. The entire amount doesn't get invested as CJ also has guidelines on how to calculate how much you should keep as an emergency fund. Speaking of markets 'n such, CJ's guidance during these turbulent times has been invaluable. I'm staying the course because I'm in this for the long haul. If you decide to discuss your financial goals with the Lula team, I am certain you'll be happy with their knowledgeable guidance, time spent answering questions in detail and overall transparency. read more

Amie is kind, informative, and relatable. I was confused, conflicted, and uninformed on how to create healthy money habits and plan for my financial future before working with her. After our multiple meetings, I felt empowered to take charge of my money. She helped me improve my relationship with spending and saving. No questions or ideas were ignored with Amie. She broke down all terms and checked for understanding during the whole process. I highly recommend her to anyone trying to get started and I look forward to working with her down the line when I encounter more complicated decisions. read more

Amie is the best! I really have a hard time with understanding the financial world, and she eased me into it so beautifully. Amie makes you feel so taken care of; she really makes sure that her clients feel informed, empowered, and positive about their financial plan. It is obvious that she loves what she does, and she is very good at it. Caring and full of knowledge, tailored to help each individual succeed. I am so grateful to have found her. read more

Amy was super helpful in looking at the bigger picture of my finances. We got into remortgaging, which banks are best, where to put my savings and and how to invest my ROTH IRA. She didn't try to sell me anything or suggest I invest with money I don't have. She encouraged me to keep a 'rainy day fund' and didn't push me to book further sessions unless I need them. Highly recommend. read more

Amie left me feeling set up for success after going through all of my finances. She was very thorough and listened to my needs. She offered great feedback and suggestions and was a pleasure overall working with. She is great for beginners or for someone who has already gotten on their financial way. I was very happy overall with Amie. read more