Hello, I am Ben. I started Simplified Planning and Investments out of a deep desire to make a real difference in people’s lives. For nearly a decade, I have had the privilege of guiding individuals and families through some of their most important financial decisions. Over time, I realized my greatest fulfillment comes from building meaningful relationships, truly understanding people’s stories, and helping them find peace of mind in areas that often cause stress and uncertainty. This led me to create a firm centered on people first - where financial planning is about more than money; it’s about impact, purpose, and simplicity. At Simplified Planning, everything begins with a passion for people. This firm was built on the belief that the foundation of finacial planning is built on relationships, trust, and helping others live with greater peace and purpose. Our purpose is to equip you to make confident financial decisions with clarity and ease. Every story is unique, and so is every financial plan. Exceptional financial planning starts with listening and understanding. That’s why we take a holistic, relationship-driven approach - thoughtfully blending overarching strategies with the important details that matter most to you. Because we work on a fee-only basis, our only focus is providing sound advice that puts your best interests first. By viewing your financial life as an integrated system - cash flow, investments, taxes, insurance, retirement, and estate considerations - we ensure each piece works together seamlessly, so your money serves your goals and values. Our aim is to simplify complexity, bring clarity to uncertainty, and provide a roadmap that balances today’s priorities with tomorrow’s vision. Outside of work, my life is centered around my family. We love traveling and discovering new places together. I stay connected to my community through commitments to my church, volunteering, and teaching personal finance. I’m also a high school football official, a passionate sports fan, and yes - one of those lawn guys. I look forward to connecting, understanding your story, and helping you create a financial life that reflects both your goals and your values - bringing clarity, confidence, and meaning every step of the way.

Stoy Hall is a CFP® with 13 years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at Black Mammoth LLC since 2020. His prior experience includes roles at Centric Advisors, Majors and Mondragon, MWA Financial Services, and Modern Woodmen Of America. Outside of his advisory work, he is president of the board for the nonprofit Starts Right Here Movement and owns consulting firms LNC Financial and Legacy Fiduciary Services, Inc. Black Mammoth LLC provides discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, family office, and retirement plan consulting to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers business advisory services including CFO consulting and investment banking support, typically managing assets through firm-developed model portfolios and third-party sub-advisers where appropriate.

Alexandre Ducharme is a CFA® charterholder and the sole advisor at Woodlands Capital Management, LLC, where he has worked since 2014. He has 10 years of industry experience. Woodlands Capital Management is an independent registered investment adviser serving a small client base, including high-net-worth individuals, with approximately $5.8 million in discretionary assets under management. The firm offers long-only and long/short equity strategies based on fundamental analysis, emphasizing risk control and client objectives, and employs a performance-based fee structure for its long/short strategy with qualified clients.

Joseph Hart is a CFP® professional with seven years of industry experience. He founded Hart Wealth Management in 2025 after working at West Financial Advisors, L.L.C. and RSM US LLP. Hart Wealth Management is an investment manager that primarily manages pooled or institutional assets through discretionary investment management, financial planning, and investment-related tax planning. The firm employs multi-asset allocation strategies based on charting, fundamental and technical analysis, and incorporates tax-sensitive practices such as tax-loss harvesting and tax-aware asset location.

Christina Lueders Ochanpaugh is a financial advisor at Kingdom Wealth Development, LLC with 19 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked with Cambridge Investment Research and Trinity Financial Group, where she also serves as an independent insurance agent. Kingdom Wealth Development provides financial planning and portfolio management services to individual and high-net-worth clients, focusing on written financial plans and ongoing portfolio oversight. The firm employs an asset-allocation framework primarily using mutual funds and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary management with regular portfolio reviews.

Michael Banasiak is a CFP® professional with 20 years of experience in the financial industry. He is the sole advisor at Omni Wealth Management, where he has worked since 2020. Prior to that, he served at Iron Horse Wealth Management and Legacy Financial Group. Omni Wealth Management provides financial planning and personalized investment management to individuals and institutional clients such as retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management, including a wrap fee program, and structures accounts around mutual funds, ETFs, and insurance products.

Michael Moller is the principal of DSM Financial L.L.C. in Urbandale, IA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 38 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at several firms and operating his own sole proprietorship since 1984. In addition to advisory services, he maintains an active life insurance agency, writing term and whole life insurance policies. DSM Financial serves approximately 200 client relationships, primarily high-net-worth individuals, plan sponsors, and business entities. The firm provides financial planning, educational seminars, and retirement-plan consulting, referring clients to third-party investment managers while acting as a liaison and offering non-discretionary ERISA services for retirement plans.

Brian Weckman is a financial advisor with Actis Wealth Management in Waukee, IA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 28 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at LPL Financial and ownership of several business ventures, including Central Iowa Resellers, which focuses on purchasing and reselling estate sale items. Actis Wealth Management provides discretionary investment management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers tailored investment programs that utilize a mix of analytical approaches and portfolio strategies, and it provides pension consulting services including ERISA 3(38) investment management.

Kyle Thompson is the sole advisor at Leetown Advisors, an independent firm based in Ankeny, IA. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has nine years of industry experience, including prior roles at Waddell and Reed, Park Avenue Securities, and Guardian Life. Outside of financial advising, he is involved with KT Constrictors, a non-investment-related business. Leetown Advisors serves individual clients, including high-net-worth individuals, offering investment management, financial planning, business consulting, and retirement plan management for employer plan sponsors. The firm primarily uses passive, asset-class-based portfolios with index funds and ETFs, supplemented by fundamental and technical analysis, and provides institutional retirement plan services and paraplanning support to other advisers.

Steven Reed is the principal of Reed Financial, LLC, an independent registered investment adviser based in Urbandale, IA. He holds the ChFC® designation and has 36 years of industry experience. Prior to founding Reed Financial, he held various roles at Northwestern Mutual and has operated his own sole proprietorship since 1987. He is also the managing member of Reed Commercial Lending LLC, which facilitates financial transactions between small business owners and lenders. Reed Financial provides discretionary asset management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and business entities, including qualified retirement plans. The firm employs tailored investment strategies and offers pension consulting services, including limited-scope ERISA 3(21) fiduciary roles and preparation of related disclosures.

Jayme Bresnahan is a financial advisor with Successful Resource Management, Ltd. in Johnston, Iowa, holding a Series 66 credential and 17 years of industry experience. She has worked with Successful Resource Management and Investacorp Inc. and is also involved in managing a family limited partnership and serving as an officer of a holding company. Successful Resource Management provides personalized financial planning and investment management to individuals, trusts, charitable organizations, and business entities, offering discretionary portfolio management, qualified-plan account management, financial planning, estate-planning services, and occasional CFO engagements. The firm uses documented investment objectives and technical analysis tools to guide asset allocation and security selection.

Michael Marusiak is a financial advisor at Acumen Associates LLC in Clive, Iowa, with eight years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has worked with firms including Eagle Strategies LLC and New York Life Insurance Company. Acumen Associates LLC is a solo independent advisory firm providing discretionary investment management to individuals and institutions. The firm employs a model-driven investment approach focused on volatility securities and derivatives, utilizing equity portfolios combined with covered-call and put-write strategies as well as proprietary volatility futures curve modeling.

Logan Queck is a financial advisor with Total Wealth in West Des Moines, IA, holding the ChFC® designation and Series 65 license with nine years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Integrity Wealth Management LLC, Royal Fund Management, and Horter Investment Management. Outside of advisory work, Queck owns Everything Insurance, a licensed insurance agency, through which he conducts insurance transactions as an independent agent. Total Wealth provides portfolio management and financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, employing modern portfolio theory with diversified portfolios mainly composed of ETFs, mutual funds, and insurance products such as annuities. The firm integrates insurance distribution into its investment approach and operates alongside overlapping accounting and consulting services through Total Wealth Planning.

Redspire Wealth Management, LLC is a financial planning and investment management firm in West Des Moines, Iowa. I am a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional who enjoys working with clients at any age and stage of life. I believe that it's never too early or too late to set yourself up for financial success. My favorite part of my job is meeting new people and working on their financial plans. Financial planning is a highly collaborative process. Working with people to discover what they want to accomplish, their dreams, and how to get where they want to go is the highlight of my job. The people and families I work with have more confidence and clarity about their financial situation - they get a strong sense of comfort knowing they have a plan in place and know how to implement it! Although I am located in the heart of central Iowa, I work with clients located outside of the area and can meet virtually. I know that between kids, work schedules, vacations, and other commitments that schedules can get hectic. I try to accommodate clients' schedules and needs because every situation is unique. Redspire Wealth Management, LLC offers flat-fee and ingoing financial planning service, as well as investment management so you can determine what is the right service for your situation.

Guthrie Gaylord is a financial advisor at 3G Capital LLC with seven years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 credential and previously worked at Wells Fargo. In addition to his advisory role, he serves as President and Managing Member of Double Eagle Capital Partners Management, LLC, where he acts as a fiduciary for partners' invested capital. 3G Capital LLC provides financial planning, investment advisory, and portfolio management services to individual investors, high-net-worth clients, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm employs an active, value-oriented equity selection approach combined with diversified allocations to low-cost ETFs, emphasizing strategic asset allocation and periodic rebalancing.

Kirk Bond is a financial advisor with RIA Advisory Group, LLC in Des Moines, IA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 15 years of industry experience. He has worked with RIA Advisory Group since 2011 and operates as a sole proprietor. Outside of his advisory role, Bond is a life insurance marketer and a 20% owner of Brokerstreet Insurance Services, a non-variable insurance business. RIA Advisory Group, LLC is a multi-team registered investment adviser serving individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and other entities. The firm manages a diversified portfolio including equities, fixed income, mutual funds, ETFs, REITs, insurance products, and private placements, typically providing discretionary account management supported by charting, fundamental and technical analysis.

David Cunningham is a CFP® professional with 27 years of experience in financial advising. He founded Cunningham Wealth Management, L.L.C., doing business as LW Advisors, L.L.C., where he has worked since 2015. He also operates as a sole proprietor and holds a Series 63 designation. In addition to his advisory work, he is licensed as an insurance agent. LW Advisors, L.L.C. provides discretionary and non-discretionary asset management and financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth clients, managing approximately $35.9 million across about 76 client relationships. The firm develops investment programs tailored to each client’s objectives, time horizon, and risk tolerance, employing both fundamental and technical analysis, and offers educational seminars and workshops open to the public.

Fredrick Bell is a CFP® and CFA® with 24 years of industry experience. He is the founder and president of Bellwether Financial Advisors in West Des Moines, IA, where he has worked since 2003. Prior to founding Bellwether, he operated Fredrick A. Bell CFA, L.C. starting in 2001 and has been associated with Cambridge Investment Research since 2007. Bell also serves as treasurer and board member of the Iowa Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America. Bellwether Financial Advisors provides financial planning, investment advice, and portfolio-related consulting to individuals, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations. The firm emphasizes fundamental analysis and diversified, longer-term portfolios with selective tactical adjustments and maintains non-discretionary client relationships that typically include quarterly reviews.

Shawn Terrell is a financial advisor with Dentist Exit Planning in Windsor Heights, IA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 14 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Park Avenue Securities for 10 years and has been with Terrell Advisors, LLC since 2021. In addition to his advisory work, Terrell is the author of the book "The Professional Practice Trap." Dentist Exit Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to dental-practice clients and high-net-worth individuals, focusing on exit planning. The firm offers portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, and ongoing consulting, using a combination of direct implementation and third-party managers, with an emphasis on tax considerations and tailored strategies.

Mark Gremler is a financial advisor with Integrity Alliance, LLC, holding a Series 63 designation and over 30 years of industry experience. He has worked at firms including VOYA Financial Advisors and Btl Network, and has operated Gremler Financial Group since 2004. Outside of advising, he is involved in farming and produce sales through Gremler Farms. Integrity Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans through a network of 164 independent advisers. The firm provides continuous asset management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party manager programs using a variety of portfolio management approaches.