William Cooney

Our clients and community value us for both our personal approach as well as our background experience. Our clients are amazing but do not always have the time and energy to go it on their own. We help bridge family and business conversations, and align our clients paths with their intended priorities. We have backgrounds in institutional investments, and consulting financial advisors, but we are perpetually students as well as surrounding ourselves with amazing professional alliances to help support our clients and community in every way we can. Growing up, my parents were owners of a small business that did paving and excavation services. I was able to work summers and through college and miss operating equipment. Same time I saw many of their challenges through each stage of ownership. I love helping business owners and consultants bridge their investments and behavior in alignment with their prioritized goals and intent. Working at an institutional asset manager and broker dealer allowed me to spend countless hours with amazing financial professionals (advisors, portfolio managers, economists and strategists). There is alot to learn in good times, and even more to learn in challenging times. We try to bring a long term vision and healthy perspective to meetings where clients are the ones driving to their goals with the full support of our firm and every resource we have.

I am a fee-only, advice-only investment advisor and financial planner. My mission is to provide great advice at a fair price to support each client’s purpose in life. I am a CFP® Practitioner and CFA® Charterholder. As Founder and Principal Advisor at IndiePlan™, I am committed to our fiduciary duty by providing independent holistic advice and education that puts clients’ interests first. I entered the advisory business after a thirty-year career in financial services. I am a former Head of Index Governance and Chairman of the US Index Committee at S&P Dow Jones Indices, where my job was to oversee major benchmarks like the S&P 500®. Prior to that, I held a variety of positions - from designing indexes and assisting leading asset management firms to working on a portfolio management team that served institutional clients. My interest in investing and financial planning is long standing. I enjoy helping others as they save, invest, and plan for their future, or as they prepare for transitions like retirement, a health challenge, a second career, starting a new business, furthering their education, or taking extended leave. At IndiePlan™ we strive to meet clients where they are in their journey. We provide independent, holistic, tailored advice at a fair price.

Steven Kampschmidt is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional dedicated to assisting individuals and families in their pursuit of financial freedom. After establishing a practice within Merrill Lynch, he had an increasing desire to service his clients in a way that was unavailable at almost all other firms within the industry. It was at this point that he opted to create something new, and thus Freedom Found Financial was born. Steven also has his MBA in finance and economics from the Rochester Institute of Technology. He currently resides in Boonton, NJ with his wife Jessica, his two daughters Adeline and Evelyn, as well as his two dogs Meadow and Summer. He enjoys spending time with his family and friends. He also uses his free time training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, playing beach volleyball down the shore, and snowboarding during the winter months.

Anand Thakkar is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He specializes in helping busy professionals, business owners, and families develop coordinated, tax-aware financial strategies that align with their personal and long-term goals. Anand works closely with clients through personalized wealth management approaches, including college education planning, retirement income design, estate and legacy planning, tax minimization, and managing new wealth. With expertise in equity compensation strategies, concentrated positions, insurance and risk management, and philanthropic planning, Anand supports clients facing major financial events such as business sales, IPOs, and wealth transfers. He combines Merrill Lynch's investment insights with the banking and lending solutions of Bank of America to deliver comprehensive financial planning. Anand holds the Personal Investment Advisor designation and has completed executive education at Harvard Business School, in addition to earning a Bachelor's degree from Wayne State University. Anand is also committed to community involvement, volunteering with local organizations. Outside of work, he enjoys basketball, tennis, music, and reading. His approach emphasizes building one-on-one relationships to provide tailored, actionable financial strategies designed to help clients achieve their financial objectives.

Eric Aiello is a Wealth Management Advisor and Senior Vice President at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he is a team member of the RLA Group. He holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP) designation, along with credentials as a CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Benefits Consultant (RBC). Eric has provided financial advice for over 22 years, focusing on portfolio and wealth management strategies tailored to high net worth individuals, families, foundations, and corporate retirement plans. As part of the RLA Group, Eric collaborates closely with clients to develop portfolio solutions that align with their financial goals and concerns. His expertise includes family wealth management, legacy planning, retirement income, services for endowments and non-profits, and managing transitions related to new wealth. The team aims to build long-term relationships grounded in trust, guiding clients through significant life events such as retirement and generational wealth transfer. Eric’s professional accomplishments include recognition on the 2024 Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams” list and the 2022 Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Advisors” list as a member of the RLA Group. Eric earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Gettysburg College and a Master of Business Administration from Iona College. Outside of his professional work, he enjoys playing golf, as well as baseball, basketball, football, skiing, and soccer. He spends his leisure time traveling and with his wife Daniela and their children, Marco and Kara.