Welcome! I'm Cynthia Meyer, CFA®, CFP®, ChFC®, a real estate investor, financial planner, and real estate business coach. I founded Real Life Planning to mentor a new generation of real estate investors. We help real estate investors take practical steps to build financial freedom, create multiple sources of income, and make working for someone else optional. At Real Life Planning, we speak both real estate and financial planning. Whether you're adding to your properties, contemplating a 1031 exchange, listing your place on Airbnb, getting started as a landlord, or looking to buy a home overseas, we'll help you create a realistic plan for your financial life goals. As you build your investment property portfolio, we will help you plan to optimize taxes and diversify risks, manage total cash flow, and prepare for new opportunities. Our clients are - Rental property investors looking for a comprehensive financial plan - Professionals considering a real estate side hustle to create an additional source of income - People with inherited rental property - Homeowners maximizing opportunities for income - Americans looking to buy property overseas - Expats buying homes in the U.S. We're a Fee-Only fiduciary firm, so we work for you, not for Wall Street. That's why our fees are inclusive and transparent. My husband Steve and I have three kids and live in central NJ, in the NYC metro area. We are both first-generation real estate investors with small multifamily properties, single-family homes, and a small apartment complex. We invest out of state and use a property manager. A financial advisor since 1997, I founded Real Life Planning and co-founded the Real Estate Financial Coach Course, Real Estate For Generations, and the You Unlimited coaching program. Real Life Planning works with clients virtually from anywhere and in-person in the NYC area. Interested in the real (estate) life? Book a discovery call today.

We focus on helping you make the most of your retirement resources in a tax-efficient way. Our specialty is retirement income planning, aka decumulation planning…how to best live off your nest egg and other sources of retirement income. We take a comprehensive approach to optimizing all of your available resources to help you most effectively achieve your retirement goals. Our holistic process integrates cohesive consideration of Social Security benefits, pensions, investments, real estate, annuities, insurance, work wages, etc. to maximize your retirement income. Furthermore, we carefully consider tax-minimization throughout each step of our process. We provide ongoing tax-efficient retirement planning and investment management. Unlike most advisors, our fee is not a percentage of your investable assets. We feel that method often overcharges clients who have been diligent savers but who do not have complex financial lives. Instead, our fee is a fair and transparent fixed annual amount.

Robert Schiano is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He serves individuals, families, and corporate executives by providing wealth management services that integrate investment resources from Merrill and banking capabilities at Bank of America. Robert works collaboratively with clients’ attorneys and CPAs to address all aspects of their financial lives. Since joining Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 2000, Robert has focused on developing personalized financial strategies tailored to his clients’ goals, risk tolerances, and time horizons. He begins each client relationship with a thorough information gathering and risk assessment process and provides ongoing reviews to ensure alignment with evolving objectives. His services include assisting retirees with 401(k) distributions, income planning, and legacy planning. Robert holds the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation and earned his High School Diploma from Jonathan Dayton. He participates in the American Cancer Society’s annual Relay for Life and volunteers locally. A New Jersey native, Robert lives in Mountainside, NJ with his wife and two children. In his leisure time, he enjoys skiing and fishing.

Glenn Evans is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, specializing in providing personalized financial strategies to a diverse client base. His clients include corporate executives in pharmaceutical, technology, and real estate sectors, business owners, attorneys, medical professionals, widows, members of the LGBTQ community, and extended families across more than 20 states. Glenn’s approach centers on understanding each client’s unique goals and challenges, with an emphasis on planning-based wealth management and legacy strategies. Before joining Merrill, Glenn held senior corporate development and strategy roles at Fortune 500 companies and served as a mezzanine lender to middle market businesses. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor’s degree from Amherst College. Glenn’s professional credentials include the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®) certification, Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC™) designation, and Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA™) designation. He is an Advisory Member of the Association of African American Financial Advisors and serves as a Trustee of The Kappa Guide Right & Scholarship Fund of Montclair, supporting leadership development and scholarships for local high school seniors. In addition to his advisory work, Glenn contributes as a pro bono consultant to nonprofit organizations focused on arts and education and participates in the Harvard Business School Club of New York Community Partners Initiative. He resides in Livingston, New Jersey, with his daughter and enjoys activities such as biking, hiking, running, swimming, photography, music, genealogy, and traveling.

Catherine Coleman is a Financial Solutions Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In her role, she works directly with clients to identify their financial goals and develop portfolio strategies tailored to help achieve those objectives. She provides ongoing advice and adjusts strategies in response to changes in clients’ personal circumstances. Catherine holds the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation and earned a bachelor's degree from Montclair State University. Her approach centers on understanding what matters most to clients and their families to create personalized financial plans.

Robert Huber is a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he leads the Corporate Advisory Services Team. In this role, he focuses on servicing corporate stock option plans, 401(k) plans, and Employee Stock Purchase Plans (ESPP). With over 28 years of experience, Robert specializes in corporate benefits, executive compensation, equity compensation services, and employee benefits planning. He holds the designations of Equity Plan Consultant (EPC) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Robert earned a bachelor's degree in finance from Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. Outside of his professional responsibilities, Robert enjoys golfing, reading, and coaching basketball, softball, and baseball for youth leagues in his community. He resides in Flemington, New Jersey, with his wife, Doreen, and their three children.

Christopher Marzella is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he has been since 2012. He works closely with individuals, families, and businesses to develop strategies aligned with their short- and long-term financial goals. His expertise includes managing concentrated stock positions, navigating key life transition events such as retirement, inheritance, or business sales, and coordinating with clients’ attorneys, accountants, and other advisors on matters like estate planning. Additionally, Christopher provides access to Bank of America services for clients' commercial banking and financing needs. Christopher holds a Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation and earned his High School Diploma/GED from Baruch College. He resides in East Brunswick with his wife, Lisa, and their two daughters, Nicolette and Alexandra.

Craig Zaikov is a Senior Financial Advisor specializing in wealth management within Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He works with high net worth individuals to develop personalized financial strategies and portfolios aimed at achieving their long-term financial goals. His areas of expertise include liquidity management, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, portfolio management services, and retirement income planning. Craig holds several professional designations, including Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Benefits Consultant (RBC). He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia and completed his high school education at Cresskill High School. Craig is also committed to community involvement, volunteering with local organizations, and enjoys basketball, golfing, skiing, and spending time with his family.

Karen Ostarticki is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. She specializes in personal retirement planning, portfolio management services, socially responsible and values-based investing, women and wealth, tax minimization, and retirement income strategies. Karen works closely with clients to understand their values and financial goals, helping them make informed decisions to achieve lifestyle and retirement objectives. She also assists with managing concentrated stock positions, transition events such as retirement, inheritance, or business sales, and coordinates with clients' attorneys, accountants, and other advisors on comprehensive financial and legacy planning. Karen holds a Bachelor's Degree from West Virginia University and has earned the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. She is actively involved in professional and community organizations, serving as Membership Director for the Central New Jersey chapter of LPGA Amateurs, and participating in local Chambers of Commerce and Leadership Morris Class of 2022. Residing in Bedminster, New Jersey, Karen maintains an active lifestyle and values family and faith as central to her daily life. She is the mother of Sebastian, a graduate of The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.