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Think Different Wealth Advisors LLC

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Total assets under management

$20,226,359

Total clients

18

67% high-net worth

Total advisors

1

of 1 employees

Firm size

Independent

1 advisor

Average clients per advisor

18

Average account size

$1,123,687

About

Think Different Wealth Advisors LLC is an independent registered investment adviser that works primarily with individual clients, including high-net-worth individuals, providing tailored investment management and financial planning. Its services include ongoing and limited-scope financial planning, management of held-away retirement accounts via a third‑party platform, and specialized advice such as employee stock compensation planning.

The firm offers both active equity strategies—described as value and growth‑at‑a‑reasonable‑price—with a research-intensive, concentrated approach, and passive strategies built from low-cost indexed funds using strategic asset allocation. Research blends traditional financial modeling with qualitative “on‑the‑ground” due diligence and alternative data (for example, search and app metrics and website traffic) to estimate intrinsic values and inform long-term holdings.

Compared with many peers, the firm manages a relatively modest asset base for a small client roster, which the brochure frames as enabling a high degree of client customization and hands‑on planning. It also emphasizes practical, non‑investment consulting (rental real estate analysis, car and home buying guidance), discloses no related‑party compensation, does not accept third‑party product fees, and generally relies on custodian statements rather than providing separate written performance reports for managed accounts.

Client services

Financial planning Portfolio management

Expertise

Stock option exercise strategy Equity Recipients (RS/RSU, SOP, ESPP) Business sale tax planning Retirement income strategy Cash flow / budgeting

Occupation focus

Founder/Business Owner Executive

Fee options

Fixed

Limited Scope Financial Planning fixed fees range from $500 to $10,000

Percentage

$0 - $1,000,000: 1.00% annually (Actively Managed), 0.70% annually (Passively Managed) $1,000,001 - $2,000,000: 0.95% annually (Actively Managed), 0.65% annually (Passively Managed) $2,000,001 - $3,000,000: 0.90% annually (Actively Managed), 0.60% annually (Passively Managed) $3,000,001+: 0.80% annually (Actively Managed), 0.50% annually (Passively Managed)

Project-based

$250 to $500 per hour billed in 30-minute increments for Limited Scope Financial Planning

Other

Account minimum: $200,000 minimum for stand-alone Investment Management Services; no minimum for Financial Planning clients Fee-only: Ongoing Comprehensive Financial Planning fees: $1,000-$5,000 upfront plus $200-$800 per month or $600-$2,400 per quarter; Limited Scope Financial Planning fixed fees $500-$10,000; hourly rates $250-$500 per hour

Main office location

Think Different Wealth Advisors LLC

Allen TX, United States

Number of offices

1

Most active in

California · Texas

Disclosures

Exclamation point means they have disclosures of this type. Check mark means no disclosures of this type were found.

Business activities & affiliations

Advisors at this firm

Chao Z

CFP®, CFA®

Allen, TX

Think Different Wealth Advisors LLC

What led you to your position at your firm? I have been focused on FIRE (financial independence, retire early) goals since college. At age 36, I was able to quit a high-paying hedge fund job to pursue my dream of starting this business. This wasn’t an accident, but part of a long-term financial plan I crafted for myself. Now, I am able to share my passion and help others pursue and achieve their dreams. What makes you different from other advisors? I am different from other advisors in that I offer a white glove, high touch model. While other advisors may serve as many as 100 to 200 clients each, I intend to serve no more than 20 to 30 clients exceptionally well. Though I am currently accepting new clients, I anticipate closing my financial planning services to new clients in the next one to two years. What makes you or your firm particularly qualified to serve tech professionals, healthcare workers, and their families? Having lived in the Bay Area and having worked with clients at some of the largest tech firms, I am well versed in the planning and tax challenges faced by tech professionals with stock compensation. Married to a physician, I am aware of the unique challenges and burnout facing many healthcare workers. As a single child and father of two young kids, I understand the pressures facing the sandwich generation. Having guided my own parents and in-laws to secure retirements, I am also knowledgeable about social security, Medicare, and the tax planning opportunities that many retirees overlook. What makes your investment process unique? Inspired by Warren Buffett’s investing style, I believe I can add substantial value to our clients through active management and superior stock selection. Having two decades of investment experience working at multiple hedge funds with exposure to both equities and fixed income, I have learned from the best. With all of my own net worth invested alongside my clients in the same strategies, my interests are aligned with yours as this cook eats his own cooking.

Active portfolio management Technology Professional Doctor or Medical Professional Gen X (Born 1965-1980)
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