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We help individuals and families develop an inspiring vision of their financial future and a realistic strategy to achieve it.

Clients come to us with different types of financial complexity. A career change, divorce, or starting a business may have opened up new possibilities and complications. They may own real estate or have stock compensation plans. Some are retired, others still working.

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Three obstacles tend to stand in the way with their finances: lack of time, lack of interest, or lack of expertise.

We enjoy removing these obstacles and helping clients chart and implement the course they wish to take with their lives. We believe this requires time, attention and an intimate working relationship, which is why we’ve limited our ongoing engagements to a comparatively small number of families and individuals with whom we feel well aligned.

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Key Investment Beliefs

  • Your goals determine the portfolio structure.
  • Global diversification helps manage risk.
  • Minimize investment costs, tax exposure, and portfolio turnover.
  • Long-term intentions need to survive short-term temptations.

Planning Philosophy

  • There’s usually more than one way to get what you want.
  • Your plans will change as your life evolves.
  • Expect surprises.
  • The hardest part of a plan is implementing it.


We begin our advisory relationship with a series of meetings to familiarize ourselves with your finances and get to know what you hope to accomplish. What are your preferences and priorities? How do you see the world?

Once we’ve developed your plan, we’re able to implement your investment strategy and begin addressing other issues that need attention -- insurance gaps, estate planning, and income taxes, for example.

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When we’ve done our job, you should no longer have a nagging sense that you’re neglecting something.

You'll have a clear plan to achieve your goals, support for reaching them, and if something unexpected happens, you'll have someone you know and trust to whom you can turn.

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We work only for you.

As an SEC-registered fee-only investment advisory firm, we are fiduciaries, legally and ethically obligated to put your interests before our own. See our Form ADV and Form CRS.

People often come to us at a critical moment in their lives. We help them navigate the transition and prepare for the ones to come.
- Milo Benningfield

+ Am I a good fit to work with BFA?

Our clients live across the U.S., sometimes abroad, and typically have investable assets of $3 million or more as well as a need for ongoing assistance with the rest of their financial lives. We also work with clients who do not yet meet this threshold but are on a path that will get them there in the future.

We do not offer hourly or project financial planning, but are happy to provide referrals after speaking with you.


+ How do you charge and how much does it cost?

We are a fee-only firm that acts as a fiduciary, so the only compensation we receive comes directly from our clients. We do not accept commissions, referral fees or any other type of third-party payments that could bias our advice.

We charge clients an annual fee based on the amount of investments that we manage for them. It’s an all-inclusive fee that covers all the ongoing planning advice and service that we provide.

The fee is calculated on a tiered basis:

Portfolio Value Fee
First $3,000,000 1.00%
Next $3,000,001 to $5,000,000 0.75%
Next $5,000,001 to $10,000,000 0.50%
Remaining amounts above $10,000,000 0.25%


+ How do we get started working together?

We’ll hold a brief initial call to discuss your needs and confirm that we offer the services you’re seeking.

Afterwards, we'll schedule a free consultation to discuss your planning and investment needs in more detail and how we might assist you.

Once you engage our services, we are “on the case” and, over the next couple of months, will help you gather information, develop your financial plan and investment recommendations, and begin moving forward towards the life you’ve imagined.

Contact Information

Mailing Address:
Benningfield Financial Advisors, LLC
3701 Sacramento Street #392
San Francisco, CA 94118

Phone:
415-561-6688