Financial planning is my passion and life's work. Personally, there is no greater joy than helping my clients realize what's possible and guiding them towards achieving it. I am an endless student of the financial planning profession. I am also a writer, thought leader, pro-bono financial volunteer, educator, and absolute believer in the power of financial planning to change one's life. 

Growing up in a small town in upstate New York (way upstate!) I witnessed first-hand how poor personal financial management deteriorates the quality of life and defeats hope. And how financial wellness creates an unmatched sense of well-being, security, and pride. These observations have been reinforced over my twenty-plus-year career in financial planning. My goal each and every day is to lead as many people as possible toward financial wellness and eventually financial independence. 

It is my belief that financial planning should be more accessible to a broader range of individuals and families than we currently offer as a profession. To address this need, and through a relentless pursuit of efficiency, technology, and operations, I've developed a way to offer fiduciary standard, high-quality hourly financial planning advice economically.  I also provide more traditional forms of financial planning and investment management such as retainer and full-service offerings. 

I put myself through Siena College earning a degree in Finance while working at night. I then earned an M.B.A. while working full-time. In 2012, I achieved the coveted Certified Financial Planner Designation^TM. As a member of the Financial Planning Association of Massachusetts, I serve as the Director of Partnerships and also engage in pro-bono work as a Dana Farber Financial Coach. 

My career in financial planning began at the Ayco Company (a Goldman Sachs Company) in their multi-family office practice, where I observed and learned the extraordinarily complex financial planning needs of some of the nation’s most affluent families. In 2006, I moved to Boston and started to build a new practice at what was then Smith Barney. In 2016 I started Breakwater Financial with the goal of creating a firm that could deliver the ideal client experience. 

Today I live in Needham, Massachusetts with my wife Beth and sons Jack and Luke. When not advising clients or spending time with family, I enjoy a number of hobbies and pursuits including mountain biking, CrossFit, snowboarding, hiking, running, endlessly reading, maintaining local outdoor trails, cooking, and writing.

Olivia Fox graduated summa cum laude from Adrian College in 2021 with Bachelor's degrees in Finance and Political Science. Right after graduation, Olivia jumped right into the finance industry, working on the broker-dealer side, she served as a Financial Associate and Client Services Specialist at boutique wealth management firms in Michigan and Colorado. 

When Olivia is out of the office, she enjoys spending her time in the great outdoors either hiking, hammocking, or going to the beach. In addition, she spends time volunteering for the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo.

Please note that Olivia is not an employee of Breakwater Financial, LLC. Olivia is an employee of Nifty Advisor Support, LLC. Nifty Advisor Support provides resources and talented individuals like Olivia to assist financial planners with their back office and client administrative duties. 

Karl graduated from Texas Women's University with a Degree in History and a minor in Business Administration in 2018. He worked in brokerage operations at Fidelity Investments for four years before joining Nifty.

In his free time, he enjoys hiking, lifting weights, listening to podcasts, and watching sports.

Please note that Karl is not an employee of Breakwater Financial, LLC. Karl is an employee of Nifty Advisor Support, LLC. Nifty Advisor Support provides resources and talented individuals like Karl to assist financial planners with their back office and client administrative duties.