Frequently Asked Questions

Scot is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and Lindsey is a Certified Money Coach (CMC)®.

Scot joined the financial planning business in 2011 and Lindsey joined in 2016. Providers & Families was founded in 2017 and became an independent registered investment advisor in 2022.

CFP® stands for CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™. The CFP® designation isn’t a designation that can just be bought into. Certificants are required to have work experience and complete a full education curriculum before sitting for an intense 8-hour exam, and are then required to meet ongoing continuing education criteria. There’s a reason the CFP Board’s tagline is “work with the highest standard”, and we’re proud to have a CFP® as part of our firm. Read more about the CFP® code of ethics and standards of conduct on their website, here.

A Certified Money Coach (CMC)® works with individuals and couples to improve their relationship with money and identify the roots of their financial behaviors. The Certified Money Coach (CMC)® designation is awarded by the Money Coaching Institute. Our partner, Lindsey, is a Certified Money Coach (CMC)®. Coaching services are provided separately through her business, The Exuberant Elephant.

The CFP Board sets the requirements for the use of the CFP® designation, title and logo.

There is no fee for an initial consultation.

We are currently not fee-only, and that’s by design — our clients have told us they value our being a “one-stop shop” for their planning needs. We continuously listen to our clients to ensure the services we offer meet our standard of making their financial lives easier. For disclosure purposes, we operate two separate businesses for legal and regulatory reasons. Our planning and investment business cannot receive commissions, but our insurance business does when clients choose to utilize us for insurance services. All compensation arrangements are clearly outlined and discussed in advance, and clients are not obligated to utilize us for insurance services.

No. While some money managers we use may have minimums, we don’t have a minimum investment amount as a firm.

Yes. We’re happy to provide you with a second opinion on your existing financial plan. We’re not the right people to provide you a second opinion on your investment portfolio alone, but we are happy to review it as part of your existing, written financial plan and long-term goals.

We don’t provide stand-alone portfolio reviews. While a portfolio analysis can highlight performance, allocation, and costs, it lacks the broader context of a comprehensive financial plan. We provide portfolio review, management, and investment advice as part of an ongoing financial planning relationship, so recommendations align with each client’s full financial picture and long-term goals.

Yes. We are required to put our clients’ interests before our own – seems like a no-brainer, but it needs to be said, and we take it seriously.

Yes. We’re happy to provide references to prospective clients after an initial consultation. To protect confidentiality, we don’t maintain a standing list of references and instead obtain permission from clients before sharing their contact information. To respect everyone’s time, energy, and privacy, we ask that references be requested only if you’re seriously considering working wit

You can read about our firm and our investment advisors’ backgrounds on IAPD or on our Meet The Team page. You can also learn more about Our Foundations here.

We recommend reading about our services, pricing, and Our Foundations first. Once you’ve done that, we invite you to schedule an initial consultation to talk further. We believe it’s important to genuinely like and trust the people you work with when it comes to your finances. If either of us decides it doesn’t feel like the right fit, that’s perfectly okay.

Registered Investment Advisors are, by definition, fiduciaries. This means it is our responsibility to always put our clients’ interests above our own. To do this, conflicts of interest must be disclosed, and we must be able to demonstrate that our recommendations are in your best interest. In short, your needs come first whenever we work together.
Note, RIA registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training.

Our office is located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. We serve clients throughout Pennsylvania and across the country via virtual meetings. We are licensed in multiple states; for an up-to-date list, please refer to our Form ADV on the SEC’s website.

We’re located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

We meet with clients virtually via Zoom, which allows us to serve clients throughout Pennsylvania and across the country.

No. While our financial plans include tax planning considerations, we do not provide tax preparation or tax filing services. We’re happy to refer you to one of the accountants in our network who can assist with tax preparation.

Probably! If you’re looking for a professional to help, chances are we have someone in our network who provides that service. We’re not just talking about financial services — we can refer you to a handyman, mechanic, graphic designer, chiropractor, nutritionist, and more. Just ask.