# Meridian Financial Partners > Independent, fee-only financial planning and investment management for families, retirees, women in transition, and small business owners in Virginia. Independent, fee-only registered investment advisor and fiduciary. Phone: (540) 878-5416 · Email: info@meridianfinancialpartners.com ## Offices - Warrenton, VA: 39 S 4th Street, Warrenton, VA 20186 — Monday – Friday, 9am – 4pm - Washington, VA: 211 Main Street, Washington, VA 22747 — Wednesday 9am – 2pm and by appointment Areas served: Warrenton, VA; Washington, VA; Fauquier County, VA; Rappahannock County, VA; Culpeper County, VA; Loudoun County, VA; Prince William County, VA; Northern Virginia ## Key pages - [Home](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/): overview of our planning and investment approach. - [Who We Are](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/who-we-are/): firm story, values, and advisor team bios. - [What We Do](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/what-we-do/): services, process, and frequently asked questions. - [Who We Serve](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/who-we-serve/): the client situations we specialize in. - [Blog](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/blog/): plain-English writing on planning, investing, and life decisions. - [Resources](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/resources/): guides, checklists, and whitepapers. - [Videos](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/videos/): the Meridian Market Minute video library, one question per video. - [Topics](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/topics/): every article, guide, and video grouped by planning topic. - [Get In Touch](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/get-in-touch/): contact form, phone, and office details. - [Disclosures](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/disclosures/) and [CRS & ADV](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/crs-adv/): regulatory disclosures. ## Services - [Financial Planning](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/what-we-do/financial-planning/): We start with your goals — retirement timing, education, charitable giving, a second home — and build a written plan that ties every decision back to them. We update it as your life changes. - [Investment Management](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/what-we-do/investment-management/): Portfolios designed to match your goals and risk tolerance, built primarily with broadly diversified, low-cost funds. We rebalance, harvest losses, and coordinate with your overall plan. - [Tax Planning](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/what-we-do/tax-planning/): We work alongside your CPA to find tax-saving opportunities throughout the year — Roth conversions, charitable bunching, capital-gains timing, and more. - [Estate Planning](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/what-we-do/estate-planning/): We help you organize beneficiaries, titling, and estate documents, and coordinate with your attorney to make sure your plan reflects your family today — not five years ago. - [Retirement Planning](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/what-we-do/retirement-planning/): From the year before retirement through the decades after, we map out income sources, Social Security timing, healthcare costs, and tax strategy. - [Executive Compensation](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/what-we-do/executive-compensation/): RSUs, NQSOs, ISOs, ESPP, deferred compensation — we help you understand the tax mechanics and build a strategy that fits the rest of your plan. ## Topics - [Retirement Planning](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/topics/retirement-planning/): Deciding when you can stop working, and how the paycheck gets replaced. - [Investing & Markets](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/topics/investing-and-markets/): Portfolio decisions, market volatility, and staying invested. - [Tax Planning](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/topics/tax-planning/): Reference figures, return reviews, and the moves that follow. - [Estate & Legacy](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/topics/estate-and-legacy/): Documents, beneficiaries, trusts, and passing assets on. - [Insurance & Risk](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/topics/insurance-and-risk/): Coverage decisions, fraud protection, and protecting the plan. - [Family & Life Events](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/topics/family-and-life-events/): Marriage, children, education, homes, and career changes. - [Business Owners](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/topics/business-owners/): Self-employment, retirement plans, and planning an exit. - [Planning Basics](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/topics/planning-basics/): Annual reviews, key dates, and how financial planning works. - [Meridian News](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/topics/meridian-news/): Team announcements, anniversaries, and firm updates. ## Recent videos - [Have You Covered All Your Financial Bases?](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/videos/have-you-covered-all-your-financial-bases-rpn6tijpf14/) — Investing gets the spotlight, but it's one piece of a real financial plan, not the whole thing. A complete plan also covers Social Security timing, tax strategy, the order you draw down accounts, insurance, estate planning, and income planning, the discipline of making sure the money lasts. - [Where Should Your Next Dollar Go?](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/videos/where-should-your-next-dollar-go-5wepenm5a5a/) — Every dollar you set aside has to go somewhere, and the order matters more than most people think. In this Meridian Market Minute, Nathan Gilbert breaks down how to prioritize your next dollar, whether that means high-interest debt, emergency savings, or accounts like a 401k or Roth IRA. - [Do You Own Non-Correlated Investments?](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/videos/do-you-own-non-correlated-investments-vjrbx94vlsy/) — Diversification often gets reduced to a simple idea: do not put all your eggs in one basket. But the more useful version of that idea is about owning investments that respond to different forces at different times. - [Playing Offense With Your Portfolio](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/videos/playing-offense-with-your-portfolio-z8wovwwuata/) — "Defense isn't designed to outperform offense. Its purpose is something far more important—it helps you stay in the game long enough for the offense to do its job." That is the line from this week's Meridian blog by Sarah Yakel, and it applies just as well to your portfolio as it does to the World C - [Stock Valuations vs. Company Performance: What You Need to Know](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/videos/stock-valuations-vs-company-performance-what-you-need-to-w4fsj6qbe4m/) — In this Meridian Market Minute, we break down why some of the strongest companies in the world, including Nvidia, Microsoft, and Amazon, have seen short-term stock volatility even while posting strong earnings. - [Why Gifting Stock Can Cost Your Heirs More in Taxes](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/videos/why-gifting-stock-can-cost-your-heirs-more-in-_8_sj_g3it0/) — It seems like a generous move: giving appreciated investments to your children or grandchildren while you are still alive. But from a tax perspective, it may actually cost your heirs more than leaving those same investments as part of your estate. - [Should Your Financial Advisor Be Using AI?](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/videos/should-your-financial-advisor-be-using-ai-zxiahax1rwm/) — The term AI tends to get a strong reaction right now. Some people are genuinely excited about what it can do. Others are worried about privacy, accuracy, and what it means for the professionals they trust. Most people, if they are honest, are somewhere in the middle. - [How Are You Planning for the Next 8,00 Days in Retirement](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/videos/how-are-you-planning-for-the-next-8-00-pkox8yeskho/) — Most people can picture Day One of retirement. Fewer can picture Day 4,567. - [The Best Thing Teens Can Do With a Summer Paycheck #rothira](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/videos/the-best-thing-teens-can-do-with-a-summer-veb4rhemdig/) — Most teenagers spend every dollar they earn. A few invest it, and the difference decades later is remarkable. - [Have You Rebalanced Your Portfolio Recently?](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/videos/have-you-rebalanced-your-portfolio-recently-desp8ldicak/) — When markets move higher, it is easy to stay focused on the gains and miss what is changing underneath. But a strong rally can quietly push a portfolio far from its intended balance, which means more risk than you may have planned for. - [Why 401(k) Participation Matters More Than Ever](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/videos/why-401-k-participation-matters-more-than-ever-b9wct5hzhnc/) — Retirement planning has changed dramatically over the last several decades. Traditional pension plans have largely disappeared, placing more responsibility on individuals to save for retirement through workplace plans like 401(k)s and IRAs. - [Finding a Financial Advisor You Actually Trust (And Why It Matters)](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/videos/finding-a-financial-advisor-you-actually-trust-and-why-6tbb9gcwujo/) — Having a financial advisor and having a trusted financial partner are not the same thing. The difference shows up when life gets complicated, whether that is a job loss, a family health crisis, or the months leading up to retirement. - ["Sell in May and Go Away": Why This Strategy Usually Backfires](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/videos/sell-in-may-and-go-away-why-this-strategy-1dg2jn5iedo/) — You've heard the saying, and maybe you've even thought about acting on it. Before you make any moves this spring, here's what the data actually shows about seasonal market timing strategies. - [Are you Financially Literate?](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/videos/are-you-financially-literate-nt5owtdbpnk/) — Most people assume they know more about personal finance than they actually do. Financial Literacy Month is the perfect time to find out where you really stand. - [Why Most Investors Can't Access IPOs SpaceX and Beyond](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/videos/why-most-investors-can-t-access-ipos-spacex-and-xgv0ehk8z1u/) — You've seen the SpaceX IPO headlines, and maybe you're wondering how to get in on the action. The hard truth is that most individual investors, including clients of fee-only advisory firms, simply don't have access to IPO shares before they hit the open market. - [Money Talks With Your Partner And Why They Matter](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/videos/money-talks-with-your-partner-and-why-they-matter-hd6rrkser0g/) — Most couples avoid talking about money, and that silence can create real problems down the road. If you and your partner aren't on the same page financially, planning for the future becomes a lot harder than it needs to be. - [Ready to Open a Trump Account? What Parents Should Ask First](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/videos/ready-to-open-a-trump-account-what-parents-should-1lmqlseralk/) — Everyone seems to be talking about Trump accounts. But before you sign up on July 4th, it is worth slowing down for two minutes to understand what you are actually opening. - [IRS Scams Are Getting Smarter](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/videos/irs-scams-are-getting-smarter-ppjadekyomo/) — Tax season is prime time for scammers, and the tactics are more convincing than ever. If you have ever received a suspicious email, text, or call claiming to be from the IRS, this video is for you. - [Living Trusts Explained](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/videos/living-trusts-explained-3y4rp3kd0ho/) — You've worked hard to build something worth passing on. Have you taken the steps to make sure your family actually receives it without a fight? - [The Efficiency Dividend](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/videos/the-efficiency-dividend--d6t7gkbzj8/) — What if the technology everyone is buzzing about actually made your financial advisor better at the parts of the job that matter most to you? ## Recent articles - [Financial MythBusters: Social Media Money Myths, Episode 1](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/2026/10/08/financial-myths-social-media/) — Kira Topeka - [Celebrating Meridian Financial Partners’ 11th Anniversary](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/2026/09/30/meridian-financial-partners-11th-anniversary/) — Nathan Gilbert - [11 Years of Meridian: The Principles That Haven’t Changed](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/2026/09/22/11-years-of-meridian-the-principles-that-havent-changed/) — Sarah Yakel - [Retirement Withdrawal Strategy: Which Account to Tap First?](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/2026/09/15/retirement-withdrawal-strategy-which-account-first/) — Dan Fortunato - [What’s Going On With the Bond Market?](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/2026/09/11/whats-going-on-with-the-bond-market/) — Sarah Yakel - [You Can Check a Bag: When Is It Okay to Spend the Money?](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/2026/09/07/permission-to-spend-in-retirement/) — Sarah Irving - [Hello, Reilly, Meridian’s Newest Support Advisor](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/2026/08/31/hello-reilly/) — Liz Witt-Lee - [529 to Roth IRA Transfer Rules for Leftover College Funds](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/2026/08/26/529-to-roth-ira-transfer-rules-leftover-college-funds/) — Nathan Gilbert - [AI Is Driving the Market Conversation. But What Drives the Economy?](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/2026/08/19/stock-market-vs-the-economy/) — Kira Topeka - [Do You Know What Spoofing Is? And 5 Questions to Test Your Knowledge on Fraud Awareness](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/2026/08/10/what-is-spoofing-fraud-awareness-quiz/) — Liz Witt-Lee - [Warrenton Financial Advisor Named 2026 AdvisorHub Finalist](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/2026/08/05/nathan-gilbert-advisorhub-usa-today-honors/) — Liz Witt-Lee - [More Than Just Investments: 5 Financial Planning Decisions](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/2026/08/03/more-than-just-investments-financial-planning-decisions/) — Dan Fortunato - [Where Should My Next Dollar Go?](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/2026/07/28/where-should-my-next-dollar-go/) — Sarah Irving - [No Correlation: Why Stocks and Bonds Don’t Always Move Together](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/2026/07/22/no-correlation-stocks-bonds/) — Nathan Gilbert - [The Beautiful Game Plan (or From Pitch to Portfolio?)](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/2026/07/13/the-beautiful-game-plan-long-term-investment-strategy/) — Sarah Yakel - [Great Company. Disappointing Stock. How Can Both Be True?](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/2026/07/07/stock-valuations-vs-company-performance/) — Kira Topeka - [Understanding the “Step-Up in Cost Basis”: Help Your Family Keep More of Your Wealth](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/2026/06/29/understanding-the-step-up-in-cost-basis/) — Dan Fortunato - [Meridian News: New Team Members, USA TODAY Recognition and New Video](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/2026/06/22/meridian-financial-partners-news-june-2026/) — Liz Witt-Lee - [Is There a Role for AI in Financial Services?](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/2026/06/16/ai-financial-services/) — Sarah Irving - [Designing Your Next Chapter: The Next 8,000 Days](https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/2026/06/03/the-next-8000-days/) — Sarah Yakel ## Feeds - Sitemap: https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/sitemap.xml - RSS: https://meridianfinancialpartners.com/rss.xml ## Usage Content may be quoted with attribution to Meridian Financial Partners and a link to the source page. 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