Why Does this Work Matter to Me?
I came to this work during a period of significant personal change.
After losing my wife to cancer, I found myself thinking very carefully about the practical side of things—how decisions get made, how plans hold up, and what it really means to provide stability over time.
At that point, I was also responsible for raising our daughter, which brought those questions into sharper focus.
That experience didn’t make me more emotional about financial planning. If anything, it made me more focused on clarity, structure, and getting decisions right.
It’s shaped how I approach this work ever since.
Why the Queen Chess Piece?
I’ve always appreciated the way chess rewards disciplined thinking.
Strong players don’t react to individual moves—they work from a broader position and a longer-term plan. The queen chess piece can also go in any direction yet cannot jump a square.
There are no shortcuts.
Financial decisions benefit from the same approach.
When decisions are made within a clear structure, they tend to reinforce each other over time.
That’s what ultimately allows someone to Achieve Uncommon Freedom—not through a single decision, but through a consistent approach applied over multiple decisions.
Deepening My Knowledge: The CFP Journey
When my wife became pregnant with our daughter, and with the knowledge that we would soon become parents, I started to investigate insurance options for our new family.
I was well aware of how agents are paid (by commission) and wanted to make sure that I received the right insurance for our needs. Because of this, I enrolled in the Personal Financial Planning Certificate program through Moravian College.
This program brought together my excitement for investments, need for insurance and estate planning, along with taxes and retirement planning. As I progressed through each section, I understood the interrelationship between each area and how one needs a complete plan — and how a change in one area affects all the others.
In 2003, after completing the certificate program, I sat for the 10-hour, 2-day Certified Financial Planner exam and passed on the first attempt. After gaining the required three years of experience, I was approved to use the CFP designation in 2008.
A Different Kind of Firm
By going the independent route and creating Christman Financial, I took the path less traveled.
I don't run million-dollar marketing campaigns.
I felt then, and still feel today, that doing what is right for each client, educating them, and building my business one client at a time through referrals is the right approach.
I believe my success lies in my clients' success in reaching their goals, not in selling a product to generate a quick commission.
Each and every client of Christman Financial becomes part of my family, and I am committed to seeing them succeed.
My Mission
To provide fee-only, fiduciary financial advice that puts people first — with no commissions, no product sales, and no shortcuts. Every client, every time.