Lucas Casarez, a CFP®️ professional and founder of Level Up Financial Planning, hosts Techie Personal Finance Boot Camp and explains how tech professionals can choose the right financial advisor, comparing the process to researching stroller features and price points.

He introduces five key questions to ask when interviewing advisors:

1. Whether they are a fiduciary versus operating under a suitability standard (including the complications of hybrid advisors)

2. What types of clients they specialize in (such as tech, teachers, or medical professionals)

3. What areas of financial planning they provide value beyond investments (including savings, behavior, taxes, debt, and comprehensive planning)

4. What their cost structure is (fee-only, fee-based, or commission-based “free” models)

5. What happens if the advisor leaves the company, contrasting independent firms with large institutions.

He invites listeners to reach out, schedule a meeting, and share interview guest recommendations.

Gilbert Sanchez shares his journey into tech. From car sales to cybersecurity. All in 6 months.

You'll hear about Gilbert's planning process, which included personal finance strategies, as well as the way he structured his learning, job applications, and navigated rejections.

Follow Gilbert on your favorite social media provider:

https://x.com/gilbertsanchz

https://www.youtube.com/@GilbertSanchz

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gilbertesanchez/

Lucas Casarez, a CFP and founder of Level Up Financial Planning, explains why many tech professionals can make six figures yet still feel broke, citing statistics that 48.6% of people earning over $100K and 36% earning over $200K report living paycheck to paycheck. He outlines four main drivers: lifestyle inflation, taxes reducing actual take-home pay (often 30–50%, especially in high-tax states), lingering past obligations like student loans or credit cards, and lack of budgeting/clarity. He notes you may be doing better than you think through automated saving, maxing a 401(k), holding employer stock, or aggressively paying down debt. He recommends building a monthly budget, then planning annually and long-term to anticipate taxes and irregular expenses, reduce stress, avoid burnout, and increase career flexibility, and invites listeners to seek help getting organized.