Align Financial Planning

01/14/2026

I can’t begin to express how excited I am for this new TSP feature. I’ve been dreaming of, then waiting for the ability to do in-plan Roth conversions for years, and the feature goes live at the end of this month!

(The TSP, or Thrift Savings Plan, is essentially a 401(k) for the military.)

This is going to be as much of a game changer as when the TSP changed the default fund from the G Fund to the appropriate Lifecycle Fund back in 2015.

Have you ever heard someone say the TSP “isn’t a good deal” because their money “doesn’t grow”? That was usually a sign that their money never moved out of the Government Bond fund. One simple policy change meant future service members were defaulted into a fund that grows based on their projected retirement year. Total game changer.

This new change matters because a lot of people don’t fully understand the nuance between traditional and Roth contributions, especially when they’re early in their careers. Until now, whatever balance was in the traditional portion of the TSP had to stay there until separation or retirement. If you wanted to make changes, you had to roll the TSP into an IRA, which you can't do while you're serving. So the money was effectively stuck, and we focused on optimizing future contributions instead.

All of that is about to change, and it gives people far more control over their retirement savings while they’re still in service.

This isn’t an “everyone should do this immediately” situation. Taxes matter, timing matters, and conversions are very personal. But having this option inside the TSP is a huge win for thoughtful, long-term planning.

If you’ve ever wondered whether paying taxes now instead of later could make sense for you, this finally opens that door.

Happy to help people think through when this is a smart move, and when it’s not.

The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is a retirement savings and investment plan for Federal employees and members of the uniformed services, including the Ready Reserve. It was established by Congress in the Federal Employees’ Retirement System Act of 1986 and offers the same types of savings and tax be...

11/29/2025

What’s the secret to guilt-free holiday spending?
Have a plan, know your priorities, then shop with joy! 🛍️

When you have a financial plan and an investing strategy you trust, buying from local makers doesn’t feel stressful or impulsive. It feels intentional, meaningful, and fun.

I love finding one-of-a-kind gifts from the small businesses around me, so today I took you on a little tour of our pop-up… because being in a building full of creative, talented entrepreneurs is one of my favorite things about working here. I got a great head start on my holiday shopping and it felt really good to support this community.

Wherever you are, tag your favorite local makers so we can spread the love and shop small together this season.

10/14/2025

Military paychecks came through!!!!! Now what?
Check out the explainer on where this paycheck came from and let’s make a plan for uncertainty.

10/10/2025

Should I apply? Really good question. Here are some considerations. Anything else I can help answer?

AMA: Gov Shutdown Edition

10/10/2025

Cross your fingers, cross your toes, call your congresspeople and make a plan.

If you plan to use a 0% interest loan to fill the paycheck gap, apply ASAP to get it processed by mid-month.

If you have a strong safety net, consider donating time or money to your local food pantry or one of the many organizations providing shutdown resources listed at

10/08/2025

What do we do if the military doesn’t get paid on the 15th?
We make a plan. We know our numbers, we use our resources and we rely on each other, as military families always do.

The military as a whole hasn’t skipped a paycheck since 1877(!!!!) but the Coast Guard skipped a paycheck in 2018. This isn’t normal, or right, or even ok, but I’m here to help you make a plan and hope we can band together to weather this storm.

Go to for a roundup of resources and, this doesn’t go without saying, use those resources. We don’t know when this shutdown will end but we do know Murphy comes in 3’s and I want you to have the best safety net and backup plan you can.

Have more questions? Ask me anything. Financial planner, military spouse, here to help.

04/30/2024

Ready to align your financial goals with your dreams? Visit www.alignfinancialplanning.com for personalized financial guidance tailored to you.

At Align Financial Planning, we are committed to helping our clients plan with intention, to create a generational legacy of financial empowerment. Work with an experienced female financial advisor who delivers straightforward, real investment advice in a fee-only financial plan.

04/04/2024

Hey there, fellow entrepreneurs!

Quick heads up: there's a new rule this year that all business owners need to know about.

You're now required to file a report with FINCEN (that's the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network) disclosing who the beneficial owners of your business are. I found the e-filing to be pretty simple and straightforward.
You can access it and file here: https://boiefiling.fincen.gov/

You have until the end of the year to file, but fines are STEEP if you miss this, so it's a great idea to go ahead and get it done.

Were you aware of this new requirement? Have you filed yet?

Here's some more info if you're curious:
https://www.moodys.com/web/en/us/kyc/resources/insights/7-things-to-know-about-us-beneficial-ownership-information-boi-reporting.html

03/14/2024

PSA of the day: file your basic federal income tax for free this year if you live (or file) in select states!

Keep an eye out for investment interest 1099’s as they might take a bit longer to arrive.

Have you ever noticed a Form 5498 that gets posted to your investment documents portal after April 15??

It’s not late - this form records your IRA contributions and gets filed on your behalf by your investment custodian. You have until April 15 to make IRA contributions for LAST YEAR, so it won’t be filed until that time is up!

Certain taxpayers in Florida, New Hampshire, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming, Arizona, Massachusetts, California and New York can use Direct File.

12/09/2023

Hey Fayetteville friends,

Don’t forget to stop by the Inn this weekend to see Santa! He’ll be at The MacPherson House from 10-2 on Saturday and Sunday with cookies and hot cocoa for all the good little girls and boys!

https://www.facebook.com/share/csNi4sr7LdXxAW8p/?mibextid=9l3rBW

05/23/2023

05/18/2023

Align's new website is live!

I totally re-designed it from scratch to reflect Align's new business structure of fee-only planning as an independent Registered Investment Advisor.

Wait a second, why pay a fee when you can get financial planning for "free?"

1. There's no such thing as a free lunch. The planning service itself may be free, (a gift of the advisor's time) but you're indirectly paying for it through commissions, trails and management fees. No "upfront fee" is not always best.

2. You get quality advice that has nothing to do with how your advisor gets paid. A fiduciary standard sounds great, but when your advisor gets paid by the recommendations they make, there's an inherent conflict of interest. I ran my business with integrity, but was constantly pressured to recommend "more." I'll put it at that. There's a better way to do this.

3. More options - I don't care where you get your financial products. I can still manage investments for those who want that service, but now I can openly recommend anything across the board that works best for you, regardless of my affiliation with any company.

4. More dedicated time & attention. The industry standard is a numbers game, so the more money you have the more attention you get. As a fee-only client, you know you're getting the time and attention you deserve to grow your wealth and you don't have to wait to be wealthy to get top-tier, deliberate financial planning.

I'm so excited that this business model aligns how the company works with what works best for my clients. I can better prioritize quality over quantity and invest my time and attention in my clients who want spend and save with intention.

If you have questions about any of this, please ask away, and let me know what you think of the new website!

At Align Financial Planning, we are committed to helping our clients plan with intention, to create a generational legacy of financial empowerment. Work with an experienced female financial advisor who delivers straightforward, real investment advice in a fee-only financial plan.