Often the first thing that comes to mind when looking for an advisor is managing investments. Bull Oak does this of course--their philosophy is logical and evidence-based. But what set Ryan, Peter, and their team apart to us was that they were clear early in our partnership that they wanted to bring value through other avenues: tax planning and efficient financial planning, just as examples. We appreciated that they accomplished this while also factoring in our goals and especially our values. We feel lucky to be with Bull Oak and highly recommend working with them. read more

The Bull Oak team has been great; the only regret I have is not signing on with them sooner... I love the methodical focus on minimizing costs and maximizing returns at scale, as well as the detailed approach Ryan, Peter and team take to financial planning specifically. They are patient with education about all aspects of financial planning and investment. It's valuable for novices and seasoned investors alike, as I pride myself on financial literacy, but Peter taught me a few new tricks as well! I also love how the firm uses modern planning tools to stay connected with me at all times! I highly recommend Bull Oak, and read more

As a retired engineering business owner, I have been impressed by their unique financial model, services, and, most importantly, their ethics and values. I've been their client since the inception of Bulloak and I highly recommend them to sophisticated investors. read more

Remarkable professionalism and expertise. They took the time to understand my financial goals, personal preferences, and dreams for my dream home, which made me feel valued as a client. They assessed my current financial situation thoroughly and with their guidance I was able to make well-informed decisions. From evaluating mortgage options to optimizing tax benefits they took every step to make sure I was taken care of. read more

After extensive research on retirement planning and interviewing multiple financial planners, we hit the jackpot with Bull Oak. We were deeply impressed with the 2 hour strategy meeting which mapped out our finances and goals. As an example of the level of care you will receive: our portfolio includes an investment in a QOZ (Qualified Opportunity Zone) which is not common and is fairly complicated. This type of investment was new to all the financial planners we interviewed, including Bull Oak. However, only Bull Oak wanted to learn more about it and they arranged a conference call with the holding company to better understand the details and limitations around the invesment. From the start, both Peter and Michael asked all the right questions and were deeply invested in fully understanding our entire financial picture. As a result, they have charted a course for us that aligns with our retirement vision and allows us to sleep at night. I highly recommend Bull Oak for their excellent personalized service. read more

The team at Bull Oak truly goes above and beyond when assisting their clients. After my parents passed it was clear the advisor they had used was unorganized, noncommunicative, and ultimately unhelpful. Bull Oak was the exact opposite experience- they took great effort to locate all assets and details for multiple accounts, including a few that were complicated to say the least. We now have clear vision into all information, have completely reorganized and relocated all accounts, and ultimately feel very comfortable with where we stand financially. We will rely on Bull Oak for all future financial advice and could not be more relieved to have found them. read more

About 5 years back we started looking for a fiduciary financial advisor and found that Bull Oak had the best reviews in San Diego. I consulted with Ryan then and found out details of the services they offer but our portfolio didn't meet their minimum requirements then. Ryan however was extremely helpful and I continued to subscribe to the firms newsletter to get generic macroeconomic insights and also understand their approach. Along the way we tried some other financial advisors from Ameriprise who were absolutely useless. They confirmed being fiduciaries but just sold us Ameriprise products and had us create accounts with no personalized guidance of any sort. We were recently able to qualify for Bull Oak's minimum and have been able to avail of their services. Peter from Ryan's team has been managing our portfolio and has been amazingly helpful. They study your situation in depth, understand your goals well and provide advice that sets you up for long term success. When you consult with them you can tell they put in a lot of time in creating a targeted plan and don't just provide templatized financial advice. We are very happy with what we've seen so far and look forward to quantify returns on the offered guidance. read more

We came to Ryan in 2016 and signed up to complete a $2,500 Financial Plan. At the time, the minimum manageable asset to have Ryan take on our portfolio was $250K. Fast forward five years, and we've reached the minimum threshold. However, Ryan moved the target and increased his minimum to one million. I'm glad for him that his business has done well. But had we known our finances would never catch up to qualify for his management services as he increases his minimum threshold, I would never have shelled out our hard earned cash to pay for a financial plan from an unattainable advisor. I can understand not taking on new clients when setting thresholds. But we weren't a new client, and what we were told was not honored. Its disappointing, but if his services are stretched thin to the point where he's having to "spend his time trying to manage his pipeline and his capacity", its for the best that we look elsewhere anyway. ***Update in response to Mr. Hughes feedback to my original review: Although I'm glad to hear this firm has changed its ways to no longer provide stand alone Financial Plans to clients who inevitably would never be able to qualify to become long term clients, we were extremely disappointed to learn that our assets would never be able to be managed by the firm as it changed its minimum threshold target. Its unfortunate that Mr. Hughes does not want to acknowledge this in his correspondence with us. But it is what it is. read more

We've had an excellent experience with Peter and his team. They take a personal interest in our family's financial goals and have provided clear and actionable plans for both our savings and investments. Thanks to their advice, our savings and investments are well-structured, and we feel secure about our future. read more

We've been managing our own financial investments on our own up until just recently. I wanted to be sure that I was being objective and not too emotional with my decision-making. We interviewed three different advisers two fiduciary types and big box adviser. Glad we did to because everything that I read regarding big box financial planners selling in house products and gaining commissions by fees from the customers was true. The fiduciary type planner has your best interest in mind and what's right for your financial model. We liked Ryan's personable approach and he also takes the time to really access your nest eggs and savings with a financial report that is comprehensive and easy reading and factful. We can rely on being able to reach out and ask financial questions with Ryan as needed. He can be reached by email or phone which makes it easy. We've been with Bull Oak since July 2016. If you're in the market for a fiduciary financial planner then I highly recommend Ryan. read more

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My husband and I feel very fortunate to have found the team at Bull Oak. We were looking for a financial partner we could trust, align with and have confidence in their strategy and execution for our retirement planning. We found that with Bull Oak. From the first meeting and all subsequent meetings with Peter and Michael as well as interactions with Ryan, the team has been professional, knowledgeable, patient addressing questions and through explaining options and potential risk and benefits. We interviewed several other financial advisors and teams before making our decision. For us, Bull Oak hit the mark for being a tremendous resource and partner we could see ourselves working with to ideally position ourselves pre and post retirement. Peter, Michael and Ryan are all highly knowledgeable but they are also relatable and have been a pleasure to work with. Searching for someone to handle your finances can be daunting. We now have peace of mind knowing we are in a good position for the next stages in our lives. If you're searching for a trusted partner, I highly recommend to connect with Peter Campbell @ Bull Oak to learn more about their comprehensive financial services: investment strategy, tax planning, estate planning and so much more! read more

While looking for a investment management firm I interviewed multiple firms, and Peter with Bull oak ended up being my favorite option. He's assisted me a large amount with tax preparation and general financial planning, as well as putting together a plan for me to fully understand my plans for the future, and to understand my goals and possibilities. The process is very transparent and with an AUM fee program there are no hidden costs, compared to a big box managers using in house funds to give themselves a larger cut. I recommend giving Bull oak a shot if you're looking for a fiduciary investment advisor. read more

If you're looking for an honest, credible and hardworking financial manager or investment management firm, Bull Oak Capital should be number one on your list. read more

I sought out a financial advisor looking for someone who was a fiduciary and used an AUM fee. From the first moment I chatted with Peter, I felt like I was speaking to someone I could trust. He demonstrated being thorough, respectful, kind and extremely transparent in each of our interactions, and I was immediately impressed. I had many questions finding myself in unfamiliar waters and new to investment. Peter never made me feel like I was trouble and always thoroughly answered questions and not just answered them but made sure I understood. I've been with Bull Oak for about 3 months now though I started chatting with them a couple months prior to that. I'm very happy and feel like I really lucked out in finding an honest and ethical financial advisor to do business with. Highly recommend. read more

My husband and I recently reached the most rewarding years of our lives - RETIREMENT! Upon achieving this milestone, our top priority was to find a fiduciary firm that can help us consolidate/manage our assets and provide financial stability/planning not only for our new chapter in life but also for our children's (and grandchildren's) future. As detail-oriented individuals, we spent a lot of time researching and interviewing financial advisors and fiduciary firms to find the perfect fit for us. It was a daunting task! But we are happy to say that ... hands down, Bull Oak Capital stood out among our choices. From the get-go, Ryan earned our trust, confidence and respect! He is honest, patient, responsible, organized, responsive, sharp, and has a modern approach to financial planning (versus old school perspective) which we were seeking. Even though we've only been with Bull Oak Capital for a few months (we had previously managed our own finances & investments), we are very pleased with their services thus far. Ryan and his team (Peter and Alyssa) made our transition seamless and easy. They handled our retirement rollovers efficiently by completing all required forms for us, answering questions instantaneously, participating in 3-way calls to our 401K holding companies to ensure smooth conversions, and meeting with us via Zoom to review strategies and visions to maximize our financial strength and growth. Just recently, they mapped out for us several scenarios on retirement paths we want to pursue. The documents they prepared were detailed and thorough highlighting each scenario's projected results and recommendations as well as retirement income, gifting ideas, estate planning, insurance and tax strategies. In summary, Bull Oak Capital has given us peace of mind - we feel confident that we are in good "financial" hands with them. Thank you Ryan, Peter and Alyssa for your exceptional financial expertise and work ethics. We can now truly enjoy our retirement to the fullest and rest assured that our children's future will be strong, steadfast and protected. read more

I had the first 15-minute phone chat with Ryan this week. It was helpful, but ultimately we weren't a match due to the minimum asset requirements. My review will mostly focus on this aspect so others are aware: 1. As noted in their website and on their Yelp Page Q&A, you must have $750K in retirement and investment assets (real estate not included). Ninja Edit: It actually just got updated to $1MM in the past 24 hours. 2. All assets must be transferable to the third-party broker they work with. I believe Ryan said they work with TD Ameritrade. In my case my retirement assets were not transferable, so that made me ineligible for their services. With all that said, Ryan did listen to my situation and referred me to another firm for my particular situation. Maybe in a couple of years I will be able to work with them. read more

Bull Oak recently produced an excellent financial plan deliverable for my wife and I that will guide our family's financial decisions both in the tactical near-term and strategic long-term. We selected Bull Oak to create a financial plan for us based on the strength of the initial consultation in Bull Oak's downtown office and due to the firm being a fiduciary Registered Investment Advisor (RIA), so they only receive revenue from their customers and are not permitted to receive revenue from commissions or product resale. As such, Bull Oak is not incentivized at all to sell certain products or specific funds -- and can be a completely agnostic investment advisor to the firm's customers. Bull Oak has developed a proprietary investment system based on common sense principles and advisor Ryan Hughes can support his investment philosophies with sound reason. Ryan is everything you want in someone advising you on how to manage your money: honest, patient, thoughtful, introspective, wise, cautious, and smart. Ryan knows his subject matter very well and is one of those people you know who is an overachiever, yet also almost certainly possesses a genius-level IQ. Bull Oak ran a couple of different models for my wife and I and gave us a very thorough and detailed document customized for our situation, covering recommendations for everything from real-estate, retirement investing, investing for college education for the children, vacations, and planning regarding our aging parents. In cases where our dreams were bigger than what we may expect to realistically achieve, Ryan gently gave us evidence and data to support an alternative path. For the most part, the plan Bull Oak developed left us feeling great about our future and our ability to achieve our goals given their advice. As someone who has chosen a career where I deliver advisory services and strategic consultations to customers, please take my word that this firm is legit. I highly recommend Bull Oak Capital for their excellent, professional work. read more

We spent months searching for a new financial planner/advisor. My husband and I have worked with several advisors over the years and learned a lot while doing our research and knew we needed and wanted something more than just an advisor. We narrowed down our search and met with a few different planners/advisors. After speaking with Ryan and then meeting with him in person, our minds were made up almost immediately. He was honest and from the beginning he made us feel like he was sincerely interested in our future and financial freedom. It has been months since we first met with Ryan and he and his team made the transition and transfer of our investments super easy and we couldn't be happier. During the process we also sat down to discuss goals, and he then put together a very in-depth financial plan to map out our retirement. The process was detailed and intense, but totally worth it. Ryan is so knowledgeable and we are so happy that we chose Bull Oak Capital to oversee our financial future. We highly recommend Ryan and his team! read more

For those searching for a "fee only financial planner" like I did, they do not offer this service (hourly fee financial advice). They require their clients to open an account of $750,000. Unfortunately that is not what I was searching for. Ryan was incredibly helpful though and I respect this business for having high fiduciary standards that fully support and represent the client. If I had that kind of money, I'd definitely consider them. read more

When looking for a financial adviser, the average person will often turn to their friends and family and ask "hey...do you know anyone?" The majority of the time they will refer you to someone who represents a big named firm, and you'll entertain a meeting and possibly sign up...because bigger is better right? No...it's not. If you are with an adviser who represents a large firm, they are likely to recommend investment products that provide them with a commission. That's reality. If you happen to be researching a financial adviser, the ONE question you need to ask is "ARE YOU A FIDUCIARY?". If you don't know what that means, stop, do your research, and come back to this review when you know. Regarding Ryan, I can't say enough good things about him. From the various meetings and telephone calls I've had, he's easy to communicate with, level headed, and extremely patient. He's been trustworthy so far, and has not done anything that would otherwise make me suspicious. His fees are reasonable, and best of all, he has YOUR best interest in mind, and unlike other financial advisers, will not sell you on any unnecessary products. Ryan put together an extensive financial plan for us, some of which I still need to follow, but it's clear that a lot of effort and care was put into crafting a plan that will benefit us later in life. If your wondering whether or not his strategy has made us money, the answer is yes. However don't let short term greed influence your decision. If you're looking for someone that will genuinely help you with your financial plan and give you great advice, Ryan is your man. read more

I spent a lot of time investigating local financial advisors. Long story short, you want one who will give you a fiduciary agreement - that means they are putting your financial interests first. (Think how crazy you would have to be to choose a financial advisor who does not give you this guarantee.) That's why I get my advice from Bull Oak Capital. Ryan is friendly, professional, careful and thorough. I could not recommend him more highly. read more

I feel like I knocked it out of the park with finding Bull Oak online. I had my 2nd meeting today and feel like their service is above and beyond what I have encountered before. Ryan is a true full service financial advisor. read more

Ryan and the Bull Oak team are top notch! I'm so glad we found them. We use them for our retirement investing as well as we did a very in depth financial plan. My only regret is not moving faster as my procrastination after meeting Ryan took about a year until we actually moved forward. His various plans based on risk tolerance suit us well. I'm at ease knowing my family is in good hands and look forward to many years of partnership. read more

Ryan is a great guy and Bull Oak has some great investment options. His bi-monthly webinar is excellent and definitely worth attending, not only for those looking to invest, but also for beginners who are interested in learning more about what it means to have your money work for you. read more

I didn't have too much savings; but Ryan still made time to talk to me and looked into my case. He also gave very good suggestions on what options I had in the near term!! He did give good advise about housing / lenders and also my 401k investments. In the end, since it was just a phone call - he didn't charge any fee either!! I would definitely recommend Ryan; He seems pretty honest and down to earth! read more

I'm so glad that we found Ryan and Bull Oak Capital. I did extensive research leading up to meeting with Ryan (and others) and decided that Ryan was a perfect fit. I've managed my own money my whole life but finally decided to hand over the reigns to an expert in the field. Ryan is well versed (and more) in everything financial and I feel very comfortable with him managing our various funds. I had considered a few companies. My wife is also very happy with our choice and feels comfortable now with the goals of retirement that we now know we should be able to reach. All of Bull Oak Capitals' reviews are stellar for a reason. Check out the company. You"ll be impressed. read more

I would highly recommend Ryan at Bull Oak Capital. From the very first phone consultation, Ryan seemed honest, knowledgeable, and most of all, very professional. I chose Ryan to better handle my investments, to create a financial plan for my girlfriend and I, and to give me recommendations to better prepare myself for the future. During our financial planning meeting, Ryan sat down with my girlfriend and I and asked us about all of our financial goals (short and long-term). Ryan was able to map out our financial future on his white board, and was very personable and thoughtful during this process, coming up with ideas that we had never thought about when talking about finances. The team at Bull Oak ran several financial models, tailored specifically to our financial goals and provided a very detailed document to explain their results and recommendations they had for us. Ryan and his team covered real-estate, retirement planning, planning for children (and college), and our general living lifestyle which included everyday expenses to small and large vacations. Ryan is very responsive to questions and is open to making any adjustments to your financial plan. On the investment side, Ryan thoroughly explained his investment strategy and patiently explained any terminology that we did not understand. He allows you to choose how aggressively you want to invest your money (5 levels) based upon how much risk you would like to take on. Ryan is a fiduciary advisor, meaning that Bull Oak charges a small overall fee to the client (% of your portfolio), and does not collect any revenue from commissions. So, it is in Ryan's best interest to maintain a quality portfolio for his clients. Based on our experience so far, we would recommend Ryan at Bull Oak Capital if you are seeking investment strategies, investment management, or need a very detailed financial plan mapped out for you and your family. read more

Ryan has really shown a true compassion in helping people achieve their personal financial goals. The financial markets are complex and unpredictable at time. Ryan and I have discussed many methods of managing risk efficiently to help soothe the market volatility and survive the fierce bear markets that are part of the normal stock market cycle. He made it a passion to understand how to efficiently invest and protect capital during periods of distress by pursuing his MBA at UCLA. This great achievement has led to him take his ideas on managing money and perfect them. His level of intelligence in the investing arena is superb, but it's the level of integrity Ryan upholds is why I believe in him. read more

Highly recommend Ryan and his team. They have surpassed my expectations in what to expect from a financial advisor. Ryan is transparent, communicative, and responsive. He has spent so much time answering my questions, explaining market trends, and mapping out a financial plan to help me understand what's realistic and how different decisions may put me on different trajectories. He also sends out regular newsletters with his thoughts on the economy and how to think about different market changes, which I love. Really happy with Ryan and his team and feel much more secure with my financial future. read more

I can't say enough good about Ryan. My husband and I had been through some tough financial times due to a combination of life events and it was important that we were on the same page with regards to how to move forward. Finding Ryan through his great reviews was such a blessing. From the first call, to the explanation of the process, to the actual working session and follow-up- everything was very clear and thoughtful. I had many questions and needed things explained in a way that I could understand and Ryan was so patient and thorough and kind. I would highly recommend him for all levels of sophistication. read more

I found Ryan via Yelp and talked to him a little bit about what he does and how it can help what I was looking for (investing and getting a plan together). He has a good background in econimics and has spent a lot of time studying how the market works, among other things. I also talked to folks from other places. I ended up going with Ryan because he was the only one willing to explain anything I asked to me and wasn't afraid to be honest about his philosophy and why he does what he does. He also didn't come across as arrogant or over confident. I'm happy with the financial plan that he produced for me. We sat down for a few hours and went over all of my expenses as well as gathering data about the retirement accounts I have through work and my goals such as buying a house, travel, college for niece and nephews, etc. The plan has helped me visualize retirement over the course of my many years until then. I walked away with key strategies for achieving my goals, better managing my retirement accounts at work (he researched everything for me!), and how to do more with extra money that I have. I also walked away with a better understanding of how some basic things around stocks/ETFS/funds and other financial stuff in general work. I feel more confident in dabbling in investing on my own now. I recommend Ryan to anyone that is looking to get themselves on track or needing someone to manage their portfolio. read more

My boyfriend and I wanted to make sure we were making smart financial decisions for the future. While searching on the internet for local advisers, we found Bull Oak Capital, which had stellar reviews! I went into the initial meeting feeling intimidated by the idea of seeing a financial advisor but Ryan quickly put me at ease with his professional but easy-going demeanor. Throughout the whole process, Ryan was so patient in explaining investment terminology and helping my boyfriend and I discover questions about our future we hadn't even considered before. Ryan and his team were super thorough with our financial report and it's been so exciting to get a clear view of not only our current financial health but projections for years to come. For the first time in my life, I feel like I have a firm grasp on my financial future, and we have Ryan and the Bull Oak team to thank for! read more

I have met with and dealt with a dozen or more financial advisors in my time, and I almost never trust them. From the moment I started working with Ryan I have found him to be honest, straightforward, smart, and very thorough. I first spoke with Ryan about my mom's financial situation, as I was taking over her finances. I had interviewed 5 other financial advisors before I finally found him. When Ryan explained to me how he manages finances, and how he gets paid (never gets commissions for investing so no conflict of interest), it was clear that he is something different. He made it so easy for me to get a handle on my mother's finances and make sure we were investing them appropriately. After that, I moved my own finances to Ryan. Finally someone I can trust with my money! His financial planning process is more thorough and actionable than I have ever experienced. I have defined my goals, and I know exactly what I need to do to reach my goals for the first time ever in my life. And what's more, I somehow had fun doing it all. I would recommend Bull Oak 20 times over...honest, hard-working, helpful. I am finally relieved about my finances. read more

After going through some life transitions, my husband and I felt like we needed some guidance to plan our financial futures. We were happy to find Ryan at Bull Oak. In the information session, Ryan was wonderfully thorough. He listened to our goals, took an in-depth look into the details of our expenses and assets, and projected our career trajectories. The meeting lasted approx 2 hours, and we felt like Ryan really took the time to know us both personally and financially. A few weeks later, we met for the presentation session. Ryan presented several financial scenarios based on different life events we discussed in the information session (what if we buy a house, have a child, care for an elderly parent, etc). He gave us recommendations on retirement investments and accounts specific to our goals. He also advised us on our real estate investments. We went home with a clear plan for spending, saving, and investing. Ryan is awesome. We are happy to have his expertise as we navigate our finances and highly recommend him for anyone looking to get a handle on theirs. read more

It was time to get some professional help with our financial plan and we found Ryan. The financial plan that Bull Oak created after helping us define our goals has shown us a clear path to retirement. Ryan connects personally and leverages his professional experience to provide real financial advice. Bull Oak has shown us that their interest is in us and they are with us for the long haul. read more

Ryan and his team provide world class financial advice on a very personal level. We chose Bull Oak because it is local to San Diego, and we did not want to deal with one of the large, impersonal firms to advise us on our investments and plan for retirement. We could not be happier with the service and we highly recommend Bull Oak Capital. read more

We interviewed multiple financial advisors and are very happy with our decision to work with Ryan and Bull Oak Capital. We have had 2 meetings now and Ryan has gone above and beyond with the personalized service, being transparent and very knowledgeable in both the financial planning and portfolio management areas. We are already seeing a difference in our investments and we look forward to a very long and productive relationship with Bull Oak Capital. read more

Ryan takes time to explain all the financial jargon in layman terms. I came with no idea on how to invest and he has broken it down for me in little chunks. Furthermore, I am very pleased with his excellent service and seeing my investments grow. I am now living overseas and still trust Ryan to manage it for me with his unique strategy. I would highly recommend him as an advisor and investment manager. read more

After many years of investing with a major brokerage company, it was a breath of fresh air for my wife and I to switch to Ryan Hughes of Bull Oak Capital, with whom we've been for several months now. His low-key, intelligent and strategic approach gives us an increased feeling of financial security. As valuable, if not more, is knowing that in his role as a fiduciary he always acts in our best interest. Ryan and his team also created a written Financial Plan for us. As you can tell from this review, we're very glad that Ryan is our fiduciary financial advisor. read more

Ryan at Bull Oak has great investment options. We recently put a chunk of our 401k in his aggressive fund. There are several reasons I like Bull Oak: 1) The investment strategy is very transparent with detailed information both upfront and with monthly updates on performances and holdings 2) Ryan is very helpful, friendly, and professional, answering any questions or concerns that may come up. He also drafts up all the paper work required for the custodial account, so that a huge amount of overhead is saved on your end. 3) Ryan is a man of his word. We verbally agreed on something that ended up being different than what was in the standard contract and he stood by the verbal agreement. read more