This was our first time using a fee-based financial planner and we're so happy we found Lysa. It's been a fantastic experience and so worth the money. Lysa helped us get all our current finances in order, plus we now have a great game plan for both our short term and long term financial goals (college, home, retirement, etc.). The "homework" she gave us between sessions involved tracking expenses and setting up new accounts, and she made it all so easy. And on top of all the helpful advice she provided for our personal situation, she also gave us amazing referrals for another family member needing some tax and medical insurance advice. Highly recommend! read more

I was searching for honest and trustworthy financial advise. I feel like I more than found it with Laurel Terrace Finance. Lysa is patient and straightforward. Fairly priced. She takes the time to understand your particular circumstances and truly seems to have your best interest in mind. I feel like I've gained a true asset in having her guidance. read more

Lysa was awesome! Me and my husband are intelligent professionals but finance is not our strongest area. She helped us get organized, stay focused and come up with a plan to manage our finances and plan for our future. I would highly recommend her and plan to meet with her yearly to check in with our plan. She is down to earth, personable and highly organized. read more

AMAZING!! My husband found Lysa of Laurel Terrace Finance though Yelp. We'd spoken with other financial advisors, but all were only offering advice on specific financial areas and charging exorbitant fees. We wanted someone who would be able to look at our entire financial picture and tell us what to do. And that is exactly what Lysa did!! At an incredibly reasonable price!! We both grew up in working class households where we were basically taught how to balance a checkbook and that's it. Lysa helped us do EVERYTHING - pay off all - YES ALL - of our debt, including car loans. She helped us set a household budget, she helped us cut out unessesary expenses - not even fun stuff, we still get to go out to dinner - but things like lowering insurance payments and cutting out unused subscriptions. She helped us set up/bolster existing retirement accounts and establish an emergency fund, which has been INVALUABLE, since I'm a TV writer and there's a strike on right now. I had a lot of fear and shame around money - I've always felt like I was doing it wrong, but Lysa helped my husband and I feel good about our choices and was so positive and helpful with the areas where improvement was needed. And thanks to Lysa, we might actually be able to retire someday! The word hero gets thrown around a lot these days, but in this case, it's well deserved. Lysa is our hero. read more

Lysa is the BEST!! I have a small business (content creator) and was overwhelmed with separating my business and personal finances so I started consulting with Lysa and she had a whole game plan for me on day 1! Each session consisted of actionable steps we needed to take for my longterm/short-term goals, and Lysa also took the time to educated me along the way. Finances are super daunting, so having one-on-one conversations with Lysa, I was able to understand WHY we were taking the steps and how they'd be beneficial in the long run. When it comes to finances, you don't know what 'you don't know' so working with a Lysa, she had me set up systems that I didn't even know I needed! It was very important for me to have low-maintenance systems and investments that I didn't need to monitor closely, so Lysa helped me streamline everything so looking at my finances was simple! Lysa and I worked together for 4 sessions over the course of 6ish months and accomplished SO much. The rate Lysa charged literally paid for itself in the investment strategies she was able to help me set up, so I can not recommend her enough! She's so kind, incredibly organized, your biggest cheerleader, and overall wants to see you succeed!! BOOK her! She's the best! read more

We have been working with Lysa for a year and are impressed with her knowledge in every aspect of financial planning. She is very methodical, detail oriented, and is practical in her approach. During our initial consultation with Lysa, we found her very personable and easy to communicate with. Over the past year, Lysa has helped us better allocate our 401k investments; tweak other areas from an investment and future planning perspective. We would recommend her to anyone looking to improve and/or better navigate financial planning. read more

"She saved my life!" Is the response I give when people ask about how my financial advisor helped me. "Isn't she expensive?" "You can do that yourself, why do you need a financial advisor?" Well, let me tell you why I needed Lysa Kristensen of Laurel Terrace, LLC.My husband died and left me with two young children.My financial situation was in terrible shape. I had high interest credit card debt, high cell phone, internet, home phone and satellite plans. I was writing checks without regard to what I was really payingfor. Lysa put me on a weekly budget and cut all of my bills in half! I started shopping smarter; she made me aware of my spending habits. I wouldn't have known to pay attention to managing my money until itwas too late to dig myself out!The point is, I wouldn't have done it myself, without Lysa creating and organizing my financial outlook! Client D.M. read more

My husband and I met with Lysa a few times over the last few months. I had been wanting to meet with a financial advisor, but not someone to manage our money. They are hard to find and Lysa was the perfect fit. She's easy to talk to and not judgmental. For our situation, she had budget "homework" for us to do so she could see where and how we spent money weekly and annually. This is something we keep and can tweak through the years with her. She also made sure we were saving money for college for our kids and for retirement for ourselves. Money can be a tricky subject to talk about, but Lysa makes it very easy. She also came to our house for the meetings, which is fantastic! If you want to make sure your financial life is on the right track, Lysa is the one for you. read more

My husband and I have been working with Lysa for over 6 months now and we cannot emphasize enough how amazing it has been. Aside from having a wonderful personality, Lysa is well versed in budgeting, debt management, and investing. As big fans of personal finance ourselves, we sought Lysa's council to guide us through some areas we weren't as familiar with, such as retirement investment planning and real estate investment. She's also brought other things to our attention such as health directives and life/disability insurance. What sets Lysa apart from other advisors we've met in the past is her dedication to providing advice based on the true needs of her clients, as she works to the fiduciary standard at all times, and not with the underlying desire to gain commission off referrals to other financial institutions/products. We are extremely happy with the work she's put into helping us realize our financial goals and high recommend giving her a call!! read more

I found Laurel Terrace on Yelp when looking for a 3rd party opinion for a retirement/saving plan I was skeptical of (and about to start putting money into). I had done some research online, but couldn't get a definitive answer about this plan. I sent a message on Yelp questions and within 30 minutes had a response from Lysa. She was very knowledgeable and easy to talk to about this. She consulted about this with me on the phone and I decided to setup an appointment with her. Her response was quick and precise. Lysa helped me figure out a strategy for my retirement and we also went over my finances as a whole. I was super impressed with her knowledge in every aspect we talked about. I'd recommend her to anyone looking for a good Financial Adviser. -Jason read more

I've been working with Lysa the last couple of months and she's amazing. Super helpful, very detail oriented, flexible, quick to respond to my emails when I have questions in between sessions. She's definitely helping reach my financial goals. I look forward in working with her to go a lot further than just the initial request of financial help. read more

I decided to see Lysa after having her website bookmarked for months. I am in my late 20's and have a master's degree. I make above average income for my age bracket but that didn't matter. I was spending more than I earned and couldn't quite figure out how to stop. I kept track and limited spending on clothes, trips, upgrading phone... But I still wasn't making it to the end of the month without using my CC. I didn't understand why this was so difficult. My parents kept saying, "just spend less than you earn" but I couldn't figure out what that looked like without living a life where all my money went to bills and I never saw happy-hour again. I'd do that for a while and then be miserable and binge spend for a month and be back in the cycle. I'd read financial blogs but it never taught me the skills I needed or the steps that fit my specific finances. Lysa was invaluable! She never made me feel ashamed of my debt - which I was very fearful about. She helped me set up appropriate weekly spending amounts and over a few months we scaled it back. It was functional, I could still get my hair done and go out to eat 2/wk. She taught me how to examine my finances for non-essentials, to examine my investments to determine if they fit my goals, to set goals & save for them, and to prepare for my retirement. I have now paid off 1 credit card and am on my way with another. It initially seemed counter-intuitive to pay someone to help me get out of debt but honestly there is NO way I'd be able to do it as effectively or quickly on my own. It's my best investment to date. I try to tell everyone I know to go work with her but they may have to bookmark it like I did until they are ready. It's not magic. It takes work! BUT the accountability, support, and knowledge from Lysa makes it completely possible. read more

Lysa is the personalized, attentive, detailed financial adviser I was hoping to find. I got really lucky reaching her on my first foray into financial advice. Lysa got me set for retirement, big purchases, and a weekly/monthly budget. It's given me peace of mind and I couldn't be more glad. I'm in my mid-20s, and my time with her set me up for a life of financial security. Highly recommended. read more

I've never spoken with a financial advisor before and being in my late 20s, I figured it was time to have someone finally set me straight on my credit card debt and general financial planning. I found Lysa through Yelp and just reading through some of the genuine reviews that people had left her, I decided to reach out. She immediately got back to me and set up our first meeting. In our first 90-minute session she set up my financial profile in Google Sheets, so that we could work/edit together to set up tabs on my: 401k accounts, savings accounts, checking accounts, debt, in-flow and out-flow of money. It was the perfect amount of organization to settle my nerves about where my money was going. Through our work together, she has never been judgmental or harsh about any of my expenses. Personally, I think thats a huge plus! The last thing you want when you're in mild debt, is someone else looking at your spending and judging you. However, she does encourage you to keep track of those (we'll call them "fun") expenses so that you can see how it doesn't really help you get to your larger goal, like a house or a wedding. In the past year, I've met with her 3 times now and I can honestly say that she's helped me regain control of my financial life. I've paid off my credit card debt, organized my 401k accounts and have set larger financial goals with her. I feel at ease knowing that I can reach out to her with any questions I have (even if they're stupid) about my finances and that she'll provide an answer ASAP. And through this whole process, I felt like everything was a two-way conversation. She cares about your opinion and how you feel about making these tough financial decisions, which is super important! Overall, Lysa is beyond fair, a great listener, super easy to talk to and incredibly organized. I would highly recommend her for anyone looking to finally get your finances in order, big or small! You won't regret it. read more

Lysa is the best! We started working together this year and i could not be happier about it. She is knowledgeable and funny and super detailed. I had an idea of where I wanted to be financially a year from now, 5 years from now and what i wanted in retirement and Lysa talked me through all of it. She advises without judgment and with clear direction. I have recommended her to several friends looking for an advisor and i do so without hesitation. Thank YOU, Lysa! I look forward to our continued collaboration. read more

I have always hated dealing with money, it's just something that I've never felt good about. Last year I decided to get all my ducks in a row and called Lysa to help me. Lysa was amazing from the start. She came to my house and within a few sessions I had a clear picture of what was needed to run my household, what and how we should save, set up a college fund for my son, was on my way to getting life insurance, had a trust in place, and was set up with an investment planner. I had meant to do these things for many years but had never gotten around to doing them due to lack of knowledge, fear, and just plain old procrastination. Lysa provided me with excellent contacts and walked me through doing all of these things step by step and followed up to make sure I was accomplishing my goals. I consider Lysa my financial life coach, thank you Lysa! Lila B read more

Working with Lysa helped my family get back on track towards financial wellness after feeling derailed when an unexpected medical diagnosis came at the tail end of a costly home renovation. As the budgeter and bill payer for our family, I'm sleeping better at night having a plan for emergencies, college, and retirement, as well as a clear understanding of our current financial profile and goals for the future. We had a great experience with Laurel Terrace Finance and look forward to an ongoing relationship. I recommend Lysa wholeheartedly and have already sent several friends her way. read more

We love Lysa. We came to her because we were a bit baffled by some life insurance and investing options. She set up several appointments with us and by the end of our time together we had worked out our life insurance, 401k, IRA, monthly budget, payed off our car and set up 529's for the kids. Lysa seems to know someone for everything, so even if things aren't her field of expertise she knows someone reputable to send your way. We had a great time working with her and getting to know her. We found her on a Yelp search, and HIGHLY recommend her to anyone looking to figure out the basics of personal finances or help with budget or debt. She is extremely down-to-earth and fun to work with! read more

Where do I begin? We were in a not-so-great place with how we were spending and my husband and I were fighting and blaming each other. We finally turned to Lysa who was so amazing about remaining neutral and calm and set us on a path to success. We had to go through our spending habits and categorize our spending. We divided groups by weekly, monthly, yearly, fixed, etc. It seems so simple, but it was such an eye opening experience for us. Beyond the basics of cash flow, she also gave us really good advice about life insurance strategies, looking into our retirement portfolios and creating a special needs trust for our son. We felt like the whole family was being looked after which I really appreciated. I would 100% recommend her. The cost up front is tiny compared to the huge amount we have saved. read more

I started working with Lysa earlier this year and have nothing but great things to say about the whole process. As someone in my mid-20s who has had steady career growth over the last couple of years, I wanted to make sure I was on the right path and not mismanaging my finances. I was looking for someone who would not only be an expert in the field, but someone who I felt comfortable asking questions to. Not only is Lysa attentive, thorough and knowledgeable, but she is also kind and very easy to talk to. I came out of our meeting having learned a lot- no shaming, no judgments, just a good, educational chat. I look forward to working with her again. read more

Let's face it. Your finances are usually the last place you want to spend money, and. a lot of people think that paying someone for financial advice is only for the wealthy. Don't you think we all have to start somewhere? Laurel Terrace Finance is that place to start. Thankfully, Lysa is well versed in all aspects of financial planning which make taking control of your own money a possibility. Her diligence, experience and thoughtful caring advice reflect a seasoned professional who is truly an advocate that works tirelessly for her clients. An approach full of patience and diplomatic inquiry puts every one of us at ease, regardless of whatever shame, embarrassment, fear, or load of excuses we may have surrounding this generally uncomfortable topic. As a new business owner, I was fearful of my financial foundation, but Lysa changed all that in a few sessions. I am now more empowered, educated and excited about the new financial tools I have. Thank you Lysa, for making that pink elephant in the living room go away! read more

Such a fantastic experience working with Lysa. My husband and I both preferred to be "ostriches" (stick our heads in the sand) when it came to finances. Lysa's process had us take a good (and sometimes) hard look at where we were and where we wanted to be. She provided us with knowledgeable feedback and fantastic referrals to other professionals (trust attorney, insurance agents, investment advisors, etc.) My only regret is that I didn't know about her services earlier. Best investment we have ever made in our future and the future of our kids! read more