Your Guide to Financial Freedom
Retire Early, Live Better.
Serving Clients Locally Near Allen, TX and virtually across the country
Chao Zhang, MBA, CFA®, CFP®
Chao Zhang,
MBA, CFA®, CFP®
At Think Different Wealth Advisors, I help clients on their journey to financial freedom, which means having the flexibility to live life to the fullest without having to worry about money. Specifically, I work with clients on achieving financial security through retirement planning, minimizing taxes through tax planning, maximizing value of their stock compensation, reaching specific goals such as buying a house and saving for their kids’ education, and securing peace of mind through proper insurance and estate planning.
With more than a decade of experience working at multiple hedge funds, I am ready to leverage my investment knowledge and deep research process to make your hard-earned money grow faster for you. We offer an active investment strategy inspired by Warren Buffett’s value investing approach that emphasizes long-term thinking and a contrarian mindset.
I am a fiduciary, fee-only advisor who is knowledgeable, skilled in investing, responsive, willing to listen, not judgmental, and above all else, always putting your interests first. I encourage you to book a free consultation on my website and let’s have a conversation about how I can help.
Why We Are Different
Chartered Financial Analyst®
Chao Zhang is a CFA® charterholder, one of the highest distinctions in the investment management profession.
Hedge Fund Experience
Chao Zhang has more than 10 years of experience working at multiple investment funds in both equity and fixed income strategies.
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™
Chao Zhang has earned the CFP® certification, which has been the standard of excellence for financial planners for more than 30 years.
Differentiated Investing Process
Some investment advisors outsource their investment management to third-party robo-advisors. We are proud of our unique, research-driven, investing process.
Fee Only
We only accept compensation directly from you, our clients. No commissions from third parties. No product sales. Period.
Transparency
We believe our clients deserve clear and simple pricing. You shouldn’t have to attend a meeting to find out how much we charge. We don’t hide our fees.
Fiduciary Responsibility
We put the interests of our clients first. We respect your time and privacy. You have placed great trust in us. We will do right by you.
Gen X and Gen Y
Many advisors only serve wealthy retirees. We happily accept Gen X and Gen Y clients, knowing we can make the greatest impact in the lives of younger working professionals.
Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it ... He who doesn't ... pays it.
Our Services
Financial Planning
We take a comprehensive approach to financial planning that looks at all aspects of your finances, including: budgeting, debt, workplace benefits, insurance, estate planning, saving for college, tax planning, and retirement planning. Learn more about how financial freedom can change your life and read about the steps of our financial planning process.
Investment Management
Inspired by Warren Buffett’s investing style, we believe we can add substantial value to our clients through active management and superior stock selection. We are patient, long-term, value investors. Not afraid to think differently, we are contrarians at heart. Read about our differentiated investment philosophy and our rigorous research process.
Plans are of little importance, but planning is essential.
Who We Serve
Tech Professionals
Whether you have restricted stock, RSUs, stock options, or employee stock purchase plans, we specialize in helping you maximize your stock compensation with our expertise in stock analysis and tax planning. Having worked with clients from well-recognized companies such as Accenture, Apartment List, Dropbox, Google, and Tesla, we are ready to serve as your experienced guide to all your workplace benefits questions.
Healthcare Professionals
Being married to a physician, Chao knows all too well the unique challenges and demands that healthcare professionals face. We have worked with physicians at both private practices and academic institutions, nurses, and even veterinarians.
Working Families
As a father of two young kids, Chao fully understands the difficulties working families face in this most financially stressful period of life. Balancing the needs of childcare, home purchase, saving for education, and planning for retirement while pursuing career development and still trying to live life is enough to overwhelm almost anyone. Whatever your questions are, we are ready to help.
If you aren't willing to own a stock for 10 years, don't even think about owning it for 10 minutes.
Our Ideal Client
Just as you are looking for a financial advisor who fits your needs, we are also looking for our ideal clients. We view our clients as our partners in our investment enterprise and want to associate with individuals who share our values.
Our Ideal Investment Client
- Shares our approach to investing: preserve capital, minimize losses, compound wealth over the long term, avoid Hail Mary attempts, never bet the farm
- Appreciates that investment manager performance must be evaluated over a full cycle. Any manager can take large risks and show good results in a bull market. The risks only become apparent in a bear market.
- Does not want to deal with investing themselves and trusts us to manage their investments prudently. It is better for most people not to watch the daily stock ticker.
- Is not interested in “trying to get rich quick” or chasing the hottest stocks or crypto of the day. We believe the best way to build sustainable wealth is to get rich slowly by investing in quality companies and letting them compound over decades. The results can be astonishing over time.
Our Ideal Financial Planning Client
- Typically makes more than $150,000 single and $300,000 as a couple (so that our planning fees are affordable). Alternatively, clients with more than $250,000 in assets under management receive discounted financial planning fees.
- Is able to save at least 10% of income. (If you struggle to save, you may want to first work with a financial coach to work on budgeting and reducing expenses).
- Also wants us to manage their investments. Based on past experience, clients have the most success when we do planning and also manage their investments. Thus, we require financial planning clients also let us manage at least some of their investments. Clients may choose either passive or active strategy.
- Are decent, honest people who treat others with respect (life is too short to be wasted dealing with the other kind).
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