Meet Donna Chaney, your partner in financial security.

Philosophy

Nothing comes between Donna and her clients. The only interest she serves is yours. As owner of Chaney Financial Services, Inc., a Registered Investment Adviser (RIA), Donna is held to a fiduciary standard of conduct requiring her to act in your best interest, above all else. She has no employer or franchise interests to prioritize over or reconcile with yours.

That’s also her professional philosophy, and it’s why she is an independent, fee-only financial adviser.

Background

Donna’s story is a very American one. She grew up in the industrial heart of America — Allentown, Pennsylvania. A child of a working-class family, Donna was the first in her family to attend college, then succeeded in the world of the Fortune 500. She understands the desire to create the best life possible for oneself and one’s family.

Now, as a Certified Public Accountant/Personal Financial Specialist (CPA/PFS), Donna works with individuals and families who are ready to realize their dreams. Through fee-only financial planning, thoughtful counsel and sound investment management, Donna provides a strategic roadmap to get her clients where they want to go — today and tomorrow.

Auditor to Fortune 500 to Major Consultancy

Donna has been a CPA for more than 20 years. Following her graduation from Lehigh University with a bachelor of science degree in business and economics (accounting major), Donna went on to work at one of the biggest public accounting firms in Los Angeles, where she earned her CPA.

From there she transitioned into the healthcare industry, where she provided financial, operations and systems development services to hospital systems, physician organizations, health maintenance organizations and insurance companies.

Donna then spent the better part of a decade as a business consultant at Ernst & Young, LLP. There she used her strategic insight and financial experience to improve the financial and operational performance of major corporations.

Bringing Corporate Business Experience to Personal Finance

Her interest in personal finance began when, as a rising executive, her own situation became more complicated, with benefits, bonuses, home ownership and investments. She began researching her options and saw an opportunity to bring her strategic corporate skills to personal finance. At the same time, a trend toward independence in the industry was developing.

Already a CPA, Donna gained the education and experience required to be credentialed as a Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Never one to be satisfied with the minimum, Donna took another 36 units at University of California, Los Angeles, (UCLA), to complete a Certificate of Personal Financial Planning.

Creating Chaney Financial Services

Because Donna’s been an auditor, the trend towards independent advisers fits her sensibilities perfectly. It is her preferred way to work. After all this education, as well as her experience with a major financial advisery firm, Donna felt the only way to truly serve the interests of her clients was to be independent. That’s why she founded Chaney Financial Services, Inc., an RIA providing fee-only financial planning and investment management.

Due to her extensive business background, Donna understands both micro and macro aspects of accounting, finance and business, as well as financial planning. Today, she uses her talents to help individuals and families make sense of the plethora of options and issues in the complicated financial universe so they can achieve their goals — whether that means having a business or another fulfilling career, retiring early, traveling the world or sending their kids to college.