Applied Advisor

I used to use an American Express advisor, that while very nice only sold me American Express stuff and treated the other parts of my financial plan as secondary. A friend recommended Kathy and I'm really glad I made the switch. Kathy is total different then AMX or those types of places, she just gives advice she doesn't sell anything and she doesn't manage your money. She charges by the hour instead of making a comission of some crappy investment. That took some getting used to, I had never bought a mutual fund on my own before (it's easy). There is an out of pocket cost, which is also different, but I am actually getting something for my money. She also does taxes which my AMX advisor wasn't able to do. Very professional and friendly service. Pros: No commissions, Saturday hours more

A great local business for those of you that don't want to work with commissioned ""planners"" trying to sell you the products of a national chain. Kathy works by the hour, like an attorney, and let's you know what your project will cost up front, easy as can be. So far she's helped me with my 401k, a retirement plan and my taxes. Someone made a snotty comment about her office, well yeah it's not some glossy high rise, but I figure she'd charge twice as much if she didn't have a small (and very cute) place in the Castro. If you don't want to be charged for your advisor's time then you should go to someone that charges a commission. She also has a very cute office Pug. Kathy?s advice has been solid and her price is fair at $96 an hour. Pros: No commissions, doesn?t require a big portfolio, office Pug Cons: She's busy an it can be hard to get appointment more

You will be charged for every breath you take( live session, phone call, fax and even email!) You will be charged for every piece of paper! No helpful service. Weird office with weird access. This ""Applied Advisor Network, LLC"" is basically one person with one computer! I do not recommend it. Pros: none really Cons: expensive, no new ideas for business, overcharging more

Kathy at Applied Advisor has done my taxes for three years now. Not only is she a great person, but I can always count on her to do a great job. I feel confident in recommending her services to anyone that is looking for a personable, practical tax preparer. I've also utilized her financial planning services, and would recommend her for that as well. After meeting with Kathy, I always feel like I know exactly what is going on with my financial situation, and that I am moving in the right direction. more

I feel so fortunate to have come across Kathy and Applied Advisor. Seeing as it was the other Citysearch review that sealed the deal for me, so I feel compelled to contribute my own. My experience doing my personal income taxes with Kathy this year could not have been easier or more enjoyable (and I swear we're not related). She gets my vote for coolest financial advisor in the Castro, or SF for that matter! Pros: professional, personable, dependable more

Kathy is great, priced better than Block with better service. Pros: Great Prices, Great Service, Knows Her Stuff more