Our History. Sycamore Financial Planning was founded in 2011 with a guiding vision to make holistic, objective financial advice available to everyone. To make this vision a reality, the firm adopted an hourly financial planning model that required no minimum asset level or fees for its clients. Our first location was in the Durham / Raleigh / Chapel Hill area, and in 2013 we opened our Charlotte location.
The Sycamore Advantage. Mr. Clifton, the firm’s founder, is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional. Only those who have fulfilled the certification and renewal requirements of CFP Board can display the CFP® certification trademarks which represent a high level of competency, ethics and professionalism. And because they are held to a fiduciary standard of care, a CFP® professional is required to act in your best interest.
Mr. Clifton is also a member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisers (NAPFA), the country’s leading professional association of Fee-Only financial advisers — highly trained professionals who are committed to working in the best interests of those they serve. This association provides support and education for over 2,400 members all over the country and is governed by a national board and supported by four regional boards. NAPFA members live by three important values:
- To be the beacon for independent, objective financial advice for individuals and families.
- To be the champion of financial services delivered in the public interest.
- To be the standard bearer for the emerging profession of financial planning.
Mr. Clifton is a member of the Garrett Planning Network, an international network of hourly, fee-only financial planners. Garrett members believe that professional, objective, and easy-to-access financial advice is something everyone needs. It doesn’t matter if that advice involves answering one question or helping to develop and manage a lifelong financial plan. Every financial plan is tailored specifically to each client’s situation!
Mr. Clifton is also trained to provide financial information and assistance to people going through a divorce. As a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst®, Mr. Clifton examines and analyzes the financial issues of a divorce, providing Sycamore’s clients and their lawyers with data to help strengthen their case. We help our clients avoid the common financial pitfalls of divorce by offering valuable insight into the pros and cons of different settlement proposals.
