Ed Vargo and Melana Carbary run Burning River Advisory Group with a mission in mind:
To give women the confidence to live their version of a meaningful life.
To take away the anxiety and emotional strain of not knowing what to do.
To provide a clear vision of what life could be if you use your money to make a life instead of using your life to make money.
Our 95% Retention Rate Speaks for Itself.
Here’s Why Clients (continue to) Work With Us:
Learn How to Use Your Money to Live an Intentional, Meaningful Life
Ease the Burden of Managing Your Financial Life
Gain Peace of Mind Knowing a Reliable, Trusted Partner is Looking Out for You
Receive Timely, Proactive Communication and Service Across Your Entire Financial Life
Meet Ed & Melana
Ed Vargo
“Life is not a dress rehearsal. Life is meant to be lived and lived well.
All too often I see smart, successful, conscientious women who are … waiting.
Waiting for the perfect moment to live a meaningful life. Waiting for just the right time to live a life that is true to her and not what others expect of her.
Our money has a lot to say about our pursuit of this meaningful life.
Are we using our money to get the most out of this grand adventure? Or, are we stuck on autopilot living a safe, cautious, routine life and calling it prudence?”
Melana Carbary
“It’s time for women to take control of their money. To step up and stop deferring to the men in their lives or avoiding the subject altogether.
We’re fully capable of handling our own money and making our own life decisions. This is not a subject for debate. We’re enough. We can do this.”
You can check out the background of firms and investment professionals on FINRA’s BrokerCheck here.
Your financial life is so much more than your investments
Most financial advisors have a stronger connection to your investments than they do to you. Look at how they express their value. They go heavy on the financial jargon to make themselves sound smart and you feel small. Or, they tout their “low is the way to go” fee approach as if pricing their services like milk or eggs is the way to build a rich life.
And the spreadsheets. Oh, how do they love their spreadsheets.
But, do they understand you and how you feel about money? Do they know how you define a meaningful life? Are they focused on providing you the greatest value and having the biggest impact across your entire financial life?
The truth is most financial advisors are only interested in your investments. Unless the stock market is your only concern, this is a mistake. As life-centered financial planners, we believe your worth should be measured by what you bring to the world and not how much money you have.
We support you holistically by providing wisdom and guidance across all five pillars of personal finance.
Our services include:
Tax Planning
Few areas in finance bring more fear than the IRS.
Fear not.
We take the complexity out of tax planning. No more leaving money on the table because you’re too afraid of being on the wrong side of the IRS.
We don’t replace your CPA, but work collaboratively, alongside them.
Estate Planning
Estate planning is much more than trusts, wills, and powers-of-attorney. And it’s not as simple as, “I’ll give away all of my money when I’m gone.”
At least it shouldn’t be.
Too many people wait until after they’re gone to share their wealth. What a shame.
It’s more fulfilling to give with warm hands than cold ones. There is an optimal time to share your good fortune and it’s almost never upon death.
Banking & Cash Flow
“Many folks think they aren't good at earning money, when what they don't know is how to use it.” ~ Frank Clark
So true.
Do you have an “income” problem or an “income management” problem? Do you have the same financial problems today you had three raises ago?
Insurance
No generic, rule-of-thumb, how-much-do-you-want-to-pay sales tactics here.
Each person has a one-of-a-kind situation, a personal portrait comprised of obligations, goals, and responsibilities that need to be accounted for.
Your insurance solutions should be individually tailored to meet your unique life.
Investments
Investing is the growth engine of financial independence. It’s also the most uncertain and emotional variable.
Which is a real problem as emotions often represent the biggest challenge to good investing.
We’re adept at helping clients stay calm and clear-headed through the most emotional of times. We balance our technical investment know-how with an understanding of human nature to guide individual investor behavior.
Gain the peace-of-mind that comes from knowing we’re looking out for you to make sure everything’s okay.
HOLISTIC FINANCIAL PLANNING
We begin with the end in mind.
We answer the important questions:
Am I on track for my retirement goal? Can I retire earlier? Travel more?
Will I die with too much money?
Can I gift money to my kids or charities without putting myself in jeopardy?
What don’t I know but should?
Is my money aligned with my values?
Wherever you are, wherever your life takes you, we can build a financial plan that supports you and your life journey.
Start here and select the best fit for your life journey.
Widowhood
It's overwhelming. All of the questions, paperwork, and financial decisions you have to make when it's the last thing you want to do. Do you wish you had someone you trusted who could handle it for you?
"You Aren't Alone"
START HERE
Single (again)
Are you divorced (or in the midst of it)? Do you feel confident you'll be okay financially on your own? You are resetting to a new financial future. Would you like someone who's been there to guide you on this new journey?
"Single Again"
START HERE
Retire (wisely)
Do you know what your paycheck is costing you? Probably a lot. Time with family and friends. Lost personal experiences. Meaningful work. What if you didn't need to work for money anymore? What if there was a way to retire without surrendering to the unimaginative "I must work until Social Security age" doctrine? There is. We can show you how.
"Think Differently"
START HERE
Executive Achievement
Doors you never dreamed possible are opening. Your professional success has given you the opportunity for exceptional financial success. But, how do you take full advantage of these opportunities? The learning curve is steep. There's no need to go it alone. Lean on us as you take it to the next level.
"Let's Grow"
START HERE