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Financial advice you can trust.
The future you deserve.

Certus Wealth Management provides uniquely customized, comprehensive strategies and insight that help you build a financially secure future.

About Us

Achieve The Life You Imagine

At Certus, there is one simple goal… to get you closer to your dreams. The name “Certus” translates to authentic, thoughtful, precise, certain, and sure. It’s the type of advice that we are dedicated to providing to our clients. We believe that informed, empowered people make better financial choices. As independent, fiduciary advisors, we are laser-focused on our clients’ best interests. We work closely with you at every step, from assessing your current finances to designing and executing a strategy that fits your needs. We aim to empower all of our clients with the knowledge, perspective, and tools they need to make educated choices.

Meet the Team
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Joel Van Hofwegen, CFP®, CRPC™️
Founder and Private Wealth Advisor

Joel Van Hofwegen is an advisor and fiduciary with over 20 years of experience helping clients reach their unique financial goals. 

Joel founded Certus Wealth Management in 2018. As an independent Registered Investment Advisor (RIA), Certus provides clients with an enhanced service experience – complete with modern liquidity solutions and top-notch technology resources. Understanding that everyone has a finite level of resources, Joel’s objective is to develop customized financial plans so that clients can maximize their opportunities.

Joel is a graduate of Calvin University. He and his wife of 20 years have four children, and love to spend time together and volunteer in their local community. When he is not following the Giants and 49ers, he and his family enjoy spending time outdoors, seeking to experience as much of California’s beauty as possible.

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Summer Frisk
Office Administrator

Summer Frisk joined the Certus Wealth Management team in July of 2022, serving as Office Administrator.

Summer has over nine years of experience in the finance industry, particularly in scheduling and correspondence. In her role at Certus Wealth Management, Summer serves as the point person for coordinating client meetings. Detail oriented and hardworking, Summer effectively provides client support, improves operations, and boosts efficiency.

A resident of the Northern California area for the last several years, Summer has also lived in San Diego, Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii. Her interests include traveling, hiking, cooking, spending time with her children, being by the ocean, and enjoying a great cup of coffee.

Michelle McCarthy
Michelle McCarthy
Chief Compliance Officer

Michelle McCarthy serves as the Chief Compliance Officer for Certus Wealth Management, coming to us through Dinsmore Compliance Services. 

Michelle has 25 years of experience in the financial services industry, including 20 years in wealth management services at a national bank. Through her roles of Director of Operations and Relationship Manager with a local registered investment advisor, Michelle gained experience working directly with clients, providing operational support and training, and supervising client service managers. 

Michelle is a graduate of the Kentucky College of Business. She resides in Independence, Kentucky and she enjoys spending time with loved ones, reading a good book, and cheering on her UK Wildcats.

Precise, Trustworthy, Certain

The Certus Wealth Management Philosophy

We ground our work in the context of our clients’ lives. Great financial planning starts with strong relationships – we are committed to taking the time to understand your needs and long-term aspirations. Because every client’s circumstances are different, you get a plan that is customized to meet your distinct needs.

When it comes to your money, independent advice matters. The Certus Wealth Management team understands that each individual has a finite level of resources – our goal is to work with you to develop a plan that optimizes YOUR opportunities. We are fiduciaries; this means we have a duty to provide advice that is in your best interest given your circumstances. We never take commissions or other incentives as we are a fee-only advisor.

We equip our clients with effective, actionable advice that helps them make an informed, educated decision.  Whether it’s fine-tuning your 401(k) or mortgage contributions, aligning your portfolio’s risk level with your long-term goals, or purchasing a new home with confidence, we give you the specific, grounded advice that you can use. We are proud to offer an excellent client experience, supported by technology resources and modern liquidity solutions that give you flexibility in leveraging the value of your investments.

Our Services

Each individual has a finite level of resources, and Certus Wealth Management specializes in a full range of financial planning and investment management services to empower you to make educated decisions. We believe our clients should have on-demand access to their advisory team and receive proactive communication.

Financial Independence

Get an analysis of your total financial life, and work with us to create customized plans to help you achieve your goals.
Financial planning
We listen to your long-term objectives and help you build a comprehensive, customized plan based on your unique situation and external market conditions. Our clients receive an annual assessment of their holistic financial picture.
Retirement planning
We help you craft a retirement strategy through an assessment of your income, expenses, and investments, so you can evaluate the feasibility of different scenarios and navigate uncertainty with a trusted partner.
Protection & insurance planning
Align your coverage levels to your needs so that you can identify cost savings while mitigating risk.
Education
Determine an optimal funding scenario for your family based on total education expenses.
Estate planning
Preserve your financial legacy and protect your beneficiaries. We’ll guide you through the implementation of an estate plan tailored to your wishes.

Investment Management

Align your investment strategy with your long-term financial goals.
Strategic allocations
Customize your investments with strategic allocations to maximize opportunities and help you meet your long-term financial objectives.
Tactical adjustments
Make tactical adjustments within your investment strategy based on economic variables and external market conditions.
3rd-Party institutional intellect
Leveraging third-party institutional analytics and research removes potential conflicts of interest – so you can make informed, prudent investment decisions that are the best fit for you.