Max Makhnyk, CFP®

Financial Planner in Spokane, WA

For five years, I did retirement planning at a local credit union, working with hundreds of households. I really enjoyed that work, and I got to help a very wide range of people, from 18-year-olds starting their careers to folks who had been retired for 20 years.

Over time, I noticed where I felt I could help the most: with people in the five years before or after retirement, and with widows and widowers going through a difficult season. So I built Averton Wealth around those two groups of people.

Max Makhnyk, CFP®, founder of Averton Wealth

Why I went out on my own

I really enjoyed my years at the credit union, but it required me to be a little bit of a generalist. I wanted to specialize and get really good at one part of financial planning: helping people through retirement, and helping widows and widowers after the loss of a spouse.

I also didn’t want to be spread thin across hundreds of households. I would much rather serve a smaller group of people very well, so that you can call me and hear back, and I can drive out to your home if that’s easier.

In this industry, it’s common for investment firms to convince financial advisors to push their investments over others, and that never sat well with me. That’s why I’m fee-only. It removes as many conflicts of interest as I can, because the only person who ever pays me is you, and it keeps the focus on good planning and advice instead of on any particular product.

And I wanted to own my time and grow the business in directions a credit union never could, including adding more services for my clients over time, beyond just the basics. Averton Wealth is one person, on purpose. I answer the phone, I do the analysis, and I’m the person you’ll talk to every time.

How I think about a plan

I was an electrical engineer before I became a financial planner, and one of the things engineering teaches you is to look at the whole system before you touch any single part, because in a connected system, the obvious fix in one place can cause a problem somewhere else.

Retirement money works the same way. A Roth conversion, for example, can affect your taxes this year, your Medicare premiums two years from now, how much of your Social Security gets taxed, and what your family eventually inherits. People usually get into trouble when they fix one of those on its own and find out about the others in April.

I firmly believe a financial plan has to make sense to the person living it, and a technically perfect plan you won’t follow is worse than a good one you will. That’s why I also believe in keeping things simple. Your plan shouldn’t be 70 pages of information you’ll never use.

What a plan has to survive

My wife recently asked me to build a small bookshelf for our son’s room. I could have bought one online, but one of the things I knew right away was that he’d eventually use it as a ladder, so I designed it low to the ground, mounted it to the wall, and built it out of maple and walnut to be strong, sturdy, and reliable for when, not if, he climbs it.

A retirement plan needs the same kind of thinking. Almost any plan works if nothing goes wrong, so I spend my time on the cases that could: one of you passing away at 71, a parent needing care for four years, the market dropping 30% right after you retire, or a child needing help you didn’t plan on giving. Some of those you can plan around, and some you can only prepare for, and knowing which is which ahead of time is a big part of what I do.

Background

Outside of work

I’ve lived in the Spokane area almost my whole life. When I have some spare time, a few of my favorite things to do are camping at Priest Lake, hiking Tubs Hill in Coeur d’Alene, snowboarding at 49 Degrees North, and finding good restaurants around town.

Max and his wife Sarah at Snoqualmie Falls
Snoqualmie Falls
Max and his family on the Oregon coast near Florence
Florence, Oregon
Max snowboarding at 49 Degrees North
49 Degrees North

Hiking

My wife, Sarah, and I love finding new trails, anything from one mile to ten, and the hillier the better. Having kids has made it a little bit more of a project.

The Oregon coast

Every year since 2016, we’ve made a trip out to the Oregon coast. I think it’s one of the most beautiful places on earth, and if you’d like recommendations, just ask, because I have plenty.

Snowboarding

I’ve been snowboarding since I was a teenager. The view from the top and the wind on the way down are hard to beat, and I haven’t found a reason to stop yet.

Let’s have a conversation

It’s 30 minutes and free, with no pressure and no pitch, just an honest conversation about where you are and whether I’m the right person to help.

Schedule a free call