Tyler Weerden, CFE
Financial Planner & Founder
Tyler Weerden is a financial planner and the owner of Layered Financial, a Registered Investment Advisory firm. In addition to being a financial planner, Tyler is a full-time federal agent with 14 years of law enforcement experience. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree, a Master of Science degree, passed the Series 65 exam, and is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE). Tyler is the sole Investment Adviser Representative at Layered Financial.
Prior to becoming a federal agent, Tyler served as a state trooper, local police officer, and was a member of the U.S. Army National Guard. He has served in both domestic and overseas Foreign Service assignments. Tyler has experience with local, state, and federal pension systems, 457(b) Deferred Compensation, the federal Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs), Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), and various investment options to include rental real estate.
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Find answers to FAQs and tools from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), and the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) on the due diligence page.
See his basic wealth philosophy below.
For more on his qualifications click here.
To see what he is not, click here.
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My Wealth Philosophy
This Isn't Magic
Passive, Low-Cost Funds
Asset Allocation
Nothing about investing or building wealth is truly difficult. I’ll admit, some topics can be overwhelming at first, but it’s nothing that you can’t handle with some guidance. People who try to convince you that this stuff is too difficult may be trying to sell you a product solution that only they can provide.
I’m not smart enough to consistently pick winning stocks and beat the market. Could I get lucky a few times? Maybe. Should we build a financial future based on luck? Absolutely not. I believe in using passive, low-cost, tax-efficient mutual funds/ETFs. I use these for my own personal investing.
I recommend various investments, held in different types of accounts to match your unique goals and personal situation. Asset allocation and asset location are two of the key tasks we’ll tackle together. We’ll explore your risk tolerance, risk capacity, tax bracket, time horizon, family situation, values, and goals before structuring your portfolio.
Individual Stock Picking
Diversification
Time in the Market
I don’t believe that individual stock picking is the best path to financial success for the vast majority of people. This doesn't mean that I think it's horrible and should never be done. I just don't recommend this as a primary strategy. If you truly enjoy picking stocks, we can create a plan that still incorporates this.
This is a simple one. I don’t put all my eggs in one basket and recommend that you don't either. We can diversify through passive means or more active if you'd like. If you want to explore more active options such as rental real estate, that's something I can help you with. We can't avoid all risk, but diversification helps us spread that risk out.
I am not a market timer. I’m not smart enough to predict exactly when the market is at a peak or has reached the bottom. I don’t believe that we can consistently guess right, twice. I also know that we run the risk of missing out on the best returns during a market recovery if we’re sitting on the sidelines. One of our best assets is time - don't work against yourself by reducing your time in the market.
Simplicity
Building wealth and reaching financial freedom does not have to be overly complex. Some people approach investing with the mindset that complexity means they're doing something smart. I personally like to have only the number of accounts that I need, with a handful of investments that match my risk profile, goals, and personal situation. I don't buy complicated insurance products that have an investment feature and I don't invest in things that I can't simply explain.
Your Net Worth is Not Your Value
Yes, parts of your plan will cover cash flow, future income projections, asset values, tax savings, and other typical finance topics. However, this does not define, “how you’re doing.” How you’re doing is answered by looking at two things: (1) What do you want your life to look like? (2) Are you on track to get there? This isn't just financial. Your physical and mental health will always play a role in your financial health. The goal isn’t to die rich, it’s to live a rich fulfilling life that gives you purpose. Money just happens to be one of the tools that can help you get where you want to be.
More Than Math
There may be decisions that you want to make that don’t make perfect sense on a spreadsheet, and that’s okay. All too often I see people unnecessarily pounced on for suggesting that they're considering making extra mortgage payments. With a 2% mortgage, does this always make the most spreadsheet sense? Maybe not. Are there a lot of other variables to consider? Yes! And that’s why the action items in your plan will reflect more than math.
Life's decisions shouldn't be reduced to number crunching.
What I am Not.
Insurance Agent
We will talk about life insurance, disability insurance, long-term care insurance, and other types of insurance that you may want to consider.
However, I have no insurance licenses and don't sell any insurance products.
Accountant
We will cover tax-efficient investing strategies, Roth vs. traditional, Roth conversions, asset location, and other tax-related topics.
However, I am not a CPA. I do not file taxes, communicate with the IRS on your behalf, or give tax advice.
Lawyer
We will discuss various estate planning documents and some different methods that you may want to use to protect your assets.
However, I will not be creating estate documents or giving legal advice.
Build Your Team!
Let me guess. You're Type A, a perfectionist, and
tend to believe that if you want something done
right, you should do it yourself. Sound familiar?
Good news. As someone who also fits that description, I'm here to tell you that you don't have to do everything on your own. Having a trustworthy financial planner, insurance agent, attorney, and accountant can save you a lot of time, money, and stress.
I believe these are things worth paying for.
If you think we're a match, I'd love to be on your team.