Why Work With Me?
The Short Version: I Left Wall Street to Work for You
I’m Paul Howard, a Registered Investment Advisor in Camas, WA. I’ve spent 30+ years in financial services, from Wall Street to government retirement systems to teaching financial planning at UC Davis.
I could still be working for a big firm, managing accounts for wealthy clients and collecting commissions. Instead, I built something smaller, more honest, and more personal, because I believe ordinary people deserve the same quality of financial guidance that wealthy people have always had access to.
Professional Experience & Financial Expertise
EF Hutton — Wall Street
I started my career at EF Hutton, one of the most recognized names on Wall Street. I specialized in retirement investments, tax-advantaged strategies, trust portfolios, and nonprofit endowments. I learned the financial industry from the inside, and eventually decided it needed to work better for everyday people.
Government Retirement Systems
I managed public-sector employee compensation, benefits, and municipal retirement plans, working directly with the people most firms ignore: firefighters, police officers, health services workers, and other civil servants planning for retirement on modest incomes.
UC Davis — Faculty
I taught in the Financial Planning program at UC Davis before retiring from academia at 55. Teaching reinforced something I already believed: financial knowledge shouldn’t be a luxury.
Education & Credentials
Sacramento State University & UC Davis. Credentialed in Economics and Personal Financial Planning.
Why I Founded PNW Prosperity & Wealth Management
After my wife retired from teaching, we spent years traveling the country. Everywhere we went, I saw the same two things:
- Big-name Wall Street firms that only opened their doors to the wealthy
- Strip mall shops that can charge up to 8.5% of your initial investment—upfront! That won’t happen with me. https://www.finra.org/rules-guidance/rulebooks/finra-rules/2341
Regular people were being underserved, or worse, taken advantage of. That bothered me enough that when we settled in Camas, WA, I came out of retirement to do something about it.
PNW Prosperity & Wealth Management exists to give working families, retirees, small business owners, and everyday folks access to the same level of financial guidance once reserved for the wealthy at a price they can actually afford.
What Fiduciary Actually Means
You’ve probably heard the word. Here’s what it means in plain language:
As a fiduciary, I am legally and ethically required to act in your best interest, not mine, not a product company’s, not anyone else’s. If I ever can’t help you, I’ll tell you that and point you toward someone who can.
Most financial advisors you meet are NOT fiduciaries. They operate under a lower standard called the “suitability standard,” which allows them to recommend products that are merely “good enough,” even if those products pay them a commission.
What that means for you: When I make a recommendation, it’s because it’s right for your situation.
Fee-Only:
How My Structure Protects You
- I never get paid by a product company for recommending something to you. No commissions.
- No account maintenance charges, no onboarding fees, no fine print. No hidden fees.
- I work with people regardless of how much they have. No minimums.
- Before we start, you’ll know exactly what you’re paying for. No surprises.
You pay me directly. That’s it. Which means every piece of advice I give you is working in your direction, not mine.
What You Actually Get
I keep my overhead low and work alone. No big office, no sales team, no corporate layers passing your account around. What that means for you:
- You always work directly with me, Paul Howard, not an associate or a call center
- 30+ years of experience applied directly to your situation
- Boutique-level financial guidance at a fraction of what traditional firms charge
My Record Is Public
Every registered investment advisor has a permanent record in a federal database. Mine shows registration status, any client complaints, disciplinary actions, and civil litigation history.
I’m proud to say: after 30+ years, my record is completely clean.
Paul K. Howard — CRD# 1297171
Search my record at: adviserinfo.sec.gov