Description of Advisory Firm Fortress Wealth Planning LLCis registered as an Investment Adviser with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). We were founded in January 2017. Eileen Ortega, Michael Skowfoe, Jim Williams, and Jay Rolfe are the principal owners of FWP. FWP currently reports $402,640,934in discretionary and $7,128,788in non-discretionary Assets Under Management as of December 31, 2023.
Types of Advisory Services Comprehensive Financial Life Management Our Comprehensive Financial Life Management service includes investment management services and ongoing comprehensive financial planning. This service involves working with a financial planner and support team over the life of the relationship. The plan will be updated as the lives of the clients change.
Investment Management We are in the business of managing individually tailored investment portfolios. Our firm provides continuous advice to a Client regarding the investment of Client funds based on the individual needs of the Client. Through personal discussions in which goals and objectives based on a Client's particular circumstances are established, we develop a Client's personal investment policy or an investment plan with an asset allocation target and create and manage a portfolio based on that policy and allocation targets. We will also review and discuss a Client’s prior investment history, as well as family composition and background.
Account supervision is guided by the stated objectives of the Client’s Financial Plan as well as tax considerations.
Clients may impose reasonable restrictions on investing in certain securities, types of securities, or industry sectors. Fees pertaining to this service are outlined in Item 5 of this brochure.
Pontera Solutions, Inc.
In cases where the Client chooses to have FWP advise on assets that are not held at a qualified custodian in which FWP has an advisory relationship (See Item 12 of this Brochure) referred to as “held-away accounts,” FWP is able to provide investment management services of those held-away accounts through a third-party order management system, Pontera Solutions, Inc (“Pontera”). These held-away accounts include 401(k) accounts, 529 plans, variable annuities, and other similar accounts.
Access to held-away accounts is achieved by the Client giving permission via a provided link through Pontera for the Advisor to make asset allocation changes via the Client’s online login credentials. These online credentials are never made available to, held or stored by FWP. Access is restricted and Advisor will only have permissions to make changes to the allocation of funds or other securities in the account and will not at any time be able to adjust, add to or subtract from investment options, or any other plan policies or fees assessed by the plan or the fund providers, access the financial assets in the account, make deposits, withdrawals or distributions. These assets will be monitored using third party account aggregation software where the account values and holdings are transmitted and viewed from the account aggregation software. These assets are included in calculating the total assets under management when assessing the annual advisory fee.
Ongoing Comprehensive Financial Planning A Client will be taken through our process to establish their goals and values. They will provide information to help complete the following areas of analysis: net worth, cash flow, insurance, credit scores/reports, employee benefits, retirement planning, insurance, investments, college planning, and estate planning. The information shared will be used to create the Financial Life Management Plan, which will be used as a roadmap to align the goals with the resources available. Gaps will be identified, and steps outlined to address any shortfalls within the plan. Goals and Issues will be prioritized and worked on by the client and Financial Planner until each are resolved or attained. While the values of the clients will likely remain static, the goals will be changing as their lives evolve. The plan will be reviewed with the client at least annually to ensure it reflects the most current goals and financial information. Clients will receive a copy of the Plan each time updates have been made.
Financial Life Management involves an evaluation of a Client's current and future financial state by using currently known variables to predict future cash flows, asset values, and withdrawal plans. The key defining aspect of this planning is that through the process, all questions, information, and analysis will be considered as they affect and are affected by the entire financial and life situation of the Client.
In general, the Financial Life Management Plan will address any or all of the following areas of concern. The Client and advisor will work together to select specific areas to cover. These areas may include, but are not limited to, the following: Business Planning: We provide consulting services for Clients who currently operate their own business, are considering starting a business, or are planning for an exit from their current business. Under this type of engagement, we work with you to assess your current situation, identify your objectives, and develop a plan aimed at achieving your goals.
Cash Flow and Debt Management: We will conduct a review of your income and expenses to determine your current surplus or deficit along with advice on prioritizing how any surplus should be used or how to reduce expenses if they exceed your income. Advice may also be provided on which debts to pay off first based on factors such as the interest rate of the debt and any income tax ramifications. We may also recommend what we believe to be an appropriate cash reserve that should be considered for emergencies and other financial goals, along with a review of accounts (such as money market funds) for such reserves, plus strategies to save desired amounts.
College Savings: Includes projecting the amount that will be needed to achieve college or other post-secondary education funding goals, along with advice on ways for you to save the desired amount.
Recommendations as to savings strategies are included, and, if needed, we will review your financial picture as it relates to eligibility for financial aid or the best way to contribute to education for grandchildren (if appropriate).
Employee Benefits Optimization: We will provide review and analysis as to whether you, as an employee, are taking the maximum advantage possible of your employee benefits, including stock options. If you are a business owner, we will consider and/or recommend the various benefit programs that can be structured to meet both business and personal retirement goals.
Estate Planning: This usually includes an analysis of your exposure to estate taxes and your current estate plan, which may include whether you have a will, powers of attorney, trusts, and other related documents. Our advice will provide specific recommendations on how to structure a plan that aligns with the values and goals you have for your family,

making sure that your wishes will be carried out as you intend. In addition, the guidance will include ways for you to minimize or avoid future estate taxes by implementing appropriate estate planning strategies such as the use of applicable trusts. We always recommend that you consult with a qualified attorney when you initiate, update, or complete estate planning activities. We may provide you with contact information for attorneys who specialize in estate planning when you wish to hire an attorney for such purposes. From time-to-time, we will participate in meetings or phone calls between you and your attorney with your approval or request.
Financial Goals: We will help Clients identify financial goals and develop a plan to reach them. We will identify what you plan to accomplish, what resources you will need to make it happen, how much time you will need to reach the goal, and how much you should budget for your goal.
Insurance: Review of existing policies to ensure proper coverage for life, health, disability, long-term care, liability, home, and automobile.
Investment Analysis: Our firm provides continuous advice to a Client regarding the investment of Client funds based on the individual needs of the Client. This may involve developing an asset allocation strategy to meet Clients’ financial goals and risk tolerance, providing information on investment vehicles and strategies, as well as assisting Clients in establishing their own investment account at a selected broker/dealer or custodian. Through personal discussions in which goals and objectives based on a Client's specific circumstances are established, we develop a Client's personal investment plan with an asset allocation target and create and manage a portfolio based on that plan and allocation targets.
Account supervision is guided by the stated objectives of the Client as well as tax considerations. Clients may impose reasonable restrictions on investing in certain securities, types of securities, or industry sectors. The strategies and types of investments we may recommend are further discussed in Item 8 of this brochure.
Retirement Planning: Our retirement planning services typically include projections of your likelihood of achieving your financial goals, typically focusing on financial independence as the primary objective.
For situations where projections show less than the desired results, we may make recommendations, including those that may impact the original projections by adjusting certain variables (e.g., working longer, saving more, spending less, taking more risk with investments).
If you are near retirement or already retired, advice may be given on appropriate distribution strategies to minimize the likelihood of running out of money or having spending adversely altered during your retirement years.
Risk Management: A risk management review includes an analysis of your exposure to major risks that could have a significant adverse impact on your financial picture, such as premature death, disability, property and casualty losses, or the need for long‐term care planning. Advice may be provided on ways to minimize such risks and about weighing the costs of purchasing insurance versus the benefits of doing so and, likewise, the potential cost of not purchasing insurance (“self‐insuring”).
Tax Planning Strategies: Advice may include ways to minimize current and future income and estate taxes as a part of your overall financial planning picture. For example, we may make recommendations on which type of account(s) or specific investments should be owned based in part on their “tax efficiency,” with the consideration that there is always a possibility of future changes to federal, state or local tax laws and rates that may impact your situation.
We recommend that you consult with a qualified tax professional before initiating any tax planning and we may provide you with contact information for accountants or attorneys who specialize in this area if you wish to hire someone for such purposes. We will participate in meetings or phone calls between you and your tax professional with your approval.
Ongoing Comprehensive Financial Planning (Stand-alone Services) We provide our ongoing comprehensive financial planning service as a stand-alone service for those Clients who do not wish to engage us for investment management services. This service is provided as directly above under the ongoing comprehensive financial planning sub-heading on page 4. It does not include investment management services.
Project-Based Financial Planning Service We provide project-based financial planning services on topics such as retirement planning, risk management, college savings, cash flow, debt management, work benefits, and estate and incapacity planning.
Retirement Plan Consulting Our firm provides retirement plan services to employer plan sponsors on an ongoing basis. Generally, such services consist of assisting employer plan sponsors or plan named fiduciaries in establishing, monitoring, and reviewing their company's participant-directed retirement plan. As the needs of the plan sponsor dictate, areas of advising could vary and will be disclosed in the client Agreement.
In providing retirement plan services, our firm does not provide any advisory services with respect to the following types of assets: employer securities, real estate (excluding real estate funds and publicly-traded REITs), participant loans, non-publicly traded securities or assets, other illiquid investments, or brokerage window programs (collectively, “Excluded Assets”).
Certain plans and/or clients that we may provide services to are regulated under the Employee Retirement Income Securities Act of 1974 (“ERISA”). We will provide employee benefit plan services to the plan sponsor and/or fiduciaries as described above for the fees set forth in Item 5 of this brochure. The services we provide are advisory in nature. We are not subject to any disqualifications under Section 411 of ERISA. In performing fiduciary services, we are acting as a fiduciary of the plan as defined in Section 3(21)(A)(ii) under ERISA.
Client Tailored Services and Client Imposed Restrictions We offer the same services to all Clients. However, specific Client financial plans and their implementation are dependent upon the Financial Life Management Plan which outlines each Client’s current situation (income, tax levels, and risk tolerance levels) and is used to construct a Client specific plan to aid in the selection of a portfolio that matches restrictions, needs, and targets.
Clients can specify, within reason, limitations they would like to place on discretionary authority as it pertains to individual securities and/or sectors that will be traded in their account, by notating these items on the executed advisory agreement. Additionally, if in the best interests of the Client, the Client’s assets may be held in a separate, client-directed account.
Wrap Fee Programs We provide a wrap fee program, which is outlined in detail within the Form ADV Part 2A Appendix 1.