As a Financial Planner, Vanessa Spenard conducts in-depth reviews of clients’ financial statements, estate planning documents, tax returns, trust agreements, business entity structures, insurance policies, and investment portfolios to build a complete picture of each client’s planning framework. From there, she identifies planning opportunities, uncovers gaps or inconsistencies, and develops customized strategies that align a client’s financial resources with their personal, family, philanthropic, and business objectives, evaluating everything from estate tax exposure to business succession planning to charitable giving opportunities.
With 14 years of experience in wealth management, Vanessa has built her career around comprehensive financial planning for high-net-worth individuals, families, and business owners. As a CFP professional, she has developed expertise in weaving investment management, retirement planning, estate planning, tax strategy, insurance analysis, and business succession planning into a single cohesive plan rather than treating each piece in isolation. Earlier in her career, she served as a Wealth Advisor providing holistic financial planning and investment guidance, and she played a key role in building and expanding retirement plan services for business clients, including evaluating and improving 401(k) and qualified retirement plans and educating plan participants along the way.
Vanessa believes great financial planning starts with listening. Every client carries a different set of priorities, values, and concerns. She builds each plan around those specifics rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach. Vanessa also sees execution as just as important as design. A plan only creates value once it’s implemented, monitored, and adjusted as a client’s life and the regulatory landscape change. She works closely with attorneys, CPAs, and other professionals to keep every recommendation coordinated and on track over time.
Colleagues and clients rely on Vanessa to bring clarity and organization to complicated financial situations. Her strength lies in taking a comprehensive view of a client’s financial, legal, tax, and business documents, understanding how each piece connects to the others, and spotting opportunities that might otherwise go unnoticed. She is known for translating complex planning and legal concepts into language clients can use, an approach shaped by her passion for helping people understand exactly how their decisions connect to their retirement goals.
Vanessa lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, where she can usually be found cheering on her son and daughter at gymnastics, swimming, soccer, lacrosse, flag football, and whatever season is next. She is an avid reader who enjoys hiking with her family and staying involved in her church community.