Matt Donaghue, CFP®, CLU®, CLTC®, RICP®, NSSA®, AIFA®, PPC®

For me, financial planning has never been simply about numbers. It’s about understanding what matters to you, preparing for what’s ahead, and giving you the knowledge to make more informed financial decisions.

I am a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and Managing Member of Mission Financial Planners, with more than 25 years of experience in financial services. My career has taken me from Wall Street to investment management, insurance, retirement planning, and comprehensive wealth management. That experience has shaped my belief that investments are only one part of a much larger financial picture.

Today, I help individuals and families coordinate retirement income, investments, insurance, tax-efficient strategies, and estate planning. Rather than beginning with a product or portfolio, I believe planning should begin with a conversation: What are you trying to accomplish, what matters to you, and what could stand in the way?

Education is central to that approach. I want you to understand not only what you are doing with your money, but why you are doing it. When people better understand their options, they are better equipped to make thoughtful decisions and stay focused as markets, circumstances, and life change.

That commitment extends beyond my work with clients. I am a member of the Certification for Long-Term Care (CLTC®) Instructor Team, where I teach financial professionals about extended-care planning and how those conversations fit within a broader financial strategy. To me, extended-care planning is not just an insurance conversation. It is about thinking ahead to how a need for care could affect the people you love, your independence, and your financial security.

My work has also been recognized outside Mission Financial Planners. I was featured by Digital Reference among its Best Financial Advisors in San Antonio and in a Member Spotlight by the Association of Financial Educators (AFE), both highlighting my experience, educational approach, and commitment to helping others.

I grew up in rural Minnesota, working plenty of dirty jobs for farmers. I started college, then entered the military to find myself. My military experiences, including leading combat operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom II, changed my life. I learned to focus on what I can control, keep learning, and adapt when circumstances change.

That perspective is part of why I have such a strong interest in Stoic philosophy and lifelong learning. Good decisions rarely come from reacting to every headline, market movement, or unexpected event. I believe in concentrating on what is within your control and keeping short-term uncertainty in perspective while working toward long-term goals.

My life does not revolve around financial planning, and I do not want to suggest that it does. I am a husband and dad, and family is an important part of how I view planning. Like you, I understand that life includes careers, children growing up, changing priorities, unexpected expenses, celebrations, setbacks, and plans that do not always unfold as expected. The purpose of planning is not perfection. It is to help support the life you are living and the people you love.

Outside of work, reading, and Stoicism, I am not built for sitting still. Whether I am logging pre-dawn cardio miles, baking artisanal rye bread, or playing electric guitar and bass, I gravitate toward pursuits that demand effort, rhythm, and focus. I like things with friction, where the result reflects the effort you put into it.

Growing up with hard manual labor and learning discipline in the Army gave me a lasting respect for grit, stamina, and hard work. That is part of why I love heavy metal, vintage rough-edged sci-fi, and history. I even earned a Master of Arts in history because I value the lessons it offers about operational friction, tough choices, and human endurance.

For me, that drive ultimately comes back to family. Staying sharp, pushing through resistance, and demanding substance over fluff are all part of how I try to honor where I came from and give my best to the people I love most.

Whether I am sitting across the table from a family, teaching another financial professional, discussing the markets, or continuing my education, I come back to the same principle: financial planning should give you greater understanding of your choices and a clearer path toward the things that matter most to you, so you can do your best for the people you love.