Centaur Financial Services - Novato (CA)

S Sm Troy Evans of Ameriprise did a great job pretending to be my "financial planner," when he wanted me to buy his investments, but when they went bad and my financial life was in ruins, he simply stopped working for me. Like some others, I got really lucky with a stock that I had through a work situation. Because I was now a single "at home" mom, raising two children alone, I thought that Troy could manage my assets, which (as he said) were enough to live on for the rest of my life if I planned correctly. I went to Troy hoping to divest myself of some of my "risky" stock and reinvest in a diversified portfolio that would earn me money and keep me safe financially. This didnt happen. In short, Troy took my money, put it in completely risky investments (google Inland American REIT, which I still cant get out of eight years later) and then didnt do another thing for me except sell his bad investments. He lied to me about Inland American, saying I shouldnt worry about the paperwork that said it could be a very long-term investment. When I called him worried about my investments just prior to the crash, he told me it was novice investor jitters and that I should just hold tight. When I called and asked if I should have the kids college money in a 529 plan or some other safer investment tool, he said no, that he thought it would do much better with him. What I didnt know was that Troy wasnt really developing the best financial plan for me. He was developing a financial plan that would make him money. He put me in more risky investments, that did fine for a short time and then dumped my original investment to about 2/3 of its original value. This might have been ok, if I wasnt living off of the money and didnt have kids headed to college, but this wasnt the case. Troy had simply hadnt built the right protections into place. ( Ironically, if I had held on to my "risky" stock instead of investing with Troy, I would have almost tripled my original investment by now and would have no financial concerns.) Even worse, after he lost this chunk of money, Troy just stopped working on my account. He was still charming and personable on the phone, but when I asked for my financial plans, he couldnt find them. When I wanted him to transfer money to a Roth IRA at the end of the year, he couldnt be found. When I wanted him to re-do my financial plan and re-balance my portfolio, he made up one excuse after another about why he couldnt do it. When I called him during ski season, he was always on the slopes. While my financial life was falling apart, he seemed to be doing great. I talked to another friend who had had the same experience with him. What we didnt know then was that he had apparently gotten some business with employees from Genentech and didnt need to bother with his old clients now that he had his next cash cow. Nice guy. If you need your money, dont trust Troy Evans of Ameriprise.

Aida Reznik Colleen at Novato brunch, have been extremely nice and very professional. We financed one car through her few months ago and at the time when we needed to do it again, we had no doubts where to go again. Colleen was quick on answering all the questions, in no time provided the best rates, connected with the dealership and obtained all the necessary documentation to complete the loan. All we had to do is ti show up to sign the paperwork. I’m recommending all my friends and family your bank and Colleen in particular!

Tommy Ryan Lee Just trust these guys. They are good.

Janine Oswalt I recently had the pleasure of working with Brandon. From the moment we met, I could sense his dedication to making a positive impact on the lives of others. What sets Brandon apart is not only his extensive knowledge of financial matters but also his genuine and family-oriented approach. His commitment to educating children about financial literacy is truly commendable, and it reflects his understanding of the importance of instilling these skills from an early age. This speaks volumes about his dedication to building a financially empowered future generation. Brandons friendly and approachable demeanor creates a comfortable environment for learning. His presence is reassuring, making complex financial concepts accessible and easy to understand. He goes above and beyond to ensure his clients feel supported and informed. If you are seeking a knowledgeable, friendly, and family-oriented financial consultant who genuinely cares about your financial well-being, Brandon is the expert to turn to. I highly recommend his services for anyone looking to navigate their financial journey with confidence and empowerment.

Jenny Schultz We switched CPAs in 2019 and part of that switch was getting true expertise to streamline our bookkeeping. After talking with Zane, it was an easy decision to go with Protea. They are very thorough in their attention to detail, a pleasure to work with and have gone above and beyond, even with the "other" tasks that they manage for me. They really are a dream team to work with and have taken so much off of my plate. I am forever grateful for Zane and his team.