Description of Advisory Firm Flow Financial Planning, LLC is registered as an Investment Adviser with the States of Washington, California, New York and Texas. We were founded in 2016. Margaret Helen Bartelt is the principal owner of Flow. Assets Under Management are $57,103,376 as of December 31, 2022. Types of Advisory Services Annual Advisory Services—Comprehensive Wealth Management Flow provides comprehensive wealth management services for a flat annual fee. Clients will have regularly scheduled meetings through the term of the engagement, depending on their individual situation. In addition to scheduled meetings, additional face-to-face, email, and/or phone consultations are included at no extra charge. The client and Flow jointly review the client’s goals and values around money, net worth, cash flow, insurance, employee benefits, retirement planning, insurance, investments, etc. (full list below). Flow then does a comprehensive analysis of the 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 financial planning is that through the financial planning 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. Clients purchasing this service will receive a written or an electronic report, providing the client with an overview of their current financial condition, as an assessment of their risks and opportunities, their current goals, and Flow’s recommendations for achieving their goals and mitigating their risks. Clients get continuous access to a planner who will help the client implement recommendations, monitor the plan, make additional recommendations as previous recommendations are implemented, reach out for regular client meetings, adapt the plan to changing circumstances in the client’s life, recommend changes when necessary, and ensure the plan is up to date. The client is expected to inform Flow when changes or concerns arise and to provide necessary documents and data for Flow to use in our analysis. Clients might have changes or concerns in any of the areas enumerated below, as were covered in the initial analysis. Flow will review the new information in the context of the existing plan and share our findings, analysis and potential recommendations with the client. Clients subscribing to this service will receive a written or an electronic report for each issue after we work through it. The plan and the client’s financial situation and goals will be monitored throughout the year and follow-up phone calls and emails will be made to the client to confirm that any agreed upon action steps have been carried out. On an annual basis there will be a full review of this plan to ensure its accuracy and ongoing appropriateness. Any needed updates will be implemented at that time. As part of the Annual Advisory Service, Flow provides discretionary investment advisory services. With discretionary authority, Flow is given the authority to conduct trades in a client’s account and give instructions to the account’s custodian, without prior consent of the client. For any assets under advisement, not management, the Adviser will review and recommend changes annually. Investment advisory services may involve developing an asset allocation strategy to meet clients’ financial goals and risk tolerance, providing information on investment vehicles and strategies, and reviewing company stock ownership. The strategies and types of investments we may recommend are further discussed in Item 8 of this brochure. Account supervision is guided by the stated objectives of the client (for example, capital appreciation or capital preservation), as well as tax considerations. Clients may impose reasonable restrictions on investing in certain securities, types of securities, or industry sectors. Flow recommends both mutual funds and exchange-traded funds. The recommended mutual funds are no-load funds. Flow’s services in these engagements can also include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Cash Flow 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 loans to pay off first based on factors such as the interest rate of the loan 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 Planning: 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, as is a review of your financial picture as it relates to eligibility for financial aid or the best way to contribute to 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. 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.
• 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.
• 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 can 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: Review of existing policies to ensure proper coverage for life, health, disability, long-term care, liability, home and automobile.
• 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 to adversely alter spending 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 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 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 strategy, 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.
• Real Estate Planning Strategies: Clients can have a significant portion of their net worth tied up in real estate, especially their primary residence, and especially in high-cost-of- living areas. Our analysis and advice will focus on the role that real estate (both residence and rental) plays in your total financial picture and how to best balance the risks and potential rewards of real estate ownership with those of your investment portfolio and the rest of your financial picture. Specific analyses may include refinancing, the “should I pay off my mortgage faster or invest more” question, and leveraging high home values when making plans for the future. Conflict of Interest: A conflict exists between the interests of Flow and the interests of the client. The client is under no obligation to act upon the investment adviser's recommendation, and if the client elects to act on any of the recommendations, the client is under no obligation to effect the transaction through the investment adviser. Investment Advisory Services (Outside Managers & Sub-Advisers) For some clients, we offer investment advisory services through use of third-party money managers (“Outside Managers” and “Sub-Advisers) for portfolio management services. We assist clients in selecting an appropriate allocation model, completing the Outside Manager’s investor profile questionnaire, interacting with the Outside Manager and reviewing the Outside Manager. Our review process and analysis of outside managers is further discussed in Item 8 of this Form ADV Part 2A. Additionally, we will meet with the client on a periodic basis to discuss changes in their personal or financial situation, suitability, and any new or revised restrictions to be applied to the account. Fees pertaining to this service are outlined in Item 5 of this brochure. One-Time Comprehensive Financial Plan The client and Flow jointly review the client’s goals and values around money, net worth, cash flow, insurance, employee benefits, retirement planning, investments, etc. Flow then does a comprehensive analysis of the 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 financial planning is that through the financial planning 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. Clients purchasing this service will receive a written or electronic report, providing the client with a detailed financial plan designed to achieve the client’s stated financial goals. The client is expected to inform Flow when changes or concerns arise and to provide necessary documents and data for Flow to use in our analysis. No follow-up advice is provided in a One-Time Comprehensive Financial Plan engagement following the completion of the project. No investment management services are provided in such an engagement. Clients are solely responsible for implementing any recommendations made by Flow. Clients are not obligated to implement any recommendations through Flow. In general, the financial plan will address any or all of the areas of concern enumerated above in the Annual Advisory Services. The client and advisor will work together to select the specific areas to cover. Conflict of Interest: A conflict exists between the interests of Flow and the interests of the client. The client is under no obligation to act upon the investment adviser's recommendation, and if the client elects to act on any of the recommendations, the client is under no obligation to affect the transaction through the investment adviser. Webinars Flow provides occasional webinars for various “host organizations.” Topics may include issues related to job offers, stock compensation, investing basics, employee benefits choices, or retirement strategies. Our webinars are educational in nature and do not involve the sale of insurance or investment products. Information presented will not be based on any one person’s need nor do we provide individualized investment advice to attendees during our general sessions. Speaking Engagements We perform speaking engagements for groups desiring general advice on personal finance and investing. Topics may include issues related to investing, stock compensation, employee benefits choices, or retirement strategies. Our speaking engagements are educational in nature and do not involve the sale of insurance or investment products. Information presented will not be based on any one person’s need nor do we provide individualized investment advice to attendees during our general sessions. Client Tailored Services and Client Imposed Restrictions We offer the same suite of services to all of our clients. However, specific client financial plans and their implementation are dependent upon the client Investment Policy Statement and Risk tolerance questionnaire. The IPS 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. Wrap Fee Programs We do not participate in wrap fee programs.