Athens, Ga. (August 15, 2023) — Ben Jacobs and Cody Nichelson, two local Athenians and graduates of the University of Georgia, recently opened Fully Financial, a fee-only financial planning and investment management company in Downtown Athens, Georgia.
While there are many financial advisors in the Athens area, there are few who classify as fee-only fiduciaries, required to legally act in their clients’ best interests 100% of the time. Recognizing this lack of choice and accessibility, Jacobs and Nichelson co-founded Fully Financial to help bring fiduciary financial advice to more people in the Athens community.
“We created Fully with the belief that everyone can benefit from comprehensive, personalized, and unbiased financial planning and advice. We love Athens, and we want to focus our efforts on helping more people right here at home by making fee-only financial planning more accessible in our community,” Fully Financial Co-Founder and Director of Operations Cody Nichelson said.
The primary difference between fee-only financial planners — like Fully Financial — and traditional financial advisors is that fee-only planners are paid directly and solely by their clients for financial planning and investment management services.
On the other hand, commission-based and fee-based financial advisors are commonly compensated by third-party companies for investing their clients in specific investment funds or selling their clients specific financial products, like insurance policies.
“Being independent and fee-only allows us to always put our clients’ best interests first — not insurance companies, banks, or investment fund managers. To us, that means taking a look at someone’s entire financial life and making recommendations tailored to their unique needs, situation, and goals — without giving any thought to commission-based incentives or restrictions.” Fully Financial Co-Founder and Financial Planner Ben Jacobs (M.S., CFP®, AIF®, EA) said.
“We aren’t beholden to outside companies, so we aren’t limited to certain products or investment options,” Jacobs said.
Fully Financial provides financial planning to families and individuals in the Athens community. The firm’s all-inclusive services cover a range of topics and areas, including retirement planning, investment portfolio management, cash flow management, debt structuring, tax planning, risk management, net worth protection, education savings and funding, estate planning, and ongoing financial advice.
Fully Financial’s co-founders, Ben Jacobs and Cody Nichelson, arrived in Athens more than a decade ago. Lured to the Classic City by UGA, they fell in love with the community and decided to call Athens their permanent home.
Jacobs, Fully’s co-founder and financial planner, is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, Enrolled Agent with the IRS, and Accredited Investment Fiduciary®. Since graduating from UGA with a master’s degree in financial planning, he’s spent his entire professional career as a fee-only financial planner.
Beyond serving his clients, Jacobs has provided pro bono financial counseling and tax preparation services for families in the Athens community. He also works as a part-time instructor of financial planning at UGA and serves on the board of directors for Athens nonprofit Books for Keeps and the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA).
Nichelson, Fully’s co-founder and director of operations, graduated from UGA’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication with a degree in public relations. For the first seven years of his career, he worked for an independent communications agency in Athens, where he served national, regional, and local brands.
In 2021, Nichelson was drawn to the fee-only financial planning industry because he wanted the opportunity to help improve financial literacy and economic prosperity for more people and families in the Athens community. In addition to his work at Fully, Cody serves as president of the board of directors for Athens Area Habitat for Humanity and in 2023 was named one of Athens Top 10 Under 40 by the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce and Athens Magazine.
Fully Financial is a premier, boutique financial planning and investment management company based in Downtown Athens, Georgia, serving families and individuals locally and across the country. As a fee-only fiduciary, Fully Financial provides comprehensive and personalized financial planning services and ongoing financial advice to its clients, helping them navigate their finances to answer complex questions and achieve their goals. Fully Financial is proudly affiliated with the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA), XY Planning Network, Fee-Only Network, and the Athens Downtown Development Authority. Fully Financial is a Registered Investment Adviser with the State of Georgia.
Fully Financial is a registered investment advisor offering advisory services in the State of Georgia and in other jurisdictions where exempt. This article is provided for educational, general information, and illustration purposes only and does not constitute specific investment advice. Registration with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or any state securities authority does not imply a certain level of skill or training. We encourage you to consult a professional financial planner, accountant, and/or legal counsel for advice specific to your situation.
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