David Barta, CFA, CFP®
Financial Planner
The Hour
- Ask a financial advisor anything about investing in one hour
- No commissions, products, or sales pitch
The Plan
- An 8 week program to achieve a strategic plan for your financial life
- Get an 8+ page financial plan
- $0 due now, pay after your 1st meeting
The Ongoing
- Ongoing support and accountability when you need it
- Quarterly video calls & unlimited emails
- Annual 2 page financial checkup
About David
Bio
Hi, I'm David! I've had three careers — airlines, finance firms, and fintech startups — but what I love most is the moment a financial plan actually changes someone's life. I've seen how one ill-informed decision can unravel decades of hard work, but also how a single hour can radically change the trajectory of a family. That's what drives me. If your situation involves complex equity, private investments, or complex life, being an expat, let's talk. I always explain the why — you deserve to understand the plan you're executing. I've also been living the expat life in Europe for two years now — best decision we ever made!
I Can Help You With
I Enjoy Working With
Personal Stuff
I once went to the ER for ramen-related reasons and I stand by my choices. We adopted a cat and later discovered it was born on our wedding day. You can watch my old band play at the Times Square Hard Rock Cafe on YouTube. My wife says I think I'm funnier than I am. I have lived in Minneapolis, Phoenix, L.A., Orange County, Monterey, Augusta, Valencia (Spain), and Ljubljana (Slovenia). I enjoy lightsaber battles with my 4-year-old. My wife will probably not let me buy a drumset again.
Education & Designations
Experience
Reviews
Clients say
Reviewers mention
- Expat Finances
- Cross Border Finance
- Tax Planning
- Investment Planning
- Portfolio Analysis
- Retirement Planning
- FIRE Planning
- Portfolio Construction
- Asset Allocation
- Tax Optimization
- Withdrawal Sequencing
- Estate Planning
- Knowledgeable
- Thorough
- Well Prepared
- Clear
- Action Oriented
- Friendly
- Patient
- Approachable
- Thoughtful
- Detailed
- Efficient
- Responsive
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Excellent experience, David is extremely knowle...
Excellent experience, David is extremely knowledgable on expat taxes and investing , I came in with a list of technical questions for DIY investing, and all were answered robustly- with additional insights - was well worth the cost for one hour.
David was very helpful doing a portfolio review...
David was very helpful doing a portfolio review and FIRE strategy planning. Extremely detailed follow up notes and action items.
Highly recommend!
David is wonderful to work with. He goes in depth on anything you are focused on, is incredibly savvy, and is simply lovely to talk to!
The Best!
I can't say enough about David. Not only did he put together a comprehensive plan for me and my family but he made it very enjoyable.
Detailed & Efficient Financial Planning Advice
We came to David with a lot of questions about our finances and plans for the future, and he was able to fit all of his insights and answers into an efficient one-hour session, including follow-up notes. We delivered a large volume of detailed info and documentation about our finances and he was able to comb through it all in advance to come fully prepared for our session. Even before we booked our call with David, he was very thoughtful, detailed and efficient in his email communications.
Thorough, conscientious and strategic
I loved working with David and highly recommend him! I initially chose him because he was an expat and I was considering becoming one. His knowledge was extremely helpful in that regard. He even looked into some of the foreign laws and incorporated that into his analysis, which I didn’t expect. His plan for me was very thorough and he answered every question I asked, in detail. I truly feel like I’m now set up for long-term retirement success! If you’re considering doing The Plan, work with David. You’ll be happy you did.
Thorough, Thoughtful, and Personalized Guidance
I had the opportunity to work with David for two financial planning sessions and had a very positive experience. What stood out was how thorough and well prepared he was. He asked thoughtful questions ahead of our meetings, came prepared with an understanding of my situation, and used our time efficiently for discussion rather than gathering basic information. His detailed follow-up notes were also extremely helpful. More importantly, I felt that David understood my overall financial picture and what I was trying to accomplish. He explained his recommendations clearly and helped bring clarity to several questions I had. David is also very approachable, friendly, and open to questions. I would highly recommend David to anyone looking for thoughtful financial planning and a clear strategy for their financial goals.
Fabulous and focused one-hour session
David was fantastic and we enthusiastically recommend working with him! We feel much more grounded in our financial picture after our meeting and are grateful for his streamlined, easy to follow guidance. Our main goals were to get help 1) moving from a brokered to self-managed account (including how to sell individual stocks in taxable account with the least dramatic tax implications), and 2) get a sense of our present diversification, and 3) discuss the possibility of Coast FIRE. David helped us get all our documents in order before the meeting so we could spend the hour efficiently moving through each of these aims. Then he followed up with a detailed and easy to follow plan of action, and has quickly responded to any points needing clarification. We couldn't recommend him enough! Will rebook in a heartbeat as soon as we have an hours-worth of financial questions again :)
100% Recommend - Expert advice and well prepared
David was recommended to me by a friend and I met with him this week for the first time. I was very impressed that, several days prior to our call, he emailed me a specific list of preparation questions that were geared specifically toward my questions. Thus, he arrived fully prepared and we were able to jump right in. I was also impressed with the speed at which he understood my goals and offered fast, honest and accurate responses. One day post-call I received a comprehensive follow up email, covering everything we discussed. Looking back, he saved me from at least one serious error that I didn't even realize I was making, offered me expert advice on all of my questions, and recommended several ways to improve my plan. All in all, I was very impressed.
Knowledgeable, helpful and overall good human.
Working with David has been a wonderful experience. I had a general idea of my financial direction yet David was able to point out some areas I had not considered as ways to diversify further, better supporting my long-term goals. He prepared ahead of time, provided notes after our call, and gave me follow-up "homework" via email. I had not found a good fit for financial advice previously as I kept ending up with non-fiduciary advisors. I now feel I have found my "fit." Many thanks, David. See you again soon!
Frequently Asked Questions
The Hour: You'll fill out a short intake form so we can learn about you and your goals for our meeting! In your Nectarine account, you can also enter your personal financial information (net worth and budget details) as well as upload files to your Secure File Vault. We also recommend that you have any necessary account login information ready.
The Plan and The Ongoing: You'll get access to a financial planning portal where you can share your numbers, link your accounts, and upload the requested documents (we'll share a list).
The Hour: Yes, you will receive an email summary with important takeaways and resources so you'll know what to do next.
The Plan: Yes, you will receive a 8+ page roadmap on your full financial picture with detailed information on the next steps. Your advisor will be available to help you implement any items.