Testimonials

I would like to give my wholehearted and absolute endorsement of Sheila Walker Hartwell. I was referred to Sheila in 2007. As a physician with a 20-year career in Emergency Medicine recovering from a serious illness and as a single mom there were multiple financial issues to explore and consider.

Sheila immediately put me at ease with her professional and focused approach. She was always prepared with a complete mastery of all of my financial and personal information. She helped me navigate through the many complicated decisions I was faced with which had far reaching implications for my financial future. She made what seemed overwhelming quite manageable with her superb skills. We accomplished many milestones together. She interfaces easily with everyone on my team and works like a master conductor integrating all the information into one whole. I can face my future with confidence and ease.

Not only is Sheila an ace financial consultant, but she anticipates all my financial needs with an amazing roster of professionals that I can consult with as needed including lawyers, bookkeepers, and accountants, allowing me to create the perfect seamless team. I have complete confidence in all her referrals.

She was also indispensable in helping my son make the transition from graduating college student to working artist. She has taught him financial literacy and helped him navigate his financial challenges with avoiding the pitfalls. As a mother, her financial advice has been invaluable, giving me priceless peace of mind.

I came to Sheila Walker Hartwell because I needed a better handle on my financial picture going forward.

Sheila’s thorough approach had me looking at all aspects of earning, spending, and protecting assets in areas I had never thought of. Her detailed systems made pulling together a very complicated picture almost painless. The results were easy to understand and actionable.

When you work with Sheila you are positive she is in your corner. She brings to each project her training, commitment to staying current, aptitude for detail and a tone of common sense and practical experience. Because she has nothing to sell I never felt pressure to make decisions or that she had an ulterior motive – very refreshing.

My relationship with Sheila is long lasting and one of trust. You would be hard pressed to find a more competent, action-oriented, non-judgmental financial professional. I highly recommend my financial planner, Sheila Walker Hartwell.

Looking forward to retirement we were searching for someone to help us with the process of putting our finances in order. With knowledge and expertise, Sheila efficiently set out a working plan in this process. Gentle persistence, professional manner, extensive knowledge approachability, and a genuine concern for the big picture has won us over as long time clients…

Upon contemplating remarriage in my mid 70’s, I recognized the need to re-examine my finances: what I had, where it was, and what it was doing. Plus a revision of my will and estate planning with regard to my new marriage. An extra complication was that my wife-to-be was neither a US citizen nor a US resident, creating issues regarding taxation, social security benefits, etc. Realizing that I was finding this daunting, my accountant suggested I contact Sheila.

Sheila quickly took charge; she was a good listener, perceptive, extremely organized, persistent, and often presenting me with alternative solutions to many issues. I have been extremely impressed with her tenacity in the face of some complicated logistical challenges.

I now happily continue to see Sheila once a year for a financial ‘check up.’

I met Sheila through a colleague at work. Sheila came highly recommended. I was told she is someone who cares for her clients and does not look at her bottom-line first, someone who is highly principled and hardworking and most of all believes in empowering women to do their best. That was 16 years ago. Today she is not only my financial planner but my mentor, guide and my friend.

Her approach to problem solving is thorough, logical, calm and caring. She takes time to explain her approach and build consensus with her client prior to taking any steps. For a single person living in New York City, she has provided guidance every step of my life. She helped me buy my first apartment. She is well connected in the industry and has introduced me to a mortgage broker and attorney to complete the apartment purchase.

My family and I consider Sheila a part of our family. She travelled to India to partake in family weddings. She is well travelled and highly intellectual, at the same time she is empathetic to her clients concerns and issues. She is patient and kind in per approach.

I am truly fortunate to have Sheila in my life and cannot thank her enough for her continued support.

Sheila and I met in the late 1990s as financial planning students at New York University’s Center for Finance, Law and Taxation. One of the benefits of having nurtured a relationship with Sheila both professionally and personally over 20 years is that I can rest assured of two things when I refer someone to her for help.

First, she will always place that person’s interests above her own. Sheila is a true fiduciary in a field where conflicts of interest abound. She cares deeply about the people she serves and goes the extra mile to do what’s best for them. Shepherding her clients toward financial well-being is her passion. In addition, I can always rely on Sheila to give clients thoughtful advice. After thoroughly evaluating a
client’s circumstances, she develops an actionable plan with concrete steps designed to transform that client’s aspirations into reality.

When looking for a financial planner, you’re essentially looking for someone whose dedication to ensuring that your particular interests are served is matched by an intellectual command of complex financial matters. Sheila’s practice is just this – a place where ethics and sound judgment meet.

Sheila has been a God-send to us since 2008. First, when my uncle, for whom I was power of attorney, collapsed in Fairfax VA. Sheila guided me in navigating all the financial aspects of caregiving, health insurance, selling property, investing assets, etc., so that I could be there when he needed me to provide him with the best of care.

Second, Sheila very quietly says, ‘I don’t take money under management.’ During a legal crisis we learned first-hand how important that is.

The guidance we receive from Sheila in all financial matters, is in OUR best interests and only OURS…not the best interests of a firm and not contingent on commissions and fees

I have worked with Sheila Walker Hartwell since 2009. I came to her with a list of financial problems – I had just gotten divorced, I had debt issues, the house I co-owned with my ex-wife was underwater, I had a child with special needs, and no real insurance or retirement plan.

Together, we established goals and ideas for the future and I set about realizing them.

Today with Sheila’s expertise and guidance, I am out of debt, have a fully funded emergency savings, insurance and estate planning that protects my kids if anything happens to myself or my ex-wife, and am able to maximize contributions to my 401(k) and Roth retirement funds.  My daughter is now in college and my son starts in the fall.

Sheila has been a partner in shaping my plans and I am grateful for her expertise, and steadying advice.

I have known Sheila Walker Hartwell for over 15 years, and she is the best and most professional financial advisor I have ever met. We have many mutual clients, and I know that having Sheila on my team makes my life much easier. In addition to working so well together, Sheila is a dear friend and I am proud to say so.

Sheila Walker Hartwell is a consummate professional. In addition to having expert technical knowledge of the financial steps that successful people need to take to navigate through the complex waters of life, Sheila has the tact, sensitivity and listening skills that are necessary to help people with issues that many are hesitant to discuss or deal with. I have referred clients to Sheila who are grateful for her expertise, care and methodology, where the clients’ interests always come first.

I first started working with Sheila when I lived in NYC twenty years ago. Sheila’s guidance got me moving in a clear direction with a long range plan and set me up for financial stability and independence.

Today I am married and raising a family in Vermont. Sheila is one of my family’s most trusted advisors with regards to financial planning and because she doesn’t sell products we know her advice is always rooted in what is best for us. We rely on Sheila’s objective and prudent perspective when changes to our financial situation arise and she always provides us with timely, thorough and knowledgeable information. She has assembled an amazing group of professionals that are available to provide services as needed.

During our time working together, my family has bought and sold properties, financed educations, sharpened our savings and spending strategies and looked to the future to anticipate and plan for what’s ahead. We are living our fullest family life with the knowledge that our aspirations are driving our financial decisions and we are grateful for Sheila’s expert services in making that possible.

We recommend Hartwell Planning without hesitation and with great confidence and satisfaction.