Clark Financial Planning

Mark Clark, Cathy Clark's son, serves as Chief Investment Officer and heads the asset-allocation committee. The firm's investment policy is reviewed quarterly by a three-person committee that includes Cathy Clark and a senior advisor. No single person dictates moves; the committee votes on shifts after reviewing third-party research from Morningstar and BlackRock (per the firm's ADV, 2022).

The firm does not engage in venture capital or private equity through a fund structure. However, it sources direct real estate deals—mostly medical office buildings and multifamily—through its network of long-standing client relationships and local brokerages in Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia. Deals are offered to subsets of accredited clients on a case-by-case basis (per Birmingham Business Journal, 2020).

It is structured as a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, operating as a multi-family office. Cathy Clark is the sole owner through Clark Wealth Management LLC. The firm does not operate as a single-family office and serves roughly 800 unrelated client households (per SEC ADV filing, 2022).

The firm allocates client assets to both public mutual funds/ETFs and direct real estate investments. It does not commit to traditional private equity or hedge fund vehicles on behalf of clients. The 'direct' label applies to real estate syndications and private credit notes that the firm evaluates and recommends individually (per the firm's ADV, 2022).

The firm does not invest in venture-stage or early-stage companies. Its focus is on publicly traded equities and fixed-income instruments, with selective exposure to private credit (floating-rate notes, direct lending to mid-size Southeast companies) and stabilized real estate. The typical investment horizon is 5 to 10 years, matching client retirement timelines (per the firm's investment policy, 2022).

The firm does not invest in cryptocurrencies, commodities, or derivatives for speculative purposes. It also avoids early-stage venture capital, biopharma research, and any asset class involving leverage beyond margin accounts. The stated rationale is to preserve capital and minimize complexity for client portfolios (per the firm's ADV, 2022).

Clark Wealth Management LLC is the legal entity registered with state and federal regulators, operating under the trade name 'Clark Financial Planning.' There are no separate entities, subsidiaries, or affiliated companies. Cathy Clark is the sole principal of both the legal entity and the trade name (per SEC ADV filing, 2022).