Stillwater financial insights

Thoughtful guidance on financial planning, retirement, and stewardship - written to help you make informed, confident decisions about your financial life.

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The 5 Biggest Retirement Planning Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

Most retirement mistakes don’t come from poor investing - they come from small gaps in clarity. Learn the five most common missteps retirees make and how thoughtful, fiduciary financial planning can help you avoid them.
Christian Harris, CFP®, CKA®
October 13, 2025

THE JOURNEY TO STILLWATER How I Got Here

My story with financial planning started earlier than most - my dad is a financial advisor, and I grew up around the business. But like a lot of kids, I had dreams of setting my own course.

After college, I worked at a marketing agency, spent time overseas, and eventually served on staff with Young Life. Ministry taught me the value of walking with people through the ups and downs of life. I loved that work - and I started to realize I wanted to find a career where I could keep helping people in meaningful, practical ways.

That’s what led me to financial planning.

I went back to school, earned my MBA and became a CFP®. After working at a major investment firm, I joined a high-end private family office, where I got to work closely with attorneys, CPAs, and clients on everything from tax and estate planning to charitable giving.

Both experiences were valuable - but they also exposed two ends of a spectrum. One was too templated and sales-focused. The other was custom and thoughtful, but only accessible to a very small, very wealthy group.

I wanted to serve real people - families in transition, professionals navigating complexity, couples trying to be wise stewards of what they’ve built. So I started Stillwater Financial Planning.

Next Steps

Let’s Have a Conversation

You don’t have to figure this out on your own. If you’re looking for financial guidance that’s personal, clear, and grounded in what matters most - I’d be honored to connect.

Let’s talk about where you are, where you want to go, and how to build a plan that gets you there with peace and confidence.

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No pressure. Just honest, helpful guidance.