Des Moines, IA
Chris Benda
Hi 👋🏼 I’m Chris. I advise successful individuals and families to move from accomplishment to significance, with clarity, confidence, and a financial plan aligned to what truly matters.
At Benda & Co., we believe success is not the finish line. Many people reach a point where they’ve built wealth and achievement, yet feel a deeper question emerging: What is this all for? We serve as partners in that moment, walking alongside our clients as they define what comes next with intention and purpose. Together, we transform wealth from a static resource into a powerful tool for living well today, while preparing thoughtfully for tomorrow.
Chris
’s team
Savvy Investment Team
Wade Montgomery
Wade is a dedicated financial services professional with more than 12 years of experience across banks, Independent Marketing Organizations (IMO)s, insurance carriers, broker‑dealers, and the investment advisory space. A graduate of Ball State University and holder of the Series 7 and 63 licenses, he brings a broad industry perspective and a strong commitment to operational excellence. Wade is driven by building strong partnerships, maintaining clear and consistent communication, and delivering a high‑quality experience for advisors.
I help clients bring the whole picture together, recognizing what’s possible, realizing what truly matters, and building financial plans that support real life, not just numbers.
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How can I help?
DREAMS INTO ACTIONABLE PLANS
Retirement Planning
Transition into your golden years with confidence. Our goal is to see to it that you’re prepared for the unpredictable. Let us turn your retirement dreams into actionable plans.
PRESERVATION OF YOUR LEGACY
Estate & Trust Planning
We specialize in making the often complex and emotionally charged process of trust and estate planning as seamless as possible ensuring the security and preservation of a client's legacy for future generations.
ESTABLISH YOUR BUSINESS SUCCESSION PLAN
Succession Planning
Building a successful business is an incredible feat, but what happens to your hard-earned legacy when you're ready to step down? We build strategic blueprints to help ensure the continued growth and success of your enterprise.
MINIMIZING YOUR TAX BURDEN
Legacy & Charitable Planning
Whether it’s transferring assets to kids or grandkids, or maximizing your charitable donations, we have the expertise with complex strategies surrounding wealth transfer.
Published Content
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’s published work
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Get to know
Chris
My path to wealth management was shaped by real-world experience long before formal credentials. However, those formal credentials along with over 20 years of experience spearheaded my expertise and proficiency to work with high net worth individuals, families, and institutions.
I am a graduate of Texas Tech University and hold the Certified Investment Management Analyst® certification administered by the Investments and Wealth Institute and taught in conjunction with The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. CIMA certification is the peak international, technical portfolio construction program for investment consultants, financial advisors, and wealth management professionals, and it stands out among other financial certifications for its effective emphasis on the combination of theory and practical application.
In addition, I hold the Certified Private Wealth Advisor® designation taught in conjunction with the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. The CPWA program takes a holistic and multidisciplinary approach that includes a deep dive into sophisticated wealth strategies, estate planning, wealth transfer, behavioral finance, family dynamics, tax management, and legacy planning. CPWA® certified professionals are able to identify and analyze the unique challenges high-net-worth individuals face and understand how to develop specific strategies to minimize taxes, monetize and protect assets, maximize growth, and transfer wealth.
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How did you become a financial advisor?
Before there were portfolios, there were french fries.
Chris’s first career started at 16 behind a McDonald's counter. By 20, he was living with his dad in a $19-a-night motel room in some tiny town at the top of the Texas Panhandle, helping his parents take the biggest risk of their lives—building a restaurant empire from scratch. Fast forward ten years: 8 restaurants, 400 employees, and his parents' dreams realized.
Then it was time to build his own.
Two decades in wealth management later, Chris holds the Certified Investment Management Analyst® certification administered by the Investments & Wealth Institute and taught in conjunction with The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He also holds the Certified Private Wealth Advisor® designation taught in conjunction with the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and he’s a Texas Tech grad. But the real education came from the School of Hard Knocks—the struggles of a small business owner, the weight of decisions that keep you up at night, the satisfaction of watching hard work turn into something meaningful.
As Ray Kroc said: "When you're green, you're growing. When you're ripe, you rot." Chris took that to heart.
What types of clients do you work with?
We primarily work with pre-retirees and retirees who are preparing for—or already navigating—their next chapter of life. Many of our clients are what we call significance seekers: successful individuals and families who have done many of the right things, yet sense there is more ahead.
They are not starting over. They are refining direction. While their lives may look accomplished on paper, they want greater clarity around what is meaningful and how to move forward with confidence and purpose. At Benda & Co., we meet clients at this pivotal moment—helping them clarify what matters most, align their resources accordingly, and step into the next phase of life with intention, confidence, and significance.
What areas of expertise do you have?
We advise on a full array of wealth management solutions. This includes retirement planning, succession planning, asset allocation, portfolio construction, investment policy development, risk management, charitable giving, as well as tax and estate planning.
We focus on integrating technical financial expertise with real-life considerations, helping clients navigate complexity while keeping decisions aligned with their long-term goals and values.
What kinds of strategies do you help clients with?
We help clients align their financial strategies with the life they want to live, today and in the future.
This includes building strategies and plans that are highly integrated into their overall life and legacy plan based upon each client's complex financial matters. Our work is not about one-size-fits-all solutions, but about intentional planning that reflects each client’s priorities
What is your favorite part of working with clients?
What our clients really know us for is putting the financial puzzle together.
Many people see fragments of opportunity but struggle to connect them into a clear picture. We help clients recognize what’s possible and realize what truly matters by integrating financial strategy with personal priorities and long-term vision.
Our process brings clarity, simplifies complexity, and helps clients move from uncertainty to confident decision-making. The result is a financial life that feels intentional, empowering, and aligned with a deeper sense of purpose.
What is it like partnering with Savvy?
We partnered with Savvy because we found a firm that shares our standards and mindset.
Savvy matches our commitment to excellence, thoughtful decision-making, and continuous growth, while also valuing collaboration and the human side of the work. Their platform allows us to focus on what matters most: delivering high-quality advice, building strong client relationships, and doing meaningful work with people we respect.
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Neither Savvy Wealth, nor Savvy Advisors compensates directly for testimonials or endorsements provided herein, by advisers. However advisors may have an indirect financial incentive to provide testimonials.
Chris Benda is an investment adviser representative with Savvy Advisors, Inc. (“Savvy Advisors”). Savvy Advisors is an investment advisor registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Benda & Co. is an independent marketing brand name used by Chris Benda for advertising and marketing purposes only. All advisory services are offered through Savvy Advisors. Savvy Wealth Inc. is the parent company of Savvy Advisors and operates as a technology company. This website may include information about both Savvy Wealth Inc. and Savvy Advisors. Savvy Advisors is an SEC registered investment adviser. Registration does not imply any specific level of skill or training and does not constitute an endorsement of the firm by the Commission. Savvy Advisors may only transact business in those states in which it is registered, or qualifies for an exemption or exclusion from registration requirements. Diversification does not guarantee a profit or protect against loss. For information about Savvy, visit our website: www.SavvyWealth.com . For more information about Savvy’s investment advisory business, please see our Form ADV and Form CRS.