James Ulrick
Hello đđ», I'm James Ulrick, a Wealth Manager based in Colorado. While my career in finance began in 2005, my approach has always been different. With a background in Philosophy, I believe my most important job isn't just to manage assets, but to act as a 'wisdom broker', helping you connect your money to what is truly important. I help in guiding business owners, executives, and individuals through complex transitions, whether you are planning a business succession, optimizing equity compensation, or navigating life after a divorce. My favorite part of this work is helping clients build a resilient plan rooted deeply in what matters most to them. I have called Colorado home since 2012. You can often find me, my family and pup hiking the foothills, road cycling, or diving into books and movies.
Lakewood, CO
"Financial confidence doesnât come from reacting to the market, it comes from understanding why you own what you own and having a plan you truly believe in.â
How can I help?
Tax Optimization
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ââInvestment Management
Financial Planning
Personalized wealth management helps our clients protect their assets. We use a holistic approach to financial planning that integrates tax strategy, trust & estate planning, and risk management.
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We actively research alternative investment opportunities and monitor your portfolio investment holdings, bringing together actionable insights and forward-thinking risk assessments.
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Get to know James
James is a financial advisor with nearly two decades of experience helping individuals, families, and business owners navigate complex financial decisions with clarity and confidence. His career began in 2005, working closely with small business owners to design and manage their company retirement plans. By 2008, he expanded his work to include active traders, but it was the financial crisis that truly reshaped his approach and solidified his purpose.
During that period, James saw something that fundamentally changed him: the clients who weathered the storm most successfully werenât the ones making the most trades, they were the ones who had a deliberate plan and understood why they owned what they owned. That insight became the cornerstone of his philosophy and drives his work to this day: true financial confidence comes from having a resilient, goals-based plan, not from reacting to the markets.
He has called Colorado home since 2012. Outside of work, youâll often find him and his family hiking the foothills, road cycling, or unwinding with a good book or movie, usually with their dog close by.
My journey in this industry began in 2005, working with small business owners to help them set up and run their company retirement plans. In 2008, I expanded my focus to include working with active traders.
Then the financial crisis hit, and it became a defining moment for me. I observed firsthand that the people who weathered that storm most successfully weren't necessarily the most active traders. They were the ones who had a clear, deliberate financial plan and truly understood why they owned what they owned.
That experience fundamentally shaped my 'why.' It ignited my passion for building resilient, goals-based financial plans. It showed me that true financial confidence doesn't come from reacting to the market, but from having a strategy you believe in. That's what Iâve been dedicated to helping my clients build ever since.
My expertise is in creating integrated strategies for the specific challenges my clients face. We don't just focus on one thing; we build a complete plan that addresses how every piece of your financial life works together.
My core areas of expertise include:
For Business Owners & Executives:
Business Succession Planning: Helping you design a roadmap for your company's future and your personal exit.
Company Retirement Plans: Designing and implementing 401(k)s and other qualified plans to serve your business and your employees.
Complex Equity Compensation: Creating a strategy to optimize your Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), Incentive Stock Options (ISOs), and Non-Qualified Stock Options (NSOs) to align with your tax and long-term goals.
For Individuals & Families in Transition:
Retirement Income Planning: Building a durable, tax-efficient plan to help turn your nest egg into a predictable stream of income that lasts.
Wealth Foundation for Professionals: Working with young professionals to help design a solid financial plan for their entire life.
Divorce Financial Strategy: Providing clarity and guidance to help you navigate the financial complexities of divorce and establish your new, independent future.
My clients are typically individuals, families, and business owners who are navigating complex financial decisions and major life transitions.
Business Owners & Executives: I help them design and implement company retirement plans, build comprehensive business succession strategies, and optimize complex equity compensation like RSUs, ISOs, and NSOs.
Individuals in Transition: This includes those nearing retirement who need a durable income plan, young professionals building a foundation for their future, and individuals navigating the financial complexities of a divorce.
In short, I work with clients who have a multi-faceted financial picture and need a strategic partner to help them connect all the pieces
I focus on tax planning and optimization because they are crucial aspects to consider when managing your finances. By strategizing efficient ways to minimize tax liabilities and maximize savings, my clients can plan for the future. Additionally, I also help clients with retirement planning, Investment management, and cash flow planning because they are essential for maintaining a healthy financial balance.
My strategies are built to solve the specific, complex challenges my clients face. We don't just focus on one thing; we build an integrated plan that addresses how every piece of your financial life works together.
My core strategies include:
For Business Owners & Executives:
Business Succession Planning: Designing a roadmap for your company's future and your personal exit.
Company Retirement Plans: Implementing 401(k)s and other qualified plans to serve your business and your employees.
Equity Compensation Strategy: Creating a plan to optimize your Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), Incentive Stock Options (ISOs), and Non-Qualified Stock Options (NSOs) in a tax-efficient way.
For Individuals & Families in Transition:
Retirement Income Planning: Building a durable, tax-efficient plan to turn your nest egg into a predictable stream of income.
Foundation & Growth Planning: Working with young professionals to help build a solid financial plan for their entire life.
Divorce Financial Strategy: Providing clarity and guidance to help you navigate the financial complexities of divorce and establish your new, independent future.
My approach is built on a lesson I learned during the 2008 financial crisis. I saw firsthand how anxiety, that feeling of anticipating the future, can cause us to misplace our fears and become reactive. But I also saw that the people who navigated the storm best were the ones who had a clear plan and understood why they owned what they owned.
My favorite part is watching the anxiety I mentioned earlier get replaced by clarity. Itâs that 'ah-ha' moment when a client, who may have been feeling overwhelmed by a business sale, a complex compensation package, or a major life change, suddenly sees how all the pieces fit together. Helping someone move from a place of uncertainty to a place of confidence, knowing they have a resilient plan that is built around what is truly important to them, is incredibly rewarding. Itâs a privilege to be a partner in that process.
My entire philosophy is built on 'brokering wisdom' and focusing deeply on what's important to my clients. To do that, I need to dedicate my time and energy to them, not to administrative busywork.
Partnering with Savvy is what I believe makes that possible. Savvy's next-gen technology and expert operations team handle the complex, time-consuming back-office, compliance, and trading tasks. This allows me to spend less time working in my business and more time focusing on what I enjoy most: collaborating directly with my clients, helping them build their plans, and navigating their future with clarity.
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