Ken Bobadilla

I’ve always had an analytical mind—math came naturally, and managing finances felt intuitive from an early age. But my path to financial advising wasn’t a straight line. I began my career with a science degree from San Diego State University and spent 25 years in the boating and hospitality industry, running a boat rental business and sailing professionally across Hawaii and San Diego.

When I started a family, I wanted a career that allowed me to be more present while still using my problem-solving skills and love for helping people. That’s when I discovered financial planning—it combined the analytical side of finance with the human side of making a difference in people’s lives.

Over the past 27 years, I’ve built deep expertise in estate and retirement planning through roles at firms like MassMutual, LPL, and Epstein & White. My journey has come full circle at Savvy, where I’ve returned to an independent platform that allows me to serve clients the way I believe is best: with transparency, flexibility, and genuine care.

I primarily work with retirees and small business owners—people who have worked hard to build their wealth and want to ensure it supports the next chapter of their lives. Many of my clients are navigating the transition from earning an income to living off their savings, and I help them create sustainable strategies that provide security and confidence. I also work with the next generation—the children of existing clients—helping them establish strong financial foundations early on.

My core areas of expertise include estate planning, retirement planning, and helping small business owners design thoughtful exit strategies. Over the years, I’ve developed a particular strength in estate mediation—helping families navigate complex dynamics and find common ground when planning for the future. I also have deep experience with business transitions, including structuring exits that align with both financial goals and family needs. Additionally, I often assist with the creation and coordination of trusts, including special needs trusts, drawing on both my professional experience and my family’s hands-on involvement in trust management.

I help clients with strategies that bring structure and clarity to complex transitions, whether that’s designing a business exit plan, navigating estate issues, or managing family dynamics around inheritance. A lot of my work involves helping parents plan thoughtfully when they have children with different financial habits, the most common we see are the saver, spender, or “wild card.” My goal is to create estate and transition strategies that protect family wealth while helping preserve relationships and ensuring everyone is cared for in the way that fits their needs.

What sets me apart is my deep experience in estate planning and my hands-on understanding of how trusts and family dynamics really work in practice. My wife manages trusts professionally, so I’ve spent years closely involved in helping families design, implement, and manage estate and special needs trusts that truly align with their wishes. I take a long-term, educational approach—helping clients understand not just how to protect their assets, but also how to enjoy them. My philosophy is simple: encourage people to spend what they’ve earned and pass on what they’ve saved, all in a way that reflects their goals and values.

My favorite part about working with clients is the opportunity to educate—to help them truly understand their options and make informed choices. I enjoy working with clients who are open to learning and value thoughtful planning. Guiding them through what’s possible (and what’s not) creates those “aha” moments that make the work deeply rewarding.

Working with Savvy has been a great fit because of the people—the team is enthusiastic, responsive, and genuinely supportive. They encourage collaboration while giving me the independence to run my practice the way I believe best serves my clients. It’s the perfect balance of freedom and partnership.