Most financial advice is built around a default life plan — and it quietly breaks down when you've opted out of that script. Cory Smith is a fee-only financial life planner and founder of Discretionary Inc. in Reno, Nevada, where he works exclusively with childfree individuals, couples, and business owners who want their finances to support the life they actually want — not the one they were expected to want.

In this episode, we get into his core concept of discretion: the freedom to determine your own best course of action. We talk about what changes in planning when there are no assumed heirs, why longevity and support structures deserve more attention in this space, and how he works backward from a client's vision to build a financial framework around it.

Cory also shares the path that shaped his philosophy — from commission-driven environments and door knocking at Edward Jones to the fee-only model — and how he integrates George Kinder's Real Life Planning process into a modern client experience, including a concurrent planning approach that delivers early wins while the deeper work unfolds.

We also cover what's working in his business today: partnerships, community building, and using short-form and long-form content to reach people who are quietly rewriting the rules.

If you're interested in values-based planning and building a life on your own terms, this one's worth your time.

Cory's Social and Website

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dincwithcory/

https://www.discretionaryinc.com/