About Echelon Financial

Remember that our team is always just a phone call away. Toll Free: 1.800.796.5690

About us

Chris Wilbratte has 32 years of experience working with Business owners and entrepreneurs. As a lifelong entrepreneur, he has a unique perspective in the challenges and opportunities that they face. He helps them manage their financial world so they can focus on growing their business and spending time with their families.

In 2013, he and Jim Morano, CPA establish Echelon Financial and Osborn Morano CPAs. The combination of Tax Preparation, Tax Strategy, Bookkeeping, and Wealth Management leverages lowers the level of complexity and time for their business owner clients.

In 1992, after leaving Fidelity Pension Services, Chris founded Quantum Pension Services, which he grew to over 30 representatives serving over 12,000 clients.

Chris received his BBA in Finance and Marketing from The University of Texas at Austin and is a

lifelong Longhorn fan. He has been a guest speaker at The McCombs School of Business Wealth Management program, The UT Systems Office, and Dell Medical School.

In 2004, D Magazine recognized him on the “Top 10 Under 40” list for his achievements as an entrepreneur and for his philanthropic work in the community.

Chris believes in giving back to the community in time, talent, and treasure. In 2018, Chris and his wife established a scholarship at the Canfield Business Honors Program at The McCombs School of Business. He also served on the board of the Good Shepherd Episcopal School and served on the board of The Rise School of Austin for 12 years.

Chris has taken a leadership role in every organization in which he has been affiliated. In business, he served on the board of the Dallas Entrepreneurs Organization. In the nonprofit community, he and his wife chaired the Producers for the Dallas Theatre Center.

Chris, his talented wife, Brooke, and their two children moved to Austin in 2007. When he is not working, Chris spends time traveling with his family. He enjoys reading biographies, historical fiction, and fly fishing.

We’re legally required to put your needs first!

Founded for the benefit of clients, Echelon Financial is an independent Austin-based Registered Investment Advisory Firm.

 

We are committed to putting client interests first and to stewarding both wealth and wellbeing for those we serve.

 

We have a singular measure of success: the results we get for our clients.

Fiduciary Standards:

  • Founded on Transparency

  • True Fiduciary Standards

  • Total Accountability

  • Transparent Costs

  • Your Interests Come First

FIDUCIARY STANDARDS

  1. Embrace the legal fiduciary obligation to place Clients’ interests first

  2. Deliver comprehensive financial planning

  3. Provide fee-only advice

  4. Do not accept commissions

  5. Be transparent on client costs, fees, and terms

  6. Provide transparency on portfolios and investments

  7. Remain independent from any bank, broker dealer, insurance provider, or custodian

  8. Measure client performance returns using independent third parties

  9. Do not create products to sell or price any public securities

  10. Do not physically hold or possess any client assets, securities, or money

FIDUCIARY

We’re legally required to put your needs first!

Founded for the benefit of clients, Echelon Financial is an independent Austin-based Registered Investment Advisory Firm. We are committed to putting client interests first and to stewarding both wealth and wellbeing for those we serve. We have a singular measure of success: the results we get for our clients.

Fiduciary Standards:

  • Founded on Transparency

  • True Fiduciary Standards

  • Total Accountability

  • Transparent Costs

  • Your Interests Come First

FIDUCIARY STANDARDS

Transparency Standards for your protection on your portfolio.

  1. Embrace the legal fiduciary obligation to place Clients’ interests first

  2. Deliver comprehensive financial planning

  3. Provide fee-only advice

  4. Do not accept commissions

  5. Be transparent on client costs, fees, and terms

  6. Provide transparency on portfolios and investments

  7. Remain independent from any bank, broker dealer, insurance provider, or custodian

  8. Measure client performance returns using independent third parties

  9. Do not create products to sell or price any public securities

  10. Do not physically hold or possess any client assets, securities, or money

“We are business owners. We understand your world. We’ve seen what works. We know what doesn’t. We’ll flatten your learning curve and help you make the right decisions so you can live a rich life.”

AUSTIN’S PREMIER FIDUCIARY FINANCIAL ADVISORS Echelon Financial is an independent firm who puts our client’s best interests (what is called a fiduciary responsibility) at the forefront of our work.

Independent

We Work For You and No One Else

Credentialed

Licensed Financial Advisors

Fee-Only

No Commissions

“We are business owners. We understand your world. We’ve seen what works. We know what doesn’t. We’ll flatten your learning curve and help you make the right decisions so you can live a rich life.”

AUSTIN’S PREMIER FIDUCIARY FINANCIAL ADVISORS Echelon Financial is an independent firm who puts our client’s best interests (what is called a fiduciary responsibility) at the forefront of our work.

Independent

We Work For You and No One Else

Credentialed

Licensed Financial Advisors

Fee-Only

No Commissions

GET TO KNOW OUR EXPERIENCED TEAM

Chris Wilbratte

Founder and Partner

Partner and CPA

Partner and CPA

Office Manager

Ajay Hingu

Tax Preparer

Executive Assistant and Client Services

We make sure all the members of your team are communicating and are focused on the strategies to optimize your family's future so that you can continue to grow as an entrepreneur and put 100% into growing your business.

GET TO KNOW OUR EXPERIENCED TEAM

Chris Wilbratte

Founder and Partner

Jim Morano

Partner and CPA

Joe Osborn

Partner and CPA

Kyle Getzen

CPA

Angie Barron

Office Manager

Ajay Hingu

Tax Preparer

Kelly Manzano

Executive Assistant and Client Services

We make sure all the members of your team are communicating and are focused on the strategies to optimize your families future so that you can continue to grow as an entrepreneur and put 100% into growing your business.

OUR NEWS AND RESOURCES See More Articles

What is a Buy-Sell Agreement?

Posted by Chris Wilbratte - June 21, 2023

Buy-sell agreements are legally binding documents between business partners that govern how business interests are...

What Legal Documents are Important When Your Child Becomes an Adult

Posted by Chris Wilbratte - June 8, 2023

Whether your child is going off to college, out into...

Qualified Business Income Deduction

Posted by Chris Wilbratte - May 22, 2023

The qualified business income (QBI) deduction is a tax break that’s been given to certain...

5 Tax Gotchas in Retirement

Posted by Chris Wilbratte - June 21, 2023

If you are wealthy and reaching your distribution phase, your high-balance retirement accounts...

What to Do Now to Guard Against Rising Inflation

Posted by Chris Wilbratte - June 8, 2023

Inflation has struck with a vengeance, reaching levels not seen in more than 40 years. Though...

Intergenerational Transfers: Helping Adult Children

Posted by Chris Wilbratte - May 22, 2023

When my older daughter Meredith bought a house in Portland, Oregon

Creating a Financially Organized Life

Posted by Chris Wilbratte - June 21, 2023

Here’s how to get a jump-start on creating a system to organize your bills, statements, policies...

Essential Tax Tips for IRAs

Posted by Chris Wilbratte - June 8, 2023

Woe to the taxpayer who runs afoul of the numerous and confusing IRA rules. There are forms to file...

How to Best Manage Your Beneficiary Designations

Posted by Chris Wilbratte - May 22, 2023

Leaving an inheritance to your family or friends is not just about passing on...

When to Apply for Social Security Benefits

Posted by Chris Wilbratte - June 21, 2023

With the demise of guaranteed pensions, and in light of the risks you face in managing...

Document

What is a Buy-Sell Agreement?

Posted by Chris Wilbratte - June 21, 2023 Buy-sell agreements are legally binding documents between business partners...

What Legal Documents are Important When Your Child Becomes an Adult

Posted by Chris Wilbratte - June 8, 2023 Whether your child is going off to college, out into...

Qualified Business Income Deduction

Posted by Chris Wilbratte - May 22, 2023 The qualified business income (QBI) deduction is a tax break that’s been given to certain...

5 Tax Gotchas in Retirement

If you are wealthy and reaching your distribution phase, your high-balance retirement accounts...

What to Do Now to Guard Against Rising Inflation

Inflation has struck with a vengeance, reaching levels not seen in more than 40 years. Though...

Intergenerational Transfers: Helping Adult Children

When my older daughter Meredith bought a house in Portland, Oregon

Creating a Financially Organized Life

Here’s how to get a jump-start on creating a system to organize your bills, statements, policies...

Essential Tax Tips for IRAs

Woe to the taxpayer who runs afoul of the numerous and confusing IRA rules. There are forms to file...

How to Best Manage Your Beneficiary Designations

Leaving an inheritance to your family or friends is not just about passing on...

When to Apply for Social Security Benefits

With the demise of guaranteed pensions, and in light of the risks you face in managing...
The Insurance Every Entrepreneur Needs

The Insurance Every Entrepreneur Needs

September 09, 20240 min read
Custom HTML/CSS/JAVASCRIPT

Custom HTML/CSS/JAVASCRIPT
Back to Blog

Echelon Financial is an independent Austin-based firm helping clients build better relationships with their money, their family, their work, and their future.

Your goals. Your values. Your life.

Our Services

Wealth Management

Tax Preparation

Bookkeeping

As Seen In

Contact

Address: 4201 Bee Cave Road, Suite C-101, Austin, TX 78746

Office: 512.381.4500

Toll-Free: 1.800.796.5690

Email: info@echelonfinancial.com

Copyright © 2024 Echelon Financial. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Site Design by

Echelon Financial is a member firm of The Fiduciary Alliance, LLC which is an SEC registered investment adviser located in Greenville, South Carolina. Advisor and its representatives are in compliance with the current filing requirements imposed upon SEC registered investment advisers by those states in which Advisor maintains clients. Advisor may only transact business in those states in which it is registered or qualifies for an exemption or exclusion from registration requirements. Advisor’s web site is limited to the dissemination of general information pertaining to its advisory services, together with access to additional investment-related information, publications, and links. Accordingly, the publication of Advisor’s web site on the Internet should not be construed by any consumer and/or prospective client as Advisor’s solicitation to effect, or attempt to effect transactions in securities, or the rendering of personalized investment advice for compensation, over the Internet. Any testimonials or endorsements contained on this page or in videos may be given by current clients or non-clients and are not paid for. There are no conflicts of interest involved with any of those individuals' giving testimonials or endorsements.

ces

Echelon Financial is an independent Austin-based firm helping clients build better relationships with their money, their family, their work, and their future.

Your goals. Your values. Your life.

Our Services

Wealth Management

Tax Preparation

Bookkeeping

As Seen In

Contact

Address: 4201 Bee Cave Road

Suite C-101,

Austin, TX 78746

Office: 512.381.4500

Toll-Free: 1.800.796.5690

Email: info@echelonfinancial.com

Copyright © 2024 Echelon Financial. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Site Design by

Echelon Financial is a member firm of The Fiduciary Alliance, LLC which is an SEC registered investment adviser located in Greenville, South Carolina. Advisor and its representatives are in compliance with the current filing requirements imposed upon SEC registered investment advisers by those states in which Advisor maintains clients. Advisor may only transact business in those states in which it is registered or qualifies for an exemption or exclusion from registration requirements. Advisor’s web site is limited to the dissemination of general information pertaining to its advisory services, together with access to additional investment-related information, publications, and links. Accordingly, the publication of Advisor’s web site on the Internet should not be construed by any consumer and/or prospective client as Advisor’s solicitation to effect, or attempt to effect transactions in securities, or the rendering of personalized investment advice for compensation, over the Internet. Any testimonials or endorsements contained on this page or in videos may be given by current clients or non-clients and are not paid for. There are no conflicts of interest involved with any of those individuals' giving testimonials or endorsements.

ces