About Cooke Wealth Management

Fee-Only Services

You pay a fee just for the services you receive. We will never sell you a product nor receive a commission. We will discuss all our fees upfront.

Independent Advisor

We are an independent Registered Investment Adviser. We provide personalized financial advice to our clients and do not answer to any corporate agenda.

Fiduciaries

It’s our job to put your needs first, and we take that commitment seriously. We are held to a fiduciary standard to always work in our clients’ best interests.

Biblical Principles

We help you understand how to apply Biblical principles to your financial decisions, so you can be more confident you are managing your resources well. Our advisors have become Certified Kingdom Advisors® and are all active in Kingdom Advisors - a community of Christian financial professionals committed to integrating faith and practice.

Certified Financial PlannerTM

Our financial advisors have earned the CFP® certification, a recognized standard of excellence that holds our team to the highest of ethical standards. You can trust us to treat you right.

Personalized Approach

It’s about YOU - you are never just another client with Cooke Wealth Management. We love what we do primarily for the personal long-term relationships we often build. We consider every client relationship a privilege and a responsibility as we work to understand your full financial picture and how it can impact what matters most to you.

John T. Cooke

President and Founder of Cooke Wealth Management / CFP® professional, CKA®

With over 35 years of experience, John is a trusted Personal Financial Advisor who specializes in helping families, professionals, and executives with their financial, tax, and investment planning. As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®* professional, John provides comprehensive financial and wealth planning services to both new and established clients. John previously taught at the University of California Irvine post-graduate Personal Financial Planning Certificate Program. He has been a dedicated member of Kingdom Advisors for over fifteen years and holds the Certified Kingdom Advisor® designation.

Over the years, he has observed that prosperity often brings greater complexity: more alternatives and responsibility. His sincere desire is to help all clients navigate these complexities and experience the peace, gratitude, and generosity that can occur from achieving balance in their financial, social, and spiritual lives.

Beyond his financial expertise, John and his wife, Joy, have a blended family with four adult children (Juliette being one). John is also a dedicated member of his community. He serves in various capacities with Mariners Church in Irvine and as a past chairman of the Board of Directors for Every Generation Ministry. In his free time, John loves fly fishing for trout and steelhead throughout the Pacific Northwest, enjoys woodworking and playing golf.

Juliette Cooke

Vice President and Personal Financial Advisor / CFP® professional, CKA®

In her first two years in the financial industry, Juliette earned a Master's Certificate in Financial Planning and the prestigious CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®* mark. Before transitioning to wealth management, she graduated from the University of Southern California and was selected for Nestlé’s national leadership program. As a team leader, she gained valuable experience in business strategy, project management, and leadership, experiences that continue to inform her approach today.

With a passion for strategic planning and a desire to alleviate the financial worry many face, Juliette is dedicated to helping clients successfully navigate their financial journeys. She works closely with individuals and families to develop personalized planning and investment strategies that reflect their unique goals and circumstances, empowering them to achieve financial success today and in the future.

Outside of her professional endeavors, Juliette resides in Tustin, California, where she enjoys spending time with her young niece and nephew. When she’s not running after them, you’ll likely find her fly fishing, cycling, or hiking the scenic Peter’s Canyon trails. Juliette is a member of Rockharbor Church and enjoys volunteering, contributing locally through church and with Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA).

James Schauffele

Client Services Specialist

James works closely with the team, acting as the client’s first line of support while also supporting the operational and administrative branch of Cooke Wealth Management. Originally from Lexington, Massachusetts, James is an experienced professional with a background in office management and patient/client services roles. He pursued a degree in Communication from Westfield State University and holds an IT certification from Clark University. With his extensive 16-year tenure at Boston Clinical Laboratories, a private blood lab, he refined his skills and instilled a commitment to operational excellence.

In 2022, James sought a change of scenery and relocated to Southern California, where he embraced the vibrant community and outdoor lifestyle. He enjoys staying active through gym workouts, biking, and his first love, basketball. Also a passionate hiker, James has conquered challenging peaks such as Mt. Washington in New Hampshire and Mt. San Gorgonio in the San Bernardino Mountains. He regularly attends Sunday Mass services at St. John Maron Catholic Church in Orange, where he finds both spiritual connections and a sense of community.

What type of client do you work with?

We are a fee-only independent financial advisory firm with clients predominantly in the Orange County and greater California area. Some of our clients come to us inquiring about the options available to help pay for their child’s college. Some want to retire with confidence and need to get started planning. And others have accumulated substantial assets and need investment management tailored to them.

Which financial planning services do you offer?

We are committed to equipping our clients with the tools to make wise financial decisions, helping them apply Biblical principles to their unique circumstance. We work with you to answer important life-changing questions, understand your options, and help you make smart financial decisions that can potentially lead to achieving your long-term financial goals.

In our Financial Coaching program, we work with you to build an integrated financial plan, one that focuses on helping you make wise financial decisions as a faithful steward. Together, we work through coaching segments that will give you a process for applying Biblical principles to your financial plan and guidance to make changes that can potentially lead to long-term success.

Based on your needs, we strive to help you build strategies for your desired lifestyle, retirement, investment management, protection of income, and where appropriate, estate and wealth transfer – all from a Christian perspective.

What is included in a typical financial plan?

A typical financial plan isn’t typical - it’s unique to every person and family. We seek to help you navigate your finances, balance your priorities, and make wise financial decisions that can potentially lead to more financial confidence, stability, and contentment. Financial Planning includes a total wealth strategy customized for you and your specific needs. In our Financial Planning and Investment Management services, we focus on bringing clarity and confidence to your financial life. We work to understand where you are now; your situation and values, and provide you with a road-map and support intended to help you accomplish your unique goals.

What is your fee structure?

Fees are charged at a flat rate based on the service provided. Investment management and ongoing planning fees are billed quarterly, as we intentionally do not charge an hourly fee. We do not want our clients to hesitate to contact us fearing incurring an hourly fee; our team is here to support you!

Investment management fees are a percentage of the assets we manage for you. Based on your assets, fees generally start at an annual rate of 1.2% decreasing at defined thresholds as assets increase.

Planning/Coaching fees are determined by the complexity of your unique situation. This allows us to help a range of individuals who can benefit from our services, affordably. Our general Financial Coaching program offers regular sessions over several months with your advisor, provided through subscription-based pricing with an initial first quarter fee followed by an ongoing quarterly rate. Planning fees generally start at a minimum fee of $3,250, increasing up to several thousand dollars for those with significant assets. As assets grow the complexity of planning grows, and as a result, demands more time and resources.

Regardless of the service, ongoing access to our advisory team is an integral part of every client relationship. All fees are determined and agreed upon prior to the start of our relationship, which may be terminated in-accordance-with the Cooke agreement.

What does it mean to be a fiduciary?

Being a fiduciary means it is our job to put your interests and needs first! As financial advisors and CFP® professionals, we are bound legally and ethically to always work in your best interest. We are held to this strict fiduciary standard in all the work we do for you.

How do you approach investment management?

We take a conservative approach focused on asset preservation while taking advantage of growth opportunities. Our goal is to preserve your lifestyle and protect your legacy for tomorrow. Our structured investing methodology is based on over 80 years of financial market data, academic research, in-depth studies of investor psychology and behavior, and Biblical principles.