Our Story

After a decade working within some of the most respected institutions in wealth management and fintech, from Wall Street asset managers like OppenheimerFunds (now Invesco) to fiduciary RIAs such as Buckingham (now Focus Partners Wealth) & Moneta, and innovative platforms like Facet and Personal Capital, we both arrived at the same conclusion:

The financial advice industry isn’t designed to serve the people in the middle.

Many companies are built for those who are already wealthy, able to meet high asset minimums, and willing to pay significant advisory fees for premium service. Others aim to “democratize” advice by providing more affordable advisory fees, but end up over-automating and under-servicing. 

For those of us in between, neither model really works. The premium providers are either too exclusive or too expensive, and the more affordable providers can’t deliver the kind of proactive, personalized guidance that high-earning professionals and busy families actually need.

We started Novak Financial Partners to fill that gap.

Our mission is to make high-quality financial planning accessible to the people building wealth while building their lives and more affordable for higher net worth clients who want to outsource their financial planning and investment management, but do not want to pay 1% of their portfolio in order to do so.

We combine institutional-level expertise, fiduciary transparency, and boutique-level care to deliver a planning experience designed for real life in a way that helps you live fully today while planning intentionally for tomorrow. With no asset minimums, no sales pressure, and no unnecessary complexity, we provide thoughtful, personalized advice through a transparent flat-fee model that helps you align your money with your values and live more intentionally.

Portrait of a smiling man with short dark hair, wearing a dark polo shirt, outdoors with blurred green trees and grass in the background.

Max is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ with a teacher’s heart and a strategist’s mind who specializes in helping busy families design clear, personalized financial plans whether the goal is buying a home, funding education, reaching financial independence, or all of the above.

Max believes great planning starts with education. He’s passionate about helping clients feel confident in their choices by giving them the clarity, context, and tools to take action on what matters most.

Before co-founding Novak Financial Partners, Max earned his BS and MBA from Southern Illinois University and served at several nationally recognized wealth management companies:

  • Personal Capital (now Empower), a pioneer in digital-first wealth management, where he demonstrated a consultative approach helping clients understand their investment strategies, retirement readiness, and long-term financial outlook.

  • Moneta, one of the largest independent, fee-only RIAs in the country, where he played an active role in supporting multi-generational families with comprehensive planning, investment implementation, and ongoing relationship management.

  • Facet, one of the fastest-growing financial planning firms in the U.S., where he worked directly with families nationwide to clarify their financial goals, evaluate planning opportunities, and determine the right strategies to support their next steps. His work focused on building trust and guiding clients through thoughtful, structured decision-making.

During this time, Max saw firsthand how high-quality advice was often too exclusive or too expensive. His mission today is to deliver that same level of excellence in a way that’s more personal, accessible, and aligned with each client’s life.

Originally from Carterville, Illinois, Max spent time in Denver and St. Louis before returning home to be near family. When he’s not meeting with clients, you’ll find him reading, golfing, or cheering on Chicago’s sports teams.

Zach Novak, flat-fee fiduciary financial advisor and co-founder of Novak Financial Partners.

Zach is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and Accredited Behavioral Finance Professional™ who helps clients align their resources with their values so they can live more intentionally today while planning confidently for tomorrow.

With a background in psychology and more than a decade of experience advising hundreds of households through meaningful life transitions, including career changes, home purchases, equity compensation, family planning, and lifestyle design, he brings both heart and strategy to every plan.

Before co-founding Novak Financial Partners, Zach earned his BS from Southern Illinois University and served at several nationally recognized wealth management companies:

  • OppenheimerFunds (now Invesco), where he built expertise in asset management and portfolio construction, earned his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation, and was recognized as Regional Advisor Consultant of the Year.

  • Buckingham Strategic Wealth (now Focus Partners Wealth), where Zach designed evidence-based portfolios and comprehensive planning strategies for high-earning professionals and multi-generational families while reinforcing his conviction that the highest value of planning is aligning money with meaning.

  • Facet, where he became the company’s most active CFP®, advising up to 450 households and overseeing more than $100 million in assets. He served on the Planning Council alongside the Head of Financial Planning and received the Inspiring Guide Award for client service. His work was also featured in CBS MoneyWatch.

Novak Financial Partners represents the culmination of Zach’s career, bringing the highest level of thoughtful, life-centered planning directly to the people who need it most.

Zach enjoys reading, exercising, traveling, and cheering on Chicago’s sports teams.

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Our Core Values

  1. Fiduciary, Always
    We’re legally and ethically bound to put your best interests first.

  2. Transparent Flat Fees
    No commissions. No hidden costs. Just clear pricing that puts you in control.

  3. Education First
    We believe informed clients make confident decisions. We explain the “why” behind every recommendation.

  4. Clarity Over Complexity
    Your life is complex enough. We make your finances simpler, so you can move forward with confidence.

  5. Life-Centered Planning
    Financial planning isn’t just about money. It’s about helping you live a more fulfilling life today and tomorrow.

We are proud to be affiliated with Core Planning, a registered investment advisory firm built on values of collaboration, integrity, and generosity. Through this partnership, we gain access to a deep bench of experienced advisors, back-office support, and operational infrastructure that allows us to stay focused on what matters most: delivering exceptional planning and care to the families we serve.

As financial planners under the Core Planning umbrella, we maintain the freedom to serve you with transparency, personalization, and a fiduciary duty that always puts your best interests first.