A financial coach helps you build and follow a plan for your everyday money. That can mean a workable budget, regular saving, a debt payoff plan, or someone to help you stay accountable. You do not need to be in debt to benefit.
I'm Sam Krupit, founder of Goalpost Finance. I work one-on-one with people who want more than another money tip: a plan built around their life, and help putting it into practice.
From information to action
What a Financial Coach Helps With
The work depends on what you want to change. These are four areas I help clients connect.
A budget that matches your life
Look at actual spending, income and bill dates. Decide what each paycheck needs to cover, including annual bills, everyday spending and some room for the things you enjoy.
Saving with a clear purpose
Put monthly saving alongside the rest of the plan. Separate upcoming expenses from longer-term goals, and choose amounts that fit instead of hoping money will be left over.
A sustainable debt payoff plan
Map balances, rates and payments, then choose a payoff approach. Include buy-now-pay-later installments and irregular expenses so a payment plan does not leave the next paycheck short.
Decisions and follow-through
Work through trade-offs, review progress, and agree on the next step. If you share finances, bring both partners' priorities into the conversation.
Explore a fictional budget-coaching example or personal accountability support. See the full offer on the financial coaching services page.
My approach
Your actual numbers. Your priorities.
I do not start by handing you a list of things to stop buying. We look at where the money is going, which costs matter to you, and what is getting in the way of your goals. A plan needs to work beyond the week you feel motivated.
A smaller payment is not the whole answer.
If you are considering consolidation, we compare the offer's fees, total cost, term and payment with what your cash flow can support. If installments keep piling up, we put their due dates on the same calendar as your other bills before choosing a next step.
The goal is to understand the choice before making it. I do not sell or earn referral fees from financial products.
See the Goalpost Method for the decision process, or use Before You Borrow to explore an offer yourself.
Getting started
What Actually Happens in the First Session
The first paid session is a 90-minute deep dive. You do not need a perfect spreadsheet. Statements, account summaries or estimates can give us a starting point; missing details become follow-up items.
- Put the full picture together.Income, actual spending, savings, debts, upcoming bills and what you want to change.
- Choose what to work on first.A payday shortfall, inconsistent saving and an expensive loan may call for different first steps.
- Make the next action clear.Leave with a first version of the plan and specific actions to try before we meet again.
Read what to expect in your first financial coaching session for the preparation checklist and a fuller walkthrough.
The part after making a plan
What Ongoing Coaching Looks Like
After the deep dive, we meet for 30 minutes every other week. You can text or email between sessions, with replies within one business day during business hours.
A check-in has a practical job.
- Review: What actually came in and went out?
- Understand: What worked, and what got in the way?
- Look ahead: What bills, plans or decisions are coming?
- Adjust: What will you do before the next session?
A monthly budget review is not just a scorecard. If a repair, bonus or busy month changes the numbers, we update the next steps. That can include reviewing recurring charges or bank fees, revising a savings transfer, or making room for a shared goal.
Your plan stays available between calls
Your private Goalpost portal holds your plan, notes and action items. You can use manual information or optionally connect supported accounts through Plaid. Account availability and updates vary; connecting an account is not required. I do not ask you to send me bank-login credentials or take control of your money.
Why pay for a coach instead of using an app?
A planner or budgeting app can organize your information. AI tools can help you explore ideas. If those tools give you a workable plan that you follow, you may not need paid coaching.
The extra service is a person who knows your situation: someone to help interpret spending, discuss trade-offs, and return to the next step with you. The portal supports those conversations; it does not replace them.
Choosing the right help
Financial Coach or Financial Advisor: Who Helps With What?
Financial coaching
At Goalpost, the focus is everyday money: spending, budgeting, saving, debt payoff decisions and accountability. You work on the plan and follow-through together.
Financial advice and planning
Some advisors focus on investments or retirement. Comprehensive financial planners may also help with budgeting and cash flow. Ask what the particular service includes.
You can use both when their roles complement each other. Read the financial coach vs. financial advisor comparison for more detail.
What Goalpost does not do
Goalpost provides coaching and education, not investment, tax or legal advice. I do not manage your money, recommend investments, sell financial products, administer debt management plans, or negotiate with creditors on your behalf.
Coaching does not guarantee a credit-score increase or a payoff date. When a nonprofit credit counselor, attorney, tax professional or investment professional is better suited to your situation, that is the right next conversation. Goalpost receives no referral fees.
A good fit matters
Who Gets the Most Out of Financial Coaching?
Consider coaching if…
- You earn enough to work toward your goals, but progress is hard to see.
- You make plans and want help following them.
- You and a partner need a shared system.
- You want personal help with competing priorities or a money decision.
Another option may fit better if…
- You already have a workable plan and consistently follow it.
- The coaching fee would leave you unable to cover essentials.
- You mainly need investment management, tax advice or formal debt relief.
If you earn well but still feel behind, explore financial coaching for professionals. You do not need a certain debt balance or a financial crisis to want accountability.
What does it cost?
Goalpost's ongoing plan is $250/month, designed around 12 months of work. The $400/month option is a focused 1–6-month engagement, such as a debt payoff plan around a bonus, inheritance, or business income. Both include the same support, are billed monthly and can be canceled anytime. See services and pricing before deciding.
What Does the Research Say?
A CFPB-funded evaluation of two nonprofit programs serving low- and moderate-income people found improvements in several financial outcomes, including debt reduction at one program and credit-score gains at another. These are findings about those programs—not promised results from Goalpost. Read the CFPB evaluation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is hiring a financial coach worth the cost?
It depends on what is keeping you stuck. Coaching can be useful when you need a plan built from your actual numbers, help evaluating tradeoffs, or consistent accountability. It may not be worth paying for if you already have a workable plan and are following it. Use this honest coaching-vs.-DIY self-check, or start with a free 30-minute fit call.
How is financial coaching different from credit counseling?
Credit counseling can include budgeting, credit education and, when appropriate, a debt management plan. Goalpost focuses on your cash flow, decisions and ongoing accountability; it does not administer a debt management plan or negotiate with creditors for you. Compare both options in detail.
Do I have to be in crisis to work with a financial coach?
No. Some people seek coaching because debt or cash flow has become urgent. Others earn well and are current on their bills but cannot explain why they are not making progress. Both are valid reasons to ask for help.
Is there a coaching program for teenagers?
Yes — the Financial Literacy Course for Teens is a four-session private virtual coaching course specifically for teens ages 16–20. It covers credit scores, budgeting, student loans, and first paycheck basics — the four financial skills most teens don't have before they need them. If you're a parent looking to give your teen a head start, that's the place to start.
What if I'm embarrassed about where I'm at financially?
Embarrassment is common, but it is not useful data for building a plan. A coaching conversation should be private, factual, and nonjudgmental. The goal is to understand what is happening and decide what to do next. Read this before reaching out if embarrassment is the main barrier.
