Mara Hale

Mara started Kith in 2012 after eight years at a large wealth firm where clients changed advisors every time someone was promoted. She wanted the opposite: a practice small enough that every client knows who picks up.

She leads retirement-income planning: when to claim Social Security, which account to draw from first, and how to turn savings into a monthly paycheck that lasts. She also looks after clients through the first year after losing a partner, which she says is the most important work she does.