Stephen Koda, CRPS®

Stephen Koda joined Advocate Investing Services as an Investment Advisor in 2021, bringing a passion for financial planning that started at 13, when his grandfather gave him $5,000 to invest for college. The two of them spent years researching stocks together, learning from the mistakes along the way, and by the time Stephen finished high school, that account had grown enough to pay for his first two years of school. That experience is what convinced him a career in investments was his path, and that he wanted to help other people use the market to reach their own goals the same way.

Stephen comes from a family of teachers, and that background gave him a knack for breaking down complicated concepts into something people can actually use, a skill he leans on with every client. He believes the people who benefit most from good financial advice are often the ones who have had the least access to it.

Stephen works with individuals and families on personal wealth management as well as business owners looking to build and optimize their 401(k) plans. He is a fee-only fiduciary, meaning he is paid directly by his clients and not through commissions, so his recommendations are built around what's best for them. He holds the Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist (CRPS®) designation and combines a focus on helping clients reach their long-term financial goals with a deep understanding of the financial markets.

He holds a bachelor's degree in finance from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland.

Outside of work, Stephen enjoys sports like volleyball and pickleball, rooting for the Orioles, and playing board games like Catan, Terraforming Mars, and Splendor.