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 primarily work with families across Orange County and the greater California area. Many of our clients come to us as they prepare for or live in retirement. Others have accumulated substantial assets and are seeking tailored investment management to preserve and grow their wealth. We also serve professionals and families who are focused on building a strong financial foundation and planning confidently for the future. No matter where you are in your financial journey, we’re here to provide clear guidance and personalized support.

Which financial planning services do you offer?

We’re committed to equipping our clients with the tools and guidance to make smart financial decisions—grounded in Biblical money management principles and tailored to their unique circumstances. Our approach is designed to help you explore meaningful financial questions, bring all the pieces together, understand your options, and move forward with confidence toward your long-term goals.

Through our Financial Coaching program, we work alongside you to build an integrated financial plan focused on stewardship, intentionality, and supporting your long-term success.

Based on your needs and desires, we strive to help you build in strategies around areas such as goal funding, lifestyle, retirement planning, investment management, income protection, and estate and wealth transfer planning – all from a Christian perspective.

What is included in a typical financial plan?

A typical financial plan isn’t really typical—it’s unique to each individual and family. Our goal is to help you navigate your unique finances, align your priorities, and make informed decisions that can potentially lead to greater financial confidence, stability, and peace of mind.

Financial Coaching often begins with a Foundation Plan. This serves as your starting point—designed to help you understand where you are today and what steps we might take to close gaps. From there, our customized Financial Coaching can provide deeper analysis, strategic guidance, and coordination across more advanced areas of your financial life. These areas may include: Retirement, Investing, Christian Stewardship, Cash Flow, Insurance Planning, Tax Considerations, Giving Strategies, Estate Planning, and more, based on your needs and values.

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?

We are a fee-only independent financial advisory firm. 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 balancing asset preservation and growth. Our goal is to preserve your lifestyle today and protect your legacy for tomorrow. Our structured investing methodology is based on over 80 years of financial market data, academic research, studies of investor psychology and behavior, and Biblical principles.

We work to prioritize your long-term success by carefully determining the optimal balance between stocks and bonds, effectively diversifying your portfolio to help manage risk, and strategically allocating investments across various asset classes. We want to understand who you are, your unique goals and complete financial picture to craft and maintain a strategy that aligns with your needs.

Once your plan is in place, we typically meet with you annually to review your portfolio, assess progress toward your goals, and make adjustments as needed to keep you on track. Throughout the year, we closely monitor and manage your investments, and provide ongoing guidance to help you accomplish your goals. We’re in this with you.