About Us
You've Worked Hard for This. Now Let's Make Sure It Works for You.
At Serenity Financial Planning, we work with people who are 5-7 years from or entering retirement and want more than just investment advice. You want someone in your corner - someone who listens, who knows your situation, and who takes the complexity out of managing your financial life.
Founded by Susan Alefi, AAMS, ChFC, EA, Serenity was built on a simple belief: that every person deserves honest, clear, knowledgeable guidance - not confusing jargon, not a call center, and not an advisor who doesn't know your name.
Susan brings deep experience in investment portfolio management and tax planning, along with a genuine commitment to the people she serves. As a fiduciary (advisory relationship only), she is required by law to act in your best interest - always.
Serenity Financial Planning is supported by the resources and infrastructure of LPL Financial, one of the nation's leading independent broker-dealers. That means you get the personal attention of a dedicated advisor backed by the strength of a large institution.
What Does Fiduciary Mean for You?
As a fiduciary advisory (advisory relationship only), Serenity Financial Planning is held to a strong standard of putting your interests first - not the interests of a firm, a product, or a sales quota. Your goals drive every recommendation.
Our Story
A Personal Mission, Shaped by Real Stories
Susan Alefi's path to financial advising began long before she held a single credential. It started with her grandmother.
Like many women of her generation, Susan's grandmother navigated life without a financial safety net - without the knowledge, the guidance, or a trusted advisor in her corner. Watching that struggle left a mark on Susan that has shaped everything she has built since.
Over the years, working at several financial institutions, Susan saw the same pattern repeat itself. Clients were known as an account number, not by their personal identity. No one took the time to learn their names, understand their goals, or ask about their lives. Susan knew something was missing - and she was determined to provide it.
She has sat across the table from widows navigating the financial world for the first time, and from divorced women suddenly responsible for finances they had never managed alone. She has seen what happens when someone makes a major financial decision - selling a business, selling a home - without a clear picture of where it leads. These experiences are not abstract to Susan. They are the reason she shows up every day.
Susan left a larger firm environment to build her practice independently, because she wanted no sales quotas, no product pressure, to reduce potential conflicts of interest standing between her and the people she serves. She wanted to be free to simply do what is right for each client - one conversation, one plan, one relationship at a time.
That is Serenity: not just a name, but a purpose – a calling.
The Backing of a National Leader. The Feel of a Local Advisor.
Serenity Financial Planning is supported by the resources of LPL Financial, the nation's largest independent broker-dealer* with more than one trillion dollars in assets under management. Through this relationship, Serenity has access to industry-leading research, a comprehensive suite of tools and technology, and the infrastructure of a firm that supports over 32,000 advisors** and 1,200 institutional partners** nationwide.
What that means for you is simple - you get the personal attention of a dedicated advisor who knows your name, backed by the strength and stability of one of the most respected names in the financial industry.
For more information about LPL Financial, visit www.lpl.com.
- *No. 1 Independent Broker-Dealer in the U.S (Based on total revenues, Financial Planning magazine 1996-2024)
**As of December 2025
Comprehensive Guidance. Personalized to You.
At Serenity, we offer a full range of services designed to work together - because your financial life doesn't exist in pieces.
Investment Portfolio Management
Susan builds and monitors custom investment portfolios tailored to each client's goals, risk comfort, and time horizon. Your portfolio isn't a template - it's designed around your life. Portfolios are reviewed with you periodically each year to make sure they remain aligned with your needs as circumstances change.
Retirement Planning
Whether retirement is five years away or right around the corner, planning now makes all the difference. Susan works with you to understand what you want your retirement to look like - and builds a roadmap to help you get there with confidence.
Tax Planning Strategies
Most financial advisors refer you to a tax professional. Susan is one. As an Enrolled Agent (EA) — the highest tax credential awarded by the U.S. Department of the Treasury — Susan is federally authorized to represent clients before the IRS on matters including audits, collections, and appeals. This means tax strategy is not a separate conversation at Serenity. It is woven into everything we do, so your investments, your retirement income, and your tax picture are always working together rather than against each other.
Estate Planning Guidance
Protecting what you've built for the people you love matters. Susan helps clients think through their estate planning goals and coordinates with estate planning attorneys to make sure your wishes are reflected in your financial plan.
Full Financial Planning
For clients with complex needs or those starting fresh, Susan offers comprehensive financial planning - a thorough review of your complete financial picture, followed by a personalized plan built around your goals. This isn't a one-size-fits-all checklist. It's a plan designed specifically for you.
Corporate Retirement Plans
As a business owner, your retirement plan is both a powerful employee benefit and an important part of your own financial strategy. Susan works with companies to design and manage retirement plan solutions that serve your team well — and align with your broader business and personal financial goals.
Tax strategy built into your financial plan
— not added after.
Susan integrates tax preparation and year-round planning through Tax Wise Pros, LLC — so your financial and tax lives work as one.
We also offer Tax Preparation and Tax Planning.
Tax preparation services offered through Tax Wis Pros are separate and not affiliated with LPL Financial. LPL Financial does not offer tax advice or tax preparation services.
We Speak Plain English – Not Financial Jargon.
You should always understand what's happening with your money. Susan is committed to explaining everything in clear, straightforward terms so you feel confident and informed - not confused or overwhelmed.
Especially Designed for People in Transition.
Whether you're approaching retirement, recently widowed, navigating divorce, or simply taking control of your finances for the first time - Serenity is built for people at pivotal moments who deserve thoughtful, knowledgeable, and compassionate guidance.
We Do Some Things The Old-Fashioned Way.
We Still Do Things the Old-Fashioned Way - Because It Works. A real phone number. A real person. An advisor who knows your name, your goals, and your story. At Serenity, personal service isn't a feature. It's the foundation.
Backed by LPL Financial.
Serenity Financial Planning operates through LPL Financial, one of the country's largest independent broker-dealers. That means you benefit from institutional-grade resources, technology, and oversight - with the personal service of a dedicated advisor who knows you.
"I still believe in old-fashioned service - a real person answering the phone, someone who knows your name, and an advisor who actually has time for you. That never goes out of style."
~ Susan Alefi, AAMS®, ChFC®, EA
