About My ESOP Planner
Retirement planning for ESOP participants approaching retirement.
My ESOP Planner is a resource created by Peak Wealth Planning, LLC to help employee-owners understand the financial decisions that come with preparing for retirement. For more than a decade, Peak Wealth Planning has worked with ESOP participants on diversification, retirement planning, and retirement income strategies.
We work with people who have spent 20 or more years at an employee-owned company — machinists, plant supervisors, office staff, managers — and who now have a significant ESOP balance and a set of decisions they’ve never had to make before. Most have never worked with a financial advisor. Their questions are reasonable, and they deserve straight answers.
My ESOP Planner is a doing-business-as name of Peak Wealth Planning, LLC, a Registered Investment Adviser (RIA). Financial planning and investment advisory services are provided by Peak Wealth Planning. Learn more about Peak Wealth Planning and our regulatory disclosures.
Meet Peter Newman, CFA®
Founder & President
Peter Newman founded Peak Wealth Planning in 2014 to provide financial planning and investment management for individuals who built their wealth through ESOP participation. Since its founding, Peter has focused on guiding employee-owners through diversification, retirement planning, and wealth preservation.
He helps ESOP participants understand how concentrated stock can fit into a broader retirement income and investment strategy. His work also considers tax planning, estate planning, and the financial decisions that can affect family wealth across generations.
Peter is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder. Before launching Peak Wealth Planning, he led Treasury Operations at the University of Illinois System, managing capital financing, insurance, agricultural assets, and $3 billion in operating and endowment investments.
He is a regular speaker for the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO) and The ESOP Association (TEA), and is passionate about promoting financial wellness within employee-owned companies.
Outside the office, Peter enjoys biking, skiing, and remodeling homes.
ESOP Experience & Credentials
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) –
CFA Institute charterholder and voting member, with an annual commitment to the Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct
Guest Contributor, Kiplinger —
a series on retirement planning for ESOP participants
Featured guest on The ESOP Podcast – three-part series on the financial considerations of employee-owners preparing for retirement
Speaker, National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO) – webinars and financial education for employee-owners
Presenter, The ESOP Association (TEA) – national/regional conferences and technical workshops
Profiled by Opus Connect —
“From Endowment to Wealth Management: The Mindset Shifts of Peter Newman” explores Peter’s transition to serving individual clients
Credentials and recognitions are provided for informational purposes and do not imply a level of skill or training, or any endorsement by the issuing organizations.
Why ESOP Participants Work with Us
ESOP focus.
Peak Wealth Planning has worked with employee-owners since 2014 on diversification, distribution timing, and retirement transitions.
Independent guidance.
We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or compensated by your employer, your ESOP trustee, your plan administrator, or your 401(k) provider. We work for you.
Coordinated planning.
We work alongside your CPA and attorney so your ESOP decisions fit with your taxes, your estate plan, and the rest of your retirement.
Fee-based advice with a fiduciary duty.
We are compensated primarily through advisory fees. Where we receive other compensation, we disclose it.
