Leah Schmid, CPA, CFP®

Senior Financial Advisor | Advisors

For Leah Schmid, numbers are a window into a deeper narrative. At age 14, working as a file clerk for the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, she became intrigued by the complexities of taxation and how many variables need to be considered when engaging in client work.

From those early beginnings, Leah built a career out of finding the story behind the numbers. As a financial advisor, that means her clients get both number-crunching analysis across a range of financial planning specialties and the kind of meaningful personal conversations that go into any solid financial plan.  

“I want my clients to feel comfortable enough in our relationship to be completely honest with me, whether that means opening up about the things they’re struggling with, voicing their fears for the future, or sharing their pie-in-the-sky dream for retirement,” Leah says. “I want to know their life story because, ultimately, it’s their life that we’re planning for.”

As a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Financial Planner™ with a master’s degree in tax accounting from University of Wisconsin-Madison, Leah isn’t kidding when she describes herself as a “bit of a finance and tax nerd.” With these credentials, clients can be confident that Leah has the skills to evaluate financial issues from multiple angles — and always with a tax-sensitive mindset.

Her background makes her a good fit for clients with challenging tax situations, including high-earning individuals looking for smart ways to save, high net worth couples and families with estate planning needs, multigenerational families with a desire to build a charitable legacy and many others.

Leah works closely with the tax team at our affiliate Wipfli LLP to address her clients’ individual and business planning needs. She also collaborates with clients’ other trusted advisors, such as attorneys, trustees and other professionals, to reduce the amount of time clients need to put into managing their financial lives.

“I’ve always been naturally curious about other people, and I genuinely enjoy solving complex, thorny problems,” she says. “Financial advising is a natural fit.”

Outside of the office, Leah enjoys cooking and outdoor cycling when the Wisconsin weather cooperates. When she finds a moment of downtime, she can be found catching up on her never-ending reading list.