Skip to main content

  • Home
  • About 
    • Our Team
    • How We Work Together
  • Our Services
  • Resources
  • Join Our Team
  • Contact

Responsive Theme: Slideshow

  • Are you near or in retirement?

    We can help.

     

  • Are you going through a life transition?

    We can guide you.

     

  • You've earned it,

    let us help you preserve it.

     

   

Why Should You Choose Us?

Choosing a financial planner may be one of the most important decisions you make for yourself and your loved ones. Financial planners can provide you and your family with guidance over your lifetime. We are a compassionate team of professionals you can trust to collaborate with integrity on your financial goals. 

Our Core Values;

Compassion – we promise to offer empathy and support as we work towards your financial goals.

Collaboration – we work together to build a plan that works for you and your family. We don’t have a cookie cutter approach. We collaborate with your CPA’s and estate planning attorneys to make sure we are acting together in your best interest to preserve and protect your wealth.

Trust & Integrity – we are a team of fee-only fiduciaries. We act in your best interest at all times and provide you with honest and objective feedback. We do not sell products or make commissions.

 

Our Mission

To build a lifelong partnership with our clients and act as a sounding board during life transitions. 

 

Our Vision

We help our clients clearly understand their financial plan by turning complex concepts into easy to digest bites.

 

Community Support

When you invest in Beacon, you invest in our local community. Our connection with our community is deeply important to our team. 

OUR SERVICES

We provide holistic fee-only financial planning and investment strategies utilizing top notch technology to tailor advice for our clients based on their goals.

 

Financial Planning

Our education-oriented process empowers you to achieve long-term financial security. You gain confidence from understanding the financial planning process and we coach you on the best ways to get from where you are today to where you want to go, while avoiding potential distractions along the way.

 

Investment Management

We work with you to determine an appropriate mix of investments based on your goals and your risk tolerance. As a FEE-ONLY advisory firm, we deliver an independent, unbiased and objective investment experience.

 

Retirement Planning

Your financial confidence in retirement is important to us. We create, then walk you through retirement income projections with a focus on maximizing social security and tax efficiency. We look forward to connecting if you are near retirement and looking for guidance or you are currently retired and want to review your financial plan.

 

Estate Planning

We collaborate with your attorneys and tax professionals to ensure your wishes are carried forward in the most tax efficient manner.  We are happy to connect you with trusted resources to support your future needs.

 

Risk Management

A disciplined approach is key to financial success.  You can count on us to diversify your investments across a broad selection of asset classes, giving you balanced exposure to a variety of different markets.

 

Charitable Giving

If charitable giving is important to you, we educate you on the various options for donations and recommend a plan that best meets your financial goals.

Home

Our Team

We are a female owned and operated compassionate team of professionals

you can trust to collaborate with integrity on your financial goals.

Photo of team member

Michaela Herlihy

President & CCO

CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™

×

Michaela Herlihy

Michaela’s career in financial planning began in 2005.  With her interest in helping people meet their financial goals piqued, Michaela earned her certificate in Financial Planning at Boston University in 2008 and completed her CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional (CFP®) designation the same year.

Today Michaela is the President of Beacon Financial Planning of Cape Cod, Inc.  She and her team offer fee-only planning services to over 300 households, monitoring more than $180,000,000 of assets.

Michaela is passionate about coaching the Beacon team to help firm clients evaluate their needs and establish sound financial solutions to help them realize their dreams. “There’s a great sense of satisfaction when clients share their confidence in the plan we have developed together, noting with their financial house in order they can focus on that which brings them most joy – their business, family, golf, or whatever it may be.”

Equally important to Michaela is connection with her community. In 2013 she joined the Board of Directors of Calmer Choice, a non-profit which addresses issues of violence, suicide and self-destructive behaviors in young people. Michaela is also an active member of the Finance Committee of WE CAN, also a non-profit, which helps Cape Cod women navigate significant life changes.  In 2014 Michaela was recognized by Cape and Plymouth Magazine as one of the Top 40 Professionals under the age of 40. 

When she is not working with clients and engaging in volunteer activities, Michaela enjoys cooking for friends and family, cycling, and exploring the Cape’s gorgeous beaches and trails.

Bio
Photo of team member

Kelli Grew

CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™

×

Kelli Grew

Kelli is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®). She consults with individuals & families to identify personal financial goals and resources, design financial strategies, and make personalized recommendations, that when implemented, assist the client in achieving their goals.  Kelli is committed to delivering highly-personalized service and building long-term relationships with clients. Kelli has over 9 years of experience and is currently taking on new clients who are seeking one-on-one investment guidance, wealth management and income strategies.

Kelli received her Bachelor’s Degree with a dual concentration in Finance and Management from the University of New Hampshire.  Kelli and her husband live in Yarmouth with their three children. In her free time Kelli enjoys running road races, gardening, going to the beach during the summer, and spending time with her family. She has been serving BFPCC’s Wealth Management clients since 2019 and is a member of the BFPCC Investment Committee.

 

Bio
Photo of team member

Katie Brennan Kane

Vice President,
Operations & Client Services

×

Katie Brennan Kane

After 11 years of living in NYC, Katie Brennan Kane relocated to Cape Cod looking for a career where she could have a direct impact on the lives of those she served.  Katie joined the Beacon team in August of 2014 in an executive assistant role to Michaela and quickly proved herself to be invaluable by creating many of the firm’s policies & procedures.  Katie helped manage all the moving parts it took to grow Beacon from 145 to over 300 households with a large focus on delivering a “client first” service model.  Katie was promoted to Operations Manager in 2017 where she oversaw the firm’s performance reporting, trading, billing and new client onboarding.  Katie passed the series 65 exam in May of 2019 and subsequently joined the Investment Committee.  It was studying for this exam that helped Katie realize her interest and passion for the investment side of how Beacon serves clients.  Today, Katie is currently pursuing the Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) designation and will take the Level 1 exam in May of 2021. 

“It’s been an absolute gift to get to work in this capacity on Cape Cod, to create strong relationships with our clients and support them in reaching their financial goals.” 

In her free time Katie enjoys tennis, running, reading, spending time with her husband, Dan and their dog, Bogey. 

Bio
Photo of team member

Melissa Kolcz

Client Services Associate

×

Melissa Kolcz

Melissa is a Client Services Associate at Beacon Financial Planning. Melissa’s commitment to accuracy, enthusiasm, and love for working with others make her a wonderful addition to the BFPCC team.

Throughout her professional life she has developed expertise in client relations and marketing. In 2015 she was recognized by Cape and Plymouth Magazine as one of the Top 40 Professionals under the age of 40. She is also an alumni of Leadership Cape Cod. You may recognize her from her previous work with the Cape Cod Young Professionals (CCYP) where she worked to help retain and recruit young professionals. When looking to make a career change, she was looking for an organization that was committed to the health of the community.  When you invest in Beacon you invest in our local community.

Her dedication to community is apparent in her commitment to volunteer work with many local organizations: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cape Cod & the Islands, Cape Cod Baseball League, Town of Yarmouth Community Housing Committee and the United Way. Melissa lives in West Yarmouth with her husband, Jonathan and her two children. In her free time, she enjoys spending time at the beach, Pinterest inspired crafts and event planning.

Bio
Photo of team member

Alina Leon

Client Services Associate

×

Alina Leon

Email: alina@bfpcc.com

Alina is here to welcome you at our office and help with administrative items. Prior to joining our team, she was a Sales and Service Manager at a local credit union.  Alina’s five plus years of banking, management, and client relationship experience make her a wonderful addition to the team at BFPCC.  

Alina believes that education is one of the most powerful things in life.  Previously, she helped organize and teach a financial education class for local businesses.  She is excited for the mentorship from other Beacon CFP®s as she is groomed to become one herself. 

Her passion for helping others navigate their finances fuels her desire to pursue the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certificate via Boston University.  She has completed the Intro to Financial Planning, Risk Management, and Investment courses and is currently enrolled in the Tax course. 

A strong community advocate, Alina enjoys volunteering opportunities. She participates in Housing Assistance Corporation (HAC) Big Fix-a-Thon and the Orleans Chamber of Commerce’s Santa Stampede 5K and Family Fun Run.

Alina lives in Centerville with her husband Joseph and their cute cat, Coco. She also enjoys long, peaceful beach walks, painting, reading books and spending time with her family and friends.

Bio

Our Founders

Beacon Financial Planning was established as a FEE-ONLY financial planning firm by Linda Gadkowski, CFP in 1990. Linda sold the practice to Walter Herlihy, CFP in 2004 and the two continued to work together to help steer clients towards financial security. After decades of helping clients reach their retirement goals, Linda and Walter are both happily retired and serve as trusted resources to the current team at Beacon Financial Planning of Cape Cod, Inc.

 

Resources

We've got the resources to keep you informed.

 

Blog/Articles

 

Events/Seminars

 

Account View

 

Useful Websites

 

Contact Us

We look forward to learning more about YOUR goals.
Please contact us to schedule your initial consultation.

Cape Cod Office:

72 Pine Street
Hyannis, MA 02601
(508) 790-7039

Get Direction

Quick Message

  • Sitemap
  • Legal, privacy, copyright and trademark information
 

ADV Part 2A-2B | Summary Disclosure Statement | Form CRS

© 2025 Beacon Financial Planning of Cape Cod, Inc.. All rights reserved.

Website Design For Financial Services Professionals