Our team of dedicated professionals shares the common goal of providing you with the knowledge, sound judgment, and personalized service you need to confidently pursue your financial goals.
We look forward to helping you define your financial vision—and making it a reality.
Fee-Only Financial Planner
Hello, and thank you for visiting Harkins Wealth Management (HWM).
My name is Rick Harkins. I am a fee-only financial planner. I have worked in the financial services industry for over 24 years, but how did I get here?
Nearly 30 years ago, at about the time I completed my service in the United States Marine Corps, I met my spouse, and now business partner, Michelle Cortes-Harkins. We traveled throughout the US for about 2 years, studying homelessness in our country, depicted through black and white photography. We landed in Houston, Texas (where Michelle is originally from) and I began my career in financial services, first with American General. Our first child, Chancellor, was born at this time. Chancellor joined our practice in 2018, overseeing our business operations and has since earned the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification.
We decided to return to Rhode Island in the mid-90s to continue our career, but also to return to school. Michelle and I attended the University of Rhode Island (URI) studying Applied Sociology, while also working. This is when our second child, Emory, was born. Emory and his partner Alexa own and operate their own business – Twenty Stories – operating out of a renovated 1987 vintage van as well as a brick-n-mortar retail space located in Providence, Rhode Island.
After completing a year at URI, Michelle decided to transfer to Rhode Island College (RIC), in Providence, RI to pursue a degree in Social Work. I decided to apply to Brown University, while also continuing my career in financial services with Citizens Financial Services (the then broker-dealer subsidiary of Citizens Bank). As a member of the financial planning and insurance department, my focus, along with our team, was to develop a comprehensive financial planning process for the brokers in the branches to utilize with their clients.
In 2000, I graduated from Brown University with concentrations in Organizational Behavior & Management and Sociology. At that time, my passion around financial planning and my desire to work directly with clients towards their financial goals led me to Edward Jones Investments, where I opened the first regional office on the East Side of Providence, RI.
After nearly 7 years with Edward Jones, I wanted to be able to offer more to our clients, and strongly believed that comprehensive financial planning with a holistic approach would be in their best interest. In order to offer a team approach for our clients, and to move away from a primarily brokerage type platform, we transitioned to Merrill Lynch in their downtown Providence office.
In 2008, Michelle and I decided to launch Harkins Wealth Management, LLC, an independent financial planning and wealth management firm located on the East Side of Providence, RI. I have a strong belief in continued education and feel it provides a benefit to our clients, therefore I decided to also pursue a Master’s Degree in Financial Planning (MSFP), through the McCallum Graduate School of Business at Bentley University in Waltham, MA, while also continuing to work in our practice.
Being independent allows us to work with our clients without any pressure from a firm to “sell” products. We have a strong desire to incorporate socially responsible and ESG investing into our business model, and to assist our clients with a holistic and comprehensive financial planning strategy, based on a fiduciary standard, that is aligned with their values.
Our firm was founded on the core values of: hard work, loyalty, uncompromising quality, and personal service, reflected in our motto: Life. Money. Balance Both.
Michelle and I have a passion for the outdoors and spend much of our spare time hiking with our two dogs, Gordy and Sophie, or riding our bikes, cycling throughout New England, often with the Narragansett Bay Wheelmen (NBW) cycling club.
This is how I got to where I am today! We welcome your questions and look forward to hearing your story and to the possibility of assisting you with your financial planning and investment goals.
Fee-Only Financial Planner
Hi, I am Michelle Cortés-Harkins, a Fee-Only Financial Planner and Partner at Harkins Wealth Management. Before I went into the financial services industry I worked in the social services field.
I spent over 10 years in different roles as a social worker, including teaching English as a Second Language at community libraries. This was a rewarding and wonderful experience—one of the best I’ve had working within the Providence community.
I’ve also worked as a community organizer helping to reduce hunger on Aquidneck Island through the Rhode Island Food Bank. This experience was transformative, and allowed me to work with many communities, eventually pulling them together to work on one issue.
Each of my experiences have strengthened my belief in social justice, and that it is crucial that we as a society address inequities. I am also passionate about the environment, and try to live a waste-free lifestyle as much as possible.
After working in social work, I wanted to work with my husband, who was an Investment Representative at Edward Jones. The transition from social services to financial services initially felt like a major career change, but I was able to use this opportunity to counsel and help individuals in the areas of planning and investment management that felt most important. Over time, I developed a strong belief that money and values can and should be aligned.
In 2000, I graduated from Rhode Island College with a Master of Social Work degree. I have volunteered with many organizations and am on the national board of the Association of Divorce Financial Planners (ADFP). I am also an avid cyclist and the president of the Narragansett Bay Wheelman.
My hobbies outside of cycling are hiking, trail running, gardening, reading, and being outdoors. I am fluent in Spanish, although with less and less practice it has become more rusty. We have two dogs, Sophie and Gordy, and they often join us in outdoor adventures.
I work with couples, individuals, and organizations. Using the tools from my social work background, I utilize a strength-based and supportive approach to the investment and financial planning process. Most of us come from a place where we haven’t learned about money, but within each of us is the ability to learn, grow, and understand how money works.
One of the areas that I add the most value is within divorce financial planning. Working with couples to positively decide together how to divide assets and move forward financially is especially rewarding. I want the couples or individuals I work with to feel like they have a voice and are in control of the divorce process.
On the last Wednesday of the month, I hold a Wine, Money, and You gathering where a group of women talk about money and share tips and ideas. This group has been a wonderful experience and has allowed women to ask questions (and get answers) in a safe, supportive environment.
Rick and I are married and have two amazing children. Our oldest, Chance, works with us here in our practice, and our youngest owns and operates Twenty Stories, an independent bookstore. Both live here in Providence, Rhode Island.
If you are looking for a planner or to invest in a manner that aligns with your values, I would love to be in touch.
Fee-Only Financial Planner
My name is Chancellor Harkins, but friends usually call me “Chance”. I studied Economics and Finance at Bentley University in Waltham, MA and moved to Boston, MA after graduating. In Boston I held various finance roles at a Fortune 100 company, but ultimately decided to focus on what initially sparked my interest in finance - personal financial planning.
My desire to help others and enthusiasm for finance drove me to become a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner where I work with clients to develop custom financial plans tailored to their individual goals and objectives. My focus is on developing long-term strategies for investors of all ages, and to provide confidence in the decisions they make that shape their financial future.
When I’m not working on financial plans, you can often find me at one of the great restaurants in the area or meandering local farmers markets. I’m no cooking expert, but I love experimenting with new ingredients. We’re lucky to have an abundance of local vendors here in Rhode Island & Massachusetts.
I also enjoy exploring the New England outdoors. Whether it’s a visit to the beach in the summer, a hike in the fall foliage or skiing in the winter – there always seems to be something to do!
With so many of my interests and hobbies being tied closely to the community and sustainability I began to research sustainable investment strategies and earned the Chartered SRI Counselor SM designation. Generally, ESG/SRI strategies aim to have long-term positive impacts on the world around us. What I’ve found is that there are more options than ever for those of us who want to support socially conscious, sustainable, and ethical business practices by highlighting the Environmental, Social and Governance factors of a business. It’s always fulfilling to craft an investment portfolio that aligns to a client’s specific values.
If you’re looking to align your investment portfolio to your ideals or if you just have a few personal finance questions, then don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m happy to chat and learn how I could help you!
Investments are subject to risk, including the loss of principal. Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria are a set of non-financial principles and standards used to evaluate potential investments. The incorporation of ESG principles provides a qualitative assessment that can factor heavily into the security selection process. The investment’s socially responsible focus may limit the investment options available to the investor. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.
Director of Client Experience
Hello, my name is Lisa Dinh – Director of Client Experience at Harkins Wealth Management. Prior to joining HWM, I studied Communications and Resource Economics at the University of Massachusetts – Amherst and initially began my career in supply chain management. I held various leadership positions including the oversight of the supply chain for a medical center in Boston, MA. Throughout my career, I always enjoyed being a mentor and empowering my team to succeed. In addition, I’ve also spearheaded multiple projects and initiatives to meet financial goals for the healthcare system. The experiences and skills I garnered during my time at these hospitals were invaluable for my professional growth and I hope to bring these skills to the Harkins Wealth Management team!
Outside of work, I enjoy exploring the outdoors. From skiing in the winter, to hiking and paddling in the summer, I am extremely fortunate to be born and raised in New England where there’s so much access to nature. Aside from spending time in the great outdoors, I am passionate about food and cooking. I love to explore new dishes and cuisines and share them with family and friends. On weekends, you can find me scouring through various markets to find local ingredients that inspire delicious dishes!
I’m thrilled to be able to work for an organization that has the same core values as myself, including environmental sustainability, social responsibility, as well as the betterment of the local community. I’m eager to continue my professional growth as I start my journey into the financial services industry and join in the efforts of fostering positive client experiences with you!