Michelle Perry Higgins is a Principal and Financial Advisor with California Financial Advisors in San Ramon, California. She is also a Certified Financial Therapist Professional through the Financial Therapy Association, bringing a unique focus on the emotional and behavioral side of financial decision-making.

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For more than 30 years, Higgins has helped clients navigate the financial and emotional complexities of wealth, retirement, career transitions, legacy planning, and major life decisions. As both a Financial Advisor and Certified Financial Therapist Professional, she integrates traditional wealth management with money psychology, helping clients make thoughtful financial decisions with greater clarity, confidence, and peace of mind.

 

Individual Recognitions

2026: Recognized on AdvisorHub’s 1,000 Advisors to Watch list.

2026 and 2025: Named to AdvisorHub’s Women Advisors to Watch list.

2025: Honored as an Excellence Awardee for Advisor of the Year — Regional West by InvestmentNews.

2022, 2018, and 2017: Named one of Investopedia’s Top 100 Most Influential Financial Advisors.

2015, 2014, and 2012: Ranked on WealthManagement.com’s Top 25 Women-Owned RIAs list.

2013: Ranked on WealthManagement.com’s Top 50 Women-Owned RIAs list.

2013: Ranked by WealthManagement.com as one of the Top 40 Under 40 Registered Investment Advisors.

 

She has appeared on CNBC, CBS, and Fox, and has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, USA Today, Investopedia, Kiplinger, and many other publications. She is a contributor and one of 25 founding members of the Investopedia Advisor Council and has served on The Wall Street Journal Expert Panel.

 

Higgins has published three Amazon bestsellers: The Everything Binder Book: Financial, Estate and Personal Affairs Organizer; Stocks, Bonds & Soccer Moms: 7 Steps to a Balanced Life; and College Poor No More! 100 $avings Tips for College Students. One hundred percent of her profits from the sale of College Poor No More! are donated to scholarships.

 

Ms. Higgins graduated from Saint Mary’s College with a concentration in Business Administration and Economics. She served on her alma mater’s Board of Trustees, as it is her passion and privilege to give back to the community by mentoring young talent and raising scholarship funds. She and her husband reside in the San Francisco Bay Area and enjoy spending time with their two daughters.