About Us

What Do We Value?

Karen Kroeger started our company in 1982, then called Karen’s Tax Service. What began as an in-home tax preparation office grew over the years into Kroeger Financial, now a tax and financial planning business serving hundreds of clients.

We structure our business around the ideals we value most. Our Mission is to guide clients in making choices that will allow them to live the lives they want. We love our work, and enjoy our client relationships and our role in helping others achieve financial goals. As individuals, we strive to find a balance between our work and other activities that make us feel fulfilled.

In our capacity as your financial advisor, our goal is to get to know you as an individual, and to make investment recommendations based on your personal goals and interests.

Our Mission

What Do You Value Most?

This question drives our financial planning process. Many people think the job of an investment advisor is to help clients accumulate wealth, but we don’t believe sitting on a pile of money is the best way to live a life. We view wealth as a utility for living the life you want now and in the future- whether this means travel, retiring early, buying a dream home in a dream location, financing college for your children, providing financial security for loved ones, making charitable donations to organizations you believe in, or any combination of these.

We will help you identify your goals, prioritize them, and then work with you to develop the roadmap that will help you strike a balance between investing in your future, and enjoying the life you have right now as well.

Our Commitment

We are committed to providing personalized investment management and comprehensive financial planning for our clients. We are fee-only advisors who adhere to the fiduciary standard of care.

Simply put, our financial advice is always tailored to an individual clients needs and goals and is never influenced by commissions or sales incentives for a particular investment vehicle. As a financial advisory firm, our primary focus is to provide unbiased opinions that are designed to achieve long term investment results.

Ongoing Client Care

Because there are many factors that may change in your situation or the environment, it’s of the utmost importance to us to be proactive and knowledgeable in the financial industry.

We are committed to staying up-to-date on relevant tax, estate and social security laws in order to provide you with the best financial advice for your particular situation.

Our Team

Orion Kroeger, CFP®, CIMA®

Phone: (530) 478-9734
Fax: (530) 478-9764
E-mail: [email protected]

Orion graduated from UCSD in 2002 with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Music. He started doing taxes with KF in 2003. In 2013 he began the process to become a CFP® Professional and passed the exam in the summer of 2014. In 2020, he earned his Certified Investment Management Analyst® designation through the Yale School of Business. Orion is the driving force behind our investment firm’s growth. He fine-tuned our planning processes and builds all of the model portfolios we utilize.

Orion loves adventure sports and the outdoors. He has served on the board of Bicyclists of Nevada County since 2014 as Treasurer, and has spent hundreds of hours building and maintaining mountain biking trails in our area. He also teaches trail building classes to teenagers, and volunteers his time patrolling trails for B.O.N.C. to ensure safety for everyone. Orion is happiest when he is outdoors and finds a sense of purpose in helping those around him.

Karen Kroeger, CFP®, Owner

E-mail: [email protected]

Karen earned her degree in economics from Humboldt State University, and worked briefly as an auditor for the IRS before opening her own tax office. During her many years preparing taxes, Karen saw clients paying excessive fees to investment advisors who didn’t have a clear understanding of tax code, often resulting in avoidable tax consequences. She became a financial advisor in 2002.

Karen’s goal has always been to offer the highest level of service with honesty and integrity. This, coupled with her vast knowledge about tax code, resulted in a rapidly growing investment advisory business.

Karen is still an owner of the company, but is otherwise enjoying her retirement.

Rahlene Weeden, Administrative Assistant

E-mail: [email protected]

Rahlene Weeden is our front desk office administrator and associate. She is also a licensed California Public Notary. Born and raised in Nevada County, she graduated from Nevada Union High School, Sierra College & San Francisco State University. 

Rahlene is an avid arts advocate and has been running a collaborative arts and performance space, Stardust Station, for the past ten years. Counted among her many other pursuits are vintage clothing collecting and reselling, jewelry design, block printing, travel adventures and enjoying the community and natural environment in the Sierra foothills.

Matthew Osypowski, CFP®, Compliance Officer

E-mail: [email protected]

Matthew is a lifelong Nevada County resident. He joined Kroeger Financial in 2021 and quickly became a registered Investment Advisor Representative and CTEC certified tax preparer. He has also successfully passed the Certified Financial Planner™ exam and is progressing through the professional experience requirements necessary to become a full CFP® certificant.

Matthew holds an MFA degree from New York University and an MA from the University of Texas at Austin. His son Preston attends Ghidotti Early College High School and shares his father’s love for numbers, games and the outdoors. In addition to his professional pursuits, Matthew is an avid hiker, disc golfer, writer and conservationist.

Our Process

A strong process is the best way to create a more financially secure plan. Our approach seeks to protect your needs now and plan for the future in a tax efficient manner. Our goal is to assist you in building a solid financial structure that will stand the test of time and that will grow and build wealth for you and your family.

Our process is based on two key aspects of financial security: risk management and wealth creation. A plan must help ensure financial security throughout your life, for you and for your loved ones. It must provide income replacement and asset protection in the event that the unthinkable were to happen: disability, critical illness or death. The plan must also aim to build the maximum it can via a solid, tax efficient wealth portfolio.

With these goals in mind, we will work together to assess your total financial planning needs. We will consider important milestones such as major purchases, marriage, children, education, dreams and retirement. This plan will entail regular review of ongoing financial management strategies.

This goal-based financial security planning approach is designed to help you:
  • Define customized short and long-term goals that ensure you choose only the right financial products and services
  • Identify roadblocks or gaps that might impact your financial planning strategy
  • Continually monitor your plan to ensure it meets your changing needs

What is Comprehensive Financial Planning?

Comprehensive financial planning is about more than preparing for retirement. It’s about working to achieve short and long-term goals, and helping to protect the most important things in your life.

This plan should include solid insurance and investment products and be flexible enough to meet your changing needs.

Getting Started

The first step to achieving financial security is creating a strong financial strategy. We will work together to prepare a plan that helps you:

  • Prepare for a secure, comfortable retirement or minimize your current taxes
  • Proactively manage and control debt, from major purchases to preparing for a child’s post-secondary education
  • Provide for your loved ones or heirs in the event of death, disability or critical illness
  • Protect your business and your employees through affordable benefits