Crystal Rau, CFP®, CRPC®, AAMS® Profile Photo

Crystal Rau, CFP®, CRPC®, AAMS®

Crystal Rau, CFP®, CRPC®, AAMS®, is a Certified Financial Planner based in Midland, Texas. She is the founder of Beyond Balanced Financial Planning, a fee-only registered investment advisor that helps young professionals and families balance living their ideal lives with being good stewards of their finances.

About Crystal Rau, CFP®, CRPC®, AAMS®

Current Role

Founder, Beyond Balanced Financial Planning

Expertise

  • Equity Compensation
  • Investments
  • Education Planning
  • Investment Planning
  • Student Loan Planning
  • Retirement

Achievements

  • Best Financial Planner For Midland’s Readers’ Choice Awards 2022

Certifications & Degrees

  • Certified Financial Planner™
  • CRPC®
  • Accredited Asset Management Specialist
  • MBA from University of Texas El Paso, Bachelor of Business Administration in finance from Texas A&M University (Corpus Christi)

Personal Finance Experience

Crystal started her career in personal finance working at a large investment management company where she provided advice to young and old investors just trying to do better for themselves. It motivated her to learn more and be better for her clients. She continued her education and training, earning the Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) designation, as well as her Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC®) designation and Accredited Asset Management Specialist (AAMS®) designations.

As her knowledge and expertise grew, it inspired her to start Beyond Balanced Financial Planning, a fee-only registered investment advisory firm that focuses on young professionals and families who strive to be good stewards of their wealth and to be better and do better for their families and their community.

Latest from Crystal Rau, CFP®, CRPC®, AAMS®

How to Calculate Discretionary Income for Student Loans

How to Calculate Discretionary Income for Student Loans

Understanding how to calculate your discretionary income for student loans is important if you’re exploring...

When Do Student Loans Start Accruing Interest?

When Do Student Loans Start Accruing Interest?

College is an investment in your future, and if you use loans to pay for...

Is It Illegal to Spend Student Loan Money Outside of School?

Is It Illegal to Spend Student Loan Money Outside of School?

Student loans have strict guidelines regarding how the funds can be spent because they’re intended...

Can You Refinance a Reverse Mortgage?

Can You Refinance a Reverse Mortgage? How It Works, Pros and Cons, and When It’s a Good Move

Refinancing a reverse mortgage is possible to access more equity, secure a lower interest rate,...

Personal Loans With No Prepayment Penalty

Personal Loans With No Prepayment Penalty

Loan prepayment is when a borrower pays off an installment loan ahead of the schedule set by the lender. Some lenders charge a...

Reverse Mortgage Counseling

Reverse Mortgage Counseling

If you’re at least age 62, you may be considering a reverse mortgage to cover living expenses, home repairs, and other costs. Unlike...

How Your Debt-to-Income Ratio Affects Student Loan Refinancing

Debt-to-Income Ratio for Student Loan Refinance: What to Know About DTI [With Calculator]

Your debt-to-income ratio (DTI)—your monthly debt payments divided by your gross monthly income—is a crucial...

What to Do If You're Denied a Student Loan With a Cosigner

Denied a Student Loan With a Cosigner? 7 Smart Next Steps

Being denied a student loan, even with a cosigner, can be disheartening, but it doesn’t...

Can You Get Student Loans Without the FAFSA? Yes—Here’s How

Filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) helps you find out the...

Sticky note reading “Pay off student loan” on top of cash and books, representing student loan refinancing.

Best Student Loan Refinance and Consolidation Companies

If you’re looking for the best student loan refinance companies, comparing multiple lenders is the...