A Values-Based Practice Born from Personal Experience
There’s a version of this story that’s just a résumé – more than three decades of experience, three advanced designations, a long list of clients served. That story is true. But it isn’t the whole story.
The real story starts with family. Growing up around business owners, Ivy watched firsthand what happened when the financial and emotional pieces weren’t aligned – the stress, the conflict, the opportunities lost that could never be recovered. She saw how much was at stake, not just in dollars, but in relationships, in legacy, and in what gets passed forward.
That experience shaped everything about how this practice runs. Every engagement begins not with a presentation, but with a genuine conversation about your life, your priorities, and what you want your financial future to look like.
Ivy H. Menchel, CFP®, CDFA®, CBEC®
Founder & Family and Business Wealth Advisor
Ivy’s career as a financial professional began in 1993. She runs a values-based planning practice focused on the objectives, needs, and goals of business owners and families. Her background in psychology – she holds a BA from SUNY Stony Brook – isn’t a footnote. It shapes how she and her team listen, how they ask questions, and how they guide people through decisions that are as emotional as they are financial.
Most people don’t plan for life’s biggest financial turning points — they react to them. That’s where my team and I come in.
I work with business owners and individuals navigating major transitions—selling a business, going through a divorce, losing a loved one, or preparing for retirement—when the stakes are high and the decisions are permanent.
These moments are often overwhelming. Emotions are high. And the financial implications can last a lifetime.
My role is to bring clarity, structure, and confidence to the process.
As a Certified Financial Planner™ professional, Certified Business Exit Consultant®, and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst™, I help clients make thoughtful, informed decisions so they can protect what they’ve built—and move forward with purpose. My approach is highly personal and values-driven: Every plan starts with understanding what matters most to you. Strategies are tailored—not templated. Collaboration with your legal, tax, and business advisors is central. The goal is not just financial security—but confidence in every decision.
With over 30 years in the industry, I’ve seen how quickly life can change—and how powerful the right plan can be when it does. If you’re facing a transition or planning for one, I help you turn uncertainty into a clear path forward.
I also hold FINRA Series 7, 63 and 65 security registrations and am fully licensed to provide Life and Health Insurance. I am considered and thought-leader and have been a guest speaker on television and radio talk shows and have been the presenter at many workshops. Currently I am a member of the Financial Planning Association, Nat’l Assoc of Estate Planners & Councils, International Exit Planning Association, Women Presidents Organization, Association of Divorce Financial Planners, New York Association of Collaborative Professionals, International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts, Family Divorce & Mediation Council of Greater New York, Nat’l Assoc of Divorce Planners and New York Business Forum.
Outside the office, I am passionate about philanthropy and regularly participate in charity cycling events supporting important causes.
Rachael Rennert, CDFA®
Rachael Rennert brings more than 20 years of experience in finance, sales, and marketing to Bespoke Legacy Wealth Partners. She works closely with individuals and families to help them navigate important financial decisions and develop strategies that support their long-term goals. Rachael’s broad professional background allows her to combine analytical expertise with a personalized, client-centered approach.
Rachael is a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® (CDFA®) and a member of the Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts (IDFA), the Association of Divorce Financial Planners (ADFP), and the National Association of Divorce Professionals (NADP). She earned her MBA in Finance from the University of Colorado Boulder Leeds School of Business and holds a BA from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Rachael is passionate about helping clients gain clarity and confidence in their financial lives. She understands that significant life transitions often bring complex financial considerations and is committed to educating and empowering clients so they can make informed decisions for themselves and their families. Her thoughtful and empathetic approach helps clients feel supported while creating a clear path forward.
Outside of work, Rachael serves her community as a volunteer first responder and ambulance driver with her local Emergency Medical Services. She is also an avid swimmer and enjoys competing in open-water ocean swimming events each summer.
Rachael is not an IAR/RR
Our Approach
What Makes Us Different
Most financial advice is built around the plan. Ours is built around you – and the plan follows from truly understanding your situation, your values, and what you want your life to look like.
Expertise: Specialized, Not Generalist
Three advanced designations – CFP®, CBEC®, CDFA® – earned because the situations our clients face are too nuanced for a generalist. More than three decades of focused work means we’ve navigated situations very much like yours – and we know what works.
Process: We Start With Your Story
Every engagement begins with an unhurried conversation – about your life, your goals, your concerns, and what success looks like on your terms. Ivy’s psychology background shapes how the whole team listens and guides you through decisions that are as emotional as they are financial.
Collaboration: Your Whole Team, Coordinated
The best outcomes happen when the right professionals work together. We partner closely with your attorneys, CPAs, and other advisors – so every dimension of your financial picture is addressed and nothing falls through the cracks between disciplines.
Our Process
Every great outcome begins long before the first recommendation.
01 · Listen: Your Story First
An unhurried conversation about your life, your business, your family, your concerns, and what success means – on your terms. No agenda. No pitch.
02 · Understand: Your Full Picture
We take time to understand your complete financial landscape – personal and business, assets and obligations, today’s reality and tomorrow’s goals – before any recommendation is made.
03 · Build: Your Bespoke Plan
Built from scratch, around you. Never templated. Coordinated across your full advisory team – legal, tax, financial – so every piece works together.
04 · Sustain: Confidence That Lasts
A plan that gives you genuine confidence in what comes next – and an advisor team that stays engaged as your life continues to evolve.
Thoughtful Planning. Enduring Legacy.
We would love to hear from you. Please reach out with any questions or to schedule a consultation.
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