Financial Coaching for First Responders

Plan Your
Money.
Plan Your
Life.

You protect your community every shift. The Shield Finance helps you protect your financial future — with honest, fee-only coaching built specifically for first responders and their families.

Book a Free Discovery Call See the SHIELD Program
15+
Years in Law
Enforcement
Fee-Only
No commissions,
ever
Fiduciary
Your interests
first, always
Fee-Only · No Commissions
Fiduciary Standard
MS Finance · Kelley School
RIA Pending · XY Planning Network
Who We Serve

Built for the people
who run toward danger

First responders face unique financial challenges — unpredictable overtime, pension complexity, and financial decisions made in the parking lot before a shift. We get it, because we've lived it.

Police Officers

Pension navigation, overtime budgeting, and planning around the reality of a physically demanding career with a hard stop date.

Firefighters

Shift work cash flow, deferred comp accounts, DROP programs, and building wealth on a schedule that fights every budget category.

Paramedics & EMTs

Managing variable income, student loans, PSLF eligibility, and building a financial foundation in a career that rarely rewards patience.

Dispatchers & Comms

Often overlooked in first responder financial conversations — but facing every bit of the same income complexity and benefit confusion.

Why It Matters

Financial stress is the
hidden shift no one talks about.

First responders face above-average divorce and suicide rates. Financial stress is one of the leading contributing factors. You already carry enough from the job — your money shouldn't add to it.

01
Nobody taught us this stuff

12, 16, even 20 years of school and nobody covered budgeting, cash flow, or what to actually do with a paycheck. That's not a personal failure — it's a system failure.

02
Overtime makes budgeting hard

When a big portion of your income is unpredictable, traditional budgeting advice breaks down. We help you build a system around how you actually get paid.

03
The pension is complicated

DROP programs, survivor benefits, early retirement options — the pension is often your largest asset and most first responders don't fully understand it. We do.

The Program

The S.H.I.E.L.D.
Framework

Four focused sessions. Twelve deliverables. One clear path forward. Built around how first responders actually live and work.

S
Stabilize
Emergency fund, cash flow baseline, full financial snapshot
H
Habits & Income
Overtime budgeting system, spending plan, income clarity
I
Identify Debt
Full debt inventory, payoff strategy, PSLF eligibility
E
Establish Security
Retirement accounts, pension deep-dive, investment basics
L
Life Planning
Align your money decisions with your actual life goals
D
Discipline
Accountability structure and a 90-day action plan
4-Session Program

Everything you need to take control — in four sessions.

$500
One-time · No upsells · No recurring fees
  • 4 coaching sessions (60–75 min each)
  • 12 customized financial deliverables
  • Personal cash flow plan
  • Debt payoff roadmap
  • Pension & retirement analysis
  • 90-day action plan
  • In-person or virtual
Book Your Discovery Call
Ryan Skaggs, Founder IUPD Officer · MS Finance, Kelley School
About Ryan

Built by a cop.
For the people who get it.

Ryan Skaggs has been a full-time police officer at the Indiana University Police Department since 2011. K9 handler, field training officer, IU Basketball security — and for over 15 years, he's watched fellow officers make the same financial mistakes, starting with the $70,000 truck fresh out of the academy.

That experience, combined with a Master's in Adult Education and a Master's in Finance from the Kelley School of Business, is what makes The Shield Finance different. Ryan doesn't just understand the numbers — he understands the life.

  • MS Finance · Indiana University Kelley School of Business (2025)
  • MS Adult Education · Indiana University
  • IUPD Officer since 2011 · K9 Handler · Field Training Officer
  • Fee-only · Fiduciary · RIA pending via XY Planning Network
Read Ryan's Full Story
From the Blog

Financial education
for first responders

All Articles →
We’re Live: The Shield Finance Official Launch
Uncategorized
We’re Live: The Shield Finance Official Launch

It has been an exciting week at The Shield Finance — and we are thrilled to officially open our doors starting Monday, March 2nd. A Big Week Behind…

Feb 28, 2026 · Ryan Skaggs
Why The Shield Finance Uses a Monthly Retainer Model
Uncategorized
Why The Shield Finance Uses a Monthly Retainer Model

When I decided to launch financial coaching and education through The Shield Finance, one of the first decisions I had to make was how to structure the business…

Feb 17, 2026 · Ryan Skaggs
Student Loans & Public Service Loan Forgiveness: What First Responders (and IU employees) Need to Know
Uncategorized
Student Loans & Public Service Loan Forgiveness: What First Responders (and IU employees) Need to Know

Student Loans & Public Service Loan Forgiveness: A Guide for First Responders If you work in law enforcement, fire service, EMS, corrections, or public safety, there’s a good…

Feb 11, 2026 · Ryan Skaggs
Ready to Start?

Your shift ends. Your financial stress doesn't have to.

Book a free 30-minute discovery call. No sales pitch — just an honest conversation about where you are and where you want to go.

Book Your Free Discovery Call Learn About the Program

The Shield Finance currently provides educational coaching services only and is not a Registered Investment Adviser. Nothing on this website constitutes investment advice. RIA registration pending via XY Planning Network (est. May 2026).