We are very pleased to announce that Libby Horbaly is our newest CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) professional at Marotta Wealth Management!

The CFP® certification is the recognized standard of excellence for competent and ethical personal financial planning. To use the certification, you have to meet the initial certification requirements (known as the four “Es”). They are Education, Examination, Experience, and Ethics.

The first requirement of Education, Libby satisfied through Virginia Tech’s Financial Planning program.

Libby applied to Virginia Tech with the intention of earning a degree in Biology to pursue a career in Marine Biology. Before starting school she learned that a biology major would be almost exclusively math and science courses. Instead, she wanted a subject that would combine her love of numbers with her interest in helping people.

In the end, a conversation with her father’s financial planner led her to the Virginia Tech Financial Planning program. She saw the impact the advisor had on helping her parents prepare for her own college expenses and wanted to have a similar impact on other families and their diverse goals.

At Virginia Tech, Libby was a member of several prestigious societies including Rho Lambda the National Sorority Leadership Recognition Society, Beta Sigma Gamma Business Honor Society, Financial Planning Association, and Sigma Lambda Chapter of Chi Omega Fraternity. She was also honored with the Her Wealth® Scholarship in 2018-2019; The Judith A. Orrell Financial Planning Scholarship in 2017-2018; and the McCarthy, Mannen, Daniel, Williamson & Meth Ameriprise Financial Scholarship in 2016-2018.

Libby Horbaly

Wealth Manager, CFP®

She met Marotta Wealth Management for the first time when David John Marotta gave a presentation at Virginia Tech’s Financial Planning Association meeting. She was attracted to our firm because of our fee-only approach to financial planning, our collaborative team approach to serving clients, and our in-house innovations including our back office system and tax analysis spreadsheet custom built by the firm.

In 2019, Libby graduated Summa Cum Laude from Virginia Tech with a Bachelor of Science in Business and a minor in Psychology. She started working for our firm a month later in June.

By November, she satisfied the Examination requirement, passing the six-hour CFP® exam on the first try.

Many readers here know Libby most because she is a frequent author on Marotta on Money. In addition to that, Libby is also one of our main website editors, helping to ensure that we are as typo-free and grammatically accurate as possible, and our primary image selector.

Libby is also currently our prospective client specialist. She helps those interested in our services determine if we are a good fit, and is an expert in navigating the required new account paperwork.

She is also our net worth specialist, one of our notaries public, the primary point of contact for over 50 clients, and one of our primary portfolio managers for over 110 portfolios.

When Libby was first joining the firm, she shared with us one of her favorite phrases frequently used in her Client Relationship Management class at Virginia Tech. It was “Clients don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” In her role as a relationship advisor, Libby embodies this phrase, combining both a wealth of knowledge with a wealth of empathy.

After two years of mentoring under David John Marotta, CFP®, Libby satisfied the Experience requirement in May 2021. She submitted her final application and background check to the CFP Board and was accepted, passing the Ethics requirement and making her a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional. For more information about this designation, see the CFP Board website.

Shortly after earning the CFP® certification, Libby got married and changed her name from Libby Friday to Libby Horbaly.

As a child, Libby was first introduced to money through a weekly allowance provided by her parents. By choosing to forgo frequent small purchases, she learned the satisfaction of delaying gratification and saving her money to buy the things she really wanted. Now, with her own income she prioritizes saving over spending and looks forward to teaching her future children about handling money wisely.

A Brief Interview with Libby

What is your favorite Marotta Wealth Management service?

Charitable Giving is my favorite service because it helps individuals align their money with their values in an effective and efficient way. It is rewarding to help clients discover the best ways to maximize their giving often with the added benefit of minimizing their taxes. Many giving strategies benefit both the donee and donor in this way enhancing the satisfaction and willingness to give.

What is your favorite part of being with Marotta Wealth Management?

My favorite part of working with the firm is the autonomy to choose the type of tasks I want to work on each day. This freedom allows me to exercise different parts of my brain and gain skills in many different areas to keep every day interesting. I also enjoy the ensemble team appropriate that facilitates collaboration and comradery within the firm. The friendly and helpful team members at Marotta have made my first full-time job experience positive and satisfying.

What is your favorite Marotta Wealth Management article or series? Why?

“How to Budget for Emergencies” is my favorite series because it provides helpful advice for many specific scenarios including a major car repair, a major home repair, and a trip to the hospital. Having a plan in place to cover these types of expenses provides peace of mind that allows me to spend my time and energy on other things that are important to me. Then, when an emergency expense inevitably occurs I can confidently take action with the knowledge that I have prepared effectively.

What advice do you give to those who are just getting started with investing?

The first article I wrote for the blog, “For Recent Graduates: How to Handle Your Paycheck Like a Boss,” actually answers this question. In summary, it is important to recognize that it can be extremely difficult to overcome the stress when you are dealing with your own money, and it’s natural to be nervous when the markets can seem so unpredictable. Take a leap of faith and invest a small amount; give it time to grow and you will reap the benefits of your patience before you know it.

Libby’s Latest Articles

Q&A: How Should I Invest My Cash?

by Libby Horbaly on March 5, 2024 with No Comments

Our recommendation is to keep money that may be needed within the next six months invested in a money market fund.

Baby Registry Guide from a Financial Planner (Updated 2024)

by Libby Horbaly on February 16, 2024 with No Comments

Now that we’ve been parents for a few months, I can confidently say all of these items vastly improved our journey into parenthood.

2023 Babies: Start Saving for College Today!

by Libby Horbaly on October 17, 2023 with No Comments

For babies born in 2023, here are the amounts that should be saved starting at birth to cover four years of college expenses at age 18.

See More by Libby