Massimiliano (“Massi”) De Santis founded DESMO Wealth to help people live better lives through enhanced financial health and wellness. The clarity and motivation that come from a plan tailored to your values lead to better decision making in all areas of your life and increased life satisfaction.
DESMO is a Greek word that means link or connection. Successful financial planning creates the link between your values and your money.
Achieving anything important to you in life requires planning and it involves money questions. Relationships, passions, travel, emotions, you name it. At DESMO, we are passionate about building the foundation of your life pursuits through financial planning and coaching.
Massi De Santis is a fee-only, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional who acts as a sworn fiduciary. Learn more about fee-only.
Massi is a Ph.D. economist and a CFP® professional specializing in financial planning and behavioral economics. Massi has over 20 years of experience in solving complex financial problems for individuals, financial advisors, and endowments and foundations. Before founding DESMO Wealth, Massi held senior investment strategy positions at Dimensional Fund Advisors in Austin and Stone Ridge Asset Management in New York. Prior to moving to the financial services industry, Massi was an assistant professor at Dartmouth College, where he taught finance and macroeconomics.
Massi’s accomplishments include the development of award winning strategies at Dimensional Fund Advisors and, with S&P Dow Jones, the development of the first set of indices that track retirement readiness (the S&P STRIDE indices).
Massi has written numerous papers on financial planning, retirement, risk management, and portfolio selection. His academic research has been published in top tier academic journals like the American Economic Review and informs the way we design our plans at DESMO.
DESMO is a Greek word that means link or connection. Successful financial planners work with you to create a financial plan that creates the link between your values and your money.
We are an independent, fee-only advisor: we only get paid by you for the advice we provide. We do not receive commissions or kickbacks for pushing particular strategies. We are also a sworn fiduciary, which means we are legally obligated to act in your best interest.
Massi is a public speaker and teacher, and has lectured at domestic and international universities, central banks, and professional organizations.
Massi is member of the finance council at his local church, a member of the Knights of Columbus, and started out after college as a fireman in his hometown in Maremma, Italy. He moved to California to pursue his Ph.D. in economics and finance. He is married with three sons.
Min is the co-founder of DESMO Wealth Advisors, LLC. As a Ph.D. economist, Min taught economics at the University of California Davis and Dartmouth College. She also worked and consulted with the University of California, the World Bank, the USDA, and the United Nations on matters relating to poverty and economic development. Min is also a registered nurse, and has practiced at such renowned hospitals as Dartmouth Hitchcock in Hanover, NH, and Beth Israel in Boston, where she was praised for her ability to interact and communicate with patients.
Min combines her analytical and client interaction skills to lead DESMO’s operations and client experience.
On a more personal level, Min is involved with the pre-school of her church, the church choir, and other activities. Min and Massi are married and raising three boys.