Riley Saunders Financial Advisor

Riley Saunders, CFP®, is a Financial Advisor at Cassaday & Company, Inc., and has been with the firm since March 2019.

Riley works alongside Christopher Krell in a dedicated capacity to help provide his clients with the highest level of comprehensive and proactive service. Riley engages with clients to stay informed of their evolving circumstances and works to identify planning opportunities that can bring value to a specific client situation.

He drives the collaboration process between clients and their advisory team to develop high-level analyses in the areas of retirement, education, tax, and estate planning. In addition to attending client and prospect meetings, Riley helps coordinate the comprehensive suite of services provided by the firm.

Riley graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) with a bachelor’s degree in Finance. While at Virginia Tech, Riley was an active member of the Financial Planning Association (FPA) student chapter.

Additionally, Riley holds a master’s degree from Kansas State University, studying Personal Financial Planning. This degree allowed Riley to expand his foundational knowledge in areas such as tax, estate, and retirement planning. In addition to the core curriculum, Riley opted to take classes in the field of applied behavioral finance, which allows him to gain a better understanding of the psychology behind financial planning.

Riley is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®), a professional designation he attained through Virginia Tech’s CFP Board Registered Program. Riley also holds the Series 7 and Series 65 securities registrations, as well as Life and Health Insurance licenses in Virginia.

In July 2025, Riley was named a CFP® Board Ambassador. In this role, he helps educate the public on the value of working with a CFP® professional and the importance of comprehensive financial planning. As one of only about 50 ambassadors out of more than 100,000 CFP® professionals nationwide, Riley is proud to serve as a trusted voice for the profession, promoting financial literacy and upholding the highest ethical standards in personal finance.

In partnership with the CFP® Board, Riley filmed a “Day in the Life of a Financial Planner” video, offering an inside look at what it means to be a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional. From client meetings to collaborative planning sessions, the video captures the real work behind comprehensive financial planning. Watch below to learn more about Riley and see firsthand what a career dedicated to clients looks like.

In 2024, Riley was named to InvestmentNews’ “Best Wealth Managers & Advisors Under 40 in the USA – Rising Stars” list, recognizing his leadership in the wealth management and active contributions to the financial planning community through his engagement with the Financial Planning Association (FPA). In 2025, WealthManagement named Riley a Rising Star of the Year Honoree.

Riley currently resides in Vienna, VA. In his free time, he enjoys playing basketball and watching Jeopardy! with his wife, Yagna, and his dog, Riva.

Riley’s Awards and Media Mentions:

Awards**

• Investment News – Rising Stars (2024)
• Wealth Management Magazine – Rising Star of the Year Honoree (2025)

Media Mentions

• Advisorpedia – Understanding Money Scripts Through Your Genogram
• Barron’s Advisor – The Way Forward Podcast – Riley Saunders: The Psychology of Financial Planning | NextGen
• CFP Board – Day in The Life of a Financial Planner Video
• Journal of Financial Planning – Help Clients Achieve Serenity and Stability
• MarketWatch – Healthcare expenses in retirement could now cost you $165K. 7 financial pros share their secrets on how to prepare smartly
• MarketWatch – 9 financial planners reveal: What is the No. 1 piece of financial advice you wish you’d known when you were younger?
• MarketWatch – The No. 1 thing financial pros tell us they personally do to save money

Community Involvement:

• CFP Board Ambassador (2025 – present)
• Financial Planning Association
  • Board of Directors – Public Relations for National Capital Area (2026 – present)
  • Board Member at Large for National Capital Area (2025)
  • NextGen Content Creator (2024-2025)
  • Board of Directors – NextGen for National Capital Area (2019-2021

Riley is an investment advisor representative with Cassaday & Company, Inc., and a registered representative with Osaic Wealth, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC.

*Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) owns the CFP® certification mark, the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification mark, and the CFP® certification mark (with plaque design) logo in the United States, which it authorizes use of by individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.

**To learn more about the criteria for each of these awards, click here.

InvestmentNews – Rising Stars 2024 – The Investment News Rising Stars award accepts nominees that are aged 40 or under (as of November 30, 2024) and are committed to a career in wealth management, with a clear passion for the industry. Nominees were asked about their current role, key achievements, and career goals, as well as the contributions they’ve made to shaping the industry. The Rising Stars were determined by an independent panel of industry leaders.