John T. Christy, CFP® was born and raised in the Kansas City area and graduated from Kansas State University with a B.A. in Business Administration, emphasizing Finance and Economics. Several years later, he continued his studies at University of Missouri-Kansas City where he completed his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Certificate in 2010. During his time at Kansas State, John tutored students from different Colleges in Finance and Economics. Through this experience, John discovered his passion for empowering people to understand financial and economic concepts in an approachable fashion. He ultimately decided on a career in personal financial planning that, over two decades, has evolved into firm leadership which includes helping other financial advisors and wealth managers optimize their craft. His goal is to help others feel empowered to make the right financial decisions for themselves, their family, their legacy and, when applicable, their businesses. In short, it is all about diligently helping clients navigate life's crossroads and curate their personal definitions of wealth. Craft & Sage Wealth was founded to optimize the ability to deliver advice with unparalleled service and excellence.
Real estate investing has always been a passion for John and sharing that passion has become an important aspect to the mission of Craft & Sage Wealth and its clients. Over the last twenty years, it has become evident that the real estate community is deprived of sound advice by even the most credentialed financial professionals. As a result, John and his team take pride in providing best-in-class holistic wealth management to real estate investors including overall planning, tax optimization strategies, impacts on estate planning, financing strategies, 1031 exchanges, Delaware Statutory Trusts, Qualified Opportunity Zones, intermediated installment sales, various trust structures and overall strategies to make sure client's real estate portfolios integrate with other aspects to their financial situation and ultimately legacy goals. This has led to teaching continuing education to different industry professionals, including other financial advisors, and almost always includes close integration with client's CPAs and attorneys, when applicable.
John and his wife, Melissa, purchased the Craft & Sage Wealth office space located in the Crossroads Arts District and rehabbed the property to suit the firm's needs. This endeavor followed their to-the-studs renovation of a mid-century modern ranch that, John has stated repeatedly, "probably should have been torn down". John has extensive experience with varying types of real estate investments, professionally and personally, and believes that real estate is a pillar in client's financial planning as well as his own.
John and Melissa have four children, Lilly, Lincoln, Elodie and Sadie. Their Yellow Labrador, Gentry, rounds out the family. John is dedicated to his community, in which he coaches multiple youth basketball teams, has served as a volunteer firefighter, a member of various church committees, and was an elected official on City Council. He currently serves as a Director for the Kansas City Estate Planning Society and an Advisor to the Board for two different private entities. He formerly served as a Board Member for the Blue Door Project, a local non-profit that aims to help teens in the foster system reach their full potential.
His hobbies include golf, travel, water sports, snow skiing, firing up the grill and attending Kansas State University sporting events. When possible, he enjoys combining many of these, but acknowledges most of his time is spent leading the evening carpooling detail outlined by Melissa each afternoon.