Matt Samson
MBA, CPWA®

Financial complexity rarely arrives all at once. It builds quietly — until multiple high-stakes decisions begin to converge.

I founded ILS Financial to help retiring military veterans, airline pilots, and veteran business owners navigate these moments with clarity and discipline. My work centers on decision sequencing — ensuring critical choices around retirement, taxes, investments, and risk are made in the right order before they become difficult or impossible to undo.

Experience That Shapes Judgment

Before entering financial services, I spent over ten years on active duty as a United States Marine Corps officer. I flew the F/A-18 Hornet and later transitioned to UAS operations before moving into financial planning. In that environment, preparation, risk management, and disciplined decision-making were non-negotiable. That mindset continues to guide how I approach financial planning today.

I transitioned into financial planning in 2015 and founded ILS Financial LLC in 2020 to build a firm grounded in structure, coordination, and clarity — not product sales or short-term outcomes.

I continue to serve as a Space Operations Officer in the United States Marine Corps Reserves, bringing my combined active and reserve experience to over twenty-three years.

Education and Professional Credentials

My academic background includes a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Nebraska–Omaha. I also completed the Certificate in Wealth Management Theory and Practice through the Yale School of Management and hold the CERTIFIED PRIVATE WEALTH ADVISOR® (CPWA®) designation.

This training supports a planning-first, tax-aware, and risk-conscious approach to complex financial decisions.

Beyond the Work

Outside of my professional responsibilities, my priorities are family and service. My wife Laura and I are raising three sons, and I remain actively involved in coaching youth and high-school athletics. These roles continue to reinforce the values that shape both my personal and professional life: preparation, accountability, and long-term thinking.