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About Bona Fide Finance

At Bona Fide Finance, we believe financial planning should be rooted in trust, integrity, and preparation for the unknown. Our name, derived from the Latin phrase “in good faith,” reflects our deep commitment to serving you with honesty, wisdom, and a spirit of stewardship.

Why “Bona Fide” Matters

Life is unpredictable. No matter how much we plan, the future remains uncertain. Yet, we are called to prepare diligently, making wise decisions today to build stability for tomorrow. We embrace this reality—not with fear, but with faith that sound financial planning, cultivated with integrity, equips you for whatever lies ahead.
As G.K. Chesterton observed, life is “nearly reasonable, but not quite.” It follows patterns, yet holds surprises. At Bona Fide, we don’t claim to predict the future, but we do promise to guide you with strategies grounded in financial wisdom and time-tested principles. Our mission is to help you steward your wealth with clarity and confidence, preparing you for life’s opportunities and challenges alike.
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Our Commitment to You

We stand by our clients with a fiduciary oath, always acting in your best interest. Whether you’re navigating career growth, preparing for retirement, or safeguarding your family’s financial future, we are here to walk alongside you—helping you make decisions in good faith, with good sense, for a future full of possibility.

Ben Martinek

CFP®, EA, CSLP®, RICP®, Founder and Advisor
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Deb Martinek

Relationships Specialist
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Bonnie Martinek

Administrative Assistant
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Ready to partner with an advisor who puts you first? Let’s talk.
Schedule a call today and take control of your financial future with a team that truly has your back.
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From our home office in North Dakota, we proudly serve clients across 20 states – virtually, efficiently, and with a personal touch.
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Ben Martinek

CFP®, EA, CSLP®, RICP®, Founder and Advisor

Ben Martinek, CFP®, EA, CSLP®, RICP®, is the founder and lead advisor at Bona Fide Finance, an independent, fee-only firm dedicated to helping doctors, young professionals, and growing families take control of their financial future. With a deep understanding of student loan debt—having tackled his own—Ben specializes in guiding clients through debt repayment strategies, smart investing, and comprehensive financial planning so they can build wealth with confidence. Ben’s passion for financial planning comes from his desire to provide honest, objective advice tailored to each client’s unique situation. He loves seeing the impact of his work, whether it’s helping a family pay off student loans years ahead of schedule, setting up an early retiree for financial freedom, or giving clients the peace that comes from knowing their finances are in order. His clients appreciate his thoughtful, high-touch approach, often saying that working with him has changed their lives.

Before launching Bona Fide Finance in 2015, Ben’s career path was anything but conventional. The fourth of nine children, he grew up in rural Indiana and initially pursued a path in academia, earning a B.A. in philosophy and classical languages, followed by a master’s degree in philosophy. Along the way, he explored careers in construction and truck driving—logging over 600,000 miles across the U.S. with his wife, Deb—before finding his true calling in financial planning.

Now based in Bismarck, North Dakota, Ben and Deb stay busy raising their two daughters, Edith and Virginia. Since their truck-driving days, Ben is happiest on a long road trip—preferably behind the wheel of his TDI Volkswagen Jetta. He enjoys sailing on Lake Sakakawea, camping in their vintage ’90s pop-up camper, and smoking a pipe by the grill. A lover of strategy board games, he favors Clans of Caledonia (mostly because Deb refuses to play Risk with him). When he’s not working with clients, he can be found smoking meat, gardening, hiking, or diving into The Lord of the Rings or Dune. Ben also serves on the school board for his daughters’ Montessori school and is actively involved in pre-marriage ministry in the Bismarck Diocese.

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Deb Martinek

Relationships Specialist

Deb has been with Bona Fide Finance since its inception in 2015 and long before that with her support of Ben studying for the CFP designation and the dream of starting the business of helping individuals and families meet their financial goals.

She fills the Relationships Specialist role – Deb is typically the first encounter our new clients have as she walks them through our service offerings and introduces them to the map of financial literacy.

She has a bachelor’s degree from Ball State University and a master’s degree from the Franciscan University of Steubenville. Deb lives in Bismarck with Ben and their two young daughters, is a card-carrying member of the CDL club (read more about those adventures here) and is happiest reading an epic novel, solving a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle, or working in her kitchen where she can serve love to the people in her life through quality food (clients enjoy her holiday shipment of homemade goodies each December!).

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Bonnie Martinek

Administrative Assistant
Bonnie (Ben’s mom!) is a mother of 9 and a grandmother of 17. She has lived in rural Indiana her whole life and has a master’s degree in Special Education. In her own words, she’s done a little bit of everything but is a master of none (teaching, construction, manager of a corn maze, CNA, farm work, cashier, auto bodywork, and the list goes on!). Widowed in 2019, she is reinventing herself through her work in the day-to-day operations of Bona Fide Finance and client relations. Bonnie loves getting to know our clients and is happy to serve them well!
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