# Fee-only financial advisors in Carlsbad, California > Start with a fee-only advisor in Carlsbad whose record matches what you need, then check their fees and SEC record before you call. Records to start with include Stephen Nelson of Birchwood Capital LLC, Jeffrey Vistica of Vistica Wealth Advisors and Matthew Brayer of Carlsbad Wealth Advisory Group, chosen for their credentials and fees on file. Page: https://find.wellspent.co/locations/us/california/carlsbad/ 35 fee-only advisors listed; data last updated October 30, 2026. Fee-only means paid only by clients, never by commissions. ## Which fee-only financial advisor should I talk to in Carlsbad? Start with a fee-only advisor in Carlsbad whose record matches what you need, then check their fees and SEC record before you call. Records to start with include Stephen Nelson of Birchwood Capital LLC, Jeffrey Vistica of Vistica Wealth Advisors and Matthew Brayer of Carlsbad Wealth Advisory Group, chosen for their credentials and fees on file. ## How many fee-only advisors in Carlsbad are there? The Wellspent public graph lists 35 fee-only advisors in Carlsbad, at 18 firms. We counted every advisor record that fits, as of October 2026. ## What do fee-only advisors in Carlsbad focus on? The most common focus among fee-only advisors in Carlsbad is retirement planning (19), followed by retirees (13) and estate planning (13). Advisors can list more than one. ## How do fee-only advisors in Carlsbad charge? The most common fee among fee-only advisors in Carlsbad is a percentage of assets, used by 74% of the 35 with fees on file. Many use more than one: 40% charge by the hour and 26% charge fixed fees. ## How much do fee-only financial advisors charge in California? Fee-only financial advisors in California charge a median of $6,000 a year for ongoing planning. We found this across the published prices of 112 California firms. ## How many fee-only advisors in Carlsbad hold the CFP? 46% of the 35 fee-only advisors in Carlsbad hold the CFP certification, based on the credentials listed on each record. ## Does California tax income on top of federal tax? Yes. California has a state income tax, so a financial plan for a California resident should project it alongside federal tax. ## How current is this list of fee-only advisors in Carlsbad? Wellspent last checked these records against SEC records in October 2026 and firm websites in October 2026. Each advisor's page shows the date for that record. ## Advisors | Advisor | Firm | Location | Credentials | Fees | |---|---|---|---|---| | [Stephen Nelson](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/stephen-nelson.md) | Birchwood Capital LLC | Carlsbad, California | CFP, CFA | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee | | [Laryssa Freeman](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/laryssa-freeman.md) | Meritage Wealth Management LLC | Carlsbad, California | CFP | Percentage of assets | | [Nannette Belt](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/nannette-belt.md) | Inspiration Financial Planning LLC | Carlsbad, California | CFP, RICP, MBA | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee | | [Allen Regan](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/allen-regan.md) | Vistica Wealth Advisors | Carlsbad, California | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer, Hourly, Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee | | [Jeffrey Vistica](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/jeffrey-vistica.md) | Vistica Wealth Advisors | Carlsbad, California | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer, Hourly, Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee | | [Bradley Sayre](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/bradley-sayre.md) | Shared Vision Wealth Group | Carlsbad, California | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly, Fixed fees | | [Bryan Theall](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/bryan-theall.md) | Shared Vision Wealth Group | Carlsbad, California | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly, Fixed fees | | [Carolina Ortiz](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/carolina-ortiz.md) | Shared Vision Wealth Group | Carlsbad, California | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly, Fixed fees | | [Thomas Kelly](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/thomas-kelly.md) | Kelly Investment Management | Carlsbad, California | CFP | One-time planning fee | | [Daniel Vistica](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/daniel-vistica.md) | Vistica Wealth Advisors | Carlsbad, California | | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer, Hourly, Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee | | [Andrew Sontag](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/andrew-sontag.md) | Carlsbad Wealth Advisory Group | Carlsbad, California | CFP | Percentage of assets | | [Heather Sontag](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/heather-sontag.md) | Carlsbad Wealth Advisory Group | Carlsbad, California | CFP | Percentage of assets | | [John Lacey](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/john-lacey.md) | Pacific Point Wealth Management | Carlsbad, California | CFP | Percentage of assets | | [Matthew Brayer](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/matthew-brayer.md) | Carlsbad Wealth Advisory Group | Carlsbad, California | CFP | Percentage of assets | | [Austin Mangold](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/austin-mangold.md) | Seaside Wealth Management | Carlsbad, California | | Ongoing planning fee | | [Boonseon Gudmundsen](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/boonseon-gudmundsen.md) | Beacon Financial Management | Carlsbad, California | CFP | Hourly | | [Derek Finch](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/derek-finch.md) | Seaside Wealth Management | Carlsbad, California | | Ongoing planning fee | | [Kade Kretzschmar](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/kade-kretzschmar.md) | Seaside Wealth Management | Carlsbad, California | | Ongoing planning fee | | [Shelley Murasko](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/shelley-murasko.md) | Wealthrise Financial Planning | Carlsbad, California | CFP | Hourly | | [Ben McCollum](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/ben-mccollum.md) | Pacific Point Wealth Management | Carlsbad, California | | Percentage of assets | | [James Curran](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/james-curran-6569802.md) | Pacific Point Wealth Management | Carlsbad, California | | Percentage of assets | | [Matthew Marchand](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/matthew-marchand.md) | Pacific Point Wealth Management | Carlsbad, California | | Percentage of assets | | [Ryan Gorski](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/ryan-gorski.md) | Pacific Point Wealth Management | Carlsbad, California | | Percentage of assets | | [John Chavez](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/john-chavez.md) | Multnomah Group | Carlsbad, California | | Percentage of assets, Hourly, Fixed fees | | [Kelly Doyle](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/kelly-doyle.md) | Wealthrise Financial Planning | Carlsbad, California | | Hourly | | [Eric Rodriguez](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/eric-rodriguez.md) | Wealthbuilders | Carlsbad, California | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly, Fixed fees | | [Matthew Higbie](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/matthew-higbie.md) | Birchwood Capital | Carlsbad, California | CFA | Hourly, Fixed fees | | [Andrew Liu](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/andrew-liu.md) | MKT Advisors | Carlsbad, California | | Percentage of assets | | [Barry Waits](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/barry-waits.md) | Waits Investments | Carlsbad, California | | Percentage of assets, Hourly, Fixed fees | | [Basem Darwich](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/basem-darwich.md) | MKT Advisors | Carlsbad, California | | Percentage of assets | | [Brady Bishop](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/brady-bishop.md) | Waits Investments | Carlsbad, California | | Percentage of assets, Hourly, Fixed fees | | [Corinne Fond](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/corinne-fond.md) | MKT Advisors | Carlsbad, California | | Percentage of assets | | [Lester Antman](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/lester-antman.md) | Simplyrich | Carlsbad, California | | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees | | [Michael Harnett](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/michael-harnett.md) | Harnett Investment Advisers | Carlsbad, California | | Percentage of assets | | [Taylor Jobe](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/taylor-jobe.md) | MKT Advisors | Carlsbad, California | | Percentage of assets | ## About this data Sources and verification: https://find.wellspent.co/methodology/ Query the directory programmatically: https://api.wellspent.co/mcp (MCP, read-only, no auth).