Fee-only financial advisors in San Diego, California
Which fee-only financial advisor should I talk to in San Diego?
Start with a fee-only advisor in San Diego whose record matches what you need, then check their fees and SEC record before you call. Records to start with include Michael Randall of Oak Summit Wealth Management, Shalmali Kulkarni of Pathview Wealth Advisors and Michael Kinnear of Brian D. Lowder, chosen for their credentials and fees on file.
Where to start
Chosen from what each record shows: credentials and fees on file, one advisor per firm.
- Michael Randall Oak Summit Wealth Management Holds the CFP, CFA and EA. Fees on file: ongoing planning fee.
- Shalmali Kulkarni Pathview Wealth Advisors Holds the CFP, CPA and EA. Fees on file: percentage of assets, hourly.
- Michael Kinnear Brian D. Lowder Holds the CFP and CFA. Fees on file: flat fee or retainer, hourly.
- Christian Litscher Illumination Wealth Management Holds the CFP and CFA. Fees on file: flat fee or retainer, ongoing planning fee.
- Steven Fox AdviceOnly Holds the CFP and EA. Fees on file: subscription, one-time planning fee.
- Leslie Merrithew Merrithew & Thorsten Holds the CFP and EA. Fees on file: ongoing planning fee.
By the numbers
- Advisors listed
- 221
- Firms
- 106
- Cities
- 2
- Hold the CFP
- 60%
- Other credentials: CFA 13% · CPA 1% · EA 3%
- How they charge (of 221 with fees on file): percentage of assets 85% · hourly 56% · fixed fees 49% · ongoing planning fee 16%
Source: Wellspent public graph, data as of . Shares are of advisors listed here; an advisor can hold several credentials or fee types. Methodology
Find an advisor in San Diego by what you need
Find an advisor in California by fee, assets, or credential
- Hourly financial advisors
- Flat-fee financial advisors
- One-time financial plans
- Financial advisors with no minimum
- Advisors for under $500,000
- Advisors for $500,000 to $1 million
- Advisors for $1 million to $3 million
- Advisors for over $3 million
- CFP financial advisors
- CFA financial advisors
- ChFC financial advisors
- Virtual financial advisors
Questions about fee-only advisors in San Diego
How many fee-only advisors in San Diego are there?
The Wellspent public graph lists 221 fee-only advisors in San Diego, at 106 firms. We counted every advisor record that fits, as of November 2026.
What do fee-only advisors in San Diego focus on?
The most common focus among fee-only advisors in San Diego is retirement planning (104), followed by estate planning (100) and tax planning (92). Advisors can list more than one.
How do fee-only advisors in San Diego charge?
The most common fee among fee-only advisors in San Diego is a percentage of assets, used by 85% of the 221 with fees on file. Many use more than one: 56% charge by the hour and 49% charge fixed fees.
How much do fee-only financial advisors charge in San Diego?
Fee-only financial advisors in San Diego charge a median of $5,500 a year for ongoing planning. We found this across the published prices of 14 San Diego firms.
How much does a one-time financial plan cost in San Diego?
A one-time financial plan from a fee-only firm in San Diego has a median price of $1,950. We found this across the published prices of 11 San Diego firms.
How many fee-only advisors in San Diego hold the CFP?
60% of the 221 fee-only advisors in San Diego 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 San Diego?
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.
All 221 advisors in San Diego
| Advisor | Firm | City | Credentials | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emily Nilsson Hourly, project or ongoing planning that centers the person, helping clients build a healthier, more personal relationship with money. | Brava Financial, LLC | San Diego | CDFA, CFP, JD | One-time planning fee, Hourly |
| Shannon Fleener Bilingual, values-based planning for first-generation wealth builders and progressive clients who want their money to do good too. | Sage Financial Planning | San Diego | CFP | Subscription, One-time planning fee |
| David Lyon | Lyon Wealth Advisory | San Deigo | CFP, EA, CRPC | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Matthew Showley | Creative Capital Management Investments LLC | San Diego | CFP, MBA, BFA, CeFT | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Eric Niergarth | Retirement Roadmap Financial Planning | San Diego | CFP, RICP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Josue Luque De Julio | Next Gen Financial Planning | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nate Nieri | Modern Money Management | San Diego | CFP, MSBA, MBA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Rafael Melendez | Next Gen Financial Planning | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Shannon Grey | InvestEdge Planning | San Diego | CFP, CRPC | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Jacob Greenberg | Pure Financial Advisors, LLC | San Diego | AIF, CFP, ChFC, MPH | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Jake Taylor | Astra Wealth Management | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jose Armenta | Create Your Path | San Diego | CFP, ChFC, EA, MSBA | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Steven Fox Next Gen founder now building AdviceOnly to help advisors give advice instead of sales pitches; takes occasional small hourly projects. | AdviceOnly | San Diego | CFP, EA, BFA, MS | Subscription, One-time planning fee |
| Mark Young | Clearview Financial, Inc. | San Diego | CFP, CPA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Michael Randall | Oak Summit Wealth Management | San Diego | CFP, CFA, EA | Ongoing planning fee |
| Mike Farrow | FlightPath Financial Planning | San Diego | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Danny Michael | Satori Wealth Management Inc. | San Diego | CFP, RLP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jon Luskin Hourly, advice-only planning for do-it-yourself investors from a fiduciary and longtime advocate of simple, low-cost index investing. | JonLuskin.com | San Diego | CFP | One-time planning fee |
| Leslie Merrithew | Merrithew & Thorsten | San Diego | CFP, EA | Ongoing planning fee |
| Jack O'Donnell | JRO Wealth Management | San Diego | CFP, EA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jonathan Grannick | Wonder Wealth LLC | San Diego | CFP | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Taylor Schulte Tax-smart retirement planning for investors with a $2MM+ nest egg. | Define Financial | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Christian Litscher | Illumination Wealth Management | San Diego | CFP, CFA | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Christine Papelian | Illumination Wealth Management | San Diego | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Christine Skoczek | Vistica Wealth Advisors | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| David Kim | Illumination Wealth Management | San Diego | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Sara Gawick | Illumination Wealth Management | San Diego | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Shalmali Kulkarni | Pathview Wealth Advisors | San Diego | CFP, Certified Student Loan Professional, CPA, EA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Victor Gersten | Cross Border Wealth Advisors | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Zachary Benton | Illumination Wealth Management | San Diego | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Daniel Cadena | Cadena Financial Planning & Tax Services | San Diego | CFP | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Andrew Drennan | D'Arcy Capital Management | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Chenet | Presidio Capital Management | San Diego | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Giovanna Leyva | Tidemark Financial Partners | San Diego | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Percentage of assets |
| Jeremy Kovacevich | Kaiyo Wealth | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jodi Vleck | Beta Wealth Group | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Joshua Simpson | Illumination Wealth Management | San Diego | ChFC | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Krysta Kelly | D'Arcy Capital Management | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew Cobas | Kaiyo Wealth | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Rielle Sanidad | Presidio Capital Management | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stone Churby | Presidio Capital Management | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stuart Schiffman | Compound Wealth Advisors | San Diego | CFP, ChFC | One-time planning fee |
| Tyler Abney | Tidemark Financial Partners | San Diego | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Percentage of assets |
| Tyrone Ross The right now adviser for the next-gen investor. | 401 Financial | San Diego | CFP | Hourly, Subscription |
| Andrew Russell | Dean Roland Russell Family Wealth Management | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Angel Brown | asendo wealth | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Barbara Norman | Sage Path Solutions | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Chaz Fahrner | Sierra Wealth Strategies | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Andrews | Heritage Wealth Management | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jordan Gibbs | Heritage Wealth Management | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
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