Equity compensation
Equity compensation planning covers the tax, diversification, and cash-flow decisions that come with stock-based pay: RSUs, ISOs, NSOs, ESPP, 83(b) elections, AMT, and strategies for concentrated positions before and after an IPO or secondary. Advisors with depth here can model the lifecycle of an equity grant alongside the rest of a household's financial plan.
By the numbers
The Wellspent public graph lists 1,349 fee-only financial advisors focused on equity compensation at 643 firms, most in San Francisco, Austin and New York. 53% hold the CFP certification. Of the 1348 with fees on file, 85% charge percentage of assets.
- Advisors listed
- 1,349
- Firms
- 643
- Cities
- 420
- Hold the CFP
- 53%
- Other credentials: CFA 12% · CPA 3% · EA 3%
- How they charge (of 1348 with fees on file): percentage of assets 85% · hourly 39% · fixed fees 37% · ongoing planning fee 24%
Source: Wellspent public graph, data as of . Shares are of advisors listed here; an advisor can hold several credentials or fee types. Methodology
Advisors with depth in equity compensation
| Advisor | Firm | City | Credentials | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonnie Chadwick | Paratus Financial | Dallas | Not listed | Hourly, Fixed fees |
| Brendon Johnson | CapTrust Wealth Advisors | Holland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brenton Bersin | Linkside Financial | Charlotte | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Brett Grossman | Factor Wealth Management | Chicago | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brian Beckman | Hermosa Wealth Management | Torrance | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brian Heath | Conviction Wealth Management | Austin | Not listed | One-time planning fee, Ongoing planning fee |
| Brian Vandenbrink | CapTrust Wealth Advisors | Holland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Bryan Linn | CapTrust Wealth Advisors | Holland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Carson Strom | WebsterRogers Financial Advisors | Florence | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Charles Davis | Hapanowicz | Pittsburgh | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Charles Gibbons | KFA Private Wealth Group | Tyson | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Christina Simmonds | Hapanowicz | Pittsburgh | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Christopher Fry | Capital Asset Management | Columbus | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Christopher Huston | Vertex Planning Partners | Downers Grove | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Christopher Langlois | Integritas Wealth Strategies | Charleston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Clarissa Candelario | Private Asset Management | Kirkland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Clark Forward | Forward Financial | Houston | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Clark Jeffries | Jeffries Wealth | Marietta | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Clayton Earle | Elevate Wealth Group | San Francisco | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Connor Ridgeway | Leeward Financial Partners | Bellevue | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Cort Barrett | White Aspen Capital | Henderson | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Dalin Jewett | Tanara Wealth Management | Lehi | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dana Strickland | Scholar Financial Advising | Winston-Salem | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer |
| Daniel Vogelpohl | Wealth Dimensions Group | Cincinnati | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dante Sienko | Hapanowicz | Pittsburgh | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| David Klepeisz | Accruent Wealth Advisors | Winston-Salem | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Denisse Arebalo | Pacific Canyon Investments | Lemon Grove | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Donald Harris | Beaird Harris | Dallas | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Donald Heishman | Acorn Financial Services | Harrisonburg | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Elena Sargent | Factor Wealth Management | Chicago | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Eric Forsythe | Hapanowicz | Pittsburgh | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Evan Mills | Scholar Financial Advising | Winston-Salem | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer |
| Gabriel Newhof | JVL Wealth Strategies | Wyoming | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gary Dorfman | Thryve Wealth Management | Santa Barbara | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Goran Ognjenovic | Independent Investment Advisors | Hillsboro | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Guillermo Amoretty | Amoretti Capital Management | San Francisco | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Holly Cloutier | Alliance Private Wealth | North Reading | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Igor Yukhvidin | Vertex Planning Partners | Downers Grove | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jacob Siani | Amplius Wealth | Blue Bell | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| James Behr | Stillwater Private Wealth | Mt. Pleasant | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| James Simmons | Beaird Harris | Dallas | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jane Johnson | Alliance Private Wealth | North Reading | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jason Bruxvoort | CapTrust Wealth Advisors | Holland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jason Kooyer | CapTrust Wealth Advisors | Holland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jeffrey Conway | Conway Partners | Incline Village | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jeffrey Petersen | Willow Grove Advisors | Berkeley | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jeremy Bardin | Elevate Capital | San Francisco | CFA | Percentage of assets, Performance-based fees |
| John Bell | Thryve Wealth Management | Santa Barbara | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| John Imbusch | BMSS Wesson Wealth Solutions | Birmingham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jonas Rees | CapTrust Wealth Advisors | Holland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
Guides
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Financial advisor for RSUs and stock options
An equity compensation advisor plans when to exercise and sell, covers the tax your employer under-withholds, and keeps one stock from running your plan. Fee-only planners charge a median $4,500 a year.
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Independent RIA vs wirehouse: which is better for you?
A wirehouse advisor works for a large national brokerage firm, is usually registered as both broker and adviser, and sells from the firm's platform. An independent RIA owns its firm, keeps your money at an outside custodian and owes a fiduciary duty throughout. Fee-only RIAs charge a median 1% of assets.
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Is Goldman Sachs fee-only? How Goldman Sachs is paid and what it costs
No. Goldman Sachs Ayco charges planning and advisory fees, but its advisors are also Goldman Sachs brokers and can be paid on commissions, insurance and referrals. Goldman Sachs Private Wealth Management sits inside Goldman Sachs & Co., a broker and an adviser in one firm.
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Company stock in your 401(k): when NUA saves tax
If your 401(k) holds your employer's stock, the NUA rules can tax most of its growth as a long-term capital gain instead of income. It pays off when the plan's cost basis is low. Ask for the basis before you roll anything over.
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Planning for a concentrated stock position
When one stock is a large share of what you own, the plan is a schedule for bringing it down while keeping the tax manageable: sales spread over years, shares given to charity, and for large holdings, exchange funds or hedges. A one-time plan from a fee-only planner has a median of $2,000.
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Do I need a financial advisor?
You probably don't need one for a simple situation you're happy managing. You likely do when money decisions get complex, large or hard to undo.