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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonathan Cox | Acorn Financial Services | Reston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jonathan Kline | Lakewood Financial Group | Tafton | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Jonathan Nagy | Alpine Road Financial | Bend | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Joseph Cefalu | Downtown Wealth Studios | Miami | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Joseph Recznik | Integritas Wealth Strategies | Charleston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Julie Purcell | Wissahickon Wealth Management | Philadelphia | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Justin Souder | Acorn Financial Services | Reston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kathleen Cefalu | Downtown Wealth Studios | Ipswich | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kaylan Adams | BMSS Wesson Wealth Solutions | Birmingham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Keley Petersen | Willow Grove Advisors | Berkeley | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kelly Snider | Beaird Harris | Dallas | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kenneth Gillespie | Hermosa Wealth Management | Hermosa Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kevin Blocker | Linkside Financial | Charlotte | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Kevin Deans | KFA Private Wealth Group | Tyson | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kevin Lindley | Beaird Harris | Dallas | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kim Nordmo | Artience Capital | Gardnerville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Kraishylea Agboaye | Beaird Harris | Dallas | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Kristine Pattison | CapTrust Wealth Advisors | Holland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Laura Kohler | Willow Grove Advisors | Berkeley | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Laura Martin | Richard P. Slaughter Associates | Austin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lauren Truer | CapTrust Wealth Advisors | Holland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Lee Jones | Tangent Retirement | Irvine | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Liran Amir | SKP Wealth | Glendale | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lisa Schaefer | KFA Private Wealth Group | Chevy Chase | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lisa Stroud | Century Management Financial Advisors | Austin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Marcel Quiroga | TQM Wealth Partners | Marblehead | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mark Herman | Acorn Financial Services | Alexandria | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mark Okamoto | Century Management Financial Advisors | Austin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Matthew Heard | BMSS Wesson Wealth Solutions | Birmingham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthew McGee | Integritas Wealth Strategies | Charleston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Emery | Leeward Financial Partners | Bellevue | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Thayer | Private Asset Management | Kirkland | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Wakeham | Acorn Financial Services | Reston | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Wunsch | WealthDevs | Santa Cruz | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Michael Ye | New Insight Wealth Advisors | San Ramon | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Yoder | Yoder Wealth Management | Walnut Creek | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michelle Czarnecki | Amplius Wealth | Blue Bell | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Monica Lanzilotta | Amplius Wealth | Blue Bell | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nalby Nouh | Prestige Wealth Management Group | Flemington | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nevin Kaul | Kirk Capital Advisors | Vienna | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Noah Fenz | Investors Portfolio Services | Puyallup | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Noah Lewis | Scholar Financial Advising | Winston-Salem | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer |
| Noah Shidlofsky | Riverpoint Wealth Management | Chicago | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Panos Grivakis | Lakewood Financial Group | Newport Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Paul Hegdahl | Hegdahl Investment Management | Seattle | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Paula Allgood | Beaird Harris | Dallas | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Perrin Jones | BMSS Wesson Wealth Solutions | Birmingham | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Phillip Christenson | Phillip James Financial | Plymouth | CFA | Percentage of assets |
| Rachel Van Den Berg | Century Management Financial Advisors | Austin | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Raul Sonza | Cabildo Capital | Washington | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
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.