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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andrew Lunt | Scratch Capital | Boise | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Anthony Caputo | Pallas Capital Advisors | Park Ridge | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Anthony Ortale | Insight Wealth Strategies | San Ramon | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Antoine Lena | Twenty-Five Capital Partners | Newport Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ashley Gardiner | Praetorian Guard Wealth Management | Carmel | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Benjamin Bjork | Navista Wealth Management | Naples | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Benjamin Englund | Ceva Advisors | Woodinville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Benjamin Fookes | Fiduciary Financial Group | San Rafael | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Benjamin House | Stonehearth Capital Management | Danvers | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Benjamin Satterfield | Regatta Capital Group | El Segundo | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bhagwati Sangani | Gryphon Wealth | Jacksonville | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Bonnie Courtney | Cambridge Financial Group | Tucson | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brandon Lew | Kera Capital | Los Angeles | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Brandon Sullivan | Spring Street Wealth | New York | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brenda Lammers | Altus Wealth Group | Colorado Springs | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Brendon Yi | Sand Hill Global Advisors | Palo Alto | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Camden Newton | Pallas Capital Advisors | Braintree | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Canyon Burton-Murphy | Asempa Wealth Advisors | Baton Rouge | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Cary Allison | Kera Capital | San Jose | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Cassidy Fisher | Castle Coast Wealth | La Jolla | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Cathleen Phelps | Monument Wealth Management | Alexandria | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Chad Seegers | Insight Wealth Strategies | San Ramon | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Charles Evangelakos | Pallas Capital Advisors | Braintree | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Charles Gehring | Mission Creek Capital Partners | San Francisco | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Charles Gillespie | Castle Coast Wealth | La Jolla | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Cheung Chan | Chemistry Wealth Management, LLC. | New York | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Chris Franz | Bauer Heitzmann | Colorado Springs | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Christopher Baum | Coastal Capital Advisors | Irvine | CFA | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Christopher Champion | Holden Family Office | Dallas | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Christopher Moore | Fiduciary Financial Group | San Rafael | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Cole McClarren | Cambridge Financial Group | Tucson | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Colin Leighton | Heritage Oak Wealth Advisors | Rogers | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Cyrus Eslami | Eslami & Co. Wealth Management | Glen Ridge | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Daniel Bauer | Bauer Heitzmann | Colorado Springs | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Daniel Sinton | Rational Investment Management | Mill Valley | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| David Brandt | Harris Wealth Management | Twin Falls | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Lowery | Lowery Thomas | Walnut Creek | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Derek Campbell | Twenty-Five Capital Partners | Newport Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Derek Wulff | Navista Wealth Management | Minnetonka | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dominic Hubert | Schmidt Financial Management | Kirkland | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Donald Campbell | Twenty-Five Capital Partners | Newport Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Drew Kunde | Sand Hill Global Advisors | Palo Alto | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Dushyant Pandit | Dorchester Advisors | Short Hills | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Eden Morimoto | Torrey Growth & Income Advisors | Del Mar | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ellen Himmel | Regatta Capital Group | El Segundo | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Enrique Perez | Mission Park Capital | Cambridge | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Erik Cooper Low cost wealth management firm | Arcvest, LLC | Boston | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Erika Jenkins | Regatta Capital Group | El Segundo | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| G-Woon Choe | Kera Capital | San Jose | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Garrett Thompson | Sky Vision Wealth | Columbus | 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.