Financial advisors for equity compensation in California
Which financial advisor should I talk to about equity compensation in California?
For equity compensation in California, talk to a fee-only planner who models grants as part of the whole plan, not one who only manages the portfolio. The strongest fit pairs planning with tax depth, because most costly mistakes here are tax timing mistakes. Records to start with include Alex Caswell of Wealth Script Advisors, Stan Himeno-Okamoto of DRS Financial Partners and Matthew Showley of Creative Capital Management Investments LLC.
Where to start
Chosen from what each record shows: credentials that fit this work and fees on file, one advisor per firm.
- Alex Caswell Wealth Script Advisors, San Francisco Holds the EA, CFP and CFA. Fees on file: percentage of assets, flat fee or retainer.
- Stan Himeno-Okamoto DRS Financial Partners, San Francisco Holds the EA, CFP and CFA. Fees on file: hourly.
- Matthew Showley Creative Capital Management Investments LLC, San Diego Holds the CPA and CFP. Fees on file: percentage of assets, hourly.
- Brandon Amaral Amaral Financial Planning, LLC, San Jose Holds the EA and CFP. Fees on file: ongoing planning fee, percentage of assets.
- Greg Crofton Adap Tax Financial, Inc., Pleasanton Holds the EA and CFP. Fees on file: hourly, flat fee or retainer.
- Annette Di Bello Di Bello Financial, Mission Viejo Holds the CPA and CFP. Fees on file: percentage of assets.
How many fee-only financial advisors in California work on equity compensation?
The Wellspent public graph lists 318 fee-only advisors for equity compensation in California, at 151 firms. We counted every advisor record that lists this work, as of November 2026.
Where are fee-only advisors for equity compensation in California located?
Of the 318 fee-only advisors for equity compensation in California, 50 are in San Francisco, followed by 23 in Palo Alto and 17 in San Ramon.
Plus 199 in other cities.
How do fee-only advisors for equity compensation in California charge?
The most common fee among fee-only advisors for equity compensation in California is a percentage of assets, used by 85% of the 318 with fees on file. Many use more than one: 50% charge by the hour and 38% 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 much does a one-time financial plan cost in California?
A one-time financial plan from a fee-only firm in California has a median price of $2,500. We found this across the published prices of 111 California firms.
What credentials should a financial advisor for equity compensation have?
For equity compensation, look for the EA, CPA and CFP. In California, 51% of the 318 advisors listed hold the CFP.
- EA3% in California
- Enrolled agents are licensed to represent taxpayers, which matters for AMT and withholding gaps.
- CPA1% in California
- CPAs bring the tax modeling that exercise and sale decisions depend on.
- CFP51% in California
- The CFP covers the full plan the grants have to fit into.
- CFA9% in California
- The CFA helps with concentrated stock and diversification.
How do California advisors for equity compensation compare with the rest of the US?
50% of fee-only advisors for equity compensation in California charge by the hour, compared with 39% of the 1,349 listed across the US. That's the largest difference in the Wellspent public graph between the two groups.
Dark bars are California. Light bars are all US advisors for equity compensation.
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.
What happens to stock pay if you move to or from California?
States often tax stock pay based on where you worked between grant and vesting, so a move to or from California can split that income across states. Tell any advisor about moves during a vesting period.
What should I ask a financial advisor about equity compensation in California?
- How many clients do you have with my type of equity (RSUs, ISOs, NSOs, or ESPP)?
- How will you handle the gap between the 22% federal withholding on vesting and my actual tax rate?
- If I hold ISOs, how do you model AMT before I exercise?
- What's your plan for reducing my company stock, and how would you time the sales?
- How will you plan for California tax alongside federal tax?
- If I move before my grants vest, which states can tax them?
How current is this list of fee-only advisors for equity compensation in California?
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 318 advisors
| Advisor | Firm | City | Credentials | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annette Di Bello Member | Di Bello Financial | Mission Viejo | CFP, CPA, PFS™ | Percentage of assets |
| Michal Skowronski Comprehensive Wealth Planning for High-Income Professionals and Retirees | Skylark Wealth, LLC | San Francisco | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| 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 |
| Aaron Hatch | Woven Capital | Redding | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Austin Lee | Lee Financial Group LLC | Ladera Ranch | CFP, MBA | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Carmetta Joyner Practical, lecture-free planning that helps first-generation professionals organize their finances and put a custom plan into action. | Joyner Financial Planning LLC | San Francisco | CFP | One-time planning fee, Hourly |
| Charles Stermetz | Equity For The Win (EquityFTW) | San Jose | CEP, CFP | Hourly, Fixed fees |
| Christopher Stroup | Silicon Beach Financial | Santa Monica | CFP, MBA, EA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Gerardo Garcia Jr | Confianza Wealth Management | Vista | CFP, MBA | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Glen Monroe | Monroe Wealth Management | San Francisco | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Greg Gorski | Owl & Ore Wealth Planning | Pleasant Hill | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Jirayr Kembikian | Citrine Capital | San Francisco | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| John Boyd | MDRN Wealth | Venice | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Matthew Showley | Creative Capital Management Investments LLC | San Diego | CFP, MBA, BFA, CeFT | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Patrick Dinan | Impact Fiduciary | Pasadena | CFP, Chartered SRI Counselor | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Praveen Krishnamurthy Advice-only planning for tech professionals on equity compensation, taxes and diversification, from a former Google engineering leader. | Empower Financial | Fremont | CFP | One-time planning fee, Hourly |
| Ryan Miyamoto | Derive Wealth | Pasadena | CFP, MBA | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Sheila McGinn | Brightview Financial Solutions, LLC | Redwood City | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Tommy Lopez | Coffeehouse Capital LLC | Financial Planning and Wealth Management | Fresno | CFP, CRPC | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Alan Nelson | Measured Money Maneuvers LLC | Solana Beach | CFP, ChFC, MBA | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Alex Caswell | Wealth Script Advisors | San Francisco | CFP, CFA, EA | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Alex Caswell-Yatsenko | Wealth Script Advisors | San Francisco | CFA, CFP, EA | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Angela Dorsey | Dorsey Wealth Management | Torrance | CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ariadne Horstman | Tamarind Financial Planning | Palo Alto | CFP, RLP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Carolyn Masline | CareGen Wealth Management | San Mateo | CDFA, CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Emilie Goldman | Tamarind Financial Planning | Palo Alto | CFA, CFP, MBA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Ethan Pepper | Orchard City Wealth Management, LLC | Los Gatos | CFP, EA, RLP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Greg Crofton | Adap Tax Financial, Inc. | Pleasanton | CFP, EA | Hourly, Flat fee or retainer |
| Gustaf Rounick | Westlight Wealth | Venice | BA, CFP, MSC | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Jackson Xu | X AND Y ADVISORS, INC. | El Segundo | CFP, CFA | Ongoing planning fee |
| Josue Luque De Julio | Next Gen Financial Planning | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Matthias Giezendanner | San Francisco Wealth Planning LLC | Petaluma | CFP, EA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Rafael Melendez | Next Gen Financial Planning | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Said Israilov | Israilov Financial | San Francisco | CFP | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Shannon Grey | InvestEdge Planning | San Diego | CFP, CRPC | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Sridhar Krishnan | Encover Personal Finance LLC | Fremont | BS, CFP, MBA | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Will Steinberger | Think Different Financial Planning | Menlo Park | CFP | Ongoing planning fee |
| Aaron Brickley | Brickley Wealth Management | San Mateo | CFP, CPWA | Percentage of assets |
| Anandi Krishnamurthy | AKrish Financial Advisory | Cupertino | CFP | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| Brandon Amaral | Amaral Financial Planning, LLC | San Jose | CFP, EA | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Brian Canning | Brave New Wealth | Westlake Village | AIFA, CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Deirdre Hegarty | Branch & Bloom Financial Planning, LLC | Menlo Park | CFP | One-time planning fee, Ongoing planning fee |
| Jennipher Lommen | Wildflower Financial LLC | Santa Cruz | BA, CFP, EA | Ongoing planning fee |
| Kate Wilusz | Fiat Lux Financial Planning | San Francisco | CFP, CRPC | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Leighann Miko | Equalis Financial | Los Angeles | CFP, MST, RLP, BA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Michael Garber | Michael Garber Financial Planning | Cupertino | CFP, CRTP, MSEE | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Michael Izbotsky | From Planning to Living LLC | Reseda | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Mira Ma | Marim Wealth Planning, LLC | San Mateo | CFP, CTEC, EA, RFC | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Nannette Belt | Inspiration Financial Planning LLC | Carlsbad | CFP, RICP, MBA | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets |
| Neil Portus | Olivehurst Advisors LLC | Roseville | CFP, CFA, MBA, TPCP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
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