Flat-fee planning
Flat-fee planning decouples advisor compensation from client asset levels or product sales. It's typically a comprehensive planning engagement priced as an annual retainer, which means the advice doesn't get more expensive as assets grow, and there's no incentive to recommend investment products that generate fees. The model suits clients who want planning-led advice rather than investment management in isolation.
By the numbers
The Wellspent public graph lists 349 fee-only financial advisors focused on flat-fee planning at 270 firms, most in San Diego, New York and San Antonio. 74% hold the CFP certification. Of the 349 with fees on file, 89% charge flat fee or retainer.
- Advisors listed
- 349
- Firms
- 270
- Cities
- 220
- Hold the CFP
- 74%
- Other credentials: CFA 11% · CPA 3% · EA 7%
- How they charge (of 349 with fees on file): flat fee or retainer 89% · ongoing planning fee 66% · one-time planning fee 47% · hourly 26%
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 flat-fee planning
| Advisor | Firm | City | Credentials | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caleb Smoes | LifeWise Wealth Advisors | Champaign | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer |
| Clark Jeffries | Jeffries Wealth | Marietta | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Dana Strickland | Scholar Financial Advising | Winston-Salem | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer |
| Daniel Witherspoon | LifeWise Wealth Advisors | Champaign | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer |
| Evan Mills | Scholar Financial Advising | Winston-Salem | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer |
| Frank Alvarez | Tidemark Financial Partners | San Diego | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Percentage of assets |
| Gregory Legorreta | Loam Advisory | Los Angeles | Not listed | One-time planning fee, Flat fee or retainer |
| Jared Redfield | Tidemark Financial Partners | San Diego | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Percentage of assets |
| John Vanderburgh | LifeWise Wealth Advisors | Champaign | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer |
| Joshua Stipcich | Tidemark Financial Partners | San Diego | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Percentage of assets |
| Kevin Caldwell | Islands East Advisors | Chester | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Lance Johnson | ROI Financial Advisors | Beaverton | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Lee Jones | Tangent Retirement | Irvine | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Mark Nicholas | Transform Retirement | Green Bay | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer |
| Michael Graham | Mayport | Newton | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Michael Mezheritskiy | Milestone Asset Management Group | Avon | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer |
| Noah Lewis | Scholar Financial Advising | Winston-Salem | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer |
| Ryan Kolstad | AP Investment Management | Mountain View | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Sanay Patel | Purpose Wealth | Longmont | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Trevor Bruno | ROI Financial Advisors | Beaverton | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Wesley Stien | Lodestar Financial Management | Arlington | CFP | Flat fee or retainer |
| Anders Storvik | Wela Financial Advisory | San Antonio | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Anna Thornburg | Model Wealth | Wheaton | Not listed | Hourly, Flat fee or retainer |
| Brent Hudson | Fluid Financial Planning | Columbus | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Chad Nolte | Model Wealth | Wheaton | Not listed | Hourly, Flat fee or retainer |
| Cilimberg James | Foresight Financial Advising | Vestavia | ChFC | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Elizabeth Alamillo | Wela Financial Advisory | San Antonio | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Eric Greenberg | ESG Wealth Advisors | Lansdale | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Percentage of assets |
| James Devico | Mountain Pass Planning | Hopewell Junction | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Jennifer Ramaswamy | Sonoma Mountain Financial | Petaluma | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Katherine Stevick | Align Financial Planning | Southern Pines | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee |
| Rachel Gurinsky | Wela Financial Advisory | San Antonio | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Robert Holzbach | Red Kennedy Financial | Littleton | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Sarah Behr | Simplify Financial Planning | San Francisco | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| Stephen Chen | Boldin | Mill Valley | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Taylor Chamness | Wela Financial Advisory | San Antonio | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Thomas Coy | Wela Financial Advisory | San Antonio | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| William Hines | Emancipare Investment Advisors | Easton | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Hourly |
| Brandon Furlan | Capital Gains Advisory | Township Of Washington | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer |
| John Cole | LKL Advisors | Atlanta | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Kevin Schiedel | Simplified Retirement | Charlottesville | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, One-time planning fee |
| Richelle Hofer | Impact Wealth Management | Sioux Falls | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer |
| Robert Teel | Kingdom Capital Management | Carmichael | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Percentage of assets |
| Steven Thorpe | Pragmatic Portfolios | Durham | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| David Robbins | Varney Wealth Management | Tampa | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer |
| Douglas Birnie | Piedmont Wealth Advisory | Reston | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer |
| Paul Bradley | Piedmont Wealth Advisory | Charlotte | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer |
| Lawrence Russell | Lawrence Russell and Company | Pasadena | Not listed | Hourly, Flat fee or retainer |
| Nigel Upton | Pinnacle Financial Freedom | Scottsdale | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer |
Guides
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What flat-fee financial advisors charge
Flat-fee planners charge a median $4,500 a year for ongoing planning (middle half $2,400 to $7,200) or $2,000 for a one-time plan, whatever your balance.
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Advice-only financial planning: cost and who offers it
Advice-only planners charge for advice, not for managing your money. US fee-only firms with no asset-based fee charge a median $1,950 for a plan, $300 an hour or $5,000 a year.
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Advice-only vs full-service financial planner: which fits you?
Advice-only planners advise and you invest; full-service planners do both. Advice-only firms charge a median $5,000 a year for ongoing planning; full-service usually costs 1% of assets, which passes that at $500,000.
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AI chatbot vs financial advisor: what each is good for
An AI chatbot is a free or $20-a-month tutor for money questions: good at explaining, bad at deciding, and accountable to no one. A fee-only advisor charges a median $300 an hour or $2,000 for a one-time plan and answers for the advice. Use the chatbot to learn and prepare, and a person for decisions that are large or hard to undo.
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Are financial advisor fees negotiable?
Often, and the firm has to tell you: Form ADV Part 2A, Item 5 asks every registered firm to disclose whether its fees are negotiable. Here's where the room usually is, and what's realistic to ask for.
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Buying your first home: the money plan to make before you offer
At late October's average rate of 7.24%, a $400,000 home with 10% down costs about $2,453 a month before taxes and insurance. Plan the payment, the down payment and the cash you keep, then decide if advice is worth $300 an hour.