# Financial advisors for founders in Alabama > For founders in Alabama, talk to a fee-only planner who has worked through a liquidity event, ideally well before you sign anything. The most valuable decisions, like QSBS eligibility and gifting shares, usually have to be made ahead of the sale. Records to start with include Caleb Hopkins of Navigate Wealth Management, Robert Allan of Welon and Dudley Simms of BMSS Wesson Wealth Solutions. Page: https://find.wellspent.co/specialties/founders-pre-exit/alabama/ 28 fee-only advisors listed; data last updated October 30, 2026. Fee-only means paid only by clients, never by commissions. ## Which financial advisor should I talk to as a founder in Alabama? For founders in Alabama, talk to a fee-only planner who has worked through a liquidity event, ideally well before you sign anything. The most valuable decisions, like QSBS eligibility and gifting shares, usually have to be made ahead of the sale. Records to start with include Caleb Hopkins of Navigate Wealth Management, Robert Allan of Welon and Dudley Simms of BMSS Wesson Wealth Solutions. - [Caleb Hopkins](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/caleb-hopkins/), Navigate Wealth Management, Birmingham. Holds the CFP and CFA. Fees on file: percentage of assets. - [Robert Allan](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/robert-allan-6956932/), Welon, Montgomery. Holds the CFP and CFA. Fees on file: percentage of assets, hourly. - [Dudley Simms](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/dudley-simms/), BMSS Wesson Wealth Solutions, Birmingham. Holds the CFP and CFA. Fees on file: percentage of assets, hourly. - [Brian Seay](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/brian-seay-7411892/), Capital Stewards, Huntsville. Holds the CFA. Fees on file: flat fee or retainer, ongoing planning fee. - [Chris Alman](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/chris-alman/), Equip Financial Partners, LLC, Fairhope. Holds the CFP. Fees on file: ongoing planning fee, percentage of assets. - [Marshall Rathmell](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/marshall-rathmell/), BCR Wealth Strategies, Vestavia. Holds the CFP. Fees on file: percentage of assets. ## How many fee-only financial advisors in Alabama work with founders? The Wellspent public graph lists 28 fee-only advisors for founders in Alabama, at 7 firms. We counted every advisor record that lists this work, as of October 2026. ## Where are fee-only advisors for founders in Alabama located? Of the 28 fee-only advisors for founders in Alabama, 15 are in Birmingham, followed by 7 in Vestavia and 2 in Fairhope. ## How do fee-only advisors for founders in Alabama charge? The most common fee among fee-only advisors for founders in Alabama is a percentage of assets, used by 96% of the 28 with fees on file. Many use more than one: 43% charge by the hour and 36% charge fixed fees. ## What credentials should a financial advisor for founders have? For founders, look for the CFP and CFA. In Alabama, 57% of the 28 advisors listed hold the CFP. - CFP (57% of advisors listed): The CFP covers life after the exit, not only the sale. - CFA (25% of advisors listed): The CFA helps with investing a large sum at once. ## How do Alabama advisors for founders compare with the rest of the US? 36% of fee-only advisors for founders in Alabama charge fixed fees, compared with 57% of the 3,000 listed across the US. That's the largest difference in the Wellspent public graph between the two groups. ## Does Alabama tax income on top of federal tax? Yes. Alabama has a state income tax, so a financial plan for a Alabama resident should project it alongside federal tax. ## What happens to stock pay if you move to or from Alabama? States often tax stock pay based on where you worked between grant and vesting, so a move to or from Alabama can split that income across states. Tell any advisor about moves during a vesting period. ## What should I ask a financial advisor as a founder in Alabama? - How many clients have you taken through an exit, and at what size? - How would you check whether my shares qualify for QSBS? - What should I do before a term sheet that I can't do after? - How would you invest the proceeds in the first year? - How will you plan for Alabama 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 founders in Alabama? 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. ## Advisors | Advisor | Firm | Location | Credentials | Fees | |---|---|---|---|---| | [Chris Alman](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/chris-alman.md) | Equip Financial Partners, LLC | Fairhope, Alabama | CFP | Ongoing planning fee, Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee | | [Mu-Tin Wultsch](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/mu-tin-wultsch.md) | Brown Financial Advisory | Fairhope, Alabama | CFP, BBA, ChFC, AEP, CTFA, JD, LLM, MAcc | Percentage of assets, Hourly, Fixed fees | | [Brian Seay](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/brian-seay-7411892.md) | Capital Stewards | Huntsville, Alabama | CFA | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee, One-time planning fee | | [David Hinshaw](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/david-hinshaw.md) | BMSS Wesson Wealth Solutions | Huntsville, Alabama | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly, Fixed fees | | [Dudley Simms](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/dudley-simms.md) | BMSS Wesson Wealth Solutions | Birmingham, Alabama | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly, Fixed fees | | [Felix Tankersley](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/felix-tankersley.md) | BMSS Wesson Wealth Solutions | Birmingham, Alabama | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly, Fixed fees | | [Jonathan Brooks](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/jonathan-brooks.md) | BMSS Wesson Wealth Solutions | Birmingham, Alabama | CFP, ChFC | Percentage of assets, Hourly, Fixed fees | | [Mark Wesson](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/mark-wesson.md) | BMSS Wesson Wealth Solutions | Birmingham, Alabama | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly, Fixed fees | | [Robert Allan](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/robert-allan-6956932.md) | Welon | Montgomery, Alabama | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly | | [Caleb Hopkins](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/caleb-hopkins.md) | Navigate Wealth Management | Birmingham, Alabama | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets | | [James Burnett](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/james-burnett.md) | Navigate Wealth Management | Birmingham, Alabama | CFP | Percentage of assets | | [Jonathan Fargason](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/jonathan-fargason.md) | Navigate Wealth Management | Birmingham, Alabama | CFP | Percentage of assets | | [Mary Livingston](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/mary-livingston.md) | Navigate Wealth Management | Birmingham, Alabama | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets | | [Steven Lind](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/steven-lind.md) | Navigate Wealth Management | Birmingham, Alabama | CFP | Percentage of assets | | [John Imbusch](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/john-imbusch.md) | BMSS Wesson Wealth Solutions | Birmingham, Alabama | | Percentage of assets, Hourly, Fixed fees | | [John Steiner](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/john-steiner.md) | Welon | Montgomery, Alabama | CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly | | [Kaylan Adams](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/kaylan-adams.md) | BMSS Wesson Wealth Solutions | Birmingham, Alabama | | Percentage of assets, Hourly, Fixed fees | | [Marshall Rathmell](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/marshall-rathmell.md) | BCR Wealth Strategies | Vestavia, Alabama | CFP, PFS | Percentage of assets | | [Matthew Heard](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/matthew-heard.md) | BMSS Wesson Wealth Solutions | Birmingham, Alabama | | Percentage of assets, Hourly, Fixed fees | | [Perrin Jones](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/perrin-jones.md) | BMSS Wesson Wealth Solutions | Birmingham, Alabama | | Percentage of assets, Hourly, Fixed fees | | [Sandra Cleveland](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/sandra-cleveland.md) | BCR Wealth Strategies | Vestavia, Alabama | CFP | Percentage of assets | | [Spencer Lawson](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/spencer-lawson.md) | BCR Wealth Strategies | Vestavia, Alabama | CFP | Percentage of assets | | [Carl Grahs](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/carl-grahs.md) | Navigate Wealth Management | Birmingham, Alabama | CFA | Percentage of assets | | [Reuben Stewart](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/reuben-stewart.md) | Navigate Wealth Management | Birmingham, Alabama | | Percentage of assets | | [Abigail Kotarski](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/abigail-kotarski.md) | BCR Wealth Strategies | Vestavia, Alabama | | Percentage of assets | | [Annelise Sutherland](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/annelise-sutherland.md) | BCR Wealth Strategies | Vestavia, Alabama | | Percentage of assets | | [Lindsay Birchfield](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/lindsay-birchfield.md) | BCR Wealth Strategies | Vestavia, Alabama | | Percentage of assets | | [Timothy Jones](https://find.wellspent.co/advisors/timothy-jones.md) | BCR Wealth Strategies | Vestavia, Alabama | | Percentage of assets | ## Related - [Retirement planning in Alabama](https://find.wellspent.co/specialties/retirement-planning/alabama.md) - [Estate planning in Alabama](https://find.wellspent.co/specialties/estate-planning/alabama.md) - [Family wealth transfer in Alabama](https://find.wellspent.co/specialties/family-wealth-transfer/alabama.md) ## About this data Sources and verification: https://find.wellspent.co/methodology/ Query the directory programmatically: https://api.wellspent.co/mcp (MCP, read-only, no auth).