Financial advisors for tax planning in San Diego, California
Which financial advisor should I talk to about tax planning in San Diego?
For tax planning in San Diego, talk to a fee-only planner who plans tax across years, not one who only looks back at last year's return. Ask whether they prepare returns or work alongside your preparer, because that changes who does what. Records to start with include Shalmali Kulkarni of Pathview Wealth Advisors, Leslie Merrithew of Merrithew & Thorsten and David Lyon of Lyon Wealth Advisory.
Where to start
Chosen from what each record shows: credentials that fit this work and fees on file, one advisor per firm.
- Shalmali Kulkarni Pathview Wealth Advisors, San Diego City Holds the EA, CPA and CFP. Fees on file: percentage of assets, hourly.
- Leslie Merrithew Merrithew & Thorsten, San Diego City Holds the EA and CFP. Fees on file: ongoing planning fee.
- David Lyon Lyon Wealth Advisory, San Deigo Holds the EA and CFP. Fees on file: flat fee or retainer, ongoing planning fee.
- Mark Young Clearview Financial, Inc., San Diego City Holds the CPA and CFP. Fees on file: percentage of assets, ongoing planning fee.
- Steven Fox AdviceOnly, San Diego City Holds the EA and CFP. Fees on file: subscription, one-time planning fee.
- Jose Armenta Create Your Path, San Diego City Holds the EA and CFP. Fees on file: flat fee or retainer, ongoing planning fee.
How many fee-only financial advisors in San Diego work on tax planning?
The Wellspent public graph lists 92 fee-only advisors for tax planning in San Diego, at 44 firms. We counted every advisor record that lists this work, as of November 2026.
How do fee-only advisors for tax planning in San Diego charge?
The most common fee among fee-only advisors for tax planning in San Diego is a percentage of assets, used by 74% of the 92 with fees on file. Many use more than one: 50% charge fixed fees and 45% charge by the hour.
How much do fee-only financial advisors charge in San Diego?
Fee-only financial advisors in San Diego charge a median of $5,500 a year for ongoing planning. We found this across the published prices of 14 San Diego firms.
How much does a one-time financial plan cost in San Diego?
A one-time financial plan from a fee-only firm in San Diego has a median price of $1,950. We found this across the published prices of 11 San Diego firms.
What credentials should a financial advisor for tax planning have?
For tax planning, look for the EA, CPA and CFP. In San Diego, 59% of the 92 advisors listed hold the CFP.
- EA7% in San Diego
- Enrolled agents are licensed by the IRS and focus on tax.
- CPA2% in San Diego
- CPAs bring broad tax and accounting depth.
- CFP59% in San Diego
- The CFP connects tax decisions to the rest of the plan.
How do San Diego advisors for tax planning compare with the rest of the US?
74% of fee-only advisors for tax planning in San Diego charge a percentage of assets, compared with 87% of the 5,860 listed across the US. That's the largest difference in the Wellspent public graph between the two groups.
Dark bars are San Diego. Light bars are all US advisors for tax planning.
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 should I ask a financial advisor about tax planning in San Diego?
- Do you prepare my return, or coordinate with my preparer?
- Will you give me a written multi-year tax projection?
- What tax decisions would you want to make with me before year end?
- How do you weigh tax savings against investment risk?
- How will you plan for California tax alongside federal tax?
How current is this list of fee-only advisors for tax planning in San Diego?
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 92 advisors
| Advisor | Firm | City | Credentials | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emily Nilsson Hourly, project or ongoing planning that centers the person, helping clients build a healthier, more personal relationship with money. | Brava Financial, LLC | San Diego | CDFA, CFP, JD | One-time planning fee, Hourly |
| 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 |
| David Lyon | Lyon Wealth Advisory | San Deigo | CFP, EA, CRPC | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Eric Niergarth | Retirement Roadmap Financial Planning | San Diego | CFP, RICP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Josue Luque De Julio | Next Gen Financial Planning | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Nate Nieri | Modern Money Management | San Diego | CFP, MSBA, MBA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Rafael Melendez | Next Gen Financial Planning | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Shannon Grey | InvestEdge Planning | San Diego | CFP, CRPC | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Jacob Greenberg | Pure Financial Advisors, LLC | San Diego | AIF, CFP, ChFC, MPH | Percentage of assets, One-time planning fee |
| Jake Taylor | Astra Wealth Management | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jose Armenta | Create Your Path | San Diego | CFP, ChFC, EA, MSBA | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Steven Fox Next Gen founder now building AdviceOnly to help advisors give advice instead of sales pitches; takes occasional small hourly projects. | AdviceOnly | San Diego | CFP, EA, BFA, MS | Subscription, One-time planning fee |
| Mark Young | Clearview Financial, Inc. | San Diego | CFP, CPA | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Danny Michael | Satori Wealth Management Inc. | San Diego | CFP, RLP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jon Luskin Hourly, advice-only planning for do-it-yourself investors from a fiduciary and longtime advocate of simple, low-cost index investing. | JonLuskin.com | San Diego | CFP | One-time planning fee |
| Leslie Merrithew | Merrithew & Thorsten | San Diego | CFP, EA | Ongoing planning fee |
| Jack O'Donnell | JRO Wealth Management | San Diego | CFP, EA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Taylor Schulte Tax-smart retirement planning for investors with a $2MM+ nest egg. | Define Financial | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| Christian Litscher | Illumination Wealth Management | San Diego | CFP, CFA | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Christine Papelian | Illumination Wealth Management | San Diego | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Christine Skoczek | Vistica Wealth Advisors | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Flat fee or retainer |
| David Kim | Illumination Wealth Management | San Diego | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Sara Gawick | Illumination Wealth Management | San Diego | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Shalmali Kulkarni | Pathview Wealth Advisors | San Diego | CFP, Certified Student Loan Professional, CPA, EA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Victor Gersten | Cross Border Wealth Advisors | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Ongoing planning fee |
| Zachary Benton | Illumination Wealth Management | San Diego | CFP | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Daniel Cadena | Cadena Financial Planning & Tax Services | San Diego | CFP | Hourly, One-time planning fee |
| David Chenet | Presidio Capital Management | San Diego | CFP, CFA | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jeremy Kovacevich | Kaiyo Wealth | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Jodi Vleck | Beta Wealth Group | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Joshua Simpson | Illumination Wealth Management | San Diego | ChFC | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Matthew Cobas | Kaiyo Wealth | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets |
| Rielle Sanidad | Presidio Capital Management | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stone Churby | Presidio Capital Management | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Stuart Schiffman | Compound Wealth Advisors | San Diego | CFP, ChFC | One-time planning fee |
| Angel Brown | asendo wealth | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Chaz Fahrner | Sierra Wealth Strategies | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Andrews | Heritage Wealth Management | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jordan Gibbs | Heritage Wealth Management | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Philip Maravilla | PracticeCFO | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Ryan Gibbs | Heritage Wealth Management | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Todd Wiersum | Encompass Financial Services | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Wesley Read | PracticeCFO | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Allen Trim | Blue Summit Wealth Management | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Benjamin Rinkey | Illumination Wealth Management | San Diego | Not listed | Flat fee or retainer, Ongoing planning fee |
| Bradley Johnston | Fiduciary Benefits Group | San Diego | CFP, ChFC | Flat fee or retainer |
| Jackson Miller | Fiduciary Benefits Group | San Diego | CFP | Flat fee or retainer |
| Kameron Barzegar | RJ Patterson Group | San Diego | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Malek Hage Hassan | RJ Patterson Group | San Diego | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Mark Hull | Mission Hills Financial | San Diego | CFP | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
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