Simple Flat-Fee Pricing
Step 1: Financial Plan — $1,500 (one-time)
A focused plan + written roadmap in ~90 days.
Step 2 (optional): Ongoing Advisory (Planning • Investments • Taxes) — $3,000/year
Billed $750 quarterly (every 3 months)
No AUM fees. No commissions.
Most clients start with the plan. If you want ongoing implementation, investment management, and tax support, you can continue into Ongoing Advisory.
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Free Intro Call (20 minutes)
A quick, no-pressure conversation to:
✅ Get a high-level overview of your current financial situation
✅ Talk through your goals around saving, investing, debt, and retirement/FI
✅ Ask your top money questions
✅ Decide whether OptimalPath Advisors and our flat-fee, advice-first approach are a good fitThis call is introductory and educational—it’s not a full financial plan or implementation meeting.
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Financial Plan (Step 1)
$1,500 flat fee (one-time)
Built over ~60 days with 2-3 meetings
A focused planning engagement to get you organized, understand where you stand, and know what to do next—without a long-term commitment.
✅ Focused financial plan using the OptimalPath™ to FI Process (written roadmap + prioritized next steps)
✅ Portfolio review + investment recommendations (allocation, accounts, rebalancing)
✅ FI/retirement projections (timeline+ stress tests)
✅ Email support during the 60-day planning windowBest for DIY-leaning folks who want clarity and a roadmap. If you’d like help implementing and maintaining the plan, you can continue into Ongoing Advisory.
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Ongoing Advisory (Step 2)
$3,000/year flat fee
Billed $750 quarterly (every 3 months).
Planning • Investments • Taxes
No AUM fees. No commissions.Ongoing Advisory is optional and available once your initial plan is complete—so we can implement recommendations and keep everything aligned as life changes.
✅ Plan implementation + ongoing updates as income, spending, and goals change
✅ Flat-fee investment management using low-cost, globally diversified funds
✅ Integrated tax planning (Roth conversions, withdrawal strategy, ACA/IRMAA planning, etc.)
✅ Annual tax preparation included (standard individual Form 1040)
✅ Scenario analysis for big decisions (job change, relocation, retirement timing, etc.)
✅ Unlimited email support + meetings as needed (quarterly reviews)Your fee covers ongoing financial planning and includes investment management for clients that want it. Annual tax preparation is included for most households at no additional cost. (Covers a standard individual Form 1040 return; unusual complexity may require separate pricing, which we’ll discuss in advance.) Fund/ETF internal expenses and any custodial trading/transaction fees are separate and paid to the provider, not to OptimalPath Advisors.
How Flat-Fee Compares to the Typical 1% AUM Model
Most advisors charge a percentage of the investments they manage—often around 1% per year.
I use a flat-fee model instead, so your cost is clear and not tied to market swings or account size.
Use this quick comparison to see what you’d pay under a typical 1% AUM fee vs a flat annual fee like mine.
(This is a simple, back-of-the-envelope calculator—it’s meant to give you a feel for the difference, not a precise projection.)
Ready to get started?
Frequently Asked Questions
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Answer: A financial plan evaluates your current finances, clarifies your goals, and lays out a prioritized, step-by-step strategy to reach them. It coordinates cash flow, investments, taxes, insurance, and estate basics, and includes clear next actions and timelines.
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Answer: It delivers conflict-free expertise and a clear, prioritized roadmap—helping you avoid costly mistakes, coordinate taxes and investments, and make faster, more confident progress toward your goals.
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Answer: A one-time financial plan usually takes 2-3 meetings over about 60 days.
Clients in Ongoing Advisory have quarterly meetings, plus additional check-ins during key times like benefits season or year-end tax planning. -
Answer: Financial Plan: $1,500 required one-time.
If you continue into Ongoing Advisor: $3,000/year, billed $750 quarterly
Your first year with ongoing is typically $4,500 total ($1,500 plan + $3,000 ongoing). -
Answer: For one-time plans we bill the flat fee at the start of the engagement through AdvicePay (bank transfer or credit card).
For Ongoing Advisory with investment management, the $3,000 annual fee can be paid quarterly ($750) via AdvicePay
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Answer: Yes. As a CFP® professional at a fee-only RIA, we act as a fiduciary 100% of the time.
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Answer: Yes—virtual nationwide (via Zoom). We’re based in East Tennessee and serve clients across the U.S.
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Answer: Yes. If you choose investment management, it’s included in the same $3,000 flat annual fee (billed quarterly) for Ongoing Advisory—there are no AUM based charges and no commissions.
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Answer: We recommend passive investing via a portfolio of low-cost, globally diversified index funds, tailored to your unique goals and risk tolerance, with periodic rebalancing and a tax-aware implementation.
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Answer: Life and markets change—your plan should, too. Ongoing Advisory provides quarterly reviews, tax and benefits touchpoints, and proactive guidance to keep your finances aligned with your goals year after year. It’s ideal if you want continuous accountability and expert help with updates like rebalancing, tax strategy, or major life transitions.
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Answer: Investment management is available for clients who prefer to have their portfolios professionally implemented and maintained. We manage investments using globally diversified, low-cost funds under a flat-fee structure—never a percentage of assets. You maintain full control of your accounts at Schwab while we handle rebalancing, tax-loss harvesting, and coordination with your overall plan, at no additional cost beyond your $3,000 annual ongoing advisory fee (billed $750 quarterly).