10 Best Flat-Fee Financial Planners to Consider in 2026
By Novak Financial Partners · Updated September 2026
Disclosure: Novak Financial Partners published this article and is included in the comparison. We have a financial interest in prospective clients considering our practice. This is not a ranking or an exhaustive list of flat-fee financial planners. Fees for the firms discussed are based on publicly available information reviewed as of September 4, 2026. Actual fees may vary based on account size, services, negotiation, household complexity, and other factors. Prospective clients should review each firm's current Form ADV and advisory agreement.
Key takeaways
- Standard published pricing among these firms ranges from $489 in PlanVision's first year to $15,000 annually at Wedmont, though the fee alone doesn't tell you what's included
- A flat fee doesn't guarantee the same services across firms: some provide advice only, while others include ongoing investment management, tax planning, tax return preparation, or estate-document services
- The right fit depends on advisor continuity, service scope, who implements the recommendations, how complex your finances are, and price
The ten firms compared are Abundo Wealth, Clark Asset Management, Domain Money, Facet, Meredith Wealth Planning, Nectarine, Novak Financial Partners, PlanVision, Range, and Wedmont Private Capital. They range from low-cost advice-only services to national platforms, retirement-focused planning practices, comprehensive investment-management relationships, and private wealth management.
What is a flat-fee financial planner?
A flat-fee planner charges a stated dollar amount rather than automatically charging a percentage of assets under management (AUM). The fee might be billed once, monthly, quarterly, or annually, depending on the firm.
"Flat fee" and "fee-only" are not synonymous. Fee-only describes how an advisor is compensated: only by client-paid fees, never commissions from selling products. A fee-only advisor can still charge a percentage of your assets every year. Flat fee is a pricing structure, a dollar amount instead of a percentage, and it can appear inside either a fee-only or a fee-based practice.
A flat fee also doesn't tell you whether investment management is included. Some flat-fee relationships are advice-only: you get a plan and recommendations and implement them yourself. Others include discretionary investment management, where the firm manages your portfolio as part of the fee. Comparing firms on price alone misses this, so the table and profiles below cover both price and scope.
How we selected these firms
We chose these ten firms because each publishes fixed-dollar pricing or a clearly defined flat-fee structure, serves U.S. clients through a national, multistate, virtual, or clearly defined regional relationship, and provides enough public information to compare pricing and services. We compared each firm on published flat-fee pricing, any stated account minimum, the advisor relationship and its continuity, whether investment management is included, the breadth of planning services offered, whether tax filing and estate documents are available, and the type of client each firm is built for. Together, the firms represent a range of advice-only, investment-management, subscription, platform, retirement-focused, small-practice, and private-wealth models. This is not a ranking or an exhaustive list, and "best" depends on the client's needs, desired relationship, service scope, and budget.
Comparing flat-fee financial planning firms
| Firm | Published price | Service and advisor model | Best suited for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abundo Wealth | Up to $699 first month; up to $199/month thereafter | Advice-only; clients implement recommendations | Households wanting affordable, ongoing advice-only planning |
| Clark Asset Management | $12,500/year flat | Retirement-focused planning team; investment management included | Households approaching or in retirement wanting retirement-income planning and investment management |
| Domain Money | $3,900–$9,000 (yr 1); lower renewal | Dedicated CFP® professional; investment management included | Households wanting a dedicated CFP® professional with bundled services available |
| Facet | $2,600–$8,700/year | CFP® access or a dedicated team/professional depending on tier; investment management included | Households wanting a tiered national planning platform |
| Meredith Wealth Planning | $7,500/year; higher for unusually complex households | Primary relationship with one of two CFP® professionals; investment management included | Households wanting comprehensive planning and investment management from a small team with retirement expertise |
| Nectarine | $175–$400/hr; $2,500–$5,200/project; $200–$500/mo | Client-selected advisor; advice-only | Households wanting hourly, one-time, or ongoing advice without investment management |
| Novak Financial Partners | $4,000–$6,000/year | Direct relationship with one of the practice's two CFP® professionals; investment management included | Professionals and families building wealth through comprehensive planning and investment management |
| PlanVision | $489 first year, then $12/month | Guidance-based relationship; clients implement recommendations | DIY investors wanting extremely low-cost planning and investment guidance |
| Range | $3,950–$12,500/year | Team of financial professionals; investment management included | Households wanting a technology-driven experience supported by a financial planning team |
| Wedmont Private Capital | $15,000/year flat | Dedicated advisor and team; custom investment management included | Investors with $1 million or more wanting flat-fee private wealth management |
Pricing as of September 2026. Confirm current numbers on each firm's site before deciding.
A closer look at each firm
Abundo Wealth
Best for affordable ongoing advice
Abundo Wealth is an SEC-registered, advice-only investment adviser based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, charging up to $699 for the first month and up to $199 a month after that, with no account minimum. Abundo provides recommendations, but clients remain responsible for implementing trades and portfolio changes, which is what keeps the price this low. It's a strong fit for someone who wants ongoing professional guidance at a comparatively low published price and is comfortable executing the plan themselves. The principal tradeoff is that investment implementation stays with you, and Abundo's public materials don't confirm whether you'll work with the same advisor over time.
Clark Asset Management
Best for specialized retirement-income planning and investment management
Clark Asset Management, LLC is an SEC-registered adviser built specifically around retirement, whether clients are preparing to retire or already retired. Its $12,500 annual flat fee includes specialized retirement-income planning and ongoing portfolio management, along with Social Security planning, Roth-conversion and withdrawal strategies, tax planning, bond-ladder and income planning, and consideration of long-term-care risks. What stands out is that retirement income is the central focus of the practice rather than one planning topic among many. That specialization is also the principal tradeoff: households earlier in their careers may not need Clark's retirement-income focus, while households approaching or in retirement may find it especially relevant. Its $12,500 annual fee is tied for the second-highest published fee on this list, so it is likely to provide its strongest relative value for households with larger portfolios or genuinely complex retirement decisions.
Domain Money
Best for bundled planning, tax filing, and estate documents
Domain Money Advisors, LLC pairs each client with one dedicated CFP® professional, extending that relationship to a spouse or partner at no extra cost. Three tiers run $3,900 to $9,000 in year one, renewing lower after that. What distinguishes Domain Money is how much it front-loads into a single advisor relationship rather than team access, and how far it bundles: tax return preparation and estate-document creation are both available once you're past the entry tier. The tradeoff shows up at that entry Essential tier, which includes planning and investment management but not tax filing or estate documents; those arrive at Strategic and up.
Facet
Best for a tiered national platform
Facet Wealth, Inc. offers three annual membership tiers: Core ($2,600), Plus ($5,500), and Complete ($8,700). Advisor continuity and tax services increase as clients move through the tiers. What stands out is the relatively accessible entry price for a national platform that combines financial planning and investment management. The tradeoff is advisor continuity: Core provides access to available CFP® professionals rather than one dedicated advisor, while Plus provides a dedicated team and Complete provides a dedicated CFP® professional. Estate planning is available separately through Wealth.com rather than included in the membership.
Meredith Wealth Planning
Best for retirement-oriented planning through a small advisory team
Meredith Wealth Planning, LLC is a two-advisor, flat-fee RIA in Maryville, Illinois. Founder Mark Meredith, CFP®, and Scott Wimmer, CFA, CFP®, EA, are both part of the practice, and Wimmer generally serves as the primary contact for new clients. New clients pay $7,500 a year, with unusually complex households charged more. It's a comprehensive planning and investment-management practice with a noticeable retirement emphasis: published materials highlight retirement income projections, Social Security and Medicare timing, distribution strategies, tax-efficient investing, and portfolio management, more than a typical accumulation-stage planner would. That doesn't mean it serves only retirees. Meredith provides broader comprehensive planning than a retirement-income specialist, so it may suit households that want retirement expertise without making retirement the practice's exclusive focus. The principal considerations are service integration and price: its public materials emphasize tax planning and estate coordination rather than including tax-return preparation or estate-document drafting, and the standard $7,500 annual fee may be higher for unusually complex households.
Nectarine
Best for hourly, one-time, or ongoing advice
Nectarine is an SEC-registered investment adviser offering advice by the hour ($175–$400), by project ($2,500–$5,200), or through an ongoing monthly relationship ($200–$500). What stands out is the flexibility: clients can hire an advisor for a focused question, a one-time financial plan, or ongoing advice, and they can select the advisor they want from Nectarine's roster. Nectarine does not manage investments under any option, so clients remain responsible for implementing the advice. That makes it a strong fit for someone wanting hourly help, a one-time plan, or a second opinion, and a weaker fit for someone wanting ongoing portfolio management.
Novak Financial Partners
Best for professionals and families building wealth
Novak Financial Partners is a small financial planning practice where clients work directly with one of the practice's two CFP® professionals for a flat annual fee of $4,000 or $6,000, with no asset minimum. Both plans combine ongoing investment management with planning across taxes, retirement, employee benefits, insurance, estate coordination, and the financial decisions that arise while building wealth. What distinguishes Novak within this comparison is its focus on helping working professionals and families coordinate the financial decisions involved in building wealth through an ongoing planning relationship. Novak does not file tax returns or draft estate documents in-house, so households wanting those services bundled directly may prefer Domain Money or certain tiers from Range or Facet.
PlanVision
Best for extremely low-cost DIY guidance
PlanVision, LLC is built around a price point almost nobody else on this list can match: $489 for the first year, then $12 a month, for U.S.-based clients. What's distinctive is how much guidance that buys relative to the cost, financial projections and investment guidance delivered through professional planning software. The tradeoff is scope: PlanVision doesn't manage investments, and the service is intentionally lighter-touch than firms charging thousands a year. It's a strong fit for a confident DIY investor who wants an inexpensive periodic check-in, and a poor fit for someone who wants comprehensive, hands-on management of a complex financial life.
Range
Best for technology-driven planning
Range Advisory, LLC is built around a team, not an individual: CFP® professionals and CFA charterholders, with CPAs joining at higher tiers, backed by its AI assistant, Rai. Three tiers run $3,950 to $12,500 a year. What's distinctive is the platform itself, a real-time dashboard and AI layer most competitors on this list don't have. The tradeoff is continuity: you won't have one dedicated advisor at any tier, and full tax filing is reserved for the top Titanium tier. It suits households that want breadth of expertise and a tech-forward experience more than a single ongoing point of contact.
Wedmont Private Capital
Best for flat-fee private wealth management
Wedmont Private Capital, LLC charges one flat fee, $15,000 a year per household, regardless of portfolio size, for investors with $1 million or more in investable assets. What's distinctive is the combination of one published household fee, custom investment management, a dedicated advisor and team, and a $1 million investable-asset minimum. The tradeoff is the $1 million minimum, which puts it out of reach for most of the households the other nine firms serve, and the fact that Wedmont coordinates with a client's own CPA and estate attorney rather than handling tax filing or document drafting itself.
How to choose a flat-fee financial planner
- Do you want advice only, or investment management included? Abundo Wealth, Nectarine, and PlanVision are advice-only. Clark Asset Management, Domain Money, Facet, Meredith Wealth Planning, Novak, Range, and Wedmont include investment management.
- Do you want one ongoing advisor, a client-selected advisor, or a team? Domain Money provides a dedicated CFP® professional, and Novak clients work directly with one of the practice's two CFP® professionals. Meredith Wealth Planning uses a small advisory team, and Clark Asset Management uses a retirement-focused planning team. Nectarine lets clients select their advisor, Range is team-based, and Facet scales advisor access with tier.
- Do you need comprehensive planning, or lighter investment guidance? PlanVision and Abundo Wealth are built for lower-cost guidance. Meredith Wealth Planning, Novak, Domain Money, Clark Asset Management, and Wedmont are built around more comprehensive, ongoing planning.
- Do you want tax filing or estate documents included? Domain Money includes both at higher tiers. Facet includes tax filing at Plus and Complete (estate planning is separate, through Wealth.com). Range includes estate documents from Platinum up and tax filing only at Titanium. Novak and Wedmont coordinate with outside tax and estate professionals rather than filing returns or drafting documents in-house. Meredith Wealth Planning, Clark Asset Management, Abundo Wealth, Nectarine, and PlanVision do not advertise tax-return preparation or estate-document drafting as included services.
- What stage of your financial life are you in? Clark Asset Management specializes in retirement-income planning for households approaching or already in retirement. Meredith Wealth Planning offers broader comprehensive planning with a noticeable retirement emphasis. Novak Financial Partners is oriented toward working professionals and families actively building wealth.
- How complex is your financial situation? Multiple entities, concentrated stock, multi-state filings, or a large estate generally point toward a more comprehensive tier or firm, not the cheapest option available.
- Does the firm serve your state? Availability varies by firm and may change as firms add registrations or qualify for exemptions. Confirm that a firm can serve residents of your state before deciding.
- Is the fee reasonable relative to a percentage-of-assets model? A flat fee tends to look better as your portfolio grows, since it doesn't scale up like a 1% AUM fee. On a smaller portfolio, run the actual numbers rather than assuming a flat fee is automatically cheaper.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best flat-fee financial planning firms?
Ten flat-fee firms worth comparing are Abundo Wealth, Clark Asset Management, Domain Money, Facet, Meredith Wealth Planning, Nectarine, Novak Financial Partners, PlanVision, Range, and Wedmont Private Capital. They represent different service models: advice-only planning, planning with investment management, tiered platforms, small practices, retirement-focused planning, and private wealth management, so the best choice depends on your budget, complexity, and desired advisor relationship.
What does a flat-fee financial planner cost?
Pricing among these ten firms ranges from about $489 in the first year (PlanVision) to $15,000 a year (Wedmont Private Capital). Several comprehensive, ongoing relationships fall between $4,000 and $9,000 a year, while a few, including retirement-focused and technology-driven firms, run higher.
Is a flat-fee financial advisor the same as a fee-only advisor?
No. Fee-only describes compensation: the advisor is paid only by client fees, never commissions. Flat fee describes pricing structure: a stated dollar amount instead of a percentage of assets. A fee-only advisor can still charge an AUM-based fee.
Do flat-fee financial planners manage investments?
Some do and some don't. Clark Asset Management, Domain Money, Facet, Meredith Wealth Planning, Novak, Range, and Wedmont Private Capital include investment management. Abundo Wealth, Nectarine, and PlanVision are advice-only; clients implement recommendations themselves.
Are flat-fee financial advisors always cheaper than AUM advisors?
Not always. It depends on portfolio size and the specific flat fee. A flat fee tends to become more cost-effective as assets grow, since it doesn't scale with your balance the way a 1% AUM fee does. On a smaller portfolio, a percentage fee can sometimes come out lower in dollar terms.
Who is a flat-fee financial planner best suited for?
Anyone who wants predictable pricing that doesn't rise automatically with their account balance. Within that, the right firm depends on whether you want investment management included, how much ongoing support you need, whether you want a dedicated advisor, and whether tax or estate services should be part of the fee.
Flat-fee financial planning covers a wide range of prices and service models, from extremely low-cost DIY guidance to a $15,000 private wealth relationship, and the fee alone won't tell you what's included. Compare the advisor relationship, the scope of planning, who implements the recommendations, whether tax filing or estate documents are part of the fee, and the total cost against what you'd otherwise pay under a percentage-of-assets model.
Looking for an ongoing relationship with a small financial planning practice?
Book a free 30-minute intro call with Novak Financial Partners to see if our flat-fee planning is a fit for your situation. No obligation.
See if flat-fee planning is right for youThis article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute personalized financial, legal, or tax advice. Novak Financial Partners published this article and is included in the comparison; we have a financial interest in prospective clients considering our practice. Pricing and services described for every firm, including Novak, were sourced from each firm's official website or public regulatory filings as of September 2026 and are subject to change; confirm current details directly with each firm. This article is not a recommendation or endorsement of any firm named. For additional disclosures please visit corepln.com/disclosures.
This article is for general educational purposes and is not personalized financial, tax, legal, or investment advice. Advisory services offered through Core Planning LLC, a Registered Investment Advisor.
