Blog

Insights from flat fee advisors.

Articles written by the fiduciary advisors in our directory, shared from their own websites.

September 22, 2026

How We Determine if You Can Retire

By Beau Kemp, CFP®, RMA®

Most people I meet as they approach retirement think they’re probably ready.

September 21, 2026

Am I Eligible for Social Security Benefits If I Have Been Divorced?

By Raman Singh, CFP®, EA

You can generally collect a divorced-spouse benefit worth up to 50% of your ex-spouse's Primary Insurance Amount if the marriage lasted at least 10 years, you a…

September 21, 2026

Why Choose a Flat Fee Financial Advisor? Transparent Pricing vs AUM | TapestryFP Aurora IL

By Michael Hollis, CFP®

Discover why TapestryFP chooses a flat fee model for financial advice. Clear pricing in dollars based on value and not assets. Ideal for families and solopreneu…

September 21, 2026

The Retirement Paycheck: How to Turn a Lifetime of Savings Into Income

By Michael Hollis, CFP®

Turn your nest egg into a retirement paycheck that lasts. Compare the 4% rule, RMD, guardrails, and income strategies to find the one that fits you.

September 21, 2026

Do I Really Need a Financial Advisor? An Honest Answer From a Flat-Fee Advisor

By Michael Hollis, CFP®

Do you really need a financial advisor? A flat-fee fiduciary CFP® gives an honest answer on who benefits, who doesn’t, and how advisors actually get paid.

September 21, 2026

Can You Retire on $1 Million?

By Michael Hollis, CFP®

Can you retire on $1 million? It depends on the gap between what your life costs and your guaranteed income. Here is how to find your own number.

September 21, 2026

What Should I Do With My Old 401(k)?

By Michael Hollis, CFP®

You have four options for an old 401(k), and leaving it alone is one of them. Here's how to decide and what to check before you move anything.

September 21, 2026

When Should I NOT Pay Off My Mortgage Early?

By Michael Hollis, CFP®

Paying off your mortgage early is usually smart, but not always. Here are four things to check first, and when waiting is the better call.

September 21, 2026

What to Do When Car Lease Ends: 3 Options

By Michael Hollis, CFP®

Discover what to do when a car lease ends. Learn the 3 options and find out which one builds wealth. Explore smart financial choices.

September 18, 2026

The Tax Bracket Management Strategy: How to Fill Your Bracket Intentionally Each Year

By Raman Singh, CFP®, EA

Tax bracket management means identifying exactly how much income you can add in a given year before crossing into the next higher bracket, and then deciding whe…

September 18, 2026

Long-Term Care Cost Calculator

By James Mayo, CFA, CFP®, EA, RICP®

Third-Party Calculator Disclaimer: This calculator is provided by an independent third party and is made available for informational and educational purposes on…

September 17, 2026

What are the different compensation Models for Advisors for Ongoing Advice

By Cliff Brockmann, CFP®, EA

Advisors are paid in many ways, and each way comes with positives and negatives.

September 17, 2026

Is Your "Flat Fee" Advisor Actually Tiered AUM Pricing in Disguise?

By Raman Singh, CFP®, EA

A genuinely flat-fee advisor charges one number for a defined scope of work, and that number does not change because your account balance crossed a threshold. A…

September 16, 2026

How Much Money Do I Need to Retire in Arizona?

By Raman Singh, CFP®, EA

To retire comfortably in Arizona in 2026, the commonly cited baseline is roughly $1.1 million in savings, assuming an annual cost of living near $66,800. The nu…

September 16, 2026

Should You Participate in Your Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation Plan? 8 Questions to Answer First

By Spenser Liszt, CFP®, CCFC

Should you participate in your nonqualified deferred compensation plan? Learn how taxes, employer risk, payout timing, and cash flow affect the decision.

September 16, 2026

Roth 401(k) vs. Traditional 401(k) Contributions: What Is the Right Answer

By Cliff Brockmann, CFP®, EA

This debate comes up often, and something I notice is that younger investors are rarely informed enough to make this decision.

September 16, 2026

Steps to consider when building an investment portfolio.

By Cliff Brockmann, CFP®, EA

Good investing starts long before choosing funds or percentages.

September 16, 2026

What Is IRMAA And Why It Matters in Retirement

By Cliff Brockmann, CFP®, EA

More and more people have been asking me about IRMAA, so let’s break it down clearly.

September 15, 2026

AI Chatbots Are Giving Financial Advice to Millions

By Chris Randall

The trouble starts the moment a question needs real facts about your life, not just a textbook answer.

September 14, 2026

2026 Retirement and Tax Reference: Brackets, Contribution Limits, Standard Deduction, RMD Divisors, and IRMAA Tiers

By Raman Singh, CFP®, EA

This page consolidates the 2026 tax and retirement amounts that drive almost every planning decision in one place: federal income tax brackets (MFJ and Single),…

September 14, 2026

How to Implement Reverse Budgeting

By Michael Reynolds, CFP®

The best cash flow system is the one you'll actually keep using. For a lot of people, that system is reverse budgeting.

September 12, 2026

When Should I Claim Social Security? Timing, Trade-offs, and Strategy

By Raman Singh, CFP®, EA

Social Security retirement benefits can be claimed as early as age 62 or as late as age 70. Claiming before your Full Retirement Age (FRA, currently 67 for thos…

September 12, 2026

Does a Roth Conversion Count as an RMD? Here's the Order You Actually Have to Follow

By Raman Singh, CFP®, EA

No. A Roth conversion can never satisfy your required minimum distribution, and the IRS is specific about the order: your full RMD for the year has to come out…

September 10, 2026

OBBBA Year-Two Moves for Business Owners

By Chris Randall

The OBBBA creates new tax-saving opportunities for small business owners in 2026. Learn how QBI, bonus depreciation, Section 179, SALT, and R&D changes may help…

September 8, 2026

The Tide® Problem in Financial Planning — And Why We Chose a Different Shelf

By Todd Pouliot

Discover the truth behind financial planning costs. Learn how to 'Know What You're Actually Paying For' and avoid overpaying for brand names.

September 8, 2026

How much company stock is too much?

By Spenser Liszt, CFP®, CCFC

Have too much company stock? Learn how to evaluate concentration risk, taxes, RSUs, and diversification as part of your financial plan.

September 7, 2026

Should I File an 83(b) Election on Early-Exercised Options?

By Marcel Miu, CFA®, CFP®

Learn why filing an 83(b) election on early-exercised options is a critical tax strategy. Discover the risks, the strict IRS deadline, and how to avoid the AMT…

August 31, 2026

5 Lessons Chronic Pain Has Taught Me About Personal Finance

By Zack Gutches, CFP®, CPA

There’s an easy-to-believe narrative living in westernized individualistic culture that your value is connected to what you earn. Don’t get me wrong, I am a str…

August 31, 2026

The Sweet Income Spot for Health Savings Accounts

By Zack Gutches, CFP®, CPA

HSA’s are often touted as a “triple-tax advantaged” account, meaning you pay no federal or state income taxes on contributions into an HSA (#1)*, no tax on the…

August 31, 2026

3 Ways Financial Advisors Are Paid – and What You Probably Aren’t Being Told

By Zack Gutches, CFP®, CPA

There are three primary compensation models for financial advisors; Commission-Based, Fee-Based, and Fee-Only.

August 31, 2026

What is a Health Savings Account (HSA)?

By Zack Gutches, CFP®, CPA

Health Savings Accounts (“HSA’s”) are amazing. So much so, we’re doing a multi-part blog series starting with Basic Concepts, to the Sweet Income Spot, to more…

August 31, 2026

Understanding Fiduciaries in Financial Planning: Why Consumers Should Care

By Zack Gutches, CFP®, CPA

In the context of financial planning, a fiduciary is a professional who is legally and morally bound to provide financial advice that is in the best interest of…

August 31, 2026

True Riches: A Framework for Giving for Christians

By Zack Gutches, CFP®, CPA

While the framework is qualitative in nature, my prayer is that you can take this framework to the Lord and ask Him how to apply it to your personal finances...

August 31, 2026

Best Savings Account for Kids – the 529 Plan vs the UTMA

By Zack Gutches, CFP®, CPA

While there are several savings-accounts for kids available1, today’s post will focus on the 2 most common I encounter: The 529 Plan and the UTMA

August 31, 2026

How To Automate Budgeting and Savings Without a Budgeting App

By Zack Gutches, CFP®, CPA

One of the most common challenges I hear is how to budget and optimize Cash Flow. In other words, how to make the most of your monthly paycheck(s) and expenses,…

August 31, 2026

Self Employed Retirement Plan Savings Strategies: SEP IRA vs Solo 401k Under New 2024 IRS Tax Ruling

By Zack Gutches, CFP®, CPA

Both the SEP IRA and Solo 401(k) are excellent retirement options for self-employed individuals, consultants, or anybody with 1099 income and the ability to put…

August 31, 2026

10 Step Financial Roadmap for Newly Graduated Physicians

By Zack Gutches, CFP®, CPA

How you handle your finances in these early years can set the trajectory for long-term financial success, stability, and impact. Here’s 10 personal finance tips…

August 31, 2026

Comprehensive Financial Checklist for New Parents and Those With Young Kids

By Zack Gutches, CFP®, CPA

This guide is designed to help expecting and new parents navigate their financial responsibilities with confidence. Whether you’re trying to adjust your budget,…

August 31, 2026

Pros and Cons of Income Annuities for Retirement Income

By Zack Gutches, CFP®, CPA

As you think about navigating optimization of retirement withdrawals, minimizing lifetime taxes, constructing and monitoring a portfolio customized to your risk…

August 31, 2026

The Role of International Stocks in a US Investors Portfolio

By Zack Gutches, CFP®, CPA

Don't get me wrong - in the long-run, US Stocks have been a fantastic historic inflation hedge (as Inflation is one of the key risks to an investment portfolio…

August 31, 2026

How to Project the Forward-Looking Returns of a Rental Property To Make More Informed Financial Decisions

By Zack Gutches, CFP®, CPA

Doesn't help you understand the potential returns of your rental property on a go-forward basis? Tired of playing middle-man between your CPA and financial advi…

August 31, 2026

Should I Work with a Personal Financial Planner Before Retirement?

By Zack Gutches, CFP®, CPA

In the peak of your career, you may be earning more than ever — but you’re also juggling lack of spare time and complexity.

August 31, 2026

Understanding Taxation of Withdrawals from Roth IRAs

By Zack Gutches, CFP®, CPA

In this guide, we’ll explain the two 5-year rules, walk through the IRS’s ordering rules for Roth IRA withdrawals, and answer common questions with real-life ex…

August 31, 2026

How to Maximize the Impact of My Giving With a Donor Advised Fund

By Zack Gutches, CFP®, CPA

One of the most powerful tools in this space is the Donor-Advised Fund ("DAF") — a flexible, tax-smart giving vehicle that can be both a short and long term tax…

August 31, 2026

Planning Implications From the One Big Beautiful Bill Act Passage

By Zack Gutches, CFP®, CPA

Spanning about 900 pages, the OBBB Act contains hundreds of provisions primarily related to individual taxation, student loans, 529 Plans, charitable contributi…

August 31, 2026

Do the Benefits of Whole Life Insurance Outweigh the Costs?

By Zack Gutches, CFP®, CPA

Whole life insurance is often marketed as a financial Swiss Army knife: permanent coverage, guaranteed cash value growth, tax perks, and even a way to “bank on…

August 31, 2026

Building an Investment Portfolio That Will Allow You to Make the Most of Your Wealth

By Zack Gutches, CFP®, CPA

Most people spend decades saving and investing faithfully — doing all the “right” things financially — only to arrive in retirement and realize something unexpe…

August 31, 2026

“Where Did All My Money Go?” — Surrounding Financial Goals with Simple Systems That Actually Work

By Zack Gutches, CFP®, CPA

If you are earning over $250,000 per year (a great living!), you may have expected money to be a lot easier than it's unfolding to be. Not perfect or entirely s…

August 31, 2026

How to Create Your Paycheck in Retirement Using a Total-Return Strategy

By Zack Gutches, CFP®, CPA

“How do we turn our retirement nest egg into a paycheck that is reliable, flexible, optimized for taxes, and sustainable for the long-haul?”

August 31, 2026

Replacing the IRS with Kingdom Impact Through Your Estate Plan: An Intentional Approach to Wealth Transfer

By Zack Gutches, CFP®, CPA

Most families default to leaving everything to their kids — but what if there was a better, more intentional way? In this post, we walk through a simple Estate…

August 31, 2026

Trump Accounts — Are They Actually Worth It Compared to the Alternatives?

By Zack Gutches, CFP®, CPA

Trump Accounts are getting a lot of attention in the media —but how do they actually hold up against the existing alternatives for funding your kids' future? Th…

August 31, 2026

The Surprising Truth About Money that Nobody Talks About

By Zack Gutches, CFP®, CPA

Good intentions can create secret idols. This Post discusses she surprising truth about what money can do to the human heart.

August 31, 2026

Jesus Is ALL FOR Storing Up Treasures

By Zack Gutches, CFP®, CPA

Giving isn’t merely losing something — it’s exchanging temporary treasure for an eternal investment. We can’t take earthly wealth with us, but through Kingdom-f…

August 31, 2026

Establishing Personal Wealth and Spending "Finish Lines" — A Practical Framework to Unlock Generosity and Live with Greater Faithfulness, Impact, and Joy

By Zack Gutches, CFP®, CPA

Today's post is [targeted] for Christians who either have household income over $250k per year OR have a $1M+ investment portfolio, and want to see how much mor…

August 31, 2026

How Do You Know When You're Ready to Buy a House?

By Michael Reynolds, CFP®

It's okay to get excited about the thought of buying a house. It's definitely an emotional experience. But base it on a solid financial foundation and make sure…

August 24, 2026

How Much Is Enough?

By John Stoj, CEPS

Retirement planning often treats “enough” as a fixed number. Learn why the 4% rule is only a starting point, and why your definition of enough will change.

August 24, 2026

What to Do If You Don’t Have a 401(k)

By Michael Reynolds, CFP®

Don't let lack of access to a 401(k) keep you from saving and investing for retirement. You've got plenty of options to fill the gap.

August 23, 2026

How to Combine Finances as a Couple: 4 Smart Money Systems That Actually Work

By Shai Gothreau

There's no one-size-fits-all approach to combining finances as a couple. Here are four systems to help you find what works for both of you.

August 17, 2026

Should You Buy Life Insurance Before You Need It?

By Michael Reynolds, CFP®

There's a guidelines that says you don't need life insurance until someone depends on you financially. That sounds obvious. But there's a real case for buying a…

August 12, 2026

The Financial Advice Business Is Changing. Its Fee Model Should Catch Up.

By James Sweeney, CFA, CFP®, MBA

For most of the last century, the business of financial advice was primarily an investment business. First, it was a product business: brokers were paid commiss…

August 11, 2026

Can I Retire at 50 with $2 Million?

By Raman Singh, CFP®, EA

Retiring at 50 with $2M is feasible for households with low fixed expenses and disciplined spending, but the safe withdrawal rate at a 40-year horizon is closer…

August 9, 2026

Arizona Retirement Tax Planning: Roth, RMDs, IRMAA

By Raman Singh, CFP®, EA

A complete resource for Arizona retirees and pre-retirees on retirement tax planning: Roth conversions, RMD strategy, IRMAA management, Social Security taxation…

August 6, 2026

Charley Corbett Featured by WSJ: Retirees Love Dividends, but the Stock Market Surge Is Making Them Think Again

By Charley Corbett, MS, CFP®

In this recent Wall Street Journal article, Charley Corbett shares his perspective on how retirees can navigate today's changing market environment and ...

August 6, 2026

Flat-Fee, Fee-Only Financial Advice: What True Transparency Looks Like

By Charley Corbett, MS, CFP®

Discover how flat-fee fee-only financial advice promotes true transparency and aligns your advisor’s focus with your financial goals.

August 6, 2026

Understanding the Florida Retirement System (FRS): A Clear Guide for Public Employees

By Charley Corbett, MS, CFP®

Learn how understanding the Florida Retirement System helps public employees coordinate pension benefits with their broader retirement goals.

August 6, 2026

The Power of a Decision-Making Framework: Making Financial Choices the Right Way

By Charley Corbett, MS, CFP®

Learn how a decision-making framework for financial planning helps organize choices and guide every step toward your financial goals.

August 6, 2026

Flat-Fee Financial Advisor Benefits: Understand Fee Structure

By Charley Corbett, MS, CFP®

Discover the flat-fee financial advisor benefits that promote transparency, fairness, and alignment between advisors and clients.

August 6, 2026

7 Smart Moves People With $2M+ in Their IRA Are Making in 2026

By Raman Singh, CFP®, EA

The seven coordinated tax strategies households with large pre-tax IRAs are using in 2026 to manage RMDs, the widow's penalty, IRMAA, and the SECURE Act 10-year…

August 6, 2026

How Is Retirement Income Taxed If You're Still Working?

By Raman Singh, CFP®, EA

If you're still earning income, wages, self-employment, consulting, while also collecting Social Security, a pension, or taking retirement account withdrawals,…

August 3, 2026

Is It OK to Get a Big Tax Refund?

By Michael Reynolds, CFP®

Planning for a large tax refund can make sense in a lot of cases. Just because it's not financially optimal doesn't make it wrong.

August 3, 2026

How Do I Know If I Have Enough to Retire? The Funded Ratio Explained

By Marcel Miu, CFA®, CFP®

Wondering if you have enough to retire? See how the funded ratio compares your assets to your goals, spots the gap, and why allocation comes last.

July 27, 2026

How to Build a Business You Can Sell

By Michael Reynolds, CFP®

Not everyone starts a business planning to sell it. Some of you have no interest in an exit at all, and that's fine. But stick with me, because the work that ma…

July 27, 2026

The Wall Street Journal Is Talking About Flat-Fee Advice. Let’s Clarify What That Means.

By John Stoj, CEPS

The fact that The Wall Street Journal is devoting attention to flat-fee financial advice is another indication that the model is moving into the mainstream.

July 26, 2026

Should You Build a Bond Ladder for Retirement Income?

By Marcel Miu, CFA®, CFP®

Should you build a bond ladder for retirement income? How laddered bonds defend against sequence-of-returns risk, plus the trade-offs to weigh.

July 20, 2026

Five Ways to Simplify Your Money (and How It Helps)

By Michael Reynolds, CFP®

Many people assume that managing money well requires complexity. More accounts, more spreadsheets, more strategies, more monitoring. The opposite is usually tru…

July 17, 2026

How to Hire a Financial Advisor

By John Stoj, CEPS

Hiring a financial advisor is not easy, but it can be much easier than it’s made out to be. This guide gives you the tools to interview financial advisors and f…

July 14, 2026

Why Stewardship? Rethinking the Purpose of Money

By Daniel Huffman

Learn what biblical stewardship means for money, wealth, financial planning, and how to manage your resources wisely, give generously, and live with purpose.

July 13, 2026

Can I Afford a House Even If I Can't Put 20% Down?

By Michael Reynolds, CFP®

Understanding where the 20% number comes from, and what your actual options are, can help you make a decision based on your finances instead of someone else's r…

July 8, 2026

What's More Risky: Concentration or Leverage?

By Bryan Minogue

How does the risk of a leveraged well-diversified portfolio compare to a 100% stock portfolio? Are stocks the best option for long-term investors?

July 8, 2026

What is Alternative Investing?

By Bryan Minogue

What is alternative investing? What types of investments best complement traditional stock and bond portfolios? What shouldn't be called an "alternative"?

July 8, 2026

What's the Right Amount of Cash?

By Bryan Minogue

Finding the right amount of cash on hand is essential for financial health. Discover how to balance your cash holdings to protect against inflation, seize inves…

July 8, 2026

Why Not 100% Equities - From Paper to Practice

By Bryan Minogue

A review of a 1996 Journal of Portfolio Management Paper: Why Not 100% Equities, and how Kardinal Financial and individual investors can put this paper into pra…

July 8, 2026

Planning Your Retirement with Guardrails

By Bryan Minogue

An overview of a retirement withdrawal strategy that combines Monte Carlo simulations and a guardrails framework, with the goal of reducing the risks of outlivi…

July 7, 2026

Is the 4% Rule Safe for a 40-Year Retirement?

By Marcel Miu, CFA®, CFP®

The 4% rule was built for a 30-year retirement. Why it may not hold for 40 to 50 years, and what early retirees can do instead.

July 6, 2026

Why We Avoid Looking at Our Finances (And What It Costs)

By Michael Reynolds, CFP®

Financial avoidance is very common, but if you learn to recognize it and manage it, you can get better at overcoming these tendencies.

July 6, 2026

How to Protect Your Money From Crypto "Pig Butchering" Scams

By Michael Reynolds, CFP®

What is a pig butchering scam? Learn how this crypto fraud works, the warning signs to watch for, and how to protect your money.

June 29, 2026

Probability-Based vs. Safety-First: Two Ways to Fund Your Retirement Income

By Marcel Miu, CFA®, CFP®

Probability-based vs. safety-first retirement planning: Understand sequence-of-returns risk, map income floors, and learn how to secure your essential bills.

June 22, 2026

The IRS Is Eating Your Returns

By Chris Randall

You Beat Wall Street on Fees... Then the IRS Walked Off With a Quarter of Your Returns