Tax planning + tax filing
Flat-Fee Financial Advisor With Tax Filing Included
If you want a flat-fee financial advisor to coordinate investments, tax planning, and tax-return preparation, the details matter. Flames Planning includes proactive tax guidance and review of one completed personal return, but not preparation or filing. Only eligible Flames Premier members receive covered individual-return preparation and filing through Flames FP's designated independent tax partner.
Reviewed July 10, 2026 by Joel Miller, CFP, founder of Flames Financial Planning.
Short answer
Can a Flat-Fee Financial Advisor Include Tax Filing With Financial Planning?
Sometimes, but it is not automatic. Many financial advisors help with Roth conversions, capital gains, charitable giving, retirement withdrawals, and tax-aware investing, but they do not prepare or file the return.
At Flames Financial Planning, Planning includes proactive tax guidance and a planning-focused review of one completed personal return, but Flames FP does not prepare or file that return. Eligible Premier members receive covered individual-return preparation and filing through Flames FP's designated independent tax partner so the financial plan and filing work can be coordinated without misrepresenting who prepares the return.
Flames Planning is $900 per quarter ($3,600 annualized), and Flames Premier is $1,650 per quarter ($6,600 annualized). Memberships are billed quarterly in advance with no annual commitment. Canceling prevents the next quarterly renewal; service continues through the paid, nonrefundable quarter.
Tax planning and filing
Can a Financial Advisor Help With Tax Planning and Tax Filing?
A financial advisor can help with tax planning when taxes affect investments, retirement, income, equity compensation, charitable giving, or cash flow. Tax filing is different: it means preparing and filing the return. Planning includes forward-looking guidance and a planning-focused review of one completed personal return, with no preparation or filing. Only eligible Premier members receive covered preparation and filing through the designated independent tax partner.
This is most useful when you do not want one advisor managing investments, a second person making tax-planning suggestions, and a third person preparing the return without seeing the full plan.
If your tax questions are tied to RSUs, stock options, bonuses, or concentrated company stock, see Financial Advisor for Corporate Employees.
Flames Planning
Proactive guidance for forward-looking decisions plus a planning-focused review of one completed personal tax return. Preparation and filing are not included.
Eligible Flames Premier
Covered individual-return preparation and filing is completed by Flames FP's designated independent tax partner, not by Flames FP.
Flat quarterly fee
A clear membership billed quarterly in advance, with no annual commitment and no percentage-of-assets fee.
One coordinated firm
Can One Firm Handle Investments, Tax Planning, and Tax Filing?
Yes, if the service model and professional roles are clear. A coordinated Premier relationship can connect portfolio decisions, tax projections, Roth conversions, charitable giving, equity compensation, and covered individual-return filing, while the designated independent tax partner remains responsible for preparing and filing the return.
Investment management
Portfolio decisions are reviewed alongside tax impact, cash flow, retirement goals, and the household balance sheet.
Tax planning
Planning covers forward-looking decisions such as Roth conversions, capital gains, withholding, charitable giving, and retirement withdrawals.
Independent tax preparation
For eligible Premier members, the designated independent tax partner prepares and files the covered individual return with relevant planning context.
If you are comparing financial advisors, ask directly: "Who provides the planning, who prepares and files the return, and what is included in the fee?" At Flames FP, Planning does not include preparation or filing. Eligible Premier members receive covered preparation and filing through the designated independent tax partner.
Advisor or CPA
Should You Hire a Financial Advisor or a CPA for Tax Planning?
If you only need a tax return prepared, a CPA or tax preparer may be enough. If you want tax planning connected to investments, retirement, cash flow, estate planning, and household decisions, a comprehensive financial advisor can be the better fit.
Choose a CPA or preparer when
You mainly need return preparation, business tax compliance, amended returns, IRS notices, or narrow tax compliance help.
Choose a financial advisor when
You want tax-aware investment management, retirement withdrawal planning, Roth conversion analysis, equity compensation planning, or ongoing financial decisions coordinated with taxes.
Use both when needed
For complex tax situations, the best answer can be a financial planner and CPA working from the same facts instead of giving disconnected advice.
Use Flames FP when
You want investment management and tax planning coordinated, with covered individual-return preparation through the designated independent tax partner when you qualify for Premier.
Tax-aware investing
Do You Need a Financial Advisor for Tax Planning and Investment Help Together?
You do not have to hire an advisor for every tax question. But if your investment decisions affect your tax return, and your tax return affects your investment decisions, it is easier to manage both through one coordinated plan.
- Flat quarterly membership instead of AUM fees, with no investment minimum.
- Tax planning connected to the full financial planning relationship.
- Planning includes proactive tax guidance and review of one completed personal return, but no preparation or filing.
- Only eligible Premier includes covered individual-return preparation and filing through the designated independent tax partner.
- Investment management connected to tax strategy.
- Retirement planning with Roth conversion, withdrawal, and RMD considerations.
- Planning and Premier include day-one access to Wealth.com's client-directed will and revocable-living-trust document platform; Flames FP facilitates the process but does not draft legal documents or provide legal advice.
Free dashboard
Organize the Tax Picture Before Advice
The free Flames Financial Dashboard helps organize income, savings, spending, retirement accounts, debts, goals, insurance, and estate documents. That context makes personalized tax planning and, for eligible Premier members, coordinated return preparation more useful.
Dashboard for organization
Use it to see the numbers and questions that may affect taxes, investments, retirement, and cash flow.
Open the free dashboardAdvisor for coordination
Use the paid relationship when tax planning, investments, and retirement decisions need to be coordinated, with covered individual-return preparation added only for eligible Premier members.
Schedule a discovery meetingRelated videos
Watch Tax Planning Concepts Before Year-End
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How to Decrease Your Tax Bill in 2026
Lowering a tax bill usually comes from planning before the year is over, not scrambling after the return is already due.
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The 4 Most Common Backdoor Roth IRA Mistakes (Avoid These!)
The backdoor Roth process can look simple, but a few common mistakes can make the tax reporting messy or create unexpected tax costs.
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Financial Advisor With Tax Filing Questions
Can a flat-fee financial advisor include tax filing with financial planning?
Yes, but it depends on the firm and tier. Flames Planning includes proactive tax guidance and review of one completed personal return, but no preparation or filing. Only eligible Premier members receive covered individual-return preparation and filing through the designated independent tax partner.
Is tax filing included with a flat-fee financial advisor?
Usually not automatically. At Flames FP, tax preparation and filing are not included in Access or Planning. Premier members must join by September 30 of the tax year and remain active through filing to receive preparation and filing of one federal individual return and all required state individual returns through the designated independent tax partner.
Can one firm handle my investments, tax planning, and tax filing?
Yes, with clear professional roles. Flames FP provides investment management and tax planning, while the designated independent tax partner prepares and files the covered individual return for eligible Premier members.
Should I hire a financial advisor for tax planning?
Consider a financial advisor when tax decisions overlap with investments, retirement income, Roth conversions, charitable giving, equity compensation, or cash flow. If you only need a return filed, a tax preparer may be enough.
Do I need a financial advisor if I want tax planning and investment help together?
A comprehensive advisor can be useful when investment management and tax planning need to be coordinated. Planning includes proactive tax guidance and completed-return review; eligible Premier adds covered preparation and filing through the designated independent tax partner.
Should I hire a financial advisor or a CPA if I want tax planning?
A CPA is often the right fit for tax compliance and return preparation. A financial advisor is often the right fit when taxes affect investments, retirement, and broader planning decisions. Some households benefit from both.
Watch and learn
Financial Planning, Explained Clearly
Use the video for the walkthrough, then use the written guide for the details, examples, and next steps.
How to Decrease Your Tax Bill
Review practical tax-planning decisions that can connect income, investments, retirement, and withholding.
Watch and read the guide
Four Common Backdoor Roth IRA Mistakes
Understand contribution, conversion, pro-rata, and reporting mistakes before they create tax problems.
Watch and read the guideNext step
Want Taxes, Filing, and Financial Planning Connected?
Schedule a discovery meeting to compare quarterly Planning and Premier membership scope and determine whether Premier tax-return eligibility fits the work you need.