Flat-fee financial planning
Financial planning priced for the work, not your portfolio.
Flames FP coordinates investments and financial planning through fixed quarterly memberships instead of charging a percentage of assets.
Direct answer
What Is Flat-Fee Financial Planning?
Flat-fee financial planning means the advisor charges a stated dollar amount for the planning relationship instead of taking a percentage of the investments being managed. Flames FP memberships are billed quarterly in advance at $150, $900, or $1,650 per quarter, depending on service scope. There is no annual commitment, and a larger portfolio does not automatically create a larger advisory fee.
How the model works
A fee structure you can evaluate in actual dollars
The useful comparison is not a small-looking percentage versus a flat number. It is annualized cost, services included, advisor responsibility, and how the fee changes over time.
Fixed quarterly price
The membership fee is billed quarterly in advance, making the relationship easier to budget for and compare without an annual commitment.
No automatic portfolio markup
The fee does not rise simply because markets increased or more money moved into an investment account.
Planning scope drives fit
The right membership depends on the decisions and coordination your household needs, not only account balance.
One coordinated relationship
The work extends beyond investment management
Investments are one part of a financial life. The value of planning often comes from connecting decisions that would otherwise be handled separately.
Investments and taxes
Portfolio changes, gains, losses, account location, and withdrawal decisions are considered alongside tax consequences.
Tax planning and filingRetirement and cash flow
Savings, Social Security, Medicare, RMDs, Roth conversions, and withdrawal sequencing are coordinated around retirement goals.
Retirement planningEstate and family decisions
Beneficiaries, legal documents, gifting, insurance, and family responsibilities are connected to the broader plan.
Estate guidanceFit
When a flat-fee membership can make sense
Flat-fee advice is often worth comparing when your financial life is becoming more connected and you want broader planning than a portfolio-only relationship.
Your portfolio has grown
You want to understand the real dollar cost of a percentage fee and whether the work increased at the same pace.
Taxes affect major decisions
Equity compensation, Roth conversions, retirement withdrawals, charitable giving, or concentrated investments need tax-aware coordination.
You want one planning picture
You would rather connect cash flow, investments, taxes, retirement, insurance, estate documents, and family goals.
Watch and learn
Start With the Fee Model
Use the video for the walkthrough, then use the written guide for the details, examples, and next steps.
Flat Fee vs 1% Financial Advisor
See how a percentage fee changes in dollars as a portfolio grows and what to compare beyond the headline rate.
Watch and read the guideCommon questions
Flat-Fee Financial Planning Questions
Does flat-fee financial planning mean investment management is excluded?
No. Investment management is included in every Flames tier. Access combines it with personalized foundational planning; Planning adds comprehensive planning, proactive tax guidance and estate-document access; Premier adds advanced planning and eligible individual tax-return preparation.
Does Flames FP charge a percentage of assets?
No. Investment management is included in each fixed quarterly membership without an AUM fee based on the value of the portfolio.
How much does Flames Financial Planning cost?
Flames Access is $150 per quarter ($600 annualized), 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.
Is a flat fee always less expensive than a 1% AUM fee?
No. Cost depends on portfolio size, planning scope, and services included. The advantage of a flat fee is that the annual dollar cost is visible and does not automatically rise with the portfolio.
Who is flat-fee financial planning best for?
It can be a strong fit for households that want coordinated help across investments, taxes, retirement, estate decisions, and implementation without linking the advisor's fee directly to portfolio size.
Next step
Compare the planning work with the annual cost.
Bring your current questions, account structure, and advisor fee. We can talk through what a Flames membership would include and whether the model fits.