Financial Planning Associates, Inc. logo

Financial Planning Associates, Inc.

Updated today

Total assets under management

$24,581,728

Total clients

54

24% high-net worth

Total advisors

1

of 2 employees

Firm size

Supported

1-3 advisors or $200M+ in AUM

Average clients per advisor

54

Average account size

$455,217

About

Financial Planning Associates, Inc. provides personal financial planning and discretionary investment management to individuals, trusts, estates and retirement plans, operating under a fiduciary standard. The owner-operated firm manages roughly $24.6 million for a small client base and delivers written financial plans and ongoing reviews tailored to each client’s circumstances.

The firm’s investment approach emphasizes risk management through broad, efficient diversification and strategic asset allocation, using portfolio modeling and a mean‑variance optimization framework combined with practitioner judgment. Implementation typically favors exchange‑traded funds held on an institutional custody platform, with the adviser exercising limited discretionary authority while generally avoiding short‑term trading and performance‑based fee arrangements.

What distinguishes the firm from many peers is its small, owner‑led structure and the principal’s substantive background in CFP education and academic instruction, which inform a process focused on written plans, annual reviews, and secure quarterly reporting. The firm does not take custody of client assets, adheres to CFP Board standards of conduct, and discloses its reliance on institutional custodial relationships and research resources to support its advice.

Client services

Financial planning Portfolio management Selection of other advisers

Fee options

Fixed

Fixed fee for personal financial planning engagements, initial fees ranging from $1,860 to $5,000

Percentage

$0 - $500,000: 1.00% annually $500,000 - $750,000: 0.75% annually $750,000 - $1,000,000: 0.35% annually $1,000,000 - $2,000,000: 0.25% annually $2,000,000 - $3,000,000: 0.03% annually $3,000,000+: 0.03% annually

Project-based

$250 per hour for personal financial planning services if hourly fee option chosen

Other

Fee-only: Personal financial planning fees typically a fixed fee ranging from $1,860 to $5,000 for initial planning; subsequent review fees generally lower; hourly fee option at $250 per hour

Disclosures

Exclamation point means they have disclosures of this type. Check mark means no disclosures of this type were found.

Business activities & affiliations

Main office location

Financial Planning Associates, Inc.

300 Ozark Trail Drive, Ste 215

Ellisville MO 63011, United States

Number of offices

1

Advisors at this firm

Carl G

CFP®

Ellisville, MO

Financial Planning Associates, Inc.

Describe the education and business background of the adviser’s principal executive officer: Carl Dwayne Goodin was born March 7, 1951, in Springfield, Missouri. He grew up in and around St. Louis, Missouri. He attended Lafayette High School in St. Louis County, MO, graduating with honors. He was conferred a BM in Education from the University of Missouri at St. Louis in May of 1973. He has completed coursework toward an MA in Finance and Economics from Webster University, St. Louis, MO. His grade point average in graduate studies is 4.0. He completed the CFP professional education program (College for Financial Planning, Denver, CO) in 1989. He continues to study, analyze, and research all matters related to personal financial planning, investments, insurance, estate planning, accounting, and taxation, generally devoting from 5 to 20 hours per week to independent study and advanced seminars. Carl D Goodin, CFP™: Having completed the education, examination, experience and ethics requirements he was awarded the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER designation in March 1989. The Financial Planning Association: Carl Goodin has been a member in good standing of the Financial Planning Association since 1985. For many years he served on the Board of Directors of the Financial Planning Association of Greater St. Louis, serving as Director of Professional Development, Director of Public Relations, President Elect, and President. Financial services career and education: Carl Goodin began his career in finance and insurance in 1979 as an aircraft insurance (property and liability) underwriter. In 1981 he chose to continue serving the aviation community, but in a different capacity, primarily as a life and health insurance producer associated with the company now called Lincoln Financial Group. During this period his clientele expanded from those associated with aviation to include small business owners and other professionals. Also, during this period, he became interested in providing personal financial planning services not focused on life insurance sales. In 1986 he accepted an offer to be the regional manager of the UNUM non-cancelable disability income office in St. Louis, only to return to Lincoln Financial as regional manager in 1988. During this period, he successfully completed the examination requirements for the Missouri Uniform Securities license (Series 63), the Investment Company/Variable Products license (Series 6), the General Securities Representative (stock/bond broker's license, Series 7), the General Securities Principal license (stock/bond broker's supervisor, Series 24) and the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER. Financial Planning Associates, Inc., A Registered Investment Adviser: Believing that he could offer better, more objective advice for his clients in a more independent setting, he left Lincoln Financial and incorporated Financial Planning Associates, Inc. in 1998. Carl D Goodin, Professor, College for Financial Planning: From March 1999 until July 2005 Carl served as an adjunct faculty member of the College for Financial Planning, teaching all of the required classes for CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER candidates. Those classes included: Financial Planning, Insurance, Retirement Planning, Employee Benefits, Tax Planning, Investment Planning, and Estate Planning. Carl D Goodin, Professor, University of Missouri at St. Louis: In July 2005, Carl resigned his teaching activities at the College for Financial Planning and assumed a similar teaching position as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Missouri at St. Louis, where he continued until 2015. Fee Only financial planning and investment management: In 2009 Carl Goodin voluntarily relinquished his securities and insurance licenses and terminated all associated residual benefits in the interest of offering his clients valuable, objective advice unaffected by conflicts of interest associated with commission compensation.

General retirement planning Elder care planning Educators, Teachers, and Academics Baby Boomers (Born 1946-1964)
Warmer team member

Not sure where to start?

We'll help you think it through – whether you ultimately need an advisor or not.

Call (201) 292-4557

Warmer provides personalized recommendations and introductions to independent fiduciary advisors. We do not supervise advisors, manage or hold assets, guarantee performance, or provide advice about specific investments.

Each advisor listed on our site is an independent fiduciary responsible for their own advice. Warmer may receive fees from advisors for participation or referrals; these fees are paid by advisors and do not affect the fees clients pay for advisory services.

For advisor listings, we rely on sources including public filings and data provided by advisors, and we cannot guarantee that all information is current or accurate. Please review an advisor's Form ADV and do your own diligence before entering into an advisory relationship.

By using our service, you agree to Warmer's Terms of Service and Advisory Agreement and Privacy Policy. Logos provided by Logo.dev

© 2026 Warmer Holdings Inc. ("Warmer")