The Practical Planner

The Practical Planner serves individuals and families, including high-net-worth clients, with holistic financial planning and ongoing investment management. Its open-retainer engagements routinely cover retirement planning, cash flow and budgeting, education and small-business planning, and include tax planning and individual tax return preparation as part of the service model.

The firm operates as a fee-only fiduciary that constructs diversified portfolios using mutual funds, ETFs, U.S. government bonds, and cash equivalents, tailoring asset allocation to each client’s risk tolerance and goals. It typically manages accounts on a discretionary basis, monitors held-away employer retirement accounts as part of its advice, and provides scheduled account reviews and recurring client consultations.

Distinctive for a firm of its size, the Practical Planner is a small, focused practice that serves a limited client roster and maintains a relatively high minimum onboarding threshold and annual advisory commitment (which the firm may waive for certain individuals), signaling an emphasis on comprehensive, ongoing relationships rather than transactional work. The firm also combines investment advisory services with in-house tax preparation and maintains membership in fee-only professional organizations, reflecting a planning-centered, fee-only approach not present at all peers.