The Advice-Only™ Methodology is a structurally engineered, standardized planning system
designed to deconflict the planning process and make financial advice as objective and
transparent as possible. Rather than relying on marketing promises or fee labels, it builds
objectivity into the structure of the engagement itself—through a clear separation between
advice and implementation, a direct client-paid fee model, and a repeatable workflow that
applies to every client, without asset minimums.
It was built for people who are seeking more unbiased financial planning, but who also
want to understand how that objectivity is created in practice.
- Reduced conflicts of interest: Advice is structurally separated from product sales, asset management, and referral incentives.
- Reliable quality: A consistent, multi-step methodology is applied to every client, with no asset minimums or subscriptions.
- Client empowerment: Education, tools, and fiduciary guidance are delivered free from institutional or product influence.
The Traditional Advice Problem
For too long, the financial services industry has been shaped by hidden conflicts and misaligned
incentives. Traditional models often link an advisor’s pay to the products they sell or the assets
they manage. This can erode true objectivity, especially when a firm’s or an individual’s personal
and professional relationships are involved.
Consciously or unconsciously, those relationships and incentives can influence which
recommendations you receive and which companies you do business with. You may get
suitable advice, but you can’t ever really know it was the best available option—or the
most profitable option for the firm. Doubt remains and probably never goes away.
Avoiding Unstructured, Ad Hoc Advice
A traditional advisor operating without a standardized method is like a home improvement
contractor who is also paid for referring you to a preferred service provider. They might still
do good work, but there is always a question lingering in the background: was a particular solution
recommended because it was best for you—or because it was best for them?
Barriers in the Traditional Planning Landscape
Beyond conflicts of interest, the industry has also struggled with:
- Limited access: High asset minimums at many firms can shut out many of the people who need advice most—such as younger professionals and those with fewer assets.
- Unpredictability: Without a standardized methodology, the quality and depth of advice can vary widely from one advisor to the next.
- The “free plan” trap: “Free” plans are rarely truly free. Costs often emerge later, through high-cost products, asset-based fees, or a lack of ongoing attention.
- Referrals as currency: In many environments, referrals function as a hidden currency, reinforcing networks and recommendations that may not always align with a client’s best interest.
These issues underscore a need for a different approach—one that prioritizes structural
transparency, objectivity, and genuine client empowerment.
Origins of the Advice-Only™ Methodology
We formally introduced the Advice-Only™ method in 2019 as a structurally deconflicted
approach to financial planning—designed for people who want more unbiased guidance
without asset-based or product-driven incentives. Its origins—and ongoing development—are
a direct response to the industry’s persistent shortcomings. Instead of simply rebranding
existing fee models, the methodology creates an entirely separate planning environment: one
that is free from all forms of compensation beyond a direct client-paid bill.
This means our incentive is the relationship itself. Our priority is to provide the most objective,
structurally deconflicted advice possible, tailored to your specific situation—not to guide you
toward any particular product, platform, or custodian.
Purpose of the Methodology
The Advice-Only™ Methodology exists to:
- Engineer objectivity at the process level, not just promise it in marketing.
- Deliver a repeatable, high-quality planning experience across clients and circumstances.
- Provide transparent decision pathways, with clear rationales and tradeoffs explained.
- Empower clients to implement in the way that best fits their lives—without advisor control or pressure over where or how they implement.
- Offer equal access to planning with no asset minimums or asset-based qualification.
Every engagement begins with a paid, written advisory agreement, which formalizes the fiduciary duty from the outset and prevents qualification-based sales processes.
Clients are never screened or qualified based on assets, income, or account size.
We operate under a strict fiduciary duty, meaning we are legally and ethically bound to act in
your best interest. A structured set of Principles further reinforces that commitment, and
Standards of Practice define how Advice-Only™ planning must be delivered.
Core Pillars of the Advice-Only™ Methodology
The Methodology is built on a set of structural pillars. These are not slogans or marketing
points—they are operational requirements:
- Structural Separation:
Advice and implementation are structurally—and visibly—separated. The advisor does not
execute trades, manage assets, sell products, or steer toward any particular implementation path.Under the Methodology, an advice meeting and a solicitation meeting cannot occur at the same time. Implementation discussions only occur after the plan is complete and only when independently initiated by the client. - The Fee Structure Firewall™:
Compensation flows in one direction only: directly from the client as a clearly stated fee.
No commissions, asset-based fees, referral payments, or compensation tied to client
implementation decisions are permitted.The Methodology also closes the referral loophole by prohibiting all monetary and non-monetary referral incentives. Any referral made in the client’s best interest must be documented and acknowledged in writing. - No Predetermined Outcomes:
Recommendations may not be preloaded or scripted. They must arise from a structured
diagnostic process driven by your actual facts, goals, constraints, and risk parameters—
not from templates, sales funnels, or product quotas. - Transparent Decision Pathways:
Each recommendation includes its rationale, key assumptions, alternatives considered,
and the tradeoffs involved. You can see how we arrived at each conclusion. - Implementation Independence:
You retain full autonomy over where and how you implement plan recommendations.
The advisor’s role is to provide clarity and analysis—not to control assets or execution,
during or after the planning engagement. - Client Empowerment Through Education:
Education is embedded into every stage of planning. The goal is competence, not
dependency, so that you can make informed decisions long after the plan is delivered.The Methodology values real-world advisor experience but filters that experience through structural safeguards, ensuring insight does not become influence. - Process Integrity & Repeatability:
The methodology operates through a defined, standardized workflow that can be applied
consistently across clients and scenarios, ensuring reliability that does not depend on
any one person’s style or sales approach.
The Structural Model: The Four-Step Planning Process
At the engagement level, the Advice-Only™ Methodology is organized into four distinct phases:
1. Paid Consultation: Diagnostic intake, problem framing, and expectations for the scope of work.
2. Present Position: Data gathering and integration, projections, risk mapping, and tax analysis.
3. Strategy & Deployment: Scenario testing, tradeoff evaluation, and selection of a preferred strategy set.
4. Post-Planning Review: Q&A, prioritization, and an implementation roadmap that you can carry forward independently.
This four-step structure creates clarity, transparency, and repeatability. A more detailed
description of each phase is available on our
4-Step Planning Process page.
Making Sense of the Advice-Only Financial Planning Landscape
How the Methodology Differs from Other Models
Fee-Only ≠ Advice-Only
Many fee-only advisors still manage assets, bundle planning with implementation, and tie their
long-term economics to asset-based compensation (AUM). The Advice-Only™ Methodology removes these structural
dependencies entirely. The fee you pay for planning does not depend on where your assets
are held, which products you use, or whether you move accounts.
DIY / Hourly ≠ Advice-Only
DIY platforms offer tools, and hourly planners sell time—but neither, by itself, constitutes a
methodology. Too often, under those models, the implementation path is effectively
pre-determined before a plan is completed. Advice-Only™ is a system: a defined, repeatable
framework that combines fiduciary analysis, structured workflows, and educational support
under a single, coherent method. Its purpose is to develop an original and tailored plan for
your unique situation, and implementation is not determined before planning even begins.
Asset-Based Compensation (AUM) and Sales Models ≠ Advice-Only
Asset-based and commission models tie compensation directly to asset movements,
transactions, or product choices. This can introduce incentives to gather, retain, or move
assets in ways that are not purely driven by client outcomes. The Advice-Only™ Methodology
removes these pressures by design.
Generic “Advice-Only” Marketing ≠ Advice-Only™ Methodology
“Advice only” is often used generically as a marketing phrase. In contrast, Advice-Only™
refers to a defined methodology, with specific pillars, principles, and standards. It is not a
slogan, fee label, or loose description of intent. It is a structured system that can be taught,
examined, and applied consistently over time.
Methodology, Principles, Standards, and Philosophy
To avoid confusion, the Advice-Only™ framework is organized into complementary but distinct
layers:
- The Methodology: What the system is—its structure, pillars, and engagement model.
- The Principles: Why the system works—the foundational laws and commitments that define Advice-Only™ planning.
- The Standards of Practice: How professionals must practice the methodology in real engagements.
- The Philosophy: The narrative, history, and values that explain why this structure was developed.
As you explore the site, you will see these layers referenced and linked separately—for
example, on the pages describing the
Principles of the Advice-Only™ Methodology,
the Standards of Practice, and the detailed
4-Step Planning Process.
Benefits of the Advice-Only™ Methodology
For clients, the benefits of this structurally engineered method are concrete:
- Clarity and peace of mind: You can see how each recommendation is formed and why, with the major compensation and product conflicts removed from the background.
- Cost control and accessibility: You pay directly for planning via transparent invoices, with no ongoing asset-based charges and no asset minimums.
- Confident decisions: Education and analysis are combined so you can make informed, self-directed choices about implementation.
- Consistency: A standardized methodology ensures you receive the same high standard of service each time, centered on fiduciary duty and process integrity.
Next Steps
- Schedule a paid consultation: Wondering if this approach is right for you? Book a paid consultation to get real, actionable insight into your situation.
- Explore our planning services: Review our services to see how the methodology is applied across different planning needs.
- Learn more: Visit our blog to read more about the Advice-Only™ Methodology and how structural separation can change the planning experience.
Editor’s note: This page provides general financial and investment information, not personalized advice. We don’t know your unique situation. Consider consulting qualified, objective financial, tax, or estate professionals. Past performance does not guarantee future results.