Meet Spenser Liszt, CFP®
I’m Spenser Liszt, CFP®, founder of Motif Planning, an independent, flat fee, fiduciary, advice-only financial planning firm in Dallas, TX.
I help high income families in Dallas make better objective financial decisions.
Most of my clients are dual income families in their 30s and 40s. They earn strong incomes, often $350k to $500k+, and they are raising kids while managing demanding careers.
They want answers to questions like:
- Are we making good money but still falling behind?
- Are we paying more in taxes than we need to?
- What should we do with our company stock?
- Are we saving enough for retirement, college, and everything else?
- How do we make all these decisions without carrying the mental load ourselves?
My background
I earned my CFP® certification at Southern Methodist University and hold a Master of Music from the University of North Texas.
Before becoming a financial planner, I spent 17 years as a professional musician, performing with artists including Aretha Franklin, Frankie Valli, The Temptations, Korn, Father John Misty, and many more. Performing at that level taught me the value of preparation, precision, and staying calm under pressure. Those same principles guide how I serve my clients today.
I built Motif Planning as a flat fee financial planning firm. I do not sell products, earn commissions, or require you to move assets under management.
I am a member of Advice-Only Network, Fee-Only Network, XY Planning Network, NAPFA, CFP Board, Wealthtender, Advice-Only Planners Association and the Transparent Advisor Movement.
When I’m not working with clients, I’m spending time with my family or woodworking.
Why I became a financial planner
During my music career, I had the opportunity to perform at the highest level of my profession.
But one realization changed the direction of my life.
Being an expert in my career did not make me an expert with money.
The more I learned about investing, taxes, retirement planning, and financial decision making, the more I realized that many successful professionals face the same challenge. They have built exceptional careers, but their financial lives have become too complex to manage on their own.
That realization led me to immerse myself in personal finance, begin teaching financial literacy, earn my CFP® certification, and eventually launch Motif Planning.
Today, I help high earning families bring every part of their financial life together. My goal is to help them make informed decisions, avoid costly mistakes, and feel confident that their finances are working toward the life they want.
Why I focus on families
Having a child changes the way you look at money.
The stakes feel different. You start thinking about protection, flexibility, time, college, home decisions, career choices, and the kind of life you want your family to have.
That is where financial planning matters most.
I help families turn a strong income into a clear plan, so they can make decisions with more confidence and less second guessing.
If you want advice only financial planning in Dallas from someone who looks at your full life, schedule a discovery call.
Financial education is part of the work
I write, teach, and speak regularly about financial planning for high-income families in Dallas and across the country.
The topics usually come from real planning questions families face: taxes, equity compensation, employee benefits, investing, insurance, college planning, estate planning, and making better decisions as life gets more complex.
That same teaching approach carries into client work. I explain the strategy, the tradeoffs, and the next step in plain language.
For more, you can read my blog, watch educational videos and past webinars on YouTube, or view previous speaking engagements and press features.