Meet Spenser Liszt, CFP®
I’m Spenser Liszt, CFP®, founder of Motif Planning, an independent, flat fee fiduciary financial planning and investment management firm in Dallas, TX.
I help high income families make better financial decisions and coordinate their investments with the rest of their financial life.
Most of my clients are dual income families in their 30s and 40s. They earn strong incomes, often $350k to $500k+, have accumulated meaningful savings and investments, and are raising kids while managing demanding careers.
They want answers to questions like:
- Are we making the most of what we’ve built?
- Are we paying more in taxes than we need to?
- What should we do with our company stock?
- Are we saving the right amounts for retirement, college, and other goals?
- Are our investments coordinated with our financial plan?
- How do we make 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 and investment management firm. I do not earn commissions or charge a percentage of the assets I manage. Clients pay one transparent annual fee for the ongoing relationship.
I am a member of Flat Fee Advisors, Fee-Only Network, XY Planning Network, NAPFA, CFP Board, Wealthtender, and the Transparent Advisor Movement.
When I’m not working with clients, I’m spending time with my family or woodworking.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“I came to Spenser for help with my finances. What I didn’t expect was a fundamental shift in how I think about money, my relationship with it, and how I see myself, financially and beyond. My approach to money today looks drastically different than it did before working with him.
Spenser takes a truly holistic approach. It’s not just theory. It’s like having a business manager in your corner without having to hire one. I was busy and my finances weren’t getting the attention they deserved, but Spenser set up manageable systems and, through our sessions, helped me prioritize the right moves to position myself for long-term success. While reshaping my money story, I was also taking real, strategic action, and together, the mindset and the execution created meaningful, lasting change in how I approach money.
There’s genuine excitement and new energy in how I now approach financial decisions. Spenser helped me build a clear vision of wealth and value and has been instrumental in helping me see my financial picture, and my potential, in a completely different light. Spenser is not just another financial planner. He’s part guide, part coach, part advisor, part teacher, all delivered with calm, grounded wisdom.
I highly recommend Spenser’s approach and strategy to understanding and managing your financial life.”
– Tracie V., client since 2025
Disclosure: Motif Planning has not provided any compensation for the testimonials shown. The testimonials shown have been selected from among all client feedback. To our knowledge, no other conflicts of interest exist regarding these testimonials. Testimonials may not be representative of other clients’ experiences and do not guarantee future performance or success. View all reviews at Wealthtender.
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 and meaningful wealth, but managing all the financial decisions that come with that success becomes increasingly complex.
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, from taxes and equity compensation to investment management and long-term family goals. My goal is to help them make informed decisions, avoid costly mistakes, and spend less time managing the details themselves.
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 strong incomes and growing investments into a coordinated financial plan, so they can make decisions with more confidence and less second guessing.
If you want flat fee financial planning and investment management in Dallas from someone who looks at your full financial life, schedule a discovery call.
Financial literacy is important to me
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.