No person was compensated for the testimonials (statements provided by current clients) and endorsements (statements provided by persons who are not current clients) presented here. Each person gave permission for Thriving Musician LLC dba Motif Planning to publish their testimonial or endorsement. Outcomes are personal and specific and one person’s experience does not guarantee identical outcomes in the future for another person.
Flat Fee Financial Planning for High-Income Families
Motif Planning provides ongoing advice-only financial planning for families who want a proactive partner across their full financial life.
You pay one flat annual fee, billed monthly. No commissions, AUM fee, or investment minimums.
| Annual fee (billed monthly) | $10,000 per year ($834 per month) |
| Billing starts | 1st of the month |
| Cancellation | 30 days’ notice |
Who this is built for
This tends to fit best for families who want ongoing planning, not a one-time financial plan.
You may be a good fit if:
- Your household earns $350k+
- You have kids or plan to
- You want to reduce tax mistakes
- You have RSUs, stock options, bonuses, deferred comp, or complex benefits
- You want investment advice without hiring someone to manage your portfolio
- You want year round access when decisions come up
- You value having one person who understands your full financial life
What the fee covers
Your planning fee includes:
- Full financial plan development
- Cash flow and savings strategy
- Lifetime tax planning
- Investment guidance and portfolio design
- Equity compensation planning
- Employee benefits review
- Insurance review
- College planning
- Retirement planning
- Estate planning coordination
- CPA and attorney coordination
- Two planning meetings per year
- Ongoing support throughout the year
What the planning fee helps you solve
High-income families usually do not need help with one isolated question. They need help connecting decisions across taxes, investments, benefits, insurance, college, estate planning, and family goals.
That is where advice-only planning can create value.
| Common question | How Motif Planning helps |
|---|---|
| Are we overpaying in taxes? | We look for planning opportunities across your 401(k), HSA, Roth strategy, equity comp, charitable giving, investments, and CPA coordination. |
| What should we do with RSUs, stock options, or bonuses? | We help you decide what to keep, what to sell, how to plan for taxes, and how to reduce concentration risk. |
| Are we saving enough? | We build a system for income, bonuses, emergency reserves, retirement, college, major purchases, and giving. |
| Are our investments organized? | We help design a diversified long-term portfolio across your 401(k), IRA, HSA, taxable accounts, and employer stock plan. |
| Do we have the right insurance? | We review life, disability, umbrella, health, home, and auto coverage so your family has the right protection. |
| What should we do first? | We help turn competing decisions into a clear order of operations. |
Flat fee vs AUM pricing
Motif Planning charges a flat annual fee for advice and planning. Your fee does not increase just because your portfolio grows.
| Portfolio size | Motif Planning flat fee | 1% AUM fee |
|---|---|---|
| $1,000,000 | $10,000/year | $10,000/year |
| $2,000,000 | $10,000/year | $20,000/year |
| $3,000,000 | $10,000/year | $30,000/year |
AUM (Assets under management) financial advisors charge based on the amount of money they manage for you.
This comparison is not the full story. Some AUM advisors provide strong planning. Some families also want investment management.
Motif Planning is designed for families who want comprehensive advice, year-round planning, and implementation support while keeping control of their own accounts.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Motif Planning tends to fit best for high-income families who want ongoing financial planning, not a one-time plan.
Most clients earn $350k+ as a household, have kids or plan to, and want help with taxes, investments, equity compensation, employee benefits, insurance, college planning, retirement, and major life decisions.
If you’re unsure, schedule a call and we can talk it through.
No. Motif Planning does not have an investment minimum.
Many families we work with have most of their investments inside 401(k)s, HSAs, IRAs, employer stock plans, or taxable accounts they want to keep managing themselves.
No. You keep control of your accounts.
Motif Planning provides investment advice, portfolio guidance, and implementation support. You do not need to transfer your investments or hire us to manage your portfolio.
Download our Investment Philosophy white paper (PDF)
The annual fee includes full plan development, cash flow and savings strategy, tax planning, investment guidance, equity compensation planning, employee benefits review, insurance review, college planning, retirement planning, estate planning coordination, CPA and attorney coordination, two planning meetings per year, and ongoing support throughout the year.
A flat fee keeps the cost tied to planning, not the size of your investment portfolio.
This can make sense for high-income families who want advice across taxes, benefits, equity compensation, insurance, college, estate planning, cash flow, and investments without transferring assets.
We meet at least twice per year, usually once in the spring and once in the fall.
You can also reach out during the year when financial decisions come up, such as open enrollment, RSU vesting, bonus planning, tax questions, job changes, major purchases, or family decisions.
Yes. You can cancel with 30 days’ notice.
Motif Planning does not offer a pause option because ongoing planning requires consistent attention and limited client capacity.
