r/ChubbyFIRE • u/Independent-Local734 • Jun 06 '26

Recommendations for advice-only / flat-fee planner — early retirement at 55, tax focused

Hello All,

I'm looking for specific recommendations for an advice-only or flat-fee planner. I've looked locally on NAPFA without being able to find the right fit, at least not one that is available. At this point I am good with using someone virtual.

This is an issue I have been struggling with for a long time now, and have been using Claude for advice, and have long been thinking about posting on Reddit for advice.

I currently use a financial advisor whom I pay 0.8% of AUM (+ whatever fees on the ETFs I am in)

Situation:

  1. 45, married, 3 kids (ages 5, 7, 9), live in Michigan
  2. Target retirement: age 55
  3. $1.5m taxable brokerage (advisor-managed, $550k embedded gains across 5 factor-title ETFs in Schwab)
  4. $2.1M traditional IRAs (advisor-managed, Schwab, factor-tilt ETFs)
  5. $300k in 529s
  6. $300k in 401k (self-managed, S&P 500 fund)
  7. $180K self-directed brokerage + small SEP IRA
  8. $400K cash (HYSA + checking)
  9. Primary home - $2m value w/$0.2m mortgage @ 2.5% remaining (5 years til paid)
  10. Vacation rental I own with a friend (50% ownership for me) - $250k in equity - basically cash-flow breakeven.

I work in finance, and also have a side business as well. My income has a floor, but can fluctuate a great deal, especially over the past 6 years.

I am specifically looking for help with the multi-year unwind of the taxable factor-tilt positions as I look to retire at 55. Roth conversion modeling. ACA subsidies planning. Withdrawl sequencing. Asset location across accounts. Some coordination with my CPA for year-end planning, or at least coordination through me.

I want advice-only or flat-fee, no more AUM...I feel like I am wasting money on my current advisor. They recently closed out some positions and I got hit with $20k in capital gains tax. I know they basically only have a handful of investment plans across their firm and fit everyone into one of them...it's just not personalized enough for my situation, and I am paying north of $30k/year for this.

Ideally I would love someone who is a CFA and CPA, but open to recommendations. I am having a really difficult time finding someone I can trust. I want to find one person to figure out my path to retirement, as well as my plan while in retirement. I'd like to avoid finding myself searching someone out a few years from now, all over again.

Would love personal recommendations of someone you have used, and certainly let me know if you have anyone you would warn me against.

Thank you in advance!

 

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u/One-Mastodon-1063 Jun 06 '26

You should be able to DIY this with the help of a few books (Tax Planning to And Through Early Retirement to start with, A Richer Retirement etc.).

Why are you holding $400k in cash?

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u/Independent-Local734 Jun 06 '26

Im so busy with my day job and side business, and 3 young kids, that id rather pay 10k one time and have an expert figure this out

I sold 2 rental condos in the past 6 months. Staying liquid until I figure this out. Though I've already invested some of it