Scholar Financial Advising is an SEC-registered, flat-fee fiduciary firm built for individuals and families with complex financial lives. We work with physicians whose financial situations have grown beyond what straightforward retirement planning can address, including established practice owners, those navigating significant equity compensation or deferred comp, families coordinating wealth across generations, and physicians preparing for or recently exiting a major liquidity event.
Every engagement begins with The Scholar Method, our proprietary planning methodology designed for the kinds of complexity most firms aren't structured to handle. We coordinate decisions across taxes, investments, equity compensation, business interests, estate planning, and long-term family goals, never one in isolation.
We charge flat fees only. No AUM. No commissions. No product sales. Our advisors don't manage your investments or take custody of your assets. Instead, we provide expert analysis, coordination, and strategic guidance that allows you to make confident decisions within your own accounts and existing institutional relationships.
Led by Stephan Shipe, Ph.D., CFA, CFP®, Scholar serves clients across 40+ states with deep expertise in the questions that emerge when financial lives grow more complex.
All new client relationships begin with a comprehensive initial plan starting at $5,000 based on your unique financial situation. Typical complexity plans fall between $10,000 and $15,000.
By nature of our decision to be a fee only advisor, we do not receive commissions or charge referral fees that plague some financial services. Unlike many fee-only advisors, we believe that fee-only means a flat fee paid for advice. Our fee structure is based on project complexity and not on how much money a client has saved for an asset under management fee. This ensures that clients of all income and asset levels can receive financial advice and will pay a fee matched to the amount of advice needed and not be penalized for the size of their portfolio or net worth.
We are happy to buck the trend by providing financial advice on a flat fee basis opposed to the current norm of a percentage of net worth or Assets Under Management (AUM).
Signature Client Program (Monthly Retainer): All retainer clients start with a flat-fee comprehensive plan ranging from $15,000–$30,000 followed by a bespoke strategy that fits within one of our three service tiers: $3,000, $6,000, or $10,000 per month.