The Planning Center

Name

The Planning Center

Legal name

The Planning Center

Website

https://theplanningcenter.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Financial Advisory and Wealth Management Services

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Financial Planning (FSAEAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Financial Planning–Led RIAs (FSAAACAB), Business Owner & Executive Financial Planning (FSAEAAAO), Estate & Legacy Planning Advisory (FSAEAAAG), Tax-Aware Investment Planning (FSAEAAAE), Retirement & Pension Planning (401(k)/IRA) (FSAEAAAD)

Keywords

• Fee-only financial planning
• Investment management services
• Retirement planning services
• Estate planning services
• Tax planning services

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Fee-Only Financial Planning Services: The firm operates on a fee-only basis, meaning they are paid only by their clients. They receive no compensation (commissions) for recommending one investment over another, one attorney over another, or one type of insurance over another. If they make a recommendation, it is solely because they believe it is in the client's best interest.
2. Tax Preparation and Planning Services: In-house team of CPAs and tax professionals prepare annual tax returns for clients, integrated with ongoing tax planning strategies throughout the year.
3. Investment Management: Portfolio management services using globally diversified, tax-efficient portfolios consisting of low-cost ETFs and mutual funds from Dimensional Fund Advisors and Vanguard.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Planning Center is a fee-only fiduciary financial planning firm that delivers comprehensive financial planning, investment management, and tax planning/preparation services to high-net-worth individuals and families. The firm operates across nine core service areas (Asset & Debt Management, Cash Flow & Income Management, Investment Management, Insurance & Benefits Review, Estate Planning, Family & Charitable Giving, Accumulation & Retirement Planning, Tax Planning, and RSU Planning) supported by an in-house CPA tax team, an evidence-based investment approach using low-cost Dimensional Fund Advisors and Vanguard ETFs, and proprietary client tools such as First Step Cash Management. Services are delivered through seven U.S. offices, virtual meetings, and an Orion Advisor client portal, with client engagements built around 2-4 advisory meetings per year plus year-round communication.

Product overview

The Planning Center is a fee-only financial planning firm offering integrated financial planning services through nine core service areas: Asset & Debt Management, Cash Flow & Income Management (including the First Step Cash Management system), Investment Management, Insurance & Benefits Review, Estate Planning, Family & Charitable Giving, Accumulation & Retirement Planning, Tax Planning, and Restricted Stock Units Planning. The firm combines financial planning with integrated tax planning through an in-house tax team. Client-facing technology includes the Orion Advisor client portal for portfolio management, the First Step Cash Management budgeting tool, and Money Guide Pro for financial planning. The firm also provides educational content through the Living Beyond the Numbers podcast and regular webinars covering topics from tax strategies to life transitions. Investment management uses evidence-based strategies with globally diversified portfolios of low-cost ETFs and mutual funds from Dimensional Fund Advisors and Vanguard, custodied at Charles Schwab and Axos Advisor Services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Asset & Debt Management Service that helps clients organize and oversee financial resources and liabilities to improve financial health and achieve long-term goals, delivered as part of The Planning Center's integrated financial planning offering for high-net-worth individuals and families.
• Cash Flow & Income Management Service monitoring and adjusting money inflows and outflows to ensure financial obligations are met and goals are achieved, inclusive of the firm's proprietary First Step Cash Management system that categorizes expenses into past commitments, present choices, and future needs and wants.
• Investment Management Service that crafts personalized investment strategies aligned with client financial goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon using globally diversified, tax-efficient portfolios composed of low-cost ETFs and mutual funds from Dimensional Fund Advisors and Vanguard, with custody at Charles Schwab and Axos Advisor Services.
• Insurance & Benefits Review Service that assesses existing insurance policies and coverage to identify gaps, protection needs, and alignment with evolving financial objectives for individuals, families, and executives.
• Estate Planning Service providing tailored strategies to effectively manage and transfer client assets, ensuring that client wishes are honored and loved ones are cared for, coordinated alongside the firm's investment, tax, and charitable giving services.
• Family & Charitable Giving Service advising clients on structuring philanthropic and familial gifts to increase impact while considering tax implications and broader financial goals.
• Accumulation & Retirement Planning Service devising strategic approaches to help clients build wealth during their working years for a financially secure retirement, including specialized support for State of Alaska employees, federal workers with PERS, TRS, JRS, and FERS benefits, and other defined-benefit plan participants.
• Tax Planning Year-round tax planning service that minimizes liabilities and maximizes tax efficiency through analysis of income, investments, and potential deductions, delivered by The Planning Center's in-house CPA team and integrated with ongoing annual tax preparation.
• Restricted Stock Units (RSU) Planning Service guiding clients through the complexities of RSU and stock-based compensation, taking an integrated approach that maximizes value within the client's overall financial situation, including diversification, vesting strategy, concentration risk management, tax withholding optimization, and cash flow planning.
• Living Beyond the Numbers Podcast A weekly podcast hosted by Jude Boudreaux featuring industry professionals and guests discussing aligning finances with life goals, available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube, covering topics such as retirement planning, family wealth, college costs, generational giving, and cybersecurity.
• Financial Webinars On-demand and live webinars covering topics such as tax planning versus tax preparation, retirement planning, divorce finances, career transitions, RSU management, college planning, and investment strategies, used as part of the firm's educational content and prospective client engagement.
• First Step Cash Management A proprietary cash flow and budgeting system that categorizes expenses into past commitments, present choices, and future needs and wants, helping clients establish automated saving and spending goals and enabling them to view, edit, or compare budgets against potential future changes.
• Dementia and Financial Planning Resource An educational resource covering strategies for protecting family finances before cognitive capacity changes, including powers of attorney and healthcare proxy planning, published on The Planning Center's financial insights blog.

Quantifiable outcome

• Clients meet 2-4 times per year with ongoing support throughout the year
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Fee Only NetworkcoreOthersProfessional affiliation network for fee-only financial planners providing marketing and professional development resources. TPC is affiliated with this network as part of their fee-only positioning.
• National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA)coreOthersPremier professional association for fee-only financial advisors. NAPFA requires members to adhere to strict fiduciary standards and fee-only compensation model.
• Financial Planning Association (FPA)coreOthersProfessional organization for financial planners. TPC advisors are members and participate in FPA communities including NexGen.
• Charles SchwabcoreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party custodian holding client assets. TPC uses Schwab's platform for client account access and statements through Schwab Client Center.
• Axos Advisor Services (formerly Trust Company of America)coreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party custodian and custodial account login provider. Used for direct access to custodial statements, 401(k) and Profit Sharing Plan logins.
• Money Guide ProcoreTechnology or IntegrationFinancial planning software platform used for client financial plan development, projections, and goal tracking.
• Orion AdvisorcoreTechnology or IntegrationPortfolio management and client portal platform providing client login access for viewing investment portfolios.
• Dimensional Fund AdvisorscoreTechnology or IntegrationInvestment management company providing low-cost ETFs and mutual funds used in client portfolios for globally diversified, evidence-based investing.
• VanguardcoreTechnology or IntegrationInvestment management company providing low-cost index funds and ETFs used for diversified portfolio construction in client accounts.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Creative Planning: One of the largest US fee-only, fiduciary RIAs offering comprehensive financial planning, investment management, and tax services to HNW clients. Comparable because of the integrated planning-plus-tax model, fee-only structure, and multi-office national footprint serving similar client segments.
• Buckingham Strategic Wealth: Fee-only RIA (now part of Focus Financial Partners) providing evidence-based investment management and comprehensive financial planning to HNW individuals. Directly comparable due to fee-only fiduciary model, DFA/Vanguard-centric portfolios, and integrated planning services for similar client demographics.
• Savant Wealth Management: Midwest-based fee-only RIA offering integrated financial planning, investment management, and tax services. Strong direct peer given similar Midwestern roots, multi-office footprint, HNW client focus, and comparable service mix including retirement and estate planning.

Emerging players

• Facet Wealth: Digital-first flat-fee financial planning firm targeting HNW clients with CFP®-led virtual advice. Comparable as a fee-only fiduciary planning firm targeting a similar HNW/affluent client base, but operates with a fully remote, technology-led model that competes for the same households at lower price points.

Broad incumbents

• Carson Group: Large RIA and coaching platform for independent financial advisors, providing business consulting, technology, and investment solutions. Comparable as a fee-based advisory competitor serving HNW clients through affiliated advisor practices, but with a broader coaching-and-consolidator business model.
• Mariner Wealth Advisors: Large national RIA offering comprehensive financial planning, investment management, tax, and estate services to HNW clients. Comparable in service mix and client demographic, but materially larger scale and backed by PE capital with an aggressive acquisition strategy.
• Edelman Financial Engines: One of the largest US independent RIAs offering financial planning and investment management to HNW and mass-affluent households. Comparable as a fee-based fiduciary planner with retirement-income specialization, though it operates at materially greater scale and a more nationally distributed model.
• Empower (formerly Personal Capital): Large digital wealth manager offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement accounts. Comparable in serving HNW households with integrated financial planning, but at much larger scale and with a hybrid digital-plus-advisor delivery model that pressures traditional RIAs on price.
• Mercer Advisors: PE-backed national RIA providing comprehensive financial planning, investment management, tax, and estate services to HNW clients. Comparable in integrated service model and client segment, but operates at a much larger consolidated scale with aggressive M&A-driven growth.

Others

• Focus Financial Partners: Leading RIA consolidator and partnership platform that owns and operates a network of fiduciary wealth management firms. Relevant as a strategic acquirer/roll-up model that competes for advisor talent and tuck-in M&A targets across the same mid-size RIA segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/theplanningcenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-planning-center-inc.
• YouTubeyoutu.be/3XD27gwBGQ8
• Xx.com/Planning_Center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Planning Center