Fee-Only Fiduciary Financial Planning. Designed to Provide Clarity Today and a Framework for the Future.

Financial planning should do more than answer “Will I be okay?” It should give you clarity about where you stand today and a structured process to guide the steps ahead as life evolves.

At ACT Advisors, our strategic financial planning process goes beyond charts and projections. It’s a personalized framework built to align your resources with the life you want to live. As a fee-only fiduciary financial planning and wealth management firm, we deliver actionable recommendations and integrate with your professional team to turn strategy into action.

The ACT Advisors Strategic Framework:
Fee-Only Fiduciary Financial Planning

At ACT Advisors, financial planning is not a one-time document — it’s a living framework.
Each area of your financial life is examined in detail, with clear deliverables and prioritized action steps. This framework applies to every client we serve, whether you engage with us through ACT On Demand or our full-service ACT Total Solution.

Goals and Framework

We begin by capturing what matters most to you and the assumptions that shape your plan. This process builds a framework that connects your values, priorities, and timelines within your overall financial plan.
  • Goals hierarchy and time horizons
  • Financial planning assumptions (inflation, returns, risk tolerance)
  • Defined success metrics for your plan

Tax Delta Analysis

We translate your tax return into actionable insights. By identifying inflection points and opportunities, we help enhance tax efficiency within your broader financial plan.
  • Annual tax return review
  • Bracket, deduction, and capital gains analysis
  • Executive compensation and stock plan coordination
  • Strategies for Roth conversions, gain/loss harvesting, and charitable giving

Ongoing Tax and Investment Analysis

Your taxes and investments should work together to advance your goals. Each year, we analyze your tax return for efficiency and revisit your investment strategy to ensure it remains aligned with your plan.
  • Annual tax return review with strategy updates
  • Identification of bracket and deduction inflection points
  • Portfolio evaluation against your required rate of return
  • Tactical adjustments to allocation, funding, and asset location

Strategic Plan Foundation

We build a clear picture of your current financial position — income, expenses, savings, and incentive compensation.
  • Net worth and cash-flow analysis
  • Review of incentive compensation and variable pay
  • Retirement income mapping and gap analysis
  • Prioritized action plan

Risk Management Review

Because ACT Advisors does not sell insurance, our insurance evaluation is unbiased and focused solely on identifying and managing meaningful risks without unnecessary cost.
  • Property and liability insurance, including umbrella coverage
  • Life, disability, and long-term care insurance
  • Coverage gap and overlap analysis

Ongoing Financial Strategy Evaluation

Your financial plan is not static. Each year, we revisit your assumptions, test scenarios, and update your action plan so your strategy stays current and aligned with your objectives.
  • Progress measurement vs. goals
  • Updated Monte Carlo
  • Life changes integrated into your plan
  • Revised action checklist

Strategic Wealth Allocation

Your portfolio strategy is evaluated against your goals and risk profile. We identify over- or under-exposures and create a disciplined allocation that seeks an appropriate balance between growth potential and risk management.
  • Risk profile assessment
  • Current portfolio and contribution review
  • Asset allocation and location recommendations
  • Investment strategy alignment

Estate and Legacy Alignment

We review your documents, titling, and beneficiaries to confirm they reflect your your intentions and are structured for clarity and efficiency. For planning clients, we also provide access to simple estate documents at no additional cost*.
  • Will, trust, POA, and healthcare directives review
  • Beneficiary and titling alignment across accounts
  • Estate transfer and tax considerations
  • Created documents receive 60-point quality check by estate planning team.

Special Planning Considerations

When your situation requires more advanced strategy, we deliver specialized solutions.
  • Equity compensation, 83(b) elections, QSBS, and concentrated stock
  • Real estate transaction optimization
  • Charitable strategy (DAFs, gifting techniques)
  • Education funding and multigenerational planning

Two Ways to Engage With ACT Advisors

Whether you want to implement financial planning strategies on your own or prefer a fully integrated advisory relationship, we’ve designed two ways to work with us. Both include the ACT Advisors Strategic Financial Planning Framework — the difference lies in how it’s delivered and supported.

Feature ACT On Demand ACT Total Solution
Who It's For High-income professionals who prefer to manage implementation themselves with professional guidance and structured planning support Clients who prefer a fully integrated relationship that combines financial planning, investment management, and ongoing coordination with their advisory team
Planning Delivery Framework developed and delivered over two years through quarterly planning increments Framework developed initially and updated annually as part of ongoing planning
Implementation Clients implement recommendations independently, with ACT Advisors available for guidance and consultation ACT Advisors provides discretionary investment management and implements planning recommendations within the scope of the advisory agreement
Tax Analysis Annual tax analysis Annual tax analysis
Estate Documents Access to simple estate documents through a third-party provider at no additional cost Access to simple estate documents through a third-party provider at no additional cost, coordinated with broader estate and financial strategies
Coordination with Other Advisors Not included Included: discretionary portfolio management and ongoing supervision, with strategies such as tax-loss harvesting or direct indexing applied where appropriate and consistent with client objectives.
Investment Management Not included Included: tailored portfolio management, tax-loss harvesting, direct indexing, and ongoing monitoring
Investment Strategy Reviews Annual planning and investment review with updated recommendations as needed Three scheduled review meetings each year to evaluate portfolio strategy, progress, and adjustments consistent with client objectives
Ongoing Support Quarterly planning increments delivered over two years Ongoing supervision and comprehensive planning delivered up front, with implementation support and periodic portfolio reviews
On-Demand Access Contact your advisory team as needed when financial decisions arise outside the quarterly planning schedule. We provide professional guidance, and you remain responsible for implementing the action items Contact your advisory team as financial decisions arise. In addition to providing guidance, our team coordinates with your tax, legal, and other professionals to help implement recommendations within your overall plan
Pricing Flat fee of $500 per month with a 24-month minimum commitment. Fees are billed to either the business or individual, as agreed in advance Designed for portfolios typically starting around $1 million. Tiered annual advisory fees up to 2.00% of assets under management, billed quarterly in advance. Illustrative example: approximately 1.00% annually on a $2 million portfolio. Actual fees vary. See Form ADV Part 2A for details.
Learn more Learn more about ACT On Demand Learn more about ACT Total Solution

Fee-Only Fiduciary Financial Planning: Common Questions

What is fee-only fiduciary financial planning?

Fee-only fiduciary financial planning means your advisor is compensated only by you — not by commissions or product sales (see CFP Board definition). At ACT Advisors, we operate as fiduciaries, placing clients’ interests ahead of our own in accordance with applicable laws and professional standards.

Many financial plans are static, one-time documents that can become outdated as life changes. The ACT Advisors Strategic Financial Planning Framework is an ongoing process. We revisit your plan periodically — covering tax considerations, investments, estate and risk topics — to help keep your strategy aligned with your goals over time.

Both approaches include our full Strategic Financial Planning Framework. ACT On Demand delivers the framework in quarterly increments over two years, with clients handling implementation. The ACT Total Solution accelerates delivery, adds investment management, and provides ongoing coordination and implementation within an integrated advisory relationship.

Yes. Many clients who begin with ACT On Demand later decide to transition into the ACT Total Solution once they want investment management and full-service implementation.

Our framework is designed for high-income earners, professionals, and families who want a clear, structured strategy for their financial life. ACT On Demand suits clients who prefer to handle implementation themselves, while ACT Total Solution fits those who want integrated planning and investment management.

No. As a fee-only fiduciary financial planning and wealth-management firm, ACT Advisors does not sell insurance or commissioned products and does not receive commissions from product providers. Our role is to evaluate your existing coverage, accounts, and strategies objectively and provide advice designed to serve your best interests.

Ready to see if fee-only fiduciary financial planning with ACT Advisors is right for you?

The best way to know if our approach fits your goals is a conversation. We’ll listen, ask questions, and share how our Strategic Financial Planning Framework could apply to your situation. Initial consultations are for informational purposes only and do not establish an advisory relationship.

ACT Advisors is a fee-only fiduciary financial planning firm with offices in Asheville, NC, and Charleston, SC, serving clients nationwide.

*For financial-planning clients without a current will or trust, ACT Advisors can facilitate simple estate documents at no additional cost through a third-party provider. The provider screens for complexity and risk; some situations may not qualify. Trust-funding services are available from the provider at an additional cost. Estate document access is provided through a third-party provider.

ACT Advisors, LLC does not provide legal advice or prepare legal documents.

ACT Advisors serves as a facilitator between clients and their professional advisors — including accountants, attorneys, and insurance agents. ACT Advisors does not provide legal, accounting, or insurance advice. Clients should consult their licensed tax or legal professionals before implementing any tax, accounting, legal, or insurance strategies.

All descriptions of services and fees are summaries only. Please refer to our Form ADV Part 2A for complete details.