Business Details
10 Years
experience
Your Trusted Partner for Financial Advisory Solutions
The Financial Planning Company is a fee-only registered investment advisor committed to providing high-quality, low-cost investment services. Founded in 2016 by Brewster Smith, we operate as a fiduciary, legally obligated to prioritize client interests above all else. Our evidence-based investing approach leverages Nobel Prize-winning research to construct globally diversified, tax-efficient portfolios tailored to individual needs. We specialize in quarterly portfolio rebalancing, tax loss harvesting, and strategic asset placement to minimize costs while maximizing long-term stability. Our comprehensive financial planning services address retirement, wealth building, estate planning, and education funding, ensuring clients achieve financial clarity and peace of mind. With expertise gained from global finance roles at institutions like UBS and Dimensional Fund Advisors, our team delivers personalized solutions backed by decades of combined experience.Headquartered in Royal Oak, Michigan, we serve clients locally and nationwide through transparent, fee-only compensation models. Our commitment to fiduciary excellence is reinforced by partnerships with low-cost fund providers like Vanguard, ensuring alignment with client goals. We maintain rigorous compliance with regulatory standards as a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA), providing full disclosure through our website disclaimer and privacy policies. Every decision we make is guided by the principle of delivering actionable financial strategies that empower clients to explore their passions with confidence.
Services
Investment Management
Financial Planning
Retirement Planning
Tax Efficient Asset Placement
Tax Loss Harvesting
Estate Planning
College Education Planning
Wealth Building Strategies
Quarterly Portfolio Rebalancing
Special Needs Planning
Details
- Year established: 2016
Highlights and features
- We are legally bound as fiduciaries to prioritize client interests above all else.
- Our investment strategies are built on Nobel Prize-winning research and evidence-based principles.
- We exclusively partner with low-cost fund providers like Vanguard and Dimensional Fund Advisors.
- Our fee-only compensation model ensures complete transparency with no hidden incentives.
- We combine decades of global finance experience with personalized, client-centric planning.
Associations and certifications
- Registered Investment Advisor (RIA)
Services
Investment Management
Our evidence-based investment management utilizes Nobel Prize-winning research to create globally diversified portfolios. We implement tax-efficient asset placement and loss harvesting strategies while maintaining low-cost structures through partnerships with providers like Vanguard. Quarterly rebalancing ensures long-term stability aligned with individual risk profiles and financial goals.
Financial Planning
Comprehensive financial planning addresses retirement strategies, estate preservation, education funding, and special needs considerations. We help clients define clear objectives, develop actionable implementation plans, and maintain ongoing strategy adjustments to adapt to life changes and market conditions.
Tax Loss Harvesting
Our tax loss harvesting strategy systematically identifies and realizes investment losses to offset capital gains. This proactive approach reduces taxable income while maintaining portfolio alignment with long-term strategic objectives through timely reinvestment in comparable securities.
Retirement Planning
Specialized retirement planning develops sustainable income strategies through portfolio construction, Social Security optimization, and withdrawal sequencing. We create personalized roadmaps to ensure financial security throughout retirement while addressing longevity and healthcare cost considerations.
Estate Planning
Our estate planning integrates legal documentation, beneficiary designations, and trust structures to facilitate smooth wealth transfer. We coordinate with legal professionals to minimize tax implications while ensuring client wishes are executed through comprehensive succession strategies.
People
Brewster Smith
President
President and founder with over a decade of global finance experience from institutions like UBS and Dimensional Fund Advisors. Graduated from Albion College's Gerstacker School of Business and Cranbrook Kingswood. Specializes in evidence-based investment strategies and fiduciary advisory practices.
Carr Cavender
Consultant
Wealth management consultant with expertise in private equity and hedge fund analysis. Completed Wharton's Private Wealth Management Program and managed family office investments for three years. Graduated from University of San Diego with focus on asset allocation strategies.
Questions
What investment approach does The Financial Planning Company Company use?
We use an evidence-based approach rooted in Nobel Prize-winning research, focusing on globally diversified, low-cost portfolios with tax-efficient strategies.
Are you legally required to act in clients' best interests?
Yes, as a fiduciary Registered Investment Advisor, we have a legal obligation to always prioritize client interests over our own.
What financial planning services do you offer?
We provide comprehensive planning for retirement, estate management, college funding, wealth building, and special needs considerations as part of our investment management.
How are your fees structured?
We operate a fee-only model where 100% of our compensation comes directly from clients, with no commissions or hidden incentives.
Do you serve clients outside Michigan?
Yes, while headquartered in Royal Oak, we provide advisory services to clients across the United States.
How often do you rebalance investment portfolios?
We perform quarterly portfolio rebalancing using a systematic, research-driven approach to maintain strategic allocations.
