Creative Planning is a financial advisor practice serving recent retirees turning a lifetime of savings into a dependable monthly paycheck. Our core approach centers on flexible spending: a withdrawal plan with guardrails that raises or trims spending as markets move, instead of one fixed number.
Decisions reflect practical trade-offs rather than sales pitches. Advisory fees are set out in a written agreement before any work starts, giving every household an exact statement of what they pay and what they receive.
560,000 clients and a guardrails spending model
Creative Planning serves 560,000 clients and manages $4.5 billion in client assets as of 10/5/2026. The firm works with people across all 50 states, collaborating through secure video conferences and scheduled telephone reviews, with its physical office located at 539 11th Avenue South, Naples, FL 34102, United States.
A typical retirement plan locks spending into a rigid rule that either starves cash flow after down years or hoards wealth when accounts grow. Creative Planning replaces that rigidity with dynamic guardrail boundaries. If a client with a $1,000,000 portfolio starts retirement taking $50,000 per year (a 5% initial distribution), the guardrails dictate specific adjustments. If sustained market growth raises the account to $1,300,000, the distribution yield drops below 4%, triggering an allowable spending raise to $55,000 per year. Conversely, if prolonged losses reduce the portfolio balance to $800,000, pushing the distribution yield above 6%, spending trims by 10% to $45,000 per year to defend principal. Balanced risk language applies to every market cycle: no investment is guaranteed, and a portfolio can fall in value, sometimes for years.
- A client minimum of $500,000 in investable assets keeps guidance focused on complex distribution situations.
- Guardrail bands adjust your spending systematically instead of forcing arbitrary sacrifices.
- National reach lets people coordinate retirement accounts without traveling to a local branch.
How decisions get made between advisor and client
Advisors recommend; you decide. Creative Planning presents written alternatives, models tax consequences, and explains realistic trade-offs, but no trade executes until you give authorization.
Every working phase produces a concrete deliverable so you never wonder what was discussed or who is responsible for the next move.
| Stage | What happens | What you receive |
|---|---|---|
| First conversation | Discussion of accounts, spending targets, and current tax returns | A documented profile summary and written fee agreement |
| Analysis phase | Stress-testing withdrawal rates across historical market contractions | A written plan featuring distribution guardrails and tax brackets |
| Execution phase | Directing rollovers, setting monthly transfers, and reallocating holdings | Written transfer confirmations and custodial account statements |
| Annual check-in | Auditing the spending rate against current balances and tax cuts | An updated one-page distribution schedule for the year ahead |
Written commitments governing fees and conflicts
Advisory engagements run on clarity rather than vague promises. Creative Planning commits to direct disclosures on how revenue is generated, what services are delivered, and where potential conflicts exist.
Every recommendation comes with its underlying assumptions clearly spelled out. If a change carries transaction costs, tax penalties, or custodial charges, those numbers are documented beforehand.
- All advisory fees are set out in a written agreement before any work starts.
- No proprietary funds or hidden product requirements are used to populate portfolios.
- Tax estimations accompany any proposal to sell assets or reallocate capital.
- Scheduled check-ins happen on calendar dates agreed upon in advance.
Seven distribution components under one roof
Isolating a single decision often creates expensive mistakes in adjacent accounts. Claiming Social Security early might permanently alter tax brackets, while an unchecked required minimum distribution can cause sudden Medicare Part B surcharges.
Creative Planning links every stage of retirement distribution so your portfolio, benefits, and tax filings work in rhythm.
- Retirement income planning: turning taxable brokerage accounts, traditional balances, and cash cushions into a reliable monthly direct deposit.
- Guardrails withdrawal strategy: setting clear upper and lower percentage thresholds that signal when spending can rise or must pause.
- Social Security claiming: evaluating break-even ages, spousal survivor protections, and earnings test limits to pinpoint the ideal filing cutoff.
- Roth conversions: measuring bracket space before age 73 to convert traditional balances at known tax rates without spiking current liabilities.
- 401(k) rollovers: reviewing fee schedules, institutional share classes, and net unrealized appreciation rules before transferring employer accounts.
- Required minimum distributions: calculating statutory mandatory distributions across multiple IRAs to prevent costly excise tax penalties.
- Medicare IRMAA planning: projecting modified adjusted gross income two years forward to protect your monthly healthcare budget from steep premium surcharges.
Who Creative Planning serves best
Our process serves investors who have accumulated meaningful assets and now face the challenge of spending them down without unforced errors. A single worker or retired couple facing sudden distribution decisions benefits most from dynamic withdrawal guardrails.
If you prefer hands-off automation, speculative trading, or chasing short-term market timing, this structured approach is unlikely to match your goals. We focus strictly on sustainable lifetime income.
- Savers with at least $500,000 in investable assets needing predictable monthly cash flow.
- Retirees looking to reduce life-long tax burdens through disciplined, multi-year distribution schedules.
- Investors who want structured, written rules for market downturns rather than emotional reactions.
Questions people ask Creative Planning
What is the primary investment approach at Creative Planning?
Creative Planning uses a flexible guardrails distribution model that dynamically adjusts spending when market swings alter portfolio balances, paired with tax planning that covers Roth conversions, Social Security claiming dates, and Medicare IRMAA limits.
What asset level is required to engage Creative Planning?
Creative Planning maintains a client minimum of $500,000 in investable assets, serving individuals across all 50 states through scheduled video conferences, phone consultations, and written distribution reports.