About Preflight Financial
Do you charge an AUM fee?
No. We are a fee-only advisory firm and do not charge asset-based fees or accept commissions. Clients pay us directly through flat-fee planning engagements, structured around the complexity of the planning involved rather than the size of any investment account. This allows us to provide objective advice free from product incentives and asset-based compensation.
Are you paid a commission?
No. Neither the firm nor any of our advisors receives compensation for recommending securities or financial products. We do not sell investment products, and our advice is never influenced by third-party incentives.
Do you make trades or manage accounts for clients?
No. We do not take custody of client assets or exercise discretionary control over any accounts. Our role is to provide independent analysis, coordination, and strategic guidance. We develop comprehensive recommendations and action plans that you implement directly within your own accounts and through your existing institutional relationships. Many of the people we advise have spent years building significant wealth; they aren’t looking to hand over control. They want an independent perspective on the decisions that matter most.
What does “fiduciary” mean?
An investment adviser’s fiduciary duty is the obligation to act in the best interest of its clients. Preflight Financial operates under this fiduciary standard as an independent, fee-only advisory practice.
Do you work with clients remotely?
Yes. We are headquartered in North Carolina and advise individuals and families across the United States. Meetings are structured around secure document sharing, financial planning tools, and communication by phone, email, and video conference.
Do you have a secure method for sharing sensitive information?
Yes. We use an encrypted Box folder for document collection and sharing. We do not recommend sending sensitive documents by email.
The Preflight Check
Who is the typical Preflight client?
Individuals and families who want comprehensive financial planning without delegating investment management or paying asset-based fees, typically households with $1 million to $10 million in assets or household income above $350,000, with the discipline to implement decisions themselves. These figures are recommendations rather than absolute requirements.
Do you require a minimum amount of invested assets?
No. We charge for advice based on the complexity of your situation rather than a minimum portfolio size. Our role is to coordinate decisions across your full financial picture, portfolio allocation and tax-aware asset location, multiple retirement and taxable accounts, equity compensation and concentrated positions, cash flow from bonuses or business distributions, and private investments in the context of an overall portfolio.
Can we meet for one hour to answer a few of my questions?
Because effective advice requires a full understanding of your financial situation, we do not offer one-off consultations to begin a relationship. Advice is provided within the context of a complete Preflight Check, so every recommendation reflects all relevant factors. After your plan is delivered, hourly access is available for exactly these kinds of questions.
What does my Preflight Check include?
A dedicated advisor guides onboarding, document review, and the development of your goals, and your full situation goes through our structured analysis: a complete inventory, an efficiency review, stress testing, and review by the full advisory team. Deliverables include a written plan with specific recommendations, a net worth statement, retirement simulations, a planning dashboard used during your presentation meeting, and guidance on implementation.
How long will my Preflight Check take?
Our goal is to complete most plans within 30–45 days. The timeline depends on both document collection and the planning analysis itself.
Can we meet in person for the presentation?
Whether over video or in person, presentation meetings include live walkthroughs of planning tools, retirement simulations, and your full picture in real time. Contact your advisor if you’re interested in meeting in person.
Does the plan include tax advice or analysis?
Tax advice, guidance from a licensed tax professional on specific matters like deductions, filing positions, or compliance, is outside our scope, and we defer those questions to qualified tax counsel. Tax planning is a different discipline, and it sits at the core of what we do: Roth conversion strategy, tax-loss harvesting, asset location, equity compensation planning, and the long-term implications of contribution decisions, coordinated across your full picture. Where tax advice is needed, we’re happy to refer you to a CPA.
Can I access the software your team uses?
The software is only one component. Behind the scenes we combine professional planning tools with models developed by our team to analyze complex situations and test scenarios. More importantly, software cannot interpret your goals, priorities, and context. You are not hiring software, you are hiring advisors to help you make decisions.
After Your Plan
Do you assist with implementation?
Yes. Guidance is available as you implement your plan. Hands-on implementation support is provided at our hourly advisory rate within twelve months of your plan presentation.
Will I be billed for follow-up questions?
Clarification questions about your plan are always welcome. Additional planning work or new questions outside the original scope may be billed at our hourly advisory rate, available exclusively to clients with a plan presented within the past twelve months.
Is an annual renewal required?
No, renewals are optional and recommended. A renewal revisits assumptions, reviews your portfolio, addresses the year’s open questions, and delivers the same materials and presentation meeting as the original engagement, extending your hourly access for another twelve months. Renewals are typically priced at 80% of your original plan fee.