Fee-Only Financial Advisor for Business Owners in Arizona

Why business owners need different planning

A W-2 employee's planning questions center on a fairly standard set of levers: 401(k) contribution rate, asset allocation, maybe RSU timing. A business owner's planning questions are structurally different: which retirement plan to set up for yourself and any employees, how ownership interests fit into your net worth and estate plan, how to fund a buy-sell agreement with a partner, how to manage irregular income, and eventually, how to plan an exit or succession. Generic advice built around a steady paycheck doesn't translate well to any of this.

Where commission conflicts hit business owners hardest

Retirement plan providers and TPAs. Some 401(k) providers and third-party administrators collect revenue-sharing from the mutual funds inside the plan menu, which can bias plan design and fund selection toward higher-cost options that pay the provider more.
Buy-sell agreement funding. Permanent life insurance is sometimes recommended to fund a buy-sell agreement specifically because it pays a large commission, even when a simpler or cheaper funding mechanism would work as well.
Business-sale proceeds. A large liquidity event attracts commission-motivated recommendations for annuities and complex products precisely because there's a large sum available to place.

What a fee-only advisor helps with

Retirement plan design. Choosing between a SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA, Solo 401(k), or a full 401(k) with profit-sharing or cash-balance features, evaluated on cost and fit rather than provider compensation.
Entity and compensation structure. Coordinating with your CPA on how S-corp, LLC, or C-corp structure interacts with your personal financial plan.
Exit and succession planning. Modeling after-tax sale proceeds, tax-timing strategy around a sale, and what to do with proceeds afterward — usually alongside an M&A advisor, CPA, and attorney handling the transaction itself.
Key-person and buy-sell funding review. Independent evaluation of insurance-funded buy-sell structures without a commission stake in the outcome.
Cash-flow-based personal planning. Building a personal financial plan that accounts for irregular business income rather than assuming a steady paycheck.

Arizona-specific considerations

Arizona business owners commonly work through entity-level tax elections with their CPA, transaction privilege tax (TPT) registration for certain business activities, and Arizona Corporation Commission filings for LLC and corporate structures. A fee-only financial advisor typically coordinates around these rather than handling them directly — pairing with a CPA and business attorney is standard practice.

How to find one

Browse the Arizona Fee Only directory and ask directly about experience with business owners specifically, not just individuals.
Ask for examples of retirement plan design or exit-planning work with prior business-owner clients.
Confirm how they coordinate with your existing CPA and attorney rather than working in isolation.

Frequently asked questions

Why do business owners need a different kind of financial advisor?

Business owners face planning questions W-2 employees don't: which retirement plan to set up for themselves and employees, how to structure buy-sell agreements, how to plan an eventual exit or succession, and how to manage irregular or lumpy income. Generalist advice built around a steady paycheck doesn't translate well.

Where do commission conflicts show up most for business owners?

Two places especially: retirement-plan providers and third-party administrators (TPAs) who earn revenue-sharing from the funds inside a company 401(k), and insurance-heavy buy-sell agreement funding, where high-commission permanent life insurance is sometimes recommended over simpler, cheaper alternatives.

Can a fee-only advisor help design a retirement plan for my employees, not just me?

Yes — many fee-only advisors help business owners choose and design retirement plans (SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA, Solo 401(k), or a full 401(k) with profit-sharing or cash-balance features for owners wanting to maximize their own contributions), evaluating options on cost and fit rather than which provider pays the biggest override.

Does a fee-only advisor help with selling my business?

Fee-only advisors typically coordinate the personal-finance side of an exit — modeling after-tax proceeds, tax-timing strategy around the sale, and what to do with proceeds afterward — usually alongside an M&A advisor, CPA, and attorney handling the deal itself, rather than running the sale process.

How much does fee-only planning cost for a business owner?

Often more than a straightforward W-2 household's plan, because the work involves more moving parts — entity structure, retirement plan design, and business-personal coordination. Expect flat fees toward the higher end of the typical $3,000-$15,000/year range, or a dedicated project fee for a specific need like exit planning.