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Blankinship & Foster
Blankinship & Foster is a fee-only fiduciary wealth advisory firm serving retirees and pre-retirees in San Diego and nationwide.
Blankinship & Foster
Blankinship & Foster was founded by John T. (Jack) Blankinship and Charles Foster, two advisors who shared a commitment to putting client interests first even when it wasn't in the firm's own interest. The firm has been operating for over 50 years from Solana Beach, California, serving professionals approaching or already in retirement with investable assets typically between $1 million and $10 million or more. The firm's approach blends investment management, financial planning, tax planning, and estate guidance under a single fee — it does not accept commissions and acts as a fiduciary. Client portfolios are globally diversified and low-cost, built to reflect goals, risk tolerance, cash flow, and tax situation. Blankinship & Foster uses a team-based model where each client works with two dedicated advisors, maintaining a 40-to-1 client-to-advisor ratio. The firm serves clients primarily in the greater San Diego region but works with individuals across the country. The firm employs 16 professionals, including advisors holding CFP®, CFA®, CDFA™, CCFC, AEP®, and Certified Senior Advisor® designations. Blankinship & Foster has been recognized by Worth Magazine, Financial Advisor Magazine, and AdvisoryHQ News Media (per firm website, 2025). The firm publishes regular client-facing blog content on retirement strategies, including a May 2026 post on low-cost investment strategies for retirees. Blankinship & Foster's structural differentiator is its intentional small-team model combined with a single, transparent fee that covers both financial planning and investment management — a structure that aligns the firm's incentives with client outcomes and discourages transactional advice.
General information
Firm type
Multi Family Office
Year founded
—
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Solana Beach
Corporate office
Solana Beach, CA, United States
Principals
John T. (Jack) Blankinship
Co-Founder
Charles Foster
Co-Founder
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Blankinship & Foster?
Blankinship & Foster uses a team-based model where each client is served by two dedicated advisors, all of whom hold CFP® designations. Investment decisions are made collaboratively within the client's advisory team, following the firm's disciplined, globally diversified, low-cost portfolio approach (per firm website).
How does Blankinship & Foster source proprietary deal flow?
Blankinship & Foster does not source proprietary deals; it is a fee-only wealth management firm focused on financial planning and investment management for individuals and families. The firm designs globally diversified, low-cost portfolios using publicly available investment vehicles (per firm website).
Is Blankinship & Foster structured as a single family office or does it operate more like a venture firm?
Blankinship & Foster is structured as an SEC-registered, fee-only fiduciary wealth advisory firm serving multiple unrelated client families. It is not a single family office or a venture firm. The firm specializes in retirement planning, wealth management, and related services for individuals and families.
What investment stages does Blankinship & Foster typically target?
Blankinship & Foster does not target investment stages. The firm builds portfolios consistent with each client's risk tolerance and time horizon, typically using globally diversified, low-cost investment vehicles. It does not make direct private equity or venture capital investments (per firm website).
Which sectors does Blankinship & Foster explicitly avoid?
Blankinship & Foster does not publicly disclose any sector exclusions. Its website describes an approach centered on globally diversified, low-cost portfolios, not on sector-specific strategies (per firm website).
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
Blankinship & Foster does not disclose the wealth origin of its clients, nor does it have a single family fortune as its base. The firm serves multiple unrelated client families, many of whom accumulated wealth through professional careers, business ownership, or retirement savings (per firm website).
Does Blankinship & Foster maintain philanthropic structures, and how are they separated?
Blankinship & Foster helps clients incorporate charitable giving into their financial plans but does not operate its own philanthropic foundation. The firm's services include charitable strategy as part of the overall wealth management offering (per firm website).
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