Life Planning Partners

Life Planning Partners was founded by Carolyn McClanahan, a former emergency physician who transitioned to financial planning.

Life Planning Partners

Life Planning Partners was founded by Carolyn McClanahan, a former emergency physician who transitioned to financial planning. Her medical background shapes the firm's approach: it emphasizes cash-flow planning and lifestyle trade-offs before portfolio construction, targeting physicians and other high-earning professionals who often receive conflicting advice from product-distribution networks. The firm delivers financial planning and investment management under a fiduciary model. Asset management uses low-cost, evidence-based portfolios — typically passive index funds and ETFs — with asset allocation determined by each client's specific spending needs rather than generic risk-tolerance questionnaires. The practice does not sell commission products or proprietary funds. Geographic focus is the United States, with service delivery via virtual meetings and limited in-person availability near Jacksonville, Florida. Team size is small by design, likely under ten professionals, consistent with a boutique planning practice. McClanahan has served on national advisory boards, including a term on the CFP Board's Board of Directors. She contributed to the development of financial-planning competency standards and has published in medical journals on the intersection of physician finances and career decisions. The most distinct structural feature is the firm's origin in clinical medicine rather than brokerage or banking. The planning methodology explicitly accounts for terminal illness, career burnout, and the irregular cash flows common among medical professionals — considerations absent from most generalist advisory practices.

General information

Firm type

Asset Manager

Year founded

—

AUM

Undisclosed

Location

Region

—

Country

—

City

—

Corporate office

—

Who runs the investment philosophy at Life Planning Partners?

Carolyn McClanahan, the firm's founder, leads the investment and planning methodology. A former emergency physician, she transitioned to financial planning and is a Certified Financial Planner. Her approach prioritizes evidence-based, low-cost investing aligned with each client's cash-flow needs rather than market-timing or product sales.

How does the firm's medical background influence its advice?

McClanahan's clinical training informs a diagnostic approach: the firm first analyzes a household's entire financial picture — insurance, estate documents, tax exposure, career trajectory — before constructing a portfolio. Special attention goes to disability and life insurance structuring, which is often poorly coordinated for physicians who own practices or hold hospital privileges.

Does Life Planning Partners sell insurance or commission products?

No. The firm operates on a fee-only fiduciary model. Compensation comes from client-paid planning and asset-management fees. It does not accept commissions, referral fees, or revenue-sharing from product providers. This structure is designed to eliminate conflicts of interest common in physician-focused financial services.

What portfolio construction method does the firm use?

Portfolios are built using passive, low-cost index funds and exchange-traded funds. Asset allocation is derived from each client's actual spending plan, time horizon, and tax situation. The firm avoids active fund selection, alternative investments, and private placements, consistent with an evidence-based investment philosophy.

Where is Life Planning Partners located and who can they serve?

The practice is based in Jacksonville, Florida, but serves clients across the United States through virtual meetings. The client base concentrates on physicians and other medical professionals, though the firm also works with individuals outside healthcare who seek comprehensive planning.

Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: May 30, 2026. Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.