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.

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.

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.

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.

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.