Stanton Financial Planning

As a registered investment advisor, Stanton Financial Planning is held to the fiduciary standard under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, meaning it must act in its clients' best interests when providing investment advice. Unlike broker-dealers governed by Regulation Best Interest, an RIA firm cannot elevate its own compensation over client welfare in discretionary management. The firm's fee-only structure, if confirmed, would further indicate the absence of commission-based conflicts.

Stanton's portfolio construction is expected to rely on strategic asset allocation implemented through ETFs and institutional share-class mutual funds held in third-party custody, likely at Charles Schwab or Fidelity. This open-architecture approach allows the firm to adjust factor tilts and fixed-income duration according to a client's planning horizon without being captive to a proprietary fund family. Rebalancing is conducted quarterly or upon a drift threshold.

Stanton Financial Planning, as a small independent RIA, is unlikely to offer direct private-market access such as private equity funds or direct real estate syndications to its core client base. Its alternatives exposure, if any, would be limited to liquid vehicles including REIT ETFs, interval funds, or commodity-related public securities accessible via its custody platform.

Typical revenue models for RIA firms of Stanton's profile include a percentage of assets under management (AUM) fee, flat retainer arrangements, or hourly project-based billing. The AUM fee is the most common structure, with tiers declining as household assets increase. Financial planning services may be bundled into the AUM fee or charged separately as a one-time or subscription engagement.

Stanton likely files a Form ADV Part 1 and Part 2A through the SEC or its state securities regulator, depending on its regulatory AUM threshold (the $100 million demarcation for SEC registration). Smaller RIAs often use outsourced compliance consultants to maintain their compliance manual, conduct annual reviews, and ensure electronic communication surveillance meets recordkeeping obligations.