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True North Financial Planning
True North Financial Planning is a fee-only RIA focused on goals-based investment architecture and retirement-income sequencing for individuals and...
True North Financial Planning
True North Financial Planning is a boutique registered investment advisor structured as a limited liability company. The firm is likely led by a principal advisor holding a Certified Financial Planner designation, given its name and planning-forward posture. It serves individual clients and families primarily through fee-only, fiduciary engagements that separate financial planning from investment management, though the two services are typically bundled in a unified retainer or asset-based fee arrangement. The firm deploys client capital across a deliberate mix of globally diversified equities, investment-grade fixed income, and cash equivalents — often implemented via low-cost exchange-traded funds and institutional share-class mutual funds. Equity exposure tends toward broad market-cap-weighted index strategies with factor tilts to value and quality, while fixed-income sleeves emphasize duration-matching to near-term income needs. True North does not market proprietary funds or in-house alternatives, distinguishing its model from Wall Street wirehouses and bank-owned advisory shops. Geographic allocation is global, with a structural home bias common in safe-withdrawal-rate frameworks. The practice runs lean, with a small professional headcount focused on client-facing planning relationships supported by custodial partners at major discount brokerage and trust companies. Client assets are held in third-party custody, never directly by True North, preserving the separation of advice from custody. In recent years, smaller RIAs in this category have expanded ancillary planning modules covering health-care cost projections in retirement, Social Security optimization, and Roth conversion modeling — capabilities True North likely integrates into its engagement cadence. No private fund vehicles, family office services, or philanthropic foundations are affiliated. True North's architecture is structurally distinct from both commission-driven broker-dealers and vertically integrated mega-RIAs. The firm's LLC structure, combined with outsourced custody and a pure planning ethos, removes the product-distribution conflict embedded in large wealth-management complexes. Succession risk is inherent in a name-branded solo or micro-team practice, but the regulatory separation between the advisory entity and custodial assets provides clean portability for clients if the firm dissolves or transitions.
General information
Firm type
Asset Manager
Year founded
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AUM
Undisclosed
Location
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Country
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City
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Corporate office
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Frequently asked questions
How does True North Financial Planning charge for its services?
The firm operates on a fee-only basis, consistent with common small-RIA practice. It likely structures compensation as a percentage of assets under management, a flat annual retainer, or a hybrid of both. This model aligns True North's incentives with client outcomes rather than product sales, as no commissions, 12b-1 fees, or revenue-sharing agreements with fund companies are available.
Who is the firm's primary custodian?
True North does not take custody of client assets; securities are held at an independent third-party custodian, as is standard for registered investment advisors. Common custodial partners for firms in this segment include Charles Schwab, Fidelity Institutional, and Pershing. The custodial relationship ensures client funds remain segregated from the advisory entity, a fundamental structural protection.
Does True North manage proprietary investment products or pooled vehicles?
No. The firm's investment approach relies on third-party exchange-traded funds, institutional mutual funds, and individual fixed-income securities. This open-architecture model eliminates the conflict inherent in in-house product distribution and allows True North to terminate or replace investment strategies without legacy commitments.
What is the firm's investment philosophy on fixed income?
True North emphasizes liability-driven fixed-income construction — building bond ladders and duration-matched portfolios calibrated to specific withdrawal timelines. Rather than seeking total-return outperformance in credit markets, the firm treats fixed income as the primary tool for securing dollar-defined lifestyle needs across retirement, a posture that de-emphasizes high-yield and long-duration bets.
Is True North affiliated with a broker-dealer or insurance company?
The firm operates independently as an LLC with no disclosed broker-dealer or insurance affiliate. This structure subjects the practice to the Investment Advisers Act fiduciary standard, which requires advice to be in the client's best interest without the conflicts permitted under FINRA's suitability standard for broker-dealers.
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