LOCAL COMPARISON · ARIZONA
Most fee-only RIAs in Phoenix and Scottsdale use words like “flat fee,” “fiduciary,” and “tax-focused” in their marketing. What those words mean in their Form ADV Part 2A, the disclosure document filed with the SEC, is often different from what the website implies.
This page compares ten of the most visible Arizona fee-only firms against Singh PWM across the things that actually matter for pre-retirees: how the fee is calculated, what's included, what costs extra, and what credentials are actually in the room.
No commitment. No sales agenda. 30 minutes.
THE TEN FIRMS
All fee data below is sourced from each firm's Form ADV Part 2A brochure filed with the SEC, publicly available firm websites, and FINRA/IAPD disclosures. CRD numbers are included so you can verify each filing yourself at adviserinfo.sec.gov.
Scottsdale, AZ · CRD #147351
One of the largest fee-only RIAs in Scottsdale with roughly $700M under management across more than 1,300 accounts. Their flagship Wealth Apex™ service requires a $750,000 portfolio minimum and pairs investment management with financial planning. Fee is asset-based, typically 0.5%–1.0%+ of AUM annually. Tax preparation is not included. (CRD #147351)
Scottsdale, AZ · CRD #318700
A NAPFA-member boutique in North Scottsdale founded by Dustin Suttle and Curtis Crossland. Their wealth management fee is 0.55% of AUM, capped at $11,000 per household per year, so the fee still scales with portfolio size up to that ceiling. Curtis Crossland is an Enrolled Agent, but tax preparation is billed as a separate project fee, not included in the AUM charge. (CRD #318700)
Scottsdale, AZ · CRD #148844
Founded by Craig Ritter, CFP®, Continuum Wealth Management serves pre-retirees and retirees in Scottsdale and Phoenix on a fee-only basis. Financial planning is bundled into the AUM fee, which ranges from 0.25%–1.00% depending on portfolio size. Requires a $1,000,000 minimum in investable assets. No in-house tax preparation. (CRD #148844)
Phoenix, AZ · State-registered
Dan VanDusen, CFP®, EA, TPCP® is one of the only other Phoenix-area advisors holding both the CFP® and Enrolled Agent credentials. His investment management fee is AUM-based (0.9% up to $1M, stepping down to 0.3% beyond $5M), and tax return preparation is available separately starting at $350 per return; it is not included in the advisory fee. (State-registered RIA)
Tucson, AZ (virtual) · SEC-registered
A multi-advisor, NAPFA-member firm based in Tucson that serves Phoenix-area clients virtually. Specializes in socially responsible investing. AUM-based tiered fees: 1.0% on the first $500K, stepping down to 0.3% above $2M. Minimum portfolio of $300,000 or $3,000/year minimum fee. Tax preparation is not included. (SEC-registered)
Phoenix, AZ (remote-first) · CRD #316508
A NAPFA-member remote-first firm led by Bryan Curry, CFP® and Andy Gerhartz, CFP®, serving pre-retirees nationally with a Phoenix, AZ office. Offers both AUM-based and flat quarterly fee options; specific amounts are not publicly disclosed on their website. Retirement income planning is their stated specialty, including Social Security optimization. No in-house tax preparation. (CRD #316508)
Scottsdale/Glendale, AZ · CRD #128549
Founded by David J. Fernandez, CFP®, Wealth Engineering is a Scottsdale-based fee-only RIA managing roughly $149M across 218 accounts. Fees are AUM-based, ranging from 0.5%–2.0%, with hourly and fixed-project options also available. Financial planning and investment management are bundled into the AUM charge. No in-house tax preparation. (CRD #128549)
Scottsdale, AZ · SEC-registered
Led by Vincent Rossi, CFP®, CIMA®, AEP®, CAP®, CLU®, AIF®, Intelligent Capitalworks is a NAPFA-member, CEFEX-certified RIA in Scottsdale serving ultra-high-net-worth clients. Annual fee is 1.00%–1.75% of AUM, negotiated. Requires a $2,000,000 minimum in investable assets; prospective clients with less than $2M do not qualify. Estate planning expertise via the AEP® credential, but no in-house tax credential (EA or CPA). (SEC-registered)
Scottsdale, AZ · CRD #316079
TrueWealth Financial Partners is a fee-only fiduciary RIA in Scottsdale. AUM-based fees ranging from 0.5%–2.0%. Investment management and financial planning are bundled into the annual advisory fee. Specific fee breakpoints, account minimums, and advisor credentials are not prominently disclosed on their public website. No in-house tax preparation identified. (CRD #316079)
Phoenix, AZ · CRD #306180
Farnam Financial is led by Jonathan Bird, CFP®, CWS®, a NAPFA-member solo advisor in Phoenix managing approximately $161M. AUM fees: 1.0% on the first $2M, 0.6% on the next $8M, 0.3% on amounts above $10M, for a blended rate of ~1.0% at $1.5M. Requires a $2,000,000 minimum in investable assets. Tax planning is explicitly included in the AUM fee; tax return preparation is not: Jonathan Bird holds no EA or CPA credential. (CRD #306180)
SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON
The table compares Singh PWM against each firm across fee structure, tax services, financial planning scope, investment management, and advisor access. Fee estimates for a $1.5M portfolio are calculated using each firm's disclosed AUM percentages.
On mobile: pick a firm to compare against. On desktop: scroll horizontally to see all ten side-by-side.
| Comparison Point | Singh PWM CFP® + Enrolled Agent · Phoenix, AZFlat-Fee | ARQ WealthScottsdale, AZ · CRD #147351 | Suttle CrosslandScottsdale, AZ · CRD #318700 | Continuum WealthScottsdale, AZ · CRD #148844 | Objective WealthPhoenix, AZ · State-registered | AIO FinancialTucson, AZ (virtual) · SEC-registered | Bridge The GapPhoenix, AZ (remote-first) · CRD #316508 | Wealth EngineeringScottsdale/Glendale, AZ · CRD #128549 | Intelligent CapitalworksScottsdale, AZ · SEC-registered | TrueWealthScottsdale, AZ · CRD #316079 | Farnam FinancialPhoenix, AZ · CRD #306180 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fee Structure | |||||||||||
| Fee model | Flat annual fee, fixed dollar | AUM%, typically 0.5%–1.0%+ | AUM 0.55%, capped at $11,000/yr | AUM%, 0.25%–1.00% | AUM% (0.9%→0.3%) or $3,600/yr planning-only | AUM tiered: 1.0%→0.50%→0.30% | AUM% or flat quarterly; amounts not publicly disclosed | AUM%, 0.5%–2.0% tiered; hourly/fixed also offered | AUM%, 1.00%–1.75%, negotiated annually | AUM%, 0.5%–2.0% tiered | AUM%, 1.0%→0.6%→0.3% |
| Annual cost on a $1.5M portfolio | $10,000/yr, flat, no surprises | ~$10,000–$15,000/yr (scales up every year) | $8,250/yr, rises until ~$2M | ~$7,500–$15,000/yr (scales up) | ~$11,500/yr AUM + $350+ per tax return | ~$10,500/yr (blended rate) | Not publicly disclosed; contact firm for pricing | ~$7,500–$15,000/yr (0.5%–1.0% AUM, scales up) | $2M minimum; $1.5M portfolio below eligibility threshold | ~$7,500–$22,500/yr (0.5%–1.5% AUM, scales up) | ~$15,000/yr (1.0% AUM); $2M minimum required |
| Fee grows automatically when portfolio grows | No, fee never changes | Yes, every market gain raises the bill | Yes, rises until the $11K cap | Yes, rises with every market gain | Yes, under the AUM model | Yes, every market gain raises the bill | Yes under AUM model; flat quarterly option may not | Yes, every market gain raises the bill | Yes, every market gain raises the bill | Yes, every market gain raises the bill | Yes, every market gain raises the bill |
| Earns commissions or sells financial products | No, not ever | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Tax Services | |||||||||||
| Tax return preparation included in the fee | Yes, federal + state returns, no extra charge | Not included | EA on staff, billed separately | Not included | EA on staff, $350+ per return, extra charge | Not included | Not included | Not included | Not included | Not included | Not included, tax planning only |
| In-house tax credential (EA or CPA) | Yes, Raman Singh, Enrolled Agent (IRS) | No EA or CPA credential found | EA on staff, Curtis Crossland (separate fee) | No EA or CPA credential | EA on staff, Dan VanDusen (separate fee) | No EA or CPA credential | No EA or CPA credential found | No EA or CPA credential found | No EA or CPA; AEP® is estate planning credential, not tax | No EA or CPA credential found | No EA or CPA, CFP®/CWS® only |
| Year-round tax planning | Yes, integrated with investment and retirement decisions | Tax-aware investing; planning depth varies | Tax-focused planning included | Included in AUM fee | Tax-conscious planning included | Tax-aware investing; planning only | Tax-aware investing; planning depth varies | Tax-aware investing; depth varies | Tax-conscious approach mentioned; depth varies | Tax-aware investing; depth varies | Tax planning explicitly included in AUM fee |
| Roth conversion / RMD / IRMAA modeling | Modeled and updated annually | Varies by advisor relationship | Included in planning scope | Included for ongoing clients | Core to tax-conscious approach | Varies by advisor | Retirement income focus; specifics vary | Varies by advisor relationship | Varies | Varies | Tax planning including Roth/RMD strategies |
| Medicare / IRMAA surcharge planning | Yes, coordinated with Roth and income strategy | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies |
| Financial Planning | |||||||||||
| Comprehensive retirement income plan | Included, withdrawal sequencing, income flooring | Included in Wealth Apex tier | Included | Core service, included in AUM fee | Included | Included | Core service, retirement planning focus | Included in service scope | Included for high-net-worth clients | Included | Included in AUM fee |
| Social Security optimization | Included, claiming strategy modeled | Varies by advisor | Included in planning scope | Included for retirement clients | Varies | Varies | Core retirement planning service | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies |
| Estate planning coordination | Included, document review, beneficiary audit, attorney coordination | Varies by relationship | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | AEP® credential, estate planning specialty | Varies | Varies |
| Estate planning docs prep billed separately | No extra charge for coordination | Additional estate planning: separate fixed fee | Project planning: $400–$12,000 extra | Varies | Hourly: $450+/hr for additional projects | Varies | Not specified in public disclosures | Varies | Varies | Varies | Not specified in public disclosures |
| Insurance review (no commission conflict) | Yes, unbiased review, no products sold | Fee-only, no commission conflict | Fee-only, no commission conflict | Fee-only, no commission conflict | Fee-only, no commission conflict | Fee-only, no commission conflict | Fee-only, no commission conflict | Fee-only, no commission conflict | Fee-only, no commission conflict | Fee-only, no commission conflict | Fee-only, no commission conflict |
| Investment Management | |||||||||||
| Investment management included | Yes, discretionary, included in flat fee | Yes, core of the AUM fee | Yes, included in 0.55% AUM | Yes, included in AUM fee | Yes under AUM model; excluded if planning-only | Yes, included in AUM fee | Yes, included in AUM or flat fee | Yes, included in AUM fee | Yes, included in AUM fee | Yes, included in AUM fee | Yes, included in AUM fee |
| Tax-aware portfolio management | Yes, coordinated with tax return | Varies by advisor | Tax-focused approach | Varies | Tax-conscious portfolio construction | SRI / ESG emphasis; tax varies | Varies | Varies | Tax-conscious approach; specifics vary | Varies | Tax-conscious portfolio construction |
| Independent custodian (assets held at Schwab or Fidelity) | Yes, Schwab or Fidelity | Independent custodian | Independent custodian | Independent custodian | Independent custodian | Independent custodian | Independent custodian | Independent custodian | Independent custodian | Independent custodian | Independent custodian |
| Access & Relationship | |||||||||||
| Single dedicated advisor, one person handles everything | Yes, Raman Singh: investments, plan, and tax return | Team model, multiple advisors and staff | Two-principal firm, Suttle and Crossland | Craig Ritter, solo advisor | Dan VanDusen, solo advisor | Multi-advisor team across multiple states | Two CFP® principals, Bryan Curry & Andy Gerhartz | David Fernandez, solo advisor | Vincent Rossi, solo advisor | Not specified in public disclosures | Jonathan Bird, solo advisor |
| Lead advisor credentials | CFP® + Enrolled Agent (IRS) | CFP® team, varies by assigned advisor | CFP®, CFA®, EA (Curtis Crossland) | CFP® only, no tax credential | CFP®, EA, TPCP®; all one person | CFP® team, varies by location | CFP® team, Curry & Gerhartz; no tax credential | CFP® only, no tax credential | CFP®, CIMA®, AEP®; no tax credential | Credentials not publicly disclosed | CFP®, CWS®; no tax credential |
| Account minimum | $1.5M+ investable assets | $250K (Wealth Builder) or $750K (Wealth Apex) | $2,750/yr minimum fee implied | $1,000,000 minimum investable assets | None stated | $300,000 minimum / $3,000/yr minimum fee | Not publicly disclosed | Not publicly disclosed | $2M+ minimum investable assets | Not publicly disclosed | $2M minimum investable assets |
| Structured annual meeting cadence | Yes, scheduled reviews built into the engagement | Quarterly meetings in Wealth Apex tier | Not specified in public disclosures | Not specified in public disclosures | Not specified in public disclosures | Not specified in public disclosures | Not specified in public disclosures | Not specified in public disclosures | Not specified in public disclosures | Not specified in public disclosures | Not specified in public disclosures |
Scottsdale, AZ · CRD #147351
| Comparison Point | Singh PWM | ARQ Wealth |
|---|---|---|
| Fee Structure | ||
| Fee model | Flat annual fee, fixed dollar | AUM%, typically 0.5%–1.0%+ |
| Annual cost on a $1.5M portfolio | $10,000/yr, flat, no surprises | ~$10,000–$15,000/yr (scales up every year) |
| Fee grows automatically when portfolio grows | No, fee never changes | Yes, every market gain raises the bill |
| Earns commissions or sells financial products | No, not ever | No |
| Tax Services | ||
| Tax return preparation included in the fee | Yes, federal + state returns, no extra charge | Not included |
| In-house tax credential (EA or CPA) | Yes, Raman Singh, Enrolled Agent (IRS) | No EA or CPA credential found |
| Year-round tax planning | Yes, integrated with investment and retirement decisions | Tax-aware investing; planning depth varies |
| Roth conversion / RMD / IRMAA modeling | Modeled and updated annually | Varies by advisor relationship |
| Medicare / IRMAA surcharge planning | Yes, coordinated with Roth and income strategy | Varies |
| Financial Planning | ||
| Comprehensive retirement income plan | Included, withdrawal sequencing, income flooring | Included in Wealth Apex tier |
| Social Security optimization | Included, claiming strategy modeled | Varies by advisor |
| Estate planning coordination | Included, document review, beneficiary audit, attorney coordination | Varies by relationship |
| Estate planning docs prep billed separately | No extra charge for coordination | Additional estate planning: separate fixed fee |
| Insurance review (no commission conflict) | Yes, unbiased review, no products sold | Fee-only, no commission conflict |
| Investment Management | ||
| Investment management included | Yes, discretionary, included in flat fee | Yes, core of the AUM fee |
| Tax-aware portfolio management | Yes, coordinated with tax return | Varies by advisor |
| Independent custodian (assets held at Schwab or Fidelity) | Yes, Schwab or Fidelity | Independent custodian |
| Access & Relationship | ||
| Single dedicated advisor, one person handles everything | Yes, Raman Singh: investments, plan, and tax return | Team model, multiple advisors and staff |
| Lead advisor credentials | CFP® + Enrolled Agent (IRS) | CFP® team, varies by assigned advisor |
| Account minimum | $1.5M+ investable assets | $250K (Wealth Builder) or $750K (Wealth Apex) |
| Structured annual meeting cadence | Yes, scheduled reviews built into the engagement | Quarterly meetings in Wealth Apex tier |
WHAT'S ACTUALLY DIFFERENT
Tax Prep Is Part of the Fee
Your tax return is filed: not referred out, not billed separately.
Raman Singh is an IRS Enrolled Agent. The annual fee includes preparation and filing of your federal and state tax returns. Every other firm on this page either doesn't offer tax preparation at all, or charges it as an additional project fee: Suttle Crossland and Objective Wealth both have EAs on staff who bill separately.
The Fee Never Grows With Your Portfolio
A good year in the market shouldn't raise your advisor's bill.
At 1% AUM, an advisor on a $1.5M portfolio earns $15,000/year. If that portfolio grows to $2M, they earn $20,000, for doing the same work. The flat fee eliminates that structural incentive. $10,000/year is $10,000/year, whether the market is up 20% or down 10%.
One Person. Everything.
The advisor who manages your portfolio also prepares your tax return.
At ARQ and AIO Financial, you may work with a team, which means coordination gaps between whoever handles investments and whoever handles planning. At Singh PWM, Raman Singh is responsible for your investment portfolio, your retirement income plan, and your tax return. There is one person, one view of your financial picture, and one annual fee.
ON THE LANGUAGE
The term “flat fee” is not defined or regulated by the SEC. Any firm can use it in marketing materials.
Suttle Crossland charges 0.55% of AUM capped at $11,000/year. That is an AUM fee with a ceiling: the dollar amount still changes as the portfolio changes, up to the cap. A client who grows from $1M to $1.8M sees their annual bill rise from $5,500 to $9,900. That is not a flat fee by the conventional meaning of the term.
At Singh PWM, flat fee means a fixed annual dollar amount agreed to in the engagement letter: $5,000 or $10,000 depending on the service tier. That number does not change when the market rallies, when you roll over a 401(k), or when your investable assets cross a threshold. The advisor's income is not tied to the size of your portfolio.
BRING YOUR CURRENT STATEMENT
In a 30-minute Strategic Fit Interview we'll walk through what your current advisor is actually doing: fees, fiduciary status, tax coordination, conflicts, and where the gaps are. No pitch. No sales agenda.
No commitment. No sales agenda. 30 minutes.
Or read why flat-fee changes everything →About This Comparison
This page compares general fee structures and service scope based on each firm's Form ADV Part 2A brochure filed with the SEC, publicly available firm websites, and IAPD disclosures as of 2026. Fee estimates for a $1.5M portfolio are calculated using each firm's disclosed AUM percentage ranges. Individual client arrangements may differ. Verify current fee schedules, registrations, and service offerings at adviserinfo.sec.gov before making any advisor decision.
This comparison is limited to general business-model characteristics and publicly disclosed information. It does not constitute a recommendation for or against any specific firm. No specific client relationships or confidential data are referenced.
Singh PWM is an independent fee-only Registered Investment Advisor (CRD #326033). Investment advisory services are provided under a fiduciary standard at all times. Tax preparation services are provided by Raman Singh, EA. Custody is held at independent third-party custodians.
