Set the household allocation
Match stocks, bonds, and cash to the money's purpose, timeline, spending needs, and the household's ability to absorb loss.
Flat-fee investment management
Investment management without a percentage-of-assets fee.
Your portfolio should have a job, a process you can understand, and a price that does not climb automatically with the account balance. Flames FP includes investment management inside a fixed quarterly membership.
$150-$1,650/qtrQuarterly memberships billed in advance, with no annual commitment.
0% AUMThe fee is not calculated as a percentage of your portfolio.
Minnesota-basedLocal roots with virtual planning flexibility.
Start freeOrganize your financial picture in the Flames Financial Dashboard.
Direct answer
What Does Flat-Fee Investment Management Include?
Every Flames FP membership includes professionally designed model portfolios, monitoring, rebalancing, and supported investment-account management through Altruist. There is no minimum investment balance and no separate percentage-of-assets fee. The appropriate membership depends on how much financial-planning coordination your household needs.
The work
A portfolio with a job—not a collection of accounts
Investment management starts by deciding what each part of the portfolio is meant to fund. The implementation should follow that purpose, not a market forecast or a stack of unrelated holdings.
Implement through Altruist
Support eligible account opening and transfers, implement the selected model portfolios, and keep the account structure understandable.
Monitor and rebalance
Review allocation drift and household changes, then rebalance when the portfolio or financial plan calls for it—not simply to create activity.
The decisions around the investments
Tax, cash flow, and employer stock can change the answer
A portfolio recommendation is more useful when it accounts for the decisions happening around it. The amount of coordination depends on the membership and the household's circumstances.
Taxes before trades
Consider account type, tax lots, potential gains and losses, charitable plans, and the reason for the trade before changing taxable holdings.
Outside accounts still matter
A workplace plan, HSA, inherited account, or spouse's plan may sit elsewhere and can still inform the household allocation and risk discussion.
Concentrated company stock
A large employer-stock position needs more than a target allocation. It may require a deliberate sale, tax, and reinvestment sequence.
The price
The account balance is not the billing formula
Flames FP uses fixed quarterly membership pricing. The membership is based on the planning relationship—not simply the number of dollars in an investment account.
0% AUM
There is no separate advisory charge equal to 1%—or another percentage—of the assets managed through the relationship.
One visible quarterly price
Investment management is included in the membership fee instead of appearing as an additional portfolio-level charge.
Scope determines fit
Broader tax, retirement, estate, or equity-compensation needs may call for a broader membership. Market growth alone does not automatically increase the fee.
Watch and learn
How We Think About Investing and Advisor Fees
Start with three videos selected for this page, then use the controls to explore every published Flames FP video guide.
Videos 1–3 of 14
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Direct Indexing vs ETFs in a Taxable Account
Compare diversification, tax management, cost, and complexity before changing an investment strategy. -
Flat Fee vs 1% Financial Advisor
See how a percentage fee changes in dollars as a portfolio grows and what to compare beyond the headline rate. -
The Most Underrated Retirement Account
How a taxable brokerage account can support retirement flexibility alongside tax-advantaged accounts. -
The RSU Strategy Most $300K Tech Earners Miss
Understand taxation at vesting, check the withholding gap, and turn each RSU vest into a deliberate diversification and household-planning decision. -
How to Decrease Your Tax Bill
Review practical tax-planning decisions that can connect income, investments, retirement, and withholding. -
What Nobody Tells You About Earning $400K a Year
See why a $400K income can still leave too little investable margin and how taxes, lifestyle growth, and deliberate investing change the result. -
The 3-Account System for a $250K Income
Use cash reserves, tax-advantaged accounts, and a taxable brokerage account to turn a strong income into a repeatable wealth-building system. -
The 6 Levels of Wealth for $200K+ Households
Use six stages to separate a high income from the wealth it actually creates. -
Should You Invest or Spend Your HSA?
A practical framework for deciding how an HSA fits healthcare costs, taxes, and retirement planning. -
Four Common Backdoor Roth IRA Mistakes
Understand contribution, conversion, pro-rata, and reporting mistakes before they create tax problems. -
My New Favorite Account to Gift Money to Kids and Grandkids
Compare the new child investment account with 529 plans, custodial accounts, Roth IRAs for earned income, and the family's actual goals. -
Estate Planning Documents You May Need
A plain-English review of wills, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, beneficiaries, and trusts. -
How Much Life Insurance Do You Need?
Think through income replacement, debt, children, childcare, education, and family risk. -
Five Money Mistakes High Earners Make
Common coordination gaps involving taxes, cash flow, investments, insurance, and estate planning.
Common questions
Investment Management Questions
Does Flames FP manage investments?
Yes. Every membership includes professionally designed model portfolios, monitoring, rebalancing, and supported investment-account management through Altruist.
Does Flames FP charge an AUM fee or require a minimum balance?
No. Investment management is included in the fixed quarterly membership fee, with no additional AUM percentage fee and no minimum investment balance.
Where are managed investment accounts held?
Flames FP supports investment-account management through Altruist. Account eligibility, transfer details, and the appropriate setup are confirmed during onboarding.
Will my current portfolio be sold immediately?
Not necessarily. Existing holdings, account types, embedded gains, transition costs, and near-term cash needs should be reviewed before changes are made. The appropriate pace depends on the account and the household's circumstances.
Can a 401(k) or other outside account be included in the investment plan?
Yes. Workplace plans and other outside accounts can be considered when setting the household allocation, even when Flames FP does not directly manage the account. Direct-management availability depends on the account and plan access.
How are taxes incorporated into investment decisions?
Account location, potential gains and losses, tax lots, charitable giving, withdrawals, and retirement-tax considerations can be evaluated before portfolio changes. The specific tax-planning work depends on the membership and household circumstances.
Can Flames FP help with a concentrated employer-stock position?
Yes. A concentrated position can be evaluated alongside future vesting, tax lots, diversification priorities, cash needs, and the rest of the portfolio. The resulting strategy may involve a multi-year transition or a faster reduction when concentration risk is more urgent.
Is investment management sold as a standalone AUM service?
No. Investment management is included inside a Flames FP membership so the portfolio can connect to the level of financial-planning work selected by the household.
Does investment management eliminate the risk of loss?
No. Diversification, monitoring, and rebalancing do not guarantee returns or prevent losses. The goal is to use a repeatable process that matches portfolio risk to the household's plan.
Next step
Know what you own—and what you pay for advice.
Schedule a discovery meeting to discuss your current accounts, employer stock, annual advisory cost, and the planning work you want connected to the portfolio.