No Commissions
Fee-only means your advisor is paid by you, not by product companies. This compensation structure may reduce certain conflicts of interest, since recommendations are not tied to product sales.
Fee-Only Fiduciary Advisor in Santa Rosa, CA
Tax-efficient retirement planning for households with $1M – $10M. Transparent fees, no commissions.
● Solo RIA● Fee-only Fiduciary● California-registered
4 layers of tax efficiency
A framework, not a number
My methodology and its assumptions are published on the site. See the four layers ↓
Hardik Patel
Founder & Financial Advisor
Why It Matters
Why Choose a Fee-Only Fiduciary Advisor?
Fiduciary Duty
As a registered investment adviser, your advisor owes you a fiduciary duty under federal and California law: a legal obligation to act in your best interest.
As Featured In
- The Daily Upside
- Go Banking Rates
- Yahoo Finance
- Nasdaq
- MSN
- Yahoo Lifestyle
- AOL
- MoneyLion
- Newsbreak
- Inkl
- Financial Planning
- AdvisorEngine
- The Adviser Magazine
- Savvy Money
- US News Money
- Employee Benefit News
Tax Efficiency, Layer by Layer
Four layers, stacked on purpose.
Each one a published essay with the household profile, the assumptions, and the math end-to-end. The framework is the durable thing.
Read the full series →What I'm Doing Differently
Pick a topic. See how I do it.
Individual bonds over bond funds, when feasible.
I use individual bonds so your income timing doesn't depend on other investors. Cash flow is scheduled upfront, not subject to fund-level redemption pressure.
Why individual bonds →Trade-offs
More work per account · less useful at <$500K fixed-income allocations
When I use funds
Munis below threshold; small allocations; illiquid segments
A Hypothetical Plan
What it looks like when the math is on the page.
Sample financial plans are fictional households with the math worked all the way through: brackets, conversions, withdrawal order, the works.
Featured Sample Plan
Retiring in Five Years
A $2.47M pre-tax IRA, five years from retirement, and a 30-year tax bill hiding in plain sight. Five strategies. One coordinated plan.
$6.0MNet Worth
88%Monte Carlo
+$1.52MMore for Heirs
Hypothetical illustration only. The figures above are for a fictional household and do not represent actual client results. Hypothetical performance has inherent limitations and does not account for the impact of market conditions, taxes, or other factors on an actual client's account.
RetirementLegacy PlanningTax-aware
Published methodology Read the plan →
Fee Transparency
Published fees. No surprises.
Financial Plan
A complete written plan, delivered once. Yours to keep, or take to any advisor.
$3,600–$10,500flat
Range reflects complexity.
Investment management
Ongoing portfolio management
0.50–1.00%blended
Tiered: the more you bring, the lower your blended rate.
"Every recommendation should be explainable: clearly, transparently, and with the math visible on the page. If it can't be explained, it shouldn't be in your plan."
- Hardik Patel, Founder
Meet Your Advisor
Hardik Patel
Founder & Financial Advisor
Trusted Path is a fee‑only fiduciary based in Santa Rosa. I founded the firm to deliver tax‑driven, math‑on‑the‑table financial planning: no product pitches, no hidden fees.
I run a solo Registered Investment Advisor practice, so the advisor you speak with is the same person who builds your plan: no junior planners, no hand‑offs.
NAPFA AssociateXYPN Emerald MemberSeries 65
If We're a Fit
Three steps. No pressure.
01
Introductory Call
A no-pressure call to understand your goals and questions. You'll see how we work and what it costs before any commitment.
30 min · Video or phone
02
Discovery & Assessment
We review your goals and risk comfort. You share key details through a secure portal, and together we surface the most meaningful opportunities.
2–3 weeks · Async + 1 meeting
03
Your Financial Plan
You receive a plan in plain English with clear visuals. Implement it yourself or continue with ongoing planning as life evolves.
4–6 weeks · Delivered & reviewed
You've been thinking about this for a while. Let's look at the math.
A 30-minute intro call. No commitment, no obligation, no upsell. If we're a fit, we'll schedule a longer conversation. If we're not, you'll leave with a clearer view of your situation either way.
In The Media
AdvisorEngine Action! Magazine
Prevent RIA Client Churn: Silent DeparturesAOL (syndicated on Yahoo Finance)
The Income Threshold Where Families Finally Start Building Real Wealth
Go Banking Rates
This One Move Could Slash Years Off Your Retirement
Go Banking Rates (syndicated on Yahoo Finance and ROC55)
Retirement Checklist: 9 Things To Do Now in Your 60s, According to FidelityThe Adviser Magazine
10 best and worst international equity fundsGo Banking Rates (syndicated on Yahoo Finance)
Here's How Often You Should Check Your Retirement PortfolioMoneyLion (syndicated on AOL)
6 Moves Experts Say Work Fastest to Become RichSavvy Money
How to Handle Layoffs or Job Uncertainty During the HolidaysGo Banking Rates (syndicated on Nasdaq, MSN, Yahoo Lifestyle, AOL, Newsbreak and Inkl)
5 Types of People Struggling to Pay Bills Right Now: Are You One of Them?US News Money
What Annual Income Is Required for a Student Credit Card?Media mentions reflect editorial coverage only. No compensation was paid for inclusion. Logos are used for identification purposes and do not imply endorsement.
The same thinking we share with clients.
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