Retirement planning
Understand when you can retire, what you can spend, and how your savings can support you.
- Retirement timing and projected income
- Social Security and pension decisions
- Which accounts to draw from, and when
- Roth conversion planning
Santa Barbara wealth management
Santa Barbara
financial advisors.
Fee-only fiduciary retirement planning and investment management for California residents.
Fee-only & fiduciary
Advice paid for by you, and no one else.
Santafino’s financial advisors help people approaching retirement, retirees, and business owners plan for the years ahead and manage their investments. We are paid by clients only, with no commissions on investment or insurance products.
We work with clients in Santa Barbara, Montecito, Hope Ranch, Goleta, Summerland, and Carpinteria, and throughout California. Wealth management is offered to California residents only.
- Fee-only
- Our advisory compensation comes from clients, never from commissions on products.
- Fiduciary
- We have a duty to act in your best interest when giving investment advice.
- Plan-led
- Your investments follow your financial plan, and we review both with you regularly.
What we do
Planning and investing, in one conversation.
Financial planning and ongoing investment management can be separate engagements. You choose what fits.
Investment management
Your portfolio managed around your goals, the cash you need on hand, and the risk you can afford to take.
- Allocation and diversification
- Ongoing monitoring and rebalancing
- Tax-aware investing and tax-loss harvesting
Financial planning
A plan for the big decisions: how much to save, where it goes, and how today’s choices affect retirement.
- Savings and cash flow
- Workplace plan and IRA choices
- Major purchases and life changes
Estate coordination
We work alongside your estate planning attorney so your accounts and beneficiaries stay consistent with your plan.
- Beneficiary reviews
- Coordination with your attorney
Wealth management fees
It begins with a conversation.
Retirement Planning
To startComplimentary consultation
Fiduciary advice — fee-only, no commissionsPersonalized Retirement planTax-efficient planningSocial Security guidance401(k) / IRA strategyIncome planning
Schedule a consultationPortfolio Management
To startComplimentary consultation
Fiduciary advice — fee-only, no commissionsPersonalized portfolioTax-efficient investingRisk & goal alignmentActive monitoringActive rebalancing
Schedule a consultationGetting started
How we get started.
The first conversation is complimentary and carries no obligation. We discuss your goals and whether our services fit.
One
A complimentary 30-minute phone call about the decisions you want help with and your timeline.
Two
Review the scope of work and fees in writing. Work begins only after you approve.
Three
We gather the account information we need and build your plan.
Four
Regular reviews of your plan, and ongoing monitoring for portfolios we manage.
Tax-aware investing
Keep more
of what you earn.
We manage portfolios with taxes in mind: holding investments in the accounts that suit them, harvesting losses when it makes sense, and weighing the tax cost before a sale.
How tax-loss harvesting worksPlanning guides
Retirement and investing, explained.
Financial Planning
Which Retirement Account Should You Withdraw From First?
There is no universal withdrawal order in retirement. The right mix of taxable, traditional, and Roth money depends on your tax picture each year.
Read article
Financial Planning
Should You Do a Roth Conversion? When It Can Make Sense
A Roth conversion can lower future taxes but creates income today. The right amount depends on your tax rate, cash, retirement plan, and timing.
Read article
Financial Planning
What Does "Fee-Only Fiduciary Financial Advisor" Mean?
A fee-only fiduciary advisor is paid directly by clients and must put their interests first. The terms describe both payment and legal duty.
Read article
Common questions
What clients ask before they start.
Do I have to transfer my investments to get a financial plan?
No. Financial planning and ongoing investment management can be separate engagements. You can work with us on a retirement plan without having us manage your portfolio.
What does fee-only fiduciary advice mean?
Fee-only means our advisory compensation comes from clients, without commissions on investment or insurance products. As a fiduciary, we have a duty to act in your best interest when giving investment advice.
Do I need to use Santafino for my taxes too?
No. You can work with us on wealth management, tax work, or both, and neither depends on the other.
Do you work with clients outside Santa Barbara?
Wealth management is offered to California residents only, in Santa Barbara and throughout the state. Our tax and accounting services serve clients nationwide.
