Headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, Creative Planning is one of the largest financial advisor firms in the country. The fee-based firm's main services include wealth management, financial planning, retirement planning and more.
Creative Planning has on-staff advisors who have received commendations from various financial publications. In fact, 17 advisors at the firm landed on Barron's 2026 Top Advisor Rankings by State list. A year earlier four Creative advisors were named among the Barron's 2025 Top 100 Women Financial Advisors.
Creative Planning also holds a spot on SmartAsset's list of the top 10 financial advisors in the U.S. in 2026.
Creative Planning Background
Creative Planning is under the ownership of Peter Mallouk. Mallouk is the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the firm. Although the firm was originally founded in 1983, Mallouk has led Creative Planning and its family of companies since 2004.
With more than 1,300 advisory employees, the Creative Planning team holds features advisors with a range of professional certifications. These include the Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) and certified public accountant (CPA) designations, among others.
Creative Planning Client Types and Minimum Account Sizes
Individuals with less than a high net worth make up the largest percentage of clients at Creative Planning. The firm also works with high-net-worth individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, government entities, businesses, charitable organizations and investment vehicles.
Creative Planning typically requires new clients to have at least $200,000 in assets under management (AUM) at the firm. Clients with at least $500,000 in AUM receive financial planning as part of their portfolio management services the firm renders.
Services Offered by Creative Planning
Creative Planning’s services are incredibly widespread. Here’s a breakdown of what this firm can offer you:
- Private wealth management
- General investment management
- Financial planning
- Long-term financial goal planning
- Investment management
- Tax planning
- Risk management and insurance planning
- Retirement planning
- Estate planning
- Long-term care planning
- Debt management
- 401(k) services
- 401(k) and profit-sharing plan consulting
- Fiduciary services
- Plan design
- Employee education programs
- Investment committee oversight
- Plan fund performance reviews and comparisons
- Family office services
- Ultra-affluent wealth management
- Legacy planning
- Charitable planning
- Asset protection
- Wealth transfer
- Liquidity and exit planning
- Tax services
- Family governance
- Outsourced accounting and bill pay
- Social impact
- Valuations
Creative Planning Investment Philosophy
Creative Planning develops investment strategies based on each client’s financial goals, risk tolerance, time horizon, and liquidity needs. The firm constructs diversified investment portfolios using a range of asset classes, including equities, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, fixed income securities, and alternative investments. This diversified approach is intended to help manage risk and reduce the impact of market volatility over time.
Portfolios are monitored and adjusted as needed, with changes made to reflect evolving market conditions or client-specific circumstances. In certain situations, such as concentrated stock positions, legacy holdings, stock options, or unique tax considerations, the firm may further tailor its approach to address these complexities while remaining aligned with the client’s broader financial plan.
Fees Under Creative Planning
The vast majority of fees Creative Planning charges operate on an annualized, asset-based fee schedule. In other words, the value of your portfolio dictates what rates you pay. The more assets you have invested with the firm, the lower the percentage drops.
Although the rates below are in annual percentages, the firm charges them on a quarterly basis, in arrears. Your exact payments will be based on either the fair market value or an agreed upon value of your assets on the last business day of each calendar quarter.
| Portfolio Management Fees | |
| Assets Under Management | Annual Fee |
| First $500,000 | 1.20% |
| $500,001 - $2,000,000 | 1.00% |
| $2,000,001 - $5,000,000 | 0.85% |
| $5,000,001 - $10,000,000 | 0.80% |
| $10,000,001 - $25,000,000 | 0.70% |
| $25,000,001 - $50,000,000 | 0.40% |
| $50,000,001 - $100,000,000 | 0.30% |
| Over $100,000,000 | 0.25% |
The fees associated with the firm’s financial planning services operate quite a bit differently. More specifically, if you have more than $500,000 in AUM at the firm, it will include comprehensive financial planning in with your portfolio management services. Under other circumstances, the firm will likely charge you a $1,500 to $15,000 fixed fee.
What to Watch Out For
According to its SEC-filed Form ADV, Creative Planning has one regulatory disclosure from 2018 on its record.
As a fee-based firm, some of Creative Planning's advisors are licensed as insurance agents and can earn a commission for selling certain insurance products. This can create a potential conflict of interest, though advisors must abide by clients' best interests.
Opening an Account With Creative Planning
To become a client of Creative Planning, you can either call its headquarters in Kansas at (833) 416-4702 or request a meeting online.
All information is accurate as of the writing of this article.
Tips for Choosing a Financial Advisor
- Finding a financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with financial advisors who serve your area, and you can have a free introductory call with your advisor matches to decide which one you feel is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
- Consider financial advisors' certifications, which can be indicative of an advisor's area of expertise and level of experience. For example, if you want some help with life insurance or estate planning, a chartered life underwriter (CLU) might be a good fit. If you're concerned about tax planning, consider a certified public accountant (CPA).
