What is a flat-fee fiduciary financial planner?

A flat-fee fiduciary financial planner charges a transparent, fixed fee for financial planning services — not a percentage of your assets under management. As a fiduciary, we are legally required to act in your best interest at all times. Awaken Financial Designs charges a flat fee only, with no AUM percentages and no commissions on planning advice.

Can I retire before 60?

Early retirement before age 60 is achievable for many dual-income couples and families through proactive tax planning, Roth conversion strategies, income bridge design, and intentional account sequencing. Awaken Financial Designs specializes in flat-fee early retirement planning for clients in Cary, NC and virtually across the country.

What is the difference between a flat-fee advisor and an AUM advisor?

An AUM advisor charges a percentage of your assets under management — typically 1% per year — meaning their compensation grows as your portfolio grows. A flat-fee advisor like Awaken Financial Designs charges a fixed planning fee regardless of portfolio size. This removes the financial incentive to prioritize portfolio growth over tax efficiency, retirement timing, or other planning decisions that matter most to you.

What is a Roth conversion strategy and how does it help with early retirement?

A Roth conversion strategy involves moving funds from a traditional pre-tax retirement account into a Roth IRA during lower-income years, paying tax now at a lower rate to avoid higher taxes later. For early retirees, this strategy can reduce required minimum distributions, lower lifetime tax burden, and create tax-free income in retirement. Awaken Financial Designs integrates Roth conversion analysis into all early retirement plans.

Is Awaken Financial Designs a registered investment adviser?

Yes. Awaken Financial Designs LLC is a Registered Investment Adviser with the North Carolina Securities Division and the Arizona Corporation Commission. CRD #339725. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training.

Where is Awaken Financial Designs located and who do you serve?

Awaken Financial Designs is headquartered in Cary, North Carolina and serves clients across the greater RTP area including Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Apex, and Morrisville. We also serve clients in Arizona and operate as a virtual-first firm, offering financial planning services remotely across select states where we are registered or exempt.

What makes Awaken Financial Designs different from other financial advisors?

Awaken Financial Designs is a flat-fee fiduciary firm — we never charge AUM fees or earn commissions on planning advice. We specialize in tax-forward early retirement planning for dual-income couples and families. We are Veteran and Woman Owned. We also integrate optional mindfulness, breathwork, and wellness practices to support clearer financial decision-making. Our Awakened Wealth and Life Alignment Method is a proprietary 7-stage planning framework that blends financial strategy with intentional life design.

What is the Awakened Wealth and Life Alignment Method?

The Awakened Wealth and Life Alignment Method is a proprietary 7-stage financial planning framework developed by Awaken Financial Designs. The seven stages are Protect, Flow, Power, Love, Voice, Vision, and Peace. Each stage addresses a specific dimension of financial and life planning — from foundational protections and tax strategy through legacy, communication, early retirement design, and long-term alignment. The method integrates financial rigor with optional mindfulness and wellness practices.

Can We Actually Retire Earlier Than We Think?

Take away the guessing and wondering. Finally see what may actually be possible in your own life through a visual and comprehensive one time flat fee financial planning experience.

Two people smiling and holding a book titled 'The Awakened Wealth & Life Alignment Guide' in front of a colorful landscape painting that depicts a sunset and an American flag in a field of flowers.

Flat Fee Fiduciary | Veteran & Woman Owned | Based in North Carolina & Arizona | Serving Clients Virtually Nationwide

Flat Fee Financial Planning

Early Retirement Focused

We believe thoughtful financial decisions are made with clarity, intention, and awareness; not pressure or confusion.

David and Ashley hold advanced degrees including an MBA, MSCJ, and MSBL, certificate in Financial Planning. They are both Certified Yoga Teachers and breathwork practitioners bringing a grounded and thoughtful perspective to conversations around retirement, money, and life planning.

Explore our videos, articles, and real planning case studies below and throughout the website.

Early Retirement Is a Strategy

Awaken Financial Designs is a flat fee financial planning firm (no AUM fees) helping people explore what may be possible through coordinated retirement, tax, income, and investment planning.

To us, earlier retirement is rarely one decision. It is usually the result of many intentional decisions working together over time.

That may include:

proactive tax strategy
Roth IRA conversion analysis when appropriate
retirement income and withdrawal sequencing
Social Security timing
healthcare and bridge planning before Medicare
RSUs, stock options, and deferred compensation planning
coordinated investing across all major account types

Most people are not missing effort. They are missing a coordinated plan that helps them clearly see how all the pieces may actually fit together.

Explore the One Time Plan

View Services & FAQs

Questions Real People Ask and We Help Solve

Most people are not looking for more financial noise. They are looking for clarity around what may actually be possible in their own life.

Can we actually retire earlier than we think?
How much can we realistically spend in retirement?
Are we paying more in taxes than we need to?
How do all our accounts actually work together?
Should we consider Roth IRA conversions or not?
What would retirement actually look like for us?

These are the kinds of conversations and planning questions we help people explore through one time and ongoing flat-fee planning engagements.

Watch Real Planning Videos

Real retirement case studies, Roth IRA conversion analysis, tax strategy, and planning conversations.

Learn From Our Articles

See What Coordinated Retirement Planning Can Actually Look Like

Many people have never fully seen their retirement, taxes, income strategy, investments, and account decisions modeled together visually in one coordinated plan.

A retirement planning infographic comparing four different retirement options for Josh and Sarah, showing their target retirement ages, projected balances, monthly spending capacity, and key strategy drivers.

An infographic about retirement planning showing a couple sitting by a lake during sunset, with data on total assets, savings plans, and monthly after-tax income for different retirement plans.

An infographic titled 'Roth IRA Conversions Analysis' with two sections: the first shows a line graph comparing account balances over time for tax-deferred versus Roth conversions, highlighting the breakeven point around 2040, with labels 'Taxable, Tax-Deferred' and 'Taxable, Tax-Free (Roth)'; the second section illustrates potential lifetime tax savings with a line graph indicating growth in account balance for Roth versus traditional accounts, with a key takeaway explaining that converting to a Roth involves paying taxes now but offers tax-free growth later.

The examples and visuals shown above are for educational and illustrative purposes only. Actual retirement outcomes, tax strategies, Roth IRA conversion results, and financial decisions vary based on each individual’s situation, goals, assumptions, and future market conditions.

Start With Greater Clarity

Whether you are wondering if earlier retirement may be possible, trying to understand how taxes and investments fit together, or simply wanting a more intentional plan for the future, we would be honored to walk alongside you.

Explore the One Time Plan

Watch Planning Videos

A Decade of Helping People Navigate Retirement & Financial Planning

Since 2015, co-founder David has helped individuals and families navigate investing, retirement planning, tax-aware financial decisions, and long-term wealth coordination.

Together, David and Ashley built Awaken Financial Designs (Veteran and Woman Owned) to bring thoughtful financial planning, emotionally intelligent guidance, and intentional life design into one modern planning experience.