Tax-Efficient Retirement Planning
Fee-only fiduciary retirement planning in Santa Rosa, for households $1M – $10M.
Fee-only fiduciary retirement planning in Santa Rosa — The quiet compounding that often goes unaddressed
Returns get the attention. Tax drag quietly removes return year after year — and across a 30-year retirement, it can represent a significant and often overlooked drag on long-term outcomes. I build plans where tax efficiency is part of the architecture, built into the plan from the start.
● Solo RIA · Santa Rosa, CA● Fee-only Fiduciary● California-registered
4 layers
Of tax efficiency — a framework, not a number
I publish my methodology with assumptions on the page. The methodology is transparent. Read the series →
Hardik Patel
Founder & Financial Advisor
As Featured In
- The Daily Upside
- Go Banking Rates
- Yahoo Finance
- Nasdaq
- MSN
- Yahoo Lifestyle
- AOL
- Newsbreak
- Inkl
- Financial Planning
- 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.
Tax efficiency as a discipline.
Tax drag quietly removes return year after year — I build the solution in. Tax efficiency is part of the portfolio architecture, not a year-end afterthought.
Asset location, harvesting cadence, fund structure, dividend qualification, fixed-income placement — every layer is decided up front.
How I think about tax efficiency →COMMON GAPS
Loss-harvesting only in December · funds with high turnover · munis vs. taxable in the wrong account
What I do
Location-aware rebalancing, year-round harvesting with substitutes, qualified-dividend-aware fund selection
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.
Sample Financial Plan · Case 01
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 →
Honest Fit
A quick self-screen.
If more items match the Good fit column, we're likely a match.
YES = fit NO = not a fit
Where you are
Good fit
Not a fit
Years from retirement
5–15
>30+
Investable assets
$1M+
< $300K
DIY history
Want guidance
Full autopilot
Investing philosophy
Long-term, risk appropriate
Aim to beat the market
Products needed
Planning + investments
Insurance · annuities
Decision style
Wants the why
"Just decide for me"
Tax situation
Needs tax efficiency
No tax complexity
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 Mgmt. (AUM)
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 & Financial Advisor, Trusted Path Wealth Management
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 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 65Registered Investment Adviser
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
Go Banking Rates
This One Move Could Slash Years Off Your RetirementGo Banking Rates (syndicated on Yahoo Finance)
Here's How Often You Should Check Your Retirement PortfolioGo Banking Rates (syndicated on Yahoo Finance)
Retirement Checklist: 9 Things To Do Now in Your 60s, According to FidelityThe Adviser Magazine
10 best and worst international equity fundsSavvy 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.