Our Services

Financial Planning & Investment Management

Financial planning is the foundation of everything we do. Every client receives a comprehensive, written plan tailored to their goals and their American Airlines career. That plan isn’t theoretical — it is actively implemented and managed.

What’s Included

  • Comprehensive financial planning tailored specifically to your American Airlines career, applying our FOM to your unique situation

  • Professional investment management integrated into your plan, including portfolio design, implementation, and ongoing oversight

  • Disciplined, evidence-based investment strategy aligned with your timeline and goals

  • Ongoing portfolio monitoring and rebalancing

  • Cash flow, education, retirement, tax, insurance, and estate planning coordination

  • Access to our professional financial planning software, RightCapital, so you can view your financial picture anytime

  • Ongoing support as questions arise and decisions need to be made

  • Regular updates and adjustments as your life, career, and priorities change

Our Meeting Rhythm

We keep planning intentional, timely, and efficient meetings only when they add value. Most clients meet with us twice a year:

First Quarter: “Look Forward” Planning Meeting

This is our primary planning session of the year. During this meeting, we:

  • Update goals and life changes

  • Refresh financial projections

  • Review upcoming Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs)

  • Confirm asset allocation across all accounts

  • Discuss investments in 401(k), taxable accounts, HSA, and 529 plans

  • Build a tax plan for the year ahead

This meeting sets the direction for your year and ensures your financial plan stays aligned with your life, goals, and priorities.

Second Quarter: Insurance Review

We review your insurance coverage to ensure it keeps pace with life and career changes, including life, disability, and liability coverage.

Third Quarter: Estate Plan Review

We review your estate plan and beneficiary designations to confirm they reflect your current wishes and long-term plans.

Fourth Quarter: “Look Back” Meeting (As Needed)

Toward year-end, we schedule a focused check-in to ensure nothing important is missed. During this meeting, we:

  • Explore Roth conversion opportunities

  • Discuss charitable giving strategies, including Donor-Advised Funds or Qualified Charitable Distributions

  • Review end-of-year tax planning and income management decisions

Our Pricing

A Fee Structure Built for AA Pilots

Why Traditional Advisors Aren’t Built for Pilots

Most financial advisors are paid based on assets under management (AUM) — the money they directly manage in IRAs and brokerage accounts. They typically don’t manage your 401(k), and their revenue increases only when those outside accounts grow.

For American Airlines pilots, that’s a problem.

During your early and mid-career years, most of your wealth is building inside your 401(k) — where traditional advisors can’t charge a fee. The smartest financial moves for pilots during these years often include:

  • Maximizing 401(k) contributions

  • Using the Backdoor Roth IRA strategy

  • Paying off consumer debt

  • Strategically reducing mortgage debt

  • Rolling Traditional IRAs into your 401(k)

None of these increase an advisor’s revenue. Some actually reduce it.

So under the traditional model, pilots are often only “profitable” near retirement — long after the years when good advice matters most.

That misalignment is built into the system.

We don’t think that’s acceptable.

How We Fix It

At Incline Financial Planning, we flipped the model.

For pilots with less than $1 million in investable assets (most early- and mid-career pilots), we charge a flat $3,000 annual financial planning fee.

That allows us to:

  • Tailor your Financial Operating Manual (FOM) to your specific situation

  • Recommend consumer and mortgage debt reduction — creating freedom well before 65

  • Recommend rolling old Traditional IRAs into your 401(k), enabling Backdoor Roth IRA contributions and reducing your lifetime tax liability

  • Provide career-stage cash flow planning and benefits guidance

  • Deliver ongoing accountability and execution

We get paid for advice — not just for managing assets.

Once your assets exceed $1 million, the $3,000 financial planning fee is rolled into our investment management fees. You no longer pay it separately.

Lower Investment Management Fees — Because We Specialize

When we manage investments, our fees are approximately 25% lower than the industry average.

Our tiered structure:

  • 0.75% on the first $0–$2 million

  • 0.50% on the next $2–$5 million

  • 0.25% above $5 million

The fee is blended — meaning each portion of your portfolio is charged at its respective rate — so your effective cost declines as assets grow.

We can charge less because we serve only American Airlines pilots.

We already understand:

  • The pay system

  • The pension

  • The contract

  • The benefits

  • The retirement timeline

We don’t spend time “figuring you out.” That efficiency lowers overhead — and we pass those savings directly on to you.

Planning First. Investments Second.

Our structure removes the core conflict of the traditional AUM model.

If paying down debt is the right move — we say it.
If rolling money into your 401(k) unlocks Roth opportunities — we say it.
If investing less today increases flexibility tomorrow — we say it.

Because we aren’t dependent on growing assets at all costs.

In Short

Traditional advisors are built to manage money.

We’re built to guide pilots.

Our fee structure exists so we can give you advice when it matters most — early in your career — and continue serving you efficiently all the way through retirement.

Aligned incentives.
Clear pricing.
Advice built for American Airlines pilots!