CFP®-certified, cash flow / budgeting financial advisors in Santa Monica, CA
The right financial advisor for you depends on how you weigh location, expertise, experience, the clients they typically serve, and how they work with you.
Managing your cash flow and budgeting effectively is crucial if you want to avoid running short before your next paycheck or financial goal. Without careful planning, it's easy to underestimate your ongoing expenses or miss opportunities to optimize your spending habits.
CFP® certification means these advisors have formal training in financial planning, including budgeting and cash management.
- Expense tracking methods. Ask how they help you monitor and categorize your spending to identify areas for adjustment.
- Income variability planning. Confirm how they handle fluctuating income months, especially if your earnings aren't consistent.
- Debt and savings balance. See how they recommend balancing paying down debt while building emergency savings to keep your cash flow stable.
- Property tax impact. In Santa Monica, property taxes can be complex; ask how they factor Proposition 13 limits into your long-term budgeting.
Here are top matches to get you started. Review each profile to compare experience, credentials, and approach.
-
George G
CFP®, Series 66
Santa Monica, CA
Guttman Financial Planning
George Guttman, a CFP® professional with over 20 years of experience in Santa Monica, specializes in cash flow and budgeting alongside debt management and college savings. His firm serves primarily individual high-net-worth clients, offering comprehensive planning with a long-term, buy-and-hold investment approach and educational workshops, differentiating him through a broad financial planning scope and client education focus.
Experience: 21 years
Avg account: $153,127
-
Daniel S
CFP®
Santa Monica, CA
Daniel M.. Stern, LLC
Daniel Stern, a CFP® professional in Santa Monica, specializes in cash flow and budgeting with 23 years of experience and an independent, flat-fee practice. His firm serves a small client base, offering hourly, fee-only planning focused on long-term, passive investing using low-cost index funds and ETFs, which may appeal to those seeking personalized, cost-effective financial guidance.
Experience: 23 years
-
Patrick W
CFP®, Series 66
Los Angeles, CA
Whalen Financial Planning
Patrick Whalen's 19 years of experience and CFP® certification equip him to manage cash flow and budgeting needs effectively, especially for clients in the Santa Monica area. His independent firm emphasizes passive investment strategies with a focus on tax efficiency and offers flexible hourly and project-based fees, distinguishing him from advisors with discretionary management or fixed fee structures.
Experience: 20 years
Avg account: $39,953
-
Lisa J
CFP®, Series 63, Series 65
Santa Monica, CA
Cycle Financial Planning LLC
Lisa Junghahn specializes in cash flow and budgeting with CFP® certification, serving mid-career professionals in Santa Monica. Her firm offers flat-fee comprehensive planning and emphasizes client education with a do-it-yourself investing approach using low-cost ETFs, differentiating her from advisors who may manage assets directly or use different fee structures.
Experience: 4 years
-
Kenneth C
CFP®, PFS™, Series 63
Los Angeles, CA
Westside Financial Advisors LLC
Kenneth Cornutt, a CFP® and PFS™ with seven years of experience, specializes in cash flow and budgeting alongside retirement and estate planning, serving high-net-worth clients in the Los Angeles area near Santa Monica. His firm uses a passive, asset-class-based investment approach and offers flexible fee structures including hourly and comprehensive planning fees, differentiating him with a strong tax and accounting background as a former CPA and business owner.
Experience: 8 years
Avg account: $593,286
Want help finding the right advisor?
Answer a few questions to see advisors matched to you.
Advisors focused on
People also searched
Popular in Santa Monica, CA
Find advisors by type
Not sure where to start?
We'll help you think it through—whether you ultimately need an advisor or not. Warmer helps you compare advisors clearly, so you can choose with confidence.
For advisor listings, we rely on sources including public filings and data provided by advisors, and we cannot guarantee that all information is current or accurate. Advisors are independent and may not have reviewed or updated this information. Please review an advisor’s Form ADV and do your own diligence before deciding whether to work with them.
Advisor matching and introductions are provided by FinanceHQ LLC (“FHQ”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Warmer and an SEC-registered investment advisor. We receive compensation from certain participating advisors for introductions or referrals. This creates a conflict of interest because we have an incentive to recommend advisors who compensate us, including those who pay us more. You pay no fee to use our matching service, and advisor fees are not increased because of a referral or introduction. We do not review the ongoing performance of advisors, manage or hold assets, guarantee performance, or provide advice about specific investments.
By using our service, you agree to our Terms of Service and Advisory Agreement, and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. Please review FHQ’s ADV Part 2A and Form CRS. Logos provided by Logo.dev
© 2026 Warmer Holdings Inc. (“Warmer”)