San Diego, CA High Bluff Drive Office

Team
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Creative Planning

Enterprise

Firm-wide stats for Creative Planning

Total advisors

1,179

Across 413 offices

Clients per advisor

74 Typical

Avg AUM per client

$2,113,277 Very High

HNW client ratio

45% Very High

About

Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a broad client base that includes individuals (including high‑net‑worth and ultra‑affluent clients), pension and profit‑sharing plans, trusts, foundations, and corporations. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management, institutional and retirement plan services (including ERISA 3(38)/3(21) engagements), sub‑advisory arrangements, and access to private market investments and collective investment trusts, managing roughly $295.6 billion in client assets across more than 1,100 advisors and 151 offices.

The firm describes a financial‑planning‑led investment approach that favors low‑cost indexing and buy‑and‑hold strategies for long‑term goals while using short‑term passive allocations for liquidity needs, supplemented by direct and enhanced direct indexing, tax‑loss harvesting, individually managed equity and bond strategies, and selective private market exposure. Creative Planning also uses sub‑advisors and model portfolios for retirement plans, offers managed account and payroll services, and acknowledges its fiduciary duties when advising retirement accounts.

Compared with many peers, Creative Planning has several uncommon structural features: it is affiliated with a law firm (Creative Planning Legal, P.A.) and maintains relationships with accounting and audit resources (including BerganKDV and related accounting entities), and it operates an affiliated trust company and multiple non‑investment service affiliates (payroll, lending, TPA). The firm does not participate in a wrap fee program, states it does not advertise performance or hypothetical performance, and discloses that a minority investor (TPG) and the firm’s role as manager or recommender of certain private funds create specific conflicts of interest that are disclosed in its brochure.

Based on Creative Planning

Expertise

Private / alternative investments Tax-loss harvesting ESG / Sustainable investing Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy

Based on Creative Planning

Occupation focus

Founder/Business Owner Executive Retired

Based on Creative Planning

Location

12760 High Bluff Drive

San Diego CA 92130

Advisors at this office

7

Advisors at this office

user avatar

Melissa S

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

San Diego, CA

Creative Planning

Melissa Saxton is a CFP® with 18 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Creative Planning since 2016. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and is based in San Diego, CA. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, institutions, and corporations. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach that incorporates low-cost indexing, direct indexing, and selective private market investments, managing approximately $295.6 billion in assets across more than 1,100 advisors.

Private / alternative investments Tax-loss harvesting ESG / Sustainable investing Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy Founder/Business Owner Executive Retired
user avatar

Jeff E

CFP®, Series 63, Series 66

San Diego, CA

Creative Planning

Jeff Ellena is a CFP® professional with 17 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Creative Planning since 2016. Based in San Diego, CA, he holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, pension plans, trusts, foundations, and corporations. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach that emphasizes low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and selective private market exposure.

Private / alternative investments Tax-loss harvesting ESG / Sustainable investing Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy Founder/Business Owner Executive Retired
user avatar

Branden F

CFP®

San Diego, CA

Creative Planning

Branden Frazier is a Certified Financial Planner® at Creative Planning with 18 years of industry experience. He has been with Creative Planning since 2012. Based in San Diego, CA, he is part of a large advisory team serving a diverse client base. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm manages approximately $217 billion in client assets and emphasizes a financial planning-led investment process that includes low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and supplemental approaches such as direct indexing and tax-loss harvesting.

Private / alternative investments Tax-loss harvesting ESG / Sustainable investing Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy Founder/Business Owner Executive Retired
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Mike B

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

San Diego, CA

Creative Planning

Mike Batista is a CFP® with 25 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has been with Creative Planning since 2015 and previously worked at Fidelity and PRUCO Securities, LLC. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a broad client base, including high-net-worth individuals, institutions, and corporations. The firm uses a financial-planning-led investment approach that emphasizes low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies while incorporating tax-loss harvesting and selective private market exposure.

Private / alternative investments Tax-loss harvesting ESG / Sustainable investing Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy Founder/Business Owner Executive Retired
user avatar

Aaron B

Series 63, Series 65

San Diego, CA

Creative Planning

Aaron Buczek is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with 20 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Creative Planning since 2013. The firm provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans, managing approximately $217 billion in client assets. Creative Planning employs a financial planning–led investment process focused on low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supplemented by direct indexing, tax-loss harvesting, and other portfolio management techniques.

Private / alternative investments Tax-loss harvesting ESG / Sustainable investing Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy Founder/Business Owner Executive Retired
user avatar

Christopher M

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

San Diego, CA

Creative Planning

Christopher Muniz is a CFP® professional with 25 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has been with Creative Planning since 2017 and previously worked at UnionBanc Investment Services and Union Bank from 2011 to 2017. Based in San Diego, CA, he holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm manages approximately $217 billion in client assets and employs a financial planning-led investment approach focused on low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supplemented by direct indexing, tax-loss harvesting, and other portfolio management techniques.

Private / alternative investments Tax-loss harvesting ESG / Sustainable investing Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy Founder/Business Owner Executive Retired
user avatar

Daniel P

Series 66

San Diego, CA

Creative Planning

Daniel Phillips is a Series 66-registered advisor with Creative Planning in San Diego, CA, where he has worked since 2016. He has 13 years of industry experience, including three years at TD Ameritrade. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, pension plans, and corporations. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach emphasizing low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supplemented by selective private market investments and managed accounts, and manages approximately $295.6 billion in client assets.

Private / alternative investments Tax-loss harvesting ESG / Sustainable investing Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy Founder/Business Owner Executive Retired
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