Essential Financial Strategies
Data sourced from SEC public records (and other sources when available). Refreshed weekly • Updated today.
About
Essential Financial Strategies is a fee-only holistic financial planning firm that serves individuals and families, with a stated focus on middle-income households and families with school-aged children. The firm offers comprehensive services including financial planning, investment advisory services, tax preparation and planning, estate-plan review, risk management, retirement planning, and business development support.
The firm favors long-term, generally passive investment approaches—using index mutual funds, ETFs, and diversified allocations—and conducts periodic reviews to keep portfolios aligned with clients’ goals and tax situations. Rather than charging a percentage-of-assets-under-management, EFS bills via fixed annual retainers, single-session reviews, and hourly project fees, and it may accept discretionary trading authority in retainer engagements and delegate portfolio management to an unaffiliated sub-adviser for certain clients.
What is distinctive is the firm’s fee model and service mix: it does not use percentage-of-AUM fees and it integrates tax preparation into its advisory offering, with the advisor employed part‑time at an outside tax service that may file clients’ returns. The firm also uses an unaffiliated sub‑adviser for some accounts and provides occasional contract work (including planning services for survivors of deceased service members), reflecting a blend of planning, tax, and specialized engagements that is not typical for many small independent advisers.
Client services
Expertise
Occupation focus
Demographic focus
Fee options
Wealth Review fee is a flat $1,500
Wealth Project billed at $350 per hour in 15-minute increments
Account minimum: $6,000 minimum fee for Wealth Retainer engagement; $1,400 minimum for Wealth Project engagement Minimum fee: Minimum fee of $6,000 for Wealth Retainer engagement; minimum Wealth Project fee of four (4) hours ($1,400) Fee-only: Wealth Retainer fees range from $6,000 to $20,000 or more annually; Wealth Review fee is $1,500; Wealth Project fee is $350 per hour billed in 15-minute increments
Main office
Orland Park IL
Advisors at this office
1
Most active in
Illinois
Also doing business as
Essential Financial Strategies · Larson, Rorik Wallace
Disclosures
Exclamation point means they have disclosures of this type. Check mark means no disclosures of this type were found.
Business activities & affiliations
Is not active or affiliated with:
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Insurance agent
They sell insurance products and may earn commissions on those sales.
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Broker-dealer / trader
They provide brokerage services and may earn transaction-based compensation in addition to advisory fees.
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Bank
They're affiliated with a bank that may offer its own financial products and services.
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Trust company
They provide trust and estate administration services, typically for separate fees.
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Fund sponsor
They manage or sponsor investment funds and may earn management or performance-based fees if clients invest in them.
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Accountant / CPA / tax prep
They offer tax and accounting services, typically for separate fees.
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Lawyer
They provide legal services, typically billed separately.
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Real estate agent
They facilitate real estate transactions and may earn commissions.
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Other specialized services
They may provide services such as pension consulting or municipal advisory work, typically for separate fees.
Forms ADV
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