Sarasota, FL Office

Cetera Planning Partners serves individual and high‑net‑worth clients, with a notable emphasis on pre‑retirees and retirees, providing investment management, comprehensive financial planning, Social Security optimization and retirement‑related advice. The firm also offers ancillary services that are not always standard at similarly sized multi‑team firms, including tax planning and preparation, bookkeeping and payroll support, and an estate‑planning offering called Legacy Wealth Strategies delivered through a third‑party provider.

CPP’s investment process centers on diversified allocations built from mutual funds and ETFs that are matched to a client’s stated objectives and risk tolerance, beginning with a formal, document‑driven planning intake and periodic (typically annual) plan updates. Accounts may be managed on either a discretionary or non‑discretionary basis, and the brochure discloses specific features and risks for margin, pledged‑account loans and other lending arrangements (including use of third‑party providers such as TriState and Goldman Sachs).

What distinguishes the firm from many peers is its integration into a larger Cetera network and the related mix of affiliated capabilities: Cetera Investment Services and Cetera Investment Services (CIS) are described as affiliated broker‑dealer/clearing and custodial resources (CIS may act as an IRA custodian), CPP refers ERISA Section 3(38) and other pension‑related work to an affiliated advisor, and the firm makes use of bank deposit sweep programs (FlexInsured, IDSA) and other bank loan/custody arrangements that generate institutional‑level revenue sharing. The brochure also notes access to publications, conferences and other communications provided through custodians and strategic partners, and the firm explains how it coordinates with outside attorneys for estate‑planning document execution.