Frequently asked questions

Start with a free introductory meeting. Schedule one online or contact us and we'll discuss your situation, what you need, and whether we're a fit. There is no obligation.

Yes, at all times. We are a fee-only registered investment adviser and a member of the Institute for the Fiduciary Standard. We are compensated only by our clients and accept no commissions or product incentives.

Your accounts are held in your own name at Altruist Financial LLC, an SEC-registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC, which acts as qualified custodian. We can place trades and deduct the advisory fee you have agreed to, but we cannot withdraw your money. You receive statements and online access directly from Altruist. In August 2026, Vanguard announced an agreement to acquire Altruist; the transaction is expected to close later in 2026. Vanguard is not affiliated with Integrity Financial Planning and does not endorse our services.

Fee-only means our compensation comes from clients through advisory or planning fees, not commissions or product incentives. Fee-based is a different description and may include commissions, so ask each adviser how they are paid and what conflicts apply.

Yes. We are based in Houston and offer video and phone meetings with Todd Smurl, CFA. Integrity Financial Planning is registered in Texas and Louisiana, and we may also work with clients in other states where permitted. Contact us with your location so we can confirm the applicable requirements before starting an engagement.

No. Integrity Financial Planning, LLC is not a CPA firm and does not prepare tax returns. We plan with your return in mind and coordinate with your preparer.

Personal Index Portfolios are billed at 1.0% on the first $1 million and 0.85% from $1 million to $10 million, and a negotiable rate above $10 million. Financial planning is included as part of the investment management fee; there is no separate planning charge. For clients with assets under management under $500,000, the Advisor reserves the right to charge an hourly fee for financial planning. Full details are on the fees page.

No. Values screens are included in our investment advisory fee. We discuss exclusions for the direct-stock allocation and their effects on diversification and tracking differences; ETFs used for other exposures may still hold excluded companies. Active tax management for enrolled taxable assets is optional and separately priced. Review the approach and trade-offs.

It is optional. Active tax management applies to taxable accounts only and uses the tax-management tool of Altruist, our custodian, which charges up to 0.10% per year on the taxable assets you enroll and deducts it from your account. The charge is separate from our advisory fee, and Integrity Financial Planning receives no part of it. Clients who elect it receive an annual estimated Taxes Saved report prepared by Altruist.

Compare the cost of the whole portfolio, not just one fund. Your portfolio may use low-cost ETFs, individual stocks or a combination. Underlying investment expenses depend on the holdings and their weights. Consider those expenses together with our advisory fee and any additional account, model or product charges that apply. We review the proposed portfolio's costs before recommending a change.

Advice, not just a document. Todd reviews your retirement income, taxes, Social Security, existing coverage and estate-coordination questions using your documents. Recommendations explain the assumptions and include financial estimates where reasonably quantifiable. We agree on the planning scope and review process, and help you coordinate next steps with your other professionals.

No. Financial planning is offered to every client, but you are not required to use it. We agree on your planning priorities, scope and review process together. Planning is included in the investment management fee, subject to this exception: For clients with assets under management under $500,000, the Advisor reserves the right to charge an hourly fee for financial planning.

Personal indexing (also called direct indexing) buys a subset of the individual stocks in an index, forming an index tracking portfolio, instead of buying an index mutual fund or ETF. It can provide greater autonomy, control, and tax advantages for certain investors.

Customized portfolios of low-cost ETFs, individual stocks or a combination, chosen around your accounts and circumstances. An all-ETF portfolio can be a complete option. Values screens are included in the advisory fee; active tax management is optional for taxable accounts and carries a separate Altruist charge of up to 0.10% per year on enrolled assets. Actual expenses and tracking differences depend on the allocation and holdings. Learn how they work.

Automated monitoring runs daily to check whether your portfolio remains aligned with the agreed investment mix and any company exclusions. For enrolled taxable assets, it also looks for opportunities under the optional active tax-management service. Todd oversees the strategy and investment decisions; daily monitoring does not mean daily trading.

Before changing existing holdings, we review the tax trade-offs and agree on an approach that balances your investment goals, existing gains and risk. We explain the trade-offs of making changes quickly or gradually. Keeping an appreciated holding can still leave concentration or tracking risk.

The combination of tax-loss harvesting, gains harvesting, gains deferral, holding-period management, tax-lot identification, charitable gifting identification, and monitoring of IRS rules, considered alongside your goals, existing gains, risk and asset allocation. More on tax management.

Selling a security at a loss in a taxable account to realize a capital loss that may offset gains. Net losses may also reduce ordinary income up to $3,000 a year ($1,500 if married filing separately), subject to applicable rules, with unused losses potentially carried forward. A deduction is not a dollar-for-dollar tax rebate, and wash-sale rules can disallow a loss. Harvesting may defer rather than eliminate tax and does not guarantee savings. Read the explanation and limits.

We consider existing gains, your investment goals and the risk of keeping or selling positions. We agree on an approach and explain the trade-offs of making changes quickly or gradually. Your final tax outcome also depends on circumstances beyond portfolio trading.

It may help in taxable accounts, but it does not guarantee tax savings or higher returns. A study of the 500 largest U.S. stocks from 1926 to 2018 estimated that tax-loss harvesting added about 1.08 percentage points a year before transaction costs, and about 0.82 points once the wash-sale rule was applied, assuming 15% long-term and 35% short-term capital gains rates (Financial Analysts Journal, 2020). Those historical study estimates are not IFP client results or forecasts. Your outcome depends on your tax rates, account activity, holdings, market conditions, future realization of gains, costs and wash-sale compliance. Optional tax management has a separate Altruist charge of up to 0.10% per year on enrolled assets; IFP receives no part of it. Past results do not guarantee future results.

Clients who elect active tax management receive an account-level estimated Taxes Saved report prepared by Altruist each year. It estimates taxes saved or deferred using assumptions and is not proof of additional investment return or permanent tax savings. You can review a sample report.