Business Details
7 Years
experience
Trusted Flat-Fee Financial Planning for Families in Darnestown, MD
Founded in 2019, OnPlane Financial Advisors (OPFA) was established to provide transparent, fee-only financial planning and investment management for married professionals aged 35-55. Our founder, Darren Straniero, CFP, brings over 15 years of industry experience and a client-first philosophy rooted in his personal journey of navigating complex family financial needs. We specialize in flat-fee structures that eliminate conflicts of interest, focusing on long-term partnerships with families seeking expert guidance in retirement planning, tax optimization, and wealth management.Our approach emphasizes simplicity, global diversification, and behavioral coaching to help clients control financial variables they can influence. With operations in Maryland and Virginia, we serve clients virtually, prioritizing personalized service by accepting only 1-2 new families monthly. Our credentials include registration with the SEC and membership in prestigious organizations like NAPFA and XY Planning Network, ensuring adherence to the highest industry standards.
Services
Flat-Fee Financial Planning
Investment Management
Retirement Planning
Tax Optimization
Family Financial Guidance
Details
- Year established: 2019
Highlights and features
- We offer 15+ years of experience in conflict-free financial planning.
- Our flat-fee structure ensures complete pricing transparency.
- We limit new clients to 1-2 families monthly for personalized service.
- Our investment philosophy focuses on low-cost, globally diversified portfolios.
- We provide access to a network of CPAs, attorneys, and mortgage lenders.
Associations and certifications
- CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER Board of Standards
- National Association of Personal Financial Planners (NAPFA)
- XY Planning Network (XYPN)
Services
Flat-Fee Financial Planning
Our flat-fee financial planning service creates comprehensive strategies tailored to married professionals aged 35-55. We focus on retirement readiness, tax efficiency, and wealth management through transparent pricing. Clients receive personalized guidance to align financial decisions with life goals while avoiding market prediction pitfalls. This service includes quarterly check-ins and access to a network of financial professionals.
Investment Management
Investment management emphasizes low-cost, globally diversified portfolios designed to capture market returns without speculative trading. We prioritize behavioral coaching to help clients stay disciplined during market volatility. Services include portfolio rebalancing, risk assessment, and long-term growth strategies tailored to individual risk tolerance and financial objectives.
Retirement Planning
Retirement planning focuses on creating sustainable income streams and optimizing savings vehicles like 401(k)s and IRAs. We analyze Social Security timing, pension options, and tax-efficient withdrawal strategies. Our approach ensures clients understand their retirement readiness through scenario modeling and adjustments for life's unpredictable changes.
Tax Optimization
Tax optimization identifies legal strategies to minimize tax liabilities across investment accounts and income sources. We coordinate with CPAs to implement tax-loss harvesting, Roth conversions, and retirement account contribution strategies. The service aims to improve after-tax returns while maintaining compliance with evolving tax regulations.
Family Financial Guidance
Family financial guidance addresses unique challenges of growing families, including education savings, insurance needs, and multi-generational wealth transfer. We provide frameworks for budgeting with changing household sizes and creating emergency funds. The service includes tools for teaching financial literacy to children and managing interfamily financial dynamics.
People
Darren Straniero
Certified Financial Planner
Darren Straniero, CFP, founded OPFA in 2019 after 15+ years at national financial firms. He specializes in flat-fee planning for growing families, drawing from personal experience managing his own five-child household. Darren graduated from Olivet College with a journalism degree and remains active in community financial literacy initiatives.
Questions
What financial planning services do you offer?
We provide flat-fee financial planning covering retirement strategies, tax optimization, investment management, and family financial guidance for married professionals aged 35-55.
How are your fees structured?
Our annual $8,000 flat fee includes comprehensive financial planning and optional investment management, payable quarterly with no hidden commissions or asset-based charges.
Do you work with clients outside Maryland?
Yes, we serve clients virtually in Virginia and other jurisdictions where OPFA is registered or exempt from registration requirements.
How often do you meet with clients?
We conduct quarterly reviews and provide ongoing support, with new client intake limited to 1-2 families monthly for personalized attention.
What makes your approach unique?
We focus on financial factors clients can control through low-cost diversified investing, behavioral coaching, and eliminating conflicts of interest inherent in commission-based models.
Can you help with investment account selection?
Yes, we guide clients in choosing appropriate investment vehicles and provide access to a network of CPAs and mortgage professionals for comprehensive planning.
Reviews (5)
Deb Godes
Nov 03, 2021
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We have been working for Darren and OnPlane Financial Advisors for many years. He is incredibly knowledge and has been a valued and highly respected advisor as we navigate thinking about our short-term, medium-term, and long-term financial goals. He is dedicated to his clients and provides the type of service that you would expect and you deserve in these matters. In uncertain times, Darren has been a constant that we really appreciate. Highly recommend working with him should you have the opportunity to do so.
Curtis Swenson
Jun 24, 2021
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Darren has been instrumental in making sense of our financial lives. He took getting to know our family and our goals seriously, and helped enact a realistic financial plan to put us on track to realizing financial success. He's friendly, professional, and serious about helping his clients. I fully endorse Darren and OnPlane Financial Advisors!
Mark Roschewski
May 01, 2021
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Darren Straniero and OnPlane Financial Advisors is a supremely professional group that comes highly recommended by myself and my family. We have been especially impressed by the personalized nature of the financial advice that is customized to our needs. Darren does a great job of simplifying complex situations and offers the right balance of providing advice and listening to our concerns. A great decision for us!
Sand Chadwick
Dec 22, 2020
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OnPlane Financial (and specifically Darren) was the best financial decision I've made. Always available and fully committed to my families success. His personal approach and open-minded yet VERY comprehensive analysis and advice is why I trust him to guide our future. I am recommending him to my friends and business partners and you should too.
Angie Viar
Sep 16, 2020
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Darren has been helping my family and I for many years. He has alway been knowledgeable, professional and attentive to my needs. He has help me protect my families finances from scenarios I would have never thought of myself. He is easy to talk too and has great ideas for financial security. I highly recommend working with On Plane.
