I am looking for a financial planner who is a fiduciary and does not sell insurance products.

To find a financial planner who meets these exact requirements, you should specifically look for a fee-only, independent Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) who operates under a fiduciary standard at all times.

Unlike commission-based or fee-based advisors, true fee-only planners are compensated exclusively by their clients (via hourly rates, flat project fees, monthly subscriptions, or a percentage of assets under management) and do not sell insurance, annuities, or investment products for a commission.

Where to Search for Fee-Only Fiduciary Planners

You can use dedicated professional directories that strictly vet members to ensure they are fee-only and act as continuous fiduciaries:

• NAPFA (National Association of Personal Financial Advisors): The largest professional association in the U.S. dedicated exclusively to fee-only, comprehensive financial planners who act as fiduciaries.
• XY Planning Network (XYPN): A network of fee-only fiduciary financial planners who specialize in working with Gen X and Gen Y clients, often offering monthly subscription or hourly models with no product sales.
• Garrett Planning Network: A nationwide network of fee-only, hourly, as-needed financial advisors who do not sell products or maintain asset minimums.
• Platt Advice / Advice-Only Network: A directory for advice-only planners who give guidance without managing assets or selling commissions.

How to Verify Their Status

Before signing with any planner, take these verification steps to protect yourself:

1. Ask the direct question: Ask, "Are you a fee-only fiduciary bound by a fiduciary duty at all times, and do you or your firm ever sell insurance or investment products for commissions?"
2. Check official registries: Look up the individual or firm on the SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure Site to confirm they are registered as an RIA.
3. Verify credentials: Confirm they hold the CFP® (Certified Financial Planner) designation by checking the CFP Board Verification Tool , as CFPs are bound to a fiduciary duty when providing financial planning.
4. Request a written agreement: Ask for a signed copy of their Form ADV Part 2A (the firm's brochure) and a written contract explicitly stating their ongoing fiduciary commitment.

If you'd like, let me know:

• Your preferred fee structure (hourly/project-based vs. ongoing asset management)
• Whether you want someone local or virtual

I can help narrow down the best directory or approach for your situation.

• Open Book Financial Planning - 3 Charred Oak Ln, East Windsor, NJ 08520
• Unique Financial Advisors & Tax Consultants - 33 S Wood Ave #600, Iselin, NJ 08830, United States
• CNIV Financial Planning - 100 Matawan Rd, Ste 325-1026, Matawan, NJ 07747
• Lighthouse Financial Advisors - 3 Harding Rd # B, Red Bank, NJ 07701, United States
• Coastal Financial Advisors, Inc. - 503 Casino Dr, Farmingdale, NJ 07727, United States
• Condor Capital Wealth Management - 1973 Washington Valley Rd #1, Martinsville, NJ 08836, United States
• Concierge Financial Planning, LLC - 1371 Cooper Rd, Scotch Plains, NJ 07076
• Epona Financial Solutions, LLC. - 5 Lyons Mall #176, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920, United States
• McGovern Financial Advisors, LLC - 425 Washington St, Westfield, NJ 07090, United States
• wHealth Advisors - 43 W Front St #16, Red Bank, NJ 07701, United States
• Novi Wealth Partners - 512 Executive Dr, Princeton, NJ 08540, United States
• Unique Financial Advisors & Tax Consultants - Forrestal Village, 116 Village Blvd #200, Princeton, NJ 08540, United States

If you’re in the Central New Jersey area, I found several firms that explicitly describe themselves as fee-only fiduciaries and say they do not sell financial products or receive commissions. That combination is a good match for what you’re looking for.

A few worth contacting

• Open Book Financial Planning — East Windsor, NJ. Advice-only, fee-only, fiduciary, with flat-fee planning and no commissions or financial-product sales. This is particularly aligned with your requirement if you want advice without having the planner manage your investments.
• Unique Financial Advisors & Tax Consultants — Iselin, NJ. Describes itself as fee-only and fiduciary, with no product sales or commissions.
• CNIV Financial Planning — Matawan, NJ. An hourly, fee-only fiduciary practice, which may be attractive if you want to pay for advice rather than ongoing asset management.
• Lighthouse Financial Advisors — Red Bank, NJ. Explicitly states “fully fiduciary, always – no product sales, no commissions.”
• Coastal Financial Advisors, Inc. — Farmingdale, NJ. Fee-only and fiduciary; they may review insurance needs, but state that they don't sell insurance for commissions. citeturn0search5
• Condor Capital Wealth Management — Martinsville, NJ. Fee-only, independent fiduciary with no commissions or product sales, although their model is primarily ongoing investment management/AUM rather than advice-only.

One distinction I'd pay attention to

“Fee-only” is not necessarily the same as “doesn't manage money.” A fee-only fiduciary can still charge a percentage of assets for investment management. If you specifically want someone who only provides planning/advice and never sells or manages products, an advice-only or hourly/flat-fee planner is the cleanest match.

For example, Open Book explicitly describes itself as advice-only, while CNIV uses an hourly fee-only model.

When you call, I'd ask these four questions:

1. Are you a fiduciary 100% of the time, including outside investment management?
2. Do you or anyone at your firm receive commissions, referral fees, or other compensation from insurance or investment products?
3. Do you sell or implement life insurance, annuities, or other insurance products?
4. Can I hire you for financial planning without having you manage my investments?

If you tell me your approximate age, whether you're retired/working, and whether you want ongoing planning or just a one-time financial plan, I can narrow this to 3–5 planners that appear to fit your situation, including their fees, location, and whether they require an investment minimum.

Absolutely. To find a fiduciary financial planner who does not sell insurance products, I’ll need your location (at least city/state), since this is a local search.

Once you provide it, I can look for planners who are fee-only, act as fiduciaries, and have no insurance-product sales—and help you compare them.

To find a financial planner who is a strict fiduciary and does not sell insurance or financial products for commissions, you need to look specifically for Fee-Only (not "fee-based") advisors.

While many advisors claim to be fiduciaries, "fee-based" advisors can still sell commission-based insurance products or annuities. A true Fee-Only advisor is compensated only by you (via hourly rates, flat fees, retainers, or a percentage of assets under management) and accepts zero commissions, kickbacks, or product-selling incentives.

The best directories and networks dedicated exclusively to strict fee-only, fiduciary planners include:

• NAPFA (National Association of Personal Financial Advisors): The country's leading professional association of fee-only advisors. Every member must sign a fiduciary oath and operate under a strict fee-only model (no commissions, no insurance product sales). You can search their directory on the NAPFA Find an Advisor page.
• Fee-Only Network: A dedicated platform listing thousands of independent, fee-only financial professionals who do not work for brokerage firms, banks, or insurance companies. You can filter and browse professionals at the Fee-Only Network.
• XY Planning Network (XYPN): Specializes in fee-only, fiduciary financial planners who often work with younger clients, Gen X, and Millennials, and frequently offer monthly retainer or flat-fee models rather than requiring a minimum amount of investment assets. Explore their network at the XY Planning Network.
• Garrett Planning Network: A network of fee-only, fiduciary advisors who specifically offer hourly, as-needed, or project-based financial planning without asset minimums or product sales. Search via the Garrett Planning Network.

To help narrow down the best platform or approach for you, let me know:

• Do you prefer a local in-person planner or a virtual advisor?
• What pricing structure do you prefer (hourly/project-based, flat monthly retainer, or a percentage of assets managed)?

To find a financial planner who is bound by a fiduciary duty 100% of the time and does not sell insurance or financial products for a commission, you want to search specifically for Fee-Only or Advice-Only advisors.

In the financial industry, "Fee-Only" means the advisor is compensated directly by you (via hourly rates, flat project fees, or a percentage of assets under management) and never receives commissions from selling insurance, annuities, or investment products.

Here are the best networks and directories to find the exact type of planner you are looking for:

• NAPFA (National Association of Personal Financial Advisors): This is the country's leading professional association of fee-only, fiduciary financial planners . Every member of NAPFA must sign a fiduciary oath and operate strictly on a fee-only basis, meaning no product commissions or hidden insurance sales kickbacks. You can use their NAPFA Find an Advisor Directory to search locally or virtually.
• Fee-Only Network: Operated by NAPFA, the FeeOnlyNetwork.com platform lets you search through thousands of verified independent, fee-only fiduciary firms that work strictly for you rather than a broker, bank, or insurance conglomerate.
• Advice-Only Network: If you specifically want to avoid paying a percentage of your assets under management (AUM) and prefer flat, hourly, or project-based guidance with zero product sales, the Advice-Only Network connects clients with fiduciary planners who operate purely on a non-commission, non-AUM model.
• Garrett Planning Network: A nationwide network of fee-only, hourly, and as-needed fiduciary financial advisors who do not sell products or manage assets minimums, making them ideal for unbiased, standalone advice.

To help narrow down your search, tell me:

• Are you looking for ongoing investment management or a one-time/hourly financial plan?
• Do you prefer an in-person advisor or are you open to virtual meetings?

• Amaral Financial Planning - 6203 San Ignacio Ave, Ste 110, San Jose, CA 95119
• Michael Garber Financial Planning - 111 N Market St Ste 300, San Jose, CA 95113, United States
• DWR Wealth Management LLC - 1884 The Alameda, San Jose, CA 95126, United States
• Falcon Wealth Planning - 2570 N First St #200, San Jose, CA 95131, United States
• MainStreet Financial Planning, Inc - 236 N Santa Cruz Ave #237, Los Gatos, CA 95030, United States
• Aegis Financial Advisory, LLC - 10080 N. Wolfe Road, 200 Suite SW3, Cupertino, CA 95014, United States
• Werba Rubin Papier - 10 Almaden Blvd, Fl 15, San Jose, CA 95113
• Traveka Wealth, LLC - 175 S San Antonio Rd #101, Los Altos, CA 94022, United States
• Hendershott Wealth Management - 2570 N First St Second Floor, San Jose, CA 95131, United States
• Werba Rubin Papier | WRP Wealth - 1732 N First St St #220, San Jose, CA 95112, United States
• Vested Financial Planning - San Carlos, CA 94070

Yes. Given your criteria, I would specifically look for a fee-only fiduciary—not merely an advisor who says they “act as a fiduciary.” Fee-only planners are compensated by clients rather than commissions, which removes the incentive to sell financial products. NAPFA likewise requires its members to operate on a fee-only basis.

Assuming you're looking in the San Jose/Silicon Valley area, these are worth interviewing:

• Amaral Financial Planning — South San Jose. Fee-only, fiduciary planning with a strong tax-planning component; its public profile says it does not use commissions/products.
• Michael Garber Financial Planning — San Jose/Cupertino area. Particularly interesting if you have stock compensation or other tax-sensitive issues. It describes itself as advice-only and fee-only.
• DWR Wealth Management LLC — San Jose. Independent, fee-only fiduciary firm offering comprehensive planning and investment management. Its website explicitly says its structure is non-commissioned.
• Falcon Wealth Planning — San Jose. Fee-only CFP planning with tax and retirement planning; the firm explicitly says it does not sell products or charge commissions.
• MainStreet Financial Planning, Inc — Los Gatos. Fee-only/advice-focused planning and explicitly does not sell financial products.
• Aegis Financial Advisory, LLC — Cupertino. Fee-only fiduciary planning with a flat annual-fee structure rather than an AUM percentage, and a tax-planning orientation.
• Werba Rubin Papier — San Jose. Fee-only fiduciary wealth management, particularly oriented toward tax, equity compensation and Silicon Valley professionals.

The cleanest match to your requirements may be Amaral, Michael Garber, Aegis, or MainStreet if you specifically want an advisor whose business model isn't built around selling products.

What I'd ask before hiring anyone

I'd ask these questions verbatim:

1. “Are you fee-only, meaning you receive absolutely no commissions or compensation from insurance or investment-product sales?”
2. “Are you a fiduciary at all times, including when making investment recommendations?”
3. “Does your firm or any affiliated person sell life insurance, annuities, or other insurance products?”
4. “If you determine I need insurance, do you refer me to an insurance agent, and do you receive anything from that referral?”
5. “Can I hire you for financial planning without having you manage my investments?”
6. “What exactly will I pay you, and are there any other fees paid to you or an affiliated company?”

That last distinction matters: “fee-based” is not the same as “fee-only.” Fee-based advisors can potentially receive both client fees and commissions, whereas NAPFA's fee-only model prohibits commissions.

You can also search the connect.xyplanningnetwork.com, where the listed advisors are CFP professionals, fee-only, fiduciaries, and required to sign a fiduciary oath.

If you tell me your approximate investable assets (e.g. <$500k, $500k–$2M, $2M+) and whether you want one-time planning or an ongoing relationship, I can narrow this to 3–5 best-fit planners and compare their fees, minimums, specialties, and business models.

• True North Financial Planning - 68 Randall St Ste 120, South Burlington, VT 05403, United States
• Oak Maple Finance, LLC - 35 King St Ste 10, Burlington, VT 05401, United States
• InTrack Investment Management - Pierson House (Suite D6B, 1233 Shelburne Rd, South Burlington, VT 05403, United States
• Pathway Financial Advisors - 2 Market St, South Burlington, VT 05403
• WestView Investment Advisors - 118 Pine St, Burlington, VT 05401, United States
• Copper Leaf Financial, LLC - 33 Blair Park Rd, Williston, VT 05495, United States
• One Day In July Financial Advisors | Burlington, VT - 77 College St #3A, Burlington, VT 05401, United States
• Hanson + Doremus Investments and Planning - 431 Pine St Ste 302, Burlington, VT 05401, United States
• Pathway Financial Advisors LLC - 725 Community Dr Suite 402, South Burlington, VT 05403, United States
• Cadwell Jason, CPA - Vermont Pure Financial - 53 Falls Rd, Shelburne, VT 05482
• Broadlake Financial Management - 99 Swift St #305, South Burlington, VT 05403, United States
• 44 North Capital - 431 Pine St #114, Burlington, VT 05401, United States
• Blue Slate Investment Management - 431 Pine St Unit 215, Burlington, VT 05401, United States

Yes. What you’re describing is best matched by a fee-only fiduciary financial planner. “Fee-only” is important because it means the advisor is compensated by you rather than receiving commissions for selling insurance or investment products. NAPFA specifically requires its registered advisors to be fee-only fiduciaries.

Assuming you're looking around the St. Albans / northern Vermont area, I found several promising options:

• True North Financial Planning — South Burlington. Describes itself as an independent, fee-only fiduciary firm and says it does not receive commissions or referral fees.
• Oak Maple Finance, LLC — Burlington. Fee-only financial planning with a fiduciary orientation; founded by CFP® professional Becky Walsh.
• InTrack Investment Management — South Burlington. Fee-only fiduciary firm offering comprehensive planning and investment management.
• Pathway Financial Advisors — South Burlington. NAPFA-listed, independent, fee-only and explicitly states that it sells no products or receives commissions.
• WestView Investment Advisors — Burlington. Fee-only RIA that says it does not sell proprietary products or receive third-party commissions and acts as a fiduciary.
• Copper Leaf Financial, LLC — Williston. Fee-only, fiduciary financial planning and wealth management.

One particularly strong match

Milne Financial Planning is worth a look if you want someone farther north. It is NAPFA-listed and explicitly states: “We don't sell any products or receive any commissions.” It has offices in St. Johnsbury and Winooski and serves clients more broadly.

What I'd ask before hiring anyone

I'd be very direct:

“Are you fee-only, meaning you receive no commissions whatsoever? Do you or anyone at your firm sell life insurance, annuities, or other insurance products? And are you a fiduciary at all times, not just when providing investment advice?” That distinction matters. “Fee-based” is not the same as “fee-only”; a fee-based advisor can potentially receive commissions from product sales. NAPFA's definition of fee-only excludes those commissions.

You can also search NAPFA's directory by location and fee structure.

If you'd like, I can narrow this down to 3–5 planners within, say, 30–50 miles of St. Albans, and compare their fees, minimum investment requirements, CFP® credentials, specialties, and whether they offer hourly/one-time planning rather than requiring ongoing asset management.

To find a financial planner who meets your exact criteria—meaning they operate as a strict fiduciary and do not sell insurance products, annuities, or earn commissions—you specifically want to look for Fee-Only advisors rather than "Fee-Based" advisors (who can still sell commission-based products like insurance).

Here is where and how you can find vetted professionals who match this standard:

• NAPFA (National Association of Personal Financial Advisors): This is the largest professional association of fee-only, fiduciary financial advisors in the country. Every single member is required to operate on a fee-only basis, sign a fiduciary oath, and accept zero commissions or product-sales incentives. You can use the NAPFA Find an Advisor Search tool to filter by location or virtual services.
• Fee-Only Network: A dedicated directory featuring thousands of independent, fee-only financial planners and wealth managers who do not work for brokerage firms, banks, or insurance companies, ensuring they do not push commissioned products.
• Garrett Planning Network: A network of fee-only, fiduciary financial planners who specifically offer hourly, as-needed, or project-based financial planning without asset minimums or product sales. This is a great option if you want objective advice without ongoing asset-management fees.
• XY Planning Network: A group of fee-only, fiduciary advisors who specialize in working with Gen X and Gen Y clients (though open to all), many of whom operate on a monthly retainer or flat-fee model and do not sell insurance or financial products for commission.

If you'd like to narrow this down, please let me know:

• Your general location (or if you prefer a virtual/remote planner)
• Your preferred fee structure (hourly/project-based vs. ongoing percentage of assets under management)

I can help guide you further on what questions to ask them during an initial consultation!

• Emerick Financial Planning, LLC - 1580 McLaughlin Run Rd #210, Pittsburgh, PA 15241, United States
• North River Wealth Advisors - 5800 Corporate Dr Ste 300, Pittsburgh, PA 15237, United States
• Keystone Investment Advisors - 10521 Perry Hwy, Ste 115, Wexford, PA 15090
• Winthrop Partners - 1700 N Highland Rd Ste 104, Pittsburgh, PA 15241, United States
• All-Pro Advisors LLC - 4117 Fairway Dr, Gibsonia, PA 15044, United States
• Aspire Wealth Architects - 150 N Meadow Dr, Wexford, PA 15090, United States
• Aufman Associates Inc - 2200 Georgetown Dr #401, Sewickley, PA 15143, United States
• Hoffman Capital Advisors, LLC - 1659 PA-228 Ste 5, Cranberry Twp, PA 16066, United States
• Petredis Investment Advisors - 100 Pinewood Ln Ste 307, Warrendale, PA 15086, United States
• Lampert Patricia M, CFP - 811 Camp Horne Rd, Ste 100, Stone Quarry Crossing, Pittsburgh, PA 15237
• Grant Street Asset Management - 380 Southpointe Blvd Plaza II, Ste. 315, Canonsburg, PA 15317, United States
• Franklin Madison Advisors - 2009 Mackenzie Way Ste 100, Cranberry Twp, PA 16066, United States
• Legend Financial Advisors, Inc. - 5700 Corporate Dr Ste 350, Pittsburgh, PA 15237, United States
• Franklin Madison Advisors - 6425 Living Pl Ste 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15206, United States
• Winthrop Partners - 101 E Swissvale Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15218, United States
• Winthrop Partners - 960 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Absolutely. If your priority is a true fiduciary who does not sell insurance or investment products, I would specifically look for a fee-only financial planner. “Fee-only” is important because it means the planner is compensated by you rather than receiving commissions for selling products. NAPFA members, for example, are required to operate on a fee-only basis and may not receive commissions from financial-product sales.

Since you're in the Pittsburgh area, I found several local firms that appear particularly aligned with what you're looking for:

• Emerick Financial Planning, LLC — South Hills/Pittsburgh. This one stands out because it explicitly says it does not sell products, only its time and expertise, and uses hourly or project-based fees. The principal, Carl Emerick, is a CFP® and CPA. This would be my first firm to investigate if you want planning rather than product sales.
• North River Wealth Advisors — Pittsburgh/North Hills. Fee-only, fiduciary, and explicitly says it does not sell products or receive commissions. They offer financial-planning-only services as well as investment management.
• Keystone Investment Advisors — Wexford. Their stated model is particularly close to your request: independent, fee-only, fiduciary, and they say they do not sell commissioned investment products or affiliate with companies that sell financial products.
• Winthrop Partners — Pittsburgh South. Fee-only fiduciary planning and wealth management with no commissions. Worth considering if you want a more comprehensive ongoing relationship.
• All-Pro Advisors LLC — Gibsonia. Fee-only fiduciary firm led by CFP® professionals, with an emphasis on planning and tax-aware advice.
• Aspire Wealth Architects — Wexford. Independent fiduciary RIA that states it does not sell investment products or earn commissions.

My suggestion

I'd start with Emerick Financial Planning, Keystone Investment Advisors, and North River Wealth Advisors because their stated business models appear especially consistent with “I want advice, not someone trying to sell me something.”

You can also use napfa.org. NAPFA specifically requires its registered advisors to adhere to a fee-only fiduciary standard and prohibits commissions for financial-product sales.

When you interview a planner, I'd ask this exact question:

“Are you 100% fee-only, and do you or your firm receive any commissions, referral fees, trails, or other compensation from insurance companies or investment-product providers?” A good answer should be an unequivocal no. NAPFA itself recommends asking prospective advisors whether they receive commissions or incentives and how they ensure advice isn't influenced by product sales.

If you tell me roughly where you are in the Pittsburgh area, your approximate investable assets, and whether you want one-time planning or an ongoing relationship, I can narrow these down to 3–5 best fits and compare their fees, minimums, CFP/NAPFA status, and whether they actually sell insurance products.

To find an advisor who meets your exact criteria—a legal fiduciary who operates on a strict fee-only model (meaning they do not accept commissions, hidden product kickbacks, or sell insurance)—you want to look for specific types of professional designations and directories.

When searching, the terms "fee-based" and "fee-only" are often confused, but they are very different:

• Fee-Based: Can still sell products (like insurance or mutual funds) for a commission in addition to charging fees. Avoid this if you don't want insurance sales.
• Fee-Only: Compensated solely by you via flat, hourly, retainer, or assets-under-management (AUM) fees. They do not earn commissions on any products.
• Advice-Only / Flat-Fee-Only: A growing subset of fee-only planners who charge purely for advice by the hour, project, or flat retainer, without even managing your investments for a percentage.

Where to Search for Qualified Advisors

• NAPFA (National Association of Personal Financial Advisors) : Every advisor in this network is strictly fee-only and bound by a fiduciary oath. You can filter by virtual or local planners.
• Garrett Planning Network : An organization of fee-only, hourly, and as-needed fiduciary planners who generally do not have asset minimums, making them great for standalone advice without product sales.
• Fee-Only Network : A dedicated directory specifically built to highlight professionals completely independent of brokerage or insurance companies.
• XY Planning Network : Focuses on fee-only fiduciary advisors who often specialize in monthly retainer or flat-fee models suitable for modern planning without product commissions.

If you'd like, let me know:

• Do you prefer an hourly/project-based planner or someone for ongoing asset management?
• Are you looking for virtual meetings or someone local to your area (and if local, what city/state)?

I can help you narrow down the best platform or approach for your search.