Michael Kitces

Michael E. Kitces, MSFS, MTAX, CFP®, is a leading authority on financial planning strategy, tax planning, and retirement income. He is the Chief Financial Planning Nerd at Kitces.com, one of the most widely read industry resources for financial advisors, and serves as Director of Financial Planning Research for Pinnacle Advisory Group, a private wealth management firm overseeing billions of dollars in client assets.

Kitces’s career spans commission-based, fee-based, and fee-only advisory models, giving him a rare, practical perspective on how financial planners operate and evolve. His work focuses on advancing the profession’s body of knowledge and helping advisors navigate an increasingly complex regulatory, tax, and planning landscape.

In addition to his research and writing, Kitces is a prolific speaker and media commentator, regularly featured in The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, The New York Times, Financial Planning, and the Journal of Financial Planning. He is co-author of The Annuity Advisor and a co-founder of several industry platforms, including XY Planning Network, AdvicePay, and FP Pathfinder, all designed to support modern, advice-centric financial planning firms.

Widely recognized for his contributions to the profession, Kitces has received multiple industry honors and has long been active in mentoring the next generation of financial planners through education, community building, and thought leadership.