Essential Planning provides financial planning, portfolio management for individuals and small businesses, selecting other managers, estate planning, insurance, and tax planning. Financial planning was provided to 500 clients last fiscal year.
Essential Planning reports 573 clients. They include 410 individual clients and 163 high-net-worth individuals. Of its assets, 100.0% ($524M across 2,207 accounts) are managed with discretion. It advised 8 clients without assets under management last fiscal year.
| Client type | Clients | Assets |
|---|---|---|
| Individuals (other than HNW) | 72% | 35% |
| High-net-worth individuals | 28% | 65% |
Client breakdown and activity details
| Client type | Clients | Regulatory AUM | AUM share | Avg. per client |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individuals (other than HNW) | 410 | $185M | 35.3% | $451K |
| High-net-worth individuals | 163 | $339M | 64.7% | $2.08M |
| Total | 573 | $524M | 100% | $915K |
- Clients
- 410
- Regulatory AUM
- $185M
- AUM share
- 35.3%
- Avg. per client
- $451K
- Clients
- 163
- Regulatory AUM
- $339M
- AUM share
- 64.7%
- Avg. per client
- $2.08M
Total
- Clients
- 573
- Regulatory AUM
- $524M
- AUM share
- 100%
- Avg. per client
- $915K
- Clients outside the U.S.
- 0%
- Clients advised without assets under management last fiscal year
- 8
- Private funds advised
- 0
- Financial planning clients last fiscal year
- 500
Essential Planning charges 0.60%–1.25% a year for its Ongoing Advisory Services. The fee is billed in arrears. The brochure also prices one other service, listed under fee details.
Fee details and sources
Other fees
- Stand-alone financial planning
- Stand-alone initial financial planning and consulting fee ranges from $500 to $10,000, depending on the scope of services.
Andrew Lord owns 75% or more of Essential Planning. The leadership team of Essential Planning includes Chief Compliance Officer Andrew Lord. It has 11 employees, 3 of them in advisory roles.
Leadership
Andrew LordMember, Chief Compliance Officer
Investment adviser representatives
3 representatives listed in the SEC register as of 9 October 2026.
Staff
- 11 employees
- 3 in advisory functions
- 3 state-registered reps
- 2 broker-dealer reps
- 3 insurance agents
- Owns 75% or more of Essential Planning, LLC
Andrew Lord
Control person · since January 1984
Essential Planning’s regulatory assets grew 1.9× from $275M (July 2021) to $524M (March 2026); clients rose from 524 to 573 and employees from 7 to 11.
Figures from each annual filing
| Filed | Regulatory AUM | Clients | Employees | Offices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 2026 | $524M | 573 | 11 | 2 |
| March 2025 | $440M | 535 | 11 | 2 |
| March 2024 | $379M | 513 | 9 | 2 |
| March 2023 | $310M | 488 | 9 | 2 |
| April 2022 | $333M | 455 | 7 | 2 |
| July 2021 | $275M | 524 | 7 | 2 |
Besides its headquarters, Essential Planning has 1 office, with 2 listed addresses in New Hampshire.
New Hampshire · 2 listed addresses
- 500 Market Street, Unit 1d, PortsmouthHQ
- 64 Center Street, Wolfeboro Falls
Contact and registration details
- Legal name
- Essential Planning, LLC
- Headquarters
- 500 Market Street, Unit 1d, Portsmouth, NH 03801
- Website
- essential-planning.com
- Phone
- 603-427-5164
- @essential-planning-llc
- SEC file
- 801-51363
- Founded
- 1984
- Structure
- New Hampshire LLC
- Fiscal year end
- December
Essential Planning uses Charles Schwab ($469M) as custodian for its separately managed accounts. Essential Planning has custody of $193M in client assets for 244 clients.
- Charles SchwabCharles Schwab & Co., Inc. · San Francisco, CA · $469M100%
At year end, Essential Planning’s separately managed accounts were mostly in funds (70%) and stocks (18%). Its reported 13F holdings for the quarter ended 30 June 2026 total $354M across 87 positions; the largest are Dimensional ETF Trust (15.7%), Vanguard BD Index Fds (14.0%) and Vanguard Index Fds (7.4%).
What the accounts hold
- Stocks18%
- Funds70%
- Bonds1%
- Cash11%
Reported 13F holdings
- $354M
- Reported 13F value
- 87
- Positions
- 65.9%
- In the 10 largest
- +12.5%
- Value vs. prior quarter
- Dimensional ETF Trust · US Core EQT Mkt15.7%
- Vanguard BD Index Fds · Total Bnd Mrkt14.0%
- Vanguard Index Fds · Total Stk Mkt7.4%
- Dimensional ETF Trust · Intl Core EQT MK5.7%
- Dimensional ETF Trust · Shor Dur Fix ETF4.6%
- J P Morgan Exchange Traded F · Jpmorgam Ltd Dur4.4%
- Dimensional ETF Trust · US Cor Equ 1 ETF3.8%
- Dimensional ETF Trust · Core Fixe IN ETF3.6%
- Dimensional ETF Trust · US Cor Equ 2 ETF3.5%
- State Str SPDR S&P 500 ETF T · TR Unit3.3%
Together, the ten largest are 65.9% of reported value.
How many clients does Essential Planning have?
Essential Planning has 573 clients and manages $524 million for them, as of March 2026. They include 410 individual clients and 163 high-net-worth individuals.
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Items 5.D and 5.F, filed 23 March 2026
What services does Essential Planning offer?
Essential Planning provides financial planning, portfolio management for individuals and small businesses, selecting other managers, estate planning, insurance, and tax planning.
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Item 5.G, from the SEC's 2 October 2026 data file; Part 2A brochure, Item 4
How much does Essential Planning charge?
Essential Planning charges 0.60%–1.25% a year for its Ongoing Advisory Services. The fee is billed in arrears.
Source: ESSENTIAL PLANNING, LLC FORM ADV PART 2A 2026, filed 23 March 2026
Which custodians does Essential Planning use?
Essential Planning’s separately managed account assets are held at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (San Francisco, CA), with $469M. Only custodians holding at least a tenth of those assets are named.
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Schedule D, Section 5.K.(3), filed 23 March 2026
How many financial advisors does Essential Planning have?
Essential Planning has 3 investment adviser representatives registered with state securities authorities, out of 11 employees, and 3 perform investment advisory functions. 2 employees are registered representatives of a broker-dealer and 3 employees are licensed insurance agents.
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Items 5.A and 5.B, from the SEC's 2 October 2026 data file
What does Essential Planning invest in?
At the end of its last fiscal year, Essential Planning’s separately managed accounts held 70% registered funds (mutual funds, ETFs, BDCs), 18% exchange-traded equities, 11% cash and equivalents and 1% U.S. government and agency bonds.
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Items 5.K.(1) and 7.B, from the SEC's 2 October 2026 data file
Who owns Essential Planning?
Essential Planning’s direct owner is Andrew Lord (75% or more).
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Schedules A and B, filed 23 March 2026
How does Essential Planning get paid?
Essential Planning is paid through a percentage of assets under management, hourly charges and fixed fees. Its Form ADV lists no commissions or performance-based fees among how it is paid.
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Item 5.E, from the SEC's 2 October 2026 data file
Is Essential Planning registered with the SEC?
Yes, Essential Planning has been registered with the SEC as an investment adviser since 15 March 1996. Its CRD number is 106651 and its SEC file number is 801-51363.
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Item 1, filed 23 March 2026; IAPD firm record
How do I contact Essential Planning?
Essential Planning’s main office is at 500 Market Street, Unit 1d, Portsmouth, NH 03801. Its phone number is 603-427-5164. Its website is essential-planning.com.