Peak Retirement Planning is an SEC-registered investment adviser in Columbus, Ohio, founded by Joe Schmitz Jr., CFP. It manages about $631 million for roughly 900 client households, charges an asset-based fee with a stated maximum of 1.50% per year, has no account minimum, and markets specifically to retirees with $1 million or more saved, often with pensions.
Key takeaways
- Peak Retirement Planning, Inc. (CRD #317592) was established in November 2021 as an Ohio-registered adviser and moved to SEC registration in May 2024. Founder Joe Schmitz Jr. holds the CFP, ChFC, and CKA designations and owns 75% or more of the firm.
- Per its July 2026 Form ADV, the firm reported $631,022,251 in regulatory assets under management, all discretionary, across 3,675 accounts and 910 clients (565 individuals, 345 high-net-worth individuals).
- The published fee schedule is simple: a maximum annual advisory fee of 1.50% on all account values, billed monthly in arrears and negotiable at the firm's discretion. Financial planning is included in the asset management fee.
- The firm is fee-based, not fee-only. Its Form ADV discloses that representatives are licensed insurance agents who can earn commissions on insurance products, a conflict the brochure describes directly.
- Neither the firm nor its listed principals report any disciplinary disclosures on Form ADV or Form CRS as of the most recent filings.
Who Peak Retirement Planning is
Peak Retirement Planning is a young firm that has grown unusually fast. Joe Schmitz Jr. launched it in Columbus in late 2021, and by early 2026 the firm's Form ADV showed $631 million under management with 22 non-clerical employees, 16 of whom perform investment advisory functions. Custodian Altruist, which profiled the firm as a client success story, credits the growth to a content marketing engine: a large YouTube channel aimed at people near retirement, books authored by Schmitz (I Hate Taxes, Midwestern Millionaire, and The 2% Club), regular Kiplinger contributor articles, TV segments, and workshops. The firm landed on the 2025 Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies.
The target client is explicit. Peak markets to what it calls "Midwestern Millionaires," people in or near retirement with $1 million to $10 million saved, frequently with pensions, who care a lot about taxes. That is a narrower and more deliberate niche than most advisory firms manage, and it shapes everything from the firm's "5 Pillar" planning framework (taxes, investments, income, healthcare, estate) to its media output.
Regulatory basics check out. The firm is registered with the SEC (file number 801-130337), holds itself to a fiduciary standard per its Form CRS, uses Altruist and Charles Schwab as independent custodians, and reports no criminal, regulatory, or civil judicial disclosures. The Better Business Bureau lists it as accredited since 2022 with an A+ rating. Schmitz is CEO and also the firm's Chief Compliance Officer, which is common at firms this size but worth knowing: there is no independent compliance layer above the founder.
Services, fees, and minimums
The figures below come from Peak's Form ADV Part 1 and Part 2A brochure dated July 8, 2026, which you can verify yourself at adviserinfo.sec.gov under CRD #317592.
| Item | Detail (per Form ADV) |
|---|---|
| Assets under management | $631,022,251, all discretionary (as of Feb 27, 2026) |
| Clients | 910 total: 565 individuals, 345 high-net-worth individuals |
| Advisory fee | Maximum 1.50% per year on all account values, billed monthly in arrears, negotiable |
| Financial planning | Included in the asset management fee, no separate charge |
| Estate planning assistance | Flat fee up to $2,000 per engagement, sometimes waived |
| Tax preparation | In-house CPA available at a separate negotiated flat rate |
| Account minimum | None |
| Performance fees | None |
| Custodians | Altruist and/or Charles Schwab |
| Disciplinary disclosures | None reported |
Two things stand out for a FatFIRE-sized portfolio.
First, the published schedule has no breakpoints. Many RIAs tier fees down as assets grow, often to 1% or less at $1 million and well under that at $5 million. Peak's brochure instead lists a single 1.50% maximum for all values and states that fees are negotiable and can be lower than the standard fee. At the stated maximum, a $3 million portfolio would pay $45,000 per year and a $5 million portfolio $75,000. If you engage this firm at $2 million and up, negotiate, and get the agreed rate in writing before signing. The brochure itself notes that comparable services may be available elsewhere for lower fees.
Second, the firm is fee-based rather than fee-only. Form ADV reports that all 16 advisory employees are also licensed insurance agents, and the brochure discloses that commissionable insurance products "can conflict with the goals and objectives of the client," adding that clients are never required to implement recommendations through Peak representatives. The firm's own homepage describes offering both investment advisory services and insurance services, including annuities. None of this is unusual for retirement-focused firms, and disclosure here is straightforward, but it is a real structural conflict: an adviser who can earn a commission on an annuity is not in the same position as one who cannot. Ask any Peak adviser, in writing, how they are compensated on each product they recommend.
What actual reviews say
Genuine third-party client review data on Peak is thin, which is normal for RIAs since SEC marketing rules long discouraged testimonials. The BBB profile shows an A+ rating with minimal review volume. Employee reviews on Indeed and Glassdoor are positive but speak to culture, not client outcomes. The most substantive external account is Altruist's case study, which is favorable but comes from a business partner, not a client. Treat the firm's large YouTube following as evidence of marketing skill, not advisory skill. The strongest independent signals available are the clean regulatory record and the growth in real client assets, both verifiable in SEC filings.
How to evaluate any retirement advisor
Whatever you conclude about Peak, run the same checks on any firm that will manage your retirement assets:
- Pull the Form ADV yourself. Search the firm at adviserinfo.sec.gov. Part 1 gives you assets, client counts, and disciplinary history. Part 2A, the brochure, gives you fees and conflicts in plain English. Read Items 5 (fees), 10 (industry affiliations), and 12 (brokerage practices) at minimum.
- Confirm fiduciary status and when it applies. An SEC-registered adviser owes you a fiduciary duty for advisory accounts. If the same person also sells insurance, that sale may sit outside the advisory relationship. Ask which hat they wear for each recommendation.
- Distinguish fee-only from fee-based. Fee-only advisers are compensated solely by client fees. Fee-based advisers can also collect commissions. Neither is automatically bad, but you should know which you are dealing with before any product discussion.
- Check the individual, not just the firm. Every adviser has a personal CRD number. Look up your specific contact for exams, employment history, and disclosures.
- Negotiate at scale, and get breakpoints in writing. On a seven-figure portfolio, 50 basis points of fee difference compounds into hundreds of thousands of dollars over a retirement. Our guides to retirement planning and wealth management cover what full-balance-sheet service should include at each fee level.
Bottom line
Peak Retirement Planning is a legitimate, fast-growing, SEC-registered firm with a clean disciplinary record, a clearly defined niche, and an unusually strong education arm for its size. The planning-included fee model and lack of an account minimum are client-friendly. The two items to scrutinize are the flat 1.50% maximum fee, which is high for larger portfolios unless negotiated down, and the insurance licensing across the advisory team, which introduces commission conflicts the firm itself discloses. It is a reasonable candidate for a tax-focused retiree with $1 million to $10 million who wants one firm handling planning, investments, and tax prep, and a weaker fit for cost-sensitive self-directed investors or those who insist on fee-only advice. For a contrast at the institutional end of the spectrum, see our review of Northern Trust Wealth Management.
All figures verified against Peak Retirement Planning's Form ADV filings (CRD #317592) at adviserinfo.sec.gov, current as of the July 8, 2026 amendment. Fees and terms can change; confirm directly with the firm before engaging.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Peak Retirement Planning charge?
Peak Retirement Planning charges a maximum annual advisory fee of 1.50% on all account values, billed monthly in arrears and negotiable at the firm's discretion. Financial planning is included in that fee at no separate charge. The schedule has no breakpoints, so at the maximum a $3 million portfolio would pay $45,000 a year and a $5 million portfolio $75,000.
Is Peak Retirement Planning fee-only or fee-based?
Peak Retirement Planning is fee-based, not fee-only. Its Form ADV discloses that all 16 advisory employees are also licensed insurance agents who can earn commissions on insurance products, including annuities. The firm's brochure describes this conflict directly and notes clients are never required to implement recommendations through Peak representatives, but it is a real structural conflict worth understanding.
Does Peak Retirement Planning have an account minimum?
No, Peak Retirement Planning has no account minimum. It markets specifically to what it calls "Midwestern Millionaires," people in or near retirement with $1 million to $10 million saved, frequently with pensions, who care a lot about taxes. The firm manages about $631 million for roughly 900 client households across 3,675 accounts.
Does Peak Retirement Planning have any disciplinary history?
No, neither the firm nor its listed principals report any disciplinary disclosures on Form ADV or Form CRS as of the most recent filings. Peak is registered with the SEC, holds itself to a fiduciary standard, uses Altruist and Charles Schwab as independent custodians, and is BBB accredited since 2022 with an A+ rating. Founder Joe Schmitz Jr. is also the firm's Chief Compliance Officer.
How can I verify an advisory firm's fees and conflicts myself?
Verify an advisory firm by pulling its Form ADV yourself at adviserinfo.sec.gov using the firm's CRD number. Part 1 gives you assets, client counts, and disciplinary history, while Part 2A, the brochure, gives fees and conflicts in plain English. Read Items 5 for fees, 10 for industry affiliations, and 12 for brokerage practices at minimum, and check the individual advisor's own CRD number too.