We start with a 30-minute introductory call, with no paperwork, pressure or obligation. We get an overview of your current financial situation, learn about what you’re working toward and begin forming a sense of whether we’re a good fit for each other. If it makes sense to move forward, we’ll schedule a more comprehensive planning meeting. Our job in that first conversation is to listen, not to sell.

We work best with people who have worked hard, made reasonable decisions and are now asking whether those decisions are going toget them where they want to go. Most of our clients are approaching or already in retirement, and they’re focused on income, taxes, investment strategy andmaking sure the people they love are protected. If you’re looking for anadvisor who will tell you the truth, diagnose before prescribing and stay withyou for the long term, you’ll feel at home here.

Not at all. We have offices in Morton, Bourbonnais and Bloomington, IL; Avon and Littleton, CO; Roanoke, VA; Maumee, OH; and Dallas, TX. Plus, we work with clients across the country. Many of our client relationships are conducted virtually, with no loss of quality or depth. Ifyou’d prefer to meet in person, we’ll find a way to make that happen.

Do you know with confidence what your retirement will look like, including the income, taxes, risk and what might get left behind? Most people we meet with don’t have a clear picture of all four. The gap between what someone thinks they have and what they’ll keep is real. If you’re within10 years of retirement or already there, it’s worth meeting with our team tosee how we can help close that gap.

Nothing is required for the initial call. It’s simply a conversation. If we move to a full planning meeting, it helps to have recent account statements, a sense of your monthly income and expenses, any existing insurance policies and a rough idea of what you’re hoping retirement looks like. Don’t worry about having everything organized. Part of our job is helping you make sense of what you have.

Most financial advisors are good at one thing. They manage investments or sell insurance. Maybe they prepare tax returns. What makes CWA different is that we integrate all four dimensions of your financial life —income, investment, tax and estate — into a single, cohesive plan. Decisions inone area always affect the others, and a plan that ignores those connections will always have blind spots.

We are fiduciaries, which means we are legally required toact in your best interest, not our own. We are independent, so we have no product quotas, corporate shelf of solutions or obligation to any bank or insurance company. Our only obligation is to you.

We also have in-house credentialed professionals, including CFPs^®, a CPA and an Enrolled Agent. Tax strategy is built into your plan from the start, not added as an afterthought or outsourced to someone who doesn’t know your full picture.

Perhaps most importantly, we diagnose before we prescribe. We never offer solutions before we understand your situation. And we will tell you the hard things when they need to be said, because staying quiet when something matters isn’t advice. It’s a disservice to you.

The result is a firm that feels less like a vendor and more like a partner — one that grows with you, challenges you when it counts and stays in your corner for the long term.

The CWA Blueprint is your personalized financial plan. It’sbuilt around your specific goals, timeline and life. The Blueprint covers the four dimensions we look at for every client: income, investment, tax andestate. These aren’t four separate problems; they’re four connected parts of your financial life. Decisions in one area always affect the others, so it’simportant to plan for all of these.

The Blueprint is the document that ties it all together andgives your plan a foundation to build from. Your wealth advisor will work with you in the months and years to come to plan for all these areas as appropriate for your situation.

There are a number of differentiators. We’re independent, which means our recommendations are never constrained by a product quota or narrow selection of solutions. We look at the full picture — income, investment, tax and estate — rather than just one piece. We diagnose before we prescribe, meaning we never offer solutions before we understand your situation. And we have in-house CFPs^®, a CPA and an Enrolled Agent, so tax strategy is built into the planning process rather than farmed out. We also say the hard things when they need to be said, because the alternative doesn’t serve you.

It means we’re not affiliated with any bank, insurance company or brokerage firm that would limit what we can recommend. We have access to a wide range of strategies, investment vehicles and planning solutions — and we use whatever is right for you, not whatever we're incentivized to sell. Our obligation is to you.

Yes. As a Registered Investment Adviser, Creekmur Asset Management, LLC operates under a fiduciary standard, meaning we are legally and ethically required to always act in your best interest. That’s not just a credential. It shapes how we approach every recommendation, conversation and decision we make on your behalf.

Most advisors look at one thing. We always look at four. You can’t solve an income problem without understanding the tax implications. You can’t build an investment strategy without accounting for estate goals. When decisions are treated in isolation, opportunities get missed and mistakes get made. The CWA Blueprint integrates all four so that your plan works as a whole, not just in parts.

We are fee-based, meaning our primary compensation comes from fees paid directly by our clients — typically a percentage of assets under management. We will always be transparent about how we’re compensated before you engage with us, so you can evaluate whether our incentives align with yours. We’ll walk you through the full fee structure during your initial planning meeting.

We don’t publish a hard minimum, but our services are designed for people who have accumulated meaningful assets and are serious about making the most of them. The best way to find out if you’re a fit is to schedule an introductory call. It costs nothing and takes 30 minutes.

That’s a fair question! The terms sound nearly identical, but the difference matters.

A fee-only advisor is compensated exclusively by the client. They charge a flat fee, an hourly rate or a percentage of assets under management — and that’s it. They don’t take any commissions or third-party payments of any kind.

A fee-based advisor — which describes CWA — is primarily compensated through client fees in the same way. The difference is that a fee-based advisor is also licensed to offer and receive compensation for certain products, such as life insurance or annuities, when those solutions are genuinely the right fit.

The distinction matters because the fee-based structure may create a potential conflict of interest that the fee-only structure does not. If an advisor can earn a commission on a product, there is a structural incentive to recommend it, whether or not it’s the best available option.

At CWA, we take this potential conflict seriously. A few things shape how we handle it:
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• We are fiduciaries. As a Registered Investment Adviser, we are legally and ethically required to act in your best interest at all times — not just when we’re giving general advice, but across the full scope of your relationship with us. That standard doesn’t pause when a product enters the conversation.
• We disclose everything. Any compensation we receive is documented in our Form ADV and discussed with you directly. You will always know how we’re being paid before any recommendation is made. We help you find and implement solutions we think fit best with your financial and personal goals.

The reason we operate as fee-based rather than fee-only isthat some of our clients genuinely need access to some solutions (like certain insurance products) that a fee-only structure would prevent us from providing. Our goal is a complete plan, not a constrained one.

If you’d like to review our compensation disclosures before our first meeting, they are available in our Form ADV. We’d rather you ask the question than wonder about it.

Our team includes advisors across eight locations and a range of specialties, from retirement income planning to business exit strategies and advanced tax planning. When you reach out, we’ll match you with an advisor whose background and expertise fits your situation. You can also browse advisor profiles on the “Our Team” page. If you have a preference or a specific need, just let us know — we’ll make sure you’re in the right hands.

You’ll have a dedicated advisor who is responsible for your relationship and plan. As appropriate, your advisor may introduce other members of our advisory team to assist in servicing your accounts. You’ll also have access to our broader team, including our Client Service Team for day-to-day support and our Operations Team for account questions. Plus, we also have in-house planning and tax professionals when your situation calls for it. But your primary wealth advisor is your consistent point of contact and knows your full picture.

You’ll have scheduled reviews — typically at least annually, with many clients meeting more often as appropriate for their personal situation. Beyond scheduled reviews, your advisor is available when life changes: a job transition, a market concern, a large purchase, a loss in the family. You’ll also receive regular communications from our team, including video updates, event invitations and market insights. We stay in your corner between meetings.

Your advisor guides your financial and investment plans and the recommendations you receive. The Client Service & Operations Teams handle the day-to-day tasks: scheduling appointments, answering account questions, processing service requests and making sure your experience with CWA runs smoothly. Think of them as the team that keeps everything moving so your advisor can stay focused on your bigger picture. The team will always update your advisor on any requests you make.

We do both! Our team includes CFPs^®, a CPA and an Enrolled Agent (EA) with deep experience in tax strategy. Tax planning is built into the CWA Blueprint from the start, not added as an afterthought. We help clients minimize their lifetime tax load, invest accounts in the most tax-efficient way possible and prepare for large income events like business sales or stock option vesting. If you have a complex tax situation, we have the in-house expertise to address it directly.

Yes. While tax planning will help you manage your future taxes due, tax preparation is needed to properly record and report past activity. We believe it’s best if these two elements are well-coordinated. We have a qualified team of CPAs and tax professionals to handle your annual tax preparation. Your advisor can share details about how you can engage with our team for a fully integrated experience. This service is part of your annual CWA subscription or can be separately engaged with a one-time fee.

We can — and the earlier we’re involved, the better. Business exit planning is one of the most complex financial events a person navigates, with major implications for taxes, income, investment strategy and estate planning all hitting at once. Several of our advisors hold the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA^®) designation, and our in-house tax professionals can help structure a transition that protects what you’ve built. Reach out before you’re under a letter of intent.

Your advisor guides your financial and investment plans and the recommendations you receive. The Client Service & Operations Teams handle the day-to-day tasks: scheduling appointments, answering account questions, processing service requests and making sure your experience with CWA runs smoothly. Think of them as the team that keeps everything moving so your advisor can stay focused on your bigger picture. The team will always update your advisor on any requests you make.

Your assets are held with a reputable third-party custodian, which may include Fidelity, Charles Schwab or Altruist, depending on your situation. This means CWA manages your investments but never has direct access to your funds. You’ll receive regular statements from your custodian and can log in to view your accounts at any time through our Account Access portal. The separation between advisor and custodian is an important layer of protection for you.

You can log in through the Account Access section of our website. Depending on your accounts, this may include Investment HQ (powered by Orion), Fidelity, Charles Schwab or Altruist. If you’re unsure which portal to use or need help getting set up, our Client Service Team is happy to walk you through it.

We can — and the earlier we’re involved, the better. Business exit planning is one of the most complex financial events a person navigates, with major implications for taxes, income, investment strategy and estate planning all hitting at once. Several of our advisors hold the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®) designation, and our in-house tax professionals can help structure a transition that protects what you’ve built. Reach out before you’re under a letter of intent.

We host educational seminars and workshops throughout the year at our various locations on topics like retirement income, market volatility, tax planning and more. These events are designed to give you real, actionable information — not a sales pitch. You can view upcoming events and reserve your spot on our Events page. We also offer webinars for those who prefer to learn from home or aren’t located near one of our offices.

The USA TODAY Best Financial Advisory Firms 2026 ranking was developed by Statista and is based on independent survey responses and publicly available data. No fee was paid to be considered. CWA has been recognized for two years running. It’s a reflection of the trust our clients place in us and the work our team puts in every day. It’s meaningful to us, and we don’t take the recognition lightly.

We can — and the earlier we’re involved, the better. Business exit planning is one of the most complex financial events a person navigates, with major implications for taxes, income, investment strategy and estate planning all hitting at once. Several of our advisors hold the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®) designation, and our in-house tax professionals can help structure a transition that protects what you’ve built. Reach out before you’re under a letter of intent.

The simplest way is to introduce them directly. Send them to creekmurwealth.com to schedule an introductory call or reach out to your advisor, and we’ll take it from there. We also have a formal Legacy Referral Program for clients who want to be more intentional about connecting people they care about with the kind of planning that’s made a difference in their own lives. Your advisor can walk you through how it works.

Nothing happens all at once — and that’s what makes it easy to put off. The real cost of waiting is revealed by years of lost growth, tax strategies that only work if there’s still time left to use them, and less room to adjust if the market or your health changes the picture before you’ve acted. Most people who wait longer than they meant to don’t regret one bad decision; they regret how much wider the gap got while they assumed there would still be time to close it.

There’s no deadline for having this conversation. But time is the one part of this you don’t get back, which is exactly why it’s worth having now instead of later.

One advantage of working with a team like Creekmur Wealth Advisors is that we’re prepared to assist your heirs and beneficiaries when the time comes. Your advisor who has met and partnered with you over the years to prepare a plan based upon your desired outcomes will be there to answer questions and help your heirs make wise decisions. Our Client Service & Operations Teams will walk through each step of transferring the assets according to your wishes. We know this is a difficult time for beneficiaries, but we are honored to assist them on your behalf with compassion and knowledgeable answers.