Financial Advisor for crnaS in Charleston, SC

You’ve built a high-income career. Now let’s make sure your money works as hard as you do. We help CRNAs lower their tax bill, invest smarter, and retire on their terms.

Wealthtender Voice of the Client™
Financial Advisor, 2025

Fee-Only & Fiduciary
No commissions. Ever.

CFP® Professional
Brett Fellows, 20+ Years

You've Earned This

Money Is Complicated for CRNAs. It Doesn't Have to Stay That Way.

Few healthcare professionals earn what a CRNA earns. In Charleston, the average CRNA brings home $200,000 to $230,000 a year. That’s real money. But high income comes with high complexity, and most financial advisors aren’t equipped to handle what you’re actually dealing with.

Your retirement accounts are large and mostly pre-tax. Your income pushes you into a high tax bracket year after year. You may be juggling W-2 work, 1099 locum shifts, or both. And if you’re being honest, you’ve probably wondered how much longer you actually want to keep doing this.

At Oak Capital Advisors, we specialize in one thing: helping CRNAs reach financial independence. We’re based in Charleston, SC and work with CRNAs across the country. We’ve spent years building a planning process around the specific financial challenges that come with your career.

“How do I know if I can afford to make work optional in the next few years?”

“I have a large 403(b). Is all of that money going to get taxed when I retire?”

“My income is high, but I still don’t feel financially confident. What am I missing?”

“Can someone actually build a plan around my specific situation as a CRNA, not just generic advice?”

If those questions sound familiar, you’re in the right place.

What We See Every Day

The Financial Challenges CRNAs Face

We’ve worked with enough CRNAs to know the patterns. These aren’t small problems. Left unaddressed, they can cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of your retirement.

The Pre-Tax Retirement Account Problem

Most CRNAs have significant balances in 403(b) or 457(b) plans. Every dollar in those accounts will be taxed as ordinary income when you pull it out. Without a strategy, you could hand a large portion of your retirement savings to the IRS.

Career Burnout and the “Can I Quit?” Question

The physical and emotional toll of anesthesia work is real. Many CRNAs come to us burned out and unsure whether they’ve saved enough to stop. We help you answer that question with clarity, not guesswork.

IRMAA Surcharges on Medicare

Your high income during your working years can trigger Medicare surcharges called IRMAA, adding thousands to your healthcare costs in retirement. Planning for this early makes a significant difference.

W-2 vs. 1099 Complexity

Many CRNAs work both employed positions and locum tenens shifts. The tax implications are different for each. Most advisors aren’t familiar with how to coordinate both income streams effectively.

No Clear Retirement Income Plan

Saving is one thing. Knowing how to actually draw income in retirement without triggering excessive taxes is another. Most CRNAs haven’t thought through which accounts to pull from, and in what order.

Social Security Timing

High earners have the most to gain from getting Social Security timing right. A single decision about when to claim can mean the difference of $100,000 or more over your lifetime.

What We Do Together

Financial Planning Built Around Your Life as a CRNA

We don’t offer cookie-cutter plans. Every CRNA comes in with a different mix of accounts, income sources, and goals. We build a plan around yours.

Roth Conversion Planning

We identify the right years to move pre-tax dollars to Roth, reducing your lifetime tax burden and building a tax-free bucket for retirement.

Retirement Income Strategy

We map out which accounts you’ll draw from, in what order, and when. The sequence matters more than most people realize.

Tax Planning

We look at your full tax picture every year, not just at tax season. Year-round planning is where the real savings happen.

Investment Management

Evidence-based portfolios designed around your goals, timeline, and risk tolerance. No market predictions. No product sales.

Social Security Optimization

For high earners, timing Social Security correctly is one of the most important financial decisions you’ll make. We run the numbers so you can decide with confidence.

Estate and Legacy Planning

We coordinate with your estate attorney to make sure your assets transfer to the right people with as little tax friction as possible.

How It Works

Getting Started Is Simpler Than You Think

We don’t believe in pressure. We believe in fit. Our process is designed to give you a clear picture of how we can help before you make any commitment.

1

Schedule Your Introductory Call

Think of it like your Pre-Op Assessment. Share your plans and your current challenges. We’ll talk about our process and see if we’re a good fit for working together.
You’ll see, at a high level, how our firm can improve your finances and help you build, grow, and preserve your wealth. To learn more about what to expect, check out our full discovery process.

2

Think About It!

At the end of the call, we will simply ask you to think about it. We are looking for long-term relationships, not a quick transaction. If we aren’t the right fit, we will happily help you find another professional with the right expertise. There is never a hard sell or pressure to say “yes.”

3

Induction of Ongoing Advice

Once you decide to move forward, we gather a full picture of your finances, build your plan, and become your ongoing financial partner. You delegate the complexity. We handle it.

Why Oak Capital Advisors

A Financial Advisor Who Actually Understands CRNAs

There are thousands of financial advisors in South Carolina. Very few of them have spent years focused specifically on the financial planning needs of CRNAs. That focus matters.

Specialized in CRNA Finances

We’ve spent years learning the specific tax, retirement, and income planning challenges that come with a career in anesthesia. We don’t need you to explain what a 403(b) or locum position is.

Fee-Only and Fiduciary

We charge a transparent fee. We don’t earn commissions, and we don’t sell products. Our obligation is to you.

Wealthtender Voice of the Client™ Award

In 2025, Brett Fellows was named a Wealthtender Highly Rated Advisor, recognizing advisors who consistently earn superior client reviews with an average rating of 4.75 or higher.

Based in Charleston, SC. Working Nationwide.

We’re based on Charleston, SC and work with CRNAs across the country via phone and Zoom. Local clients are welcome to meet in person at our Charleston office.

20+ Years of Experience

Brett Fellows has been in financial planning since 2005. He’s seen multiple market cycles, tax law changes, and the full range of situations that professionals like you face.

CFP® Certified

The CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation is the gold standard in financial planning. Only about 25% of financial advisors in the U.S. hold it. Brett is one of them.

Common Questions

What CRNAs in Charleston Ask Us Most

I'm a CRNA making over $200k a year. How much do I actually need to retire?

It depends on your expenses, your planned retirement age, and your income sources. A rough benchmark: CRNAs targeting a comfortable retirement often need between $1.5M and $2.5M in investable assets. The only way to know your real number is to build a plan around your specific situation.

I have close to $1 million in my 403(b). Am I going to get hammered on taxes when I start withdrawing?

Without a strategy, yes. A large pre-tax 403(b) creates a significant tax problem in retirement when required minimum distributions kick in. Roth conversions during the years between retirement and Social Security can dramatically reduce your lifetime tax burden. The right conversion amount each year depends on your full tax picture. We model this out specifically for each client.

I work both W-2 at a hospital and pick up 1099 locum shifts. How does that affect my taxes and retirement options?

This combination is very common and adds real planning complexity. On the 1099 side, you may be able to open a Solo 401(k) or SEP-IRA, creating additional tax savings beyond your hospital plan. On the W-2 side, your employer plan contributions factor into those limits. Coordinating both income streams correctly is where most generalist advisors fall short.

What's the difference between a fee-only financial advisor and a regular one?

A fee-only advisor charges you directly and earns no commissions from products they recommend. A commission-based advisor earns money when they sell you something, which creates a conflict of interest. As a fee-only fiduciary, we’re legally required to put your interests first. Always.

I'm a burned-out CRNA in my early 50s. How do I know if I can actually afford to stop working soon?

That’s the question we help answer more than any other. We build a retirement readiness analysis that looks at your savings, your expected expenses, your income sources, and your tax situation. After that work, you’ll know exactly where you stand and what, if anything, still needs to happen before you can make work optional.

Do I have to be in Charleston, SC to work with Oak Capital Advisors?

No. We’re based in Charleston, SC and work with CRNAs nationwide via phone and Zoom. If you’re local, we’re happy to meet in person.

Take the guess-work out of your financial future.

Start with a free 30-minute call. We’ll talk through your situation, answer your questions, and show you how we can help. No pressure. No obligation.

Schedule a Meeting

Free 30-minute call • Fee-Only Financial Planners in Charleston, SC • Serving CRNAs Nationwide

Oak Capital Advisors

126 Seven Farms Drive Suite 160, Charleston, SC 29492
(843) 284-0798