Financial Advisor for Nurse Practitioners in Charleston, SC
You’ve spent decades caring for patients. Now it’s time to build a plan that takes care of you. We help nurse practitioners lower their tax bill, invest smarter, and retire on their terms.
Financial Advisor, 2025
No commissions. Ever.
Brett Fellows, 20+ Years
You've Earned This
High Income Doesn't Automatically Mean Financial Clarity
You’ve built a career most people never reach. Nurse practitioners at the height of their careers in Charleston earn $130,000 to $175,000 a year or more. That’s real earning power. But it doesn’t automatically translate into a retirement you feel confident about.
After years in clinical practice, many NPs reach a point where the questions get more serious. How much longer do I need to work? Am I actually on track? What happens to my income taxes once I stop earning? Most financial advisors don’t know how to answer those questions for someone with your specific financial picture.
At Oak Capital Advisors, we specialize in helping high-earning medical professionals build a plan that makes work optional. We’re based right here in Charleston, SC, and we understand the tax, retirement, and investment challenges that come with a long career in healthcare.
“I feel like I’ve saved a lot, but I honestly don’t know if it’s enough to retire when I want to.”
“My 403(b) is my biggest asset. I have no idea how to think about taxes once I start pulling from it.”
“I’ve been working for 25 years. I want to know there’s actually a finish line in sight.”
“Can someone build a plan around my situation specifically, not just tell me to max out my 401(k)?”
If those questions sound familiar, you’re in the right place.
What We See Every Day
The Financial Challenges Nurse Practitioners Face Before Retirement
NPs are skilled clinicians who’ve built significant wealth over long careers. But the path from here to a confident retirement is more complicated than most advisors appreciate. These are the challenges we work through with NPs every day.
A Large Pre-Tax Account and No Plan for It
Most NPs nearing retirement have the majority of their savings in a 403(b) or 401(k). Every dollar in those accounts gets taxed as ordinary income when you pull it out. Without a strategy, you can end up handing a significant portion of your savings to the IRS right when you need it most.
Not Knowing When “Enough” Is Actually Enough
This is the question we hear most often. You’ve saved consistently for years, but you’ve never seen a retirement projection built around your actual numbers. That uncertainty keeps a lot of NPs working longer than they need to.
IRMAA Surcharges on Medicare
High earners get hit with Medicare surcharges called IRMAA, and the calculation is based on your income from two years prior. Without planning for this transition, many NPs pay thousands more in Medicare premiums than they should.
Social Security Timing
For someone with a long, high-earning career, getting Social Security timing right is one of the most valuable decisions you can make. Claim too early and you leave money on the table. The right answer depends on your health, your spouse’s situation, and your other income sources.
The Gap Between Retirement and Medicare
If you retire before 65, you need to cover health insurance on your own until Medicare kicks in. That cost can run $1,000 to $2,000 a month or more. It’s one of the most overlooked expenses in early retirement, and it changes your timeline significantly if you haven’t accounted for it.
No Clear Withdrawal Strategy
Knowing how much you’ve saved is only part of the picture. Knowing which accounts to pull from, in what order, and how to manage taxes while doing it is where most NPs have a gap. The sequence of withdrawals matters more than most people realize.
What We Do Together
Financial Planning Built Around Your Life as a Nurse Practitioner
Every NP comes in with a different mix of accounts, income sources, and goals. We build a plan around yours, not a template.
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 think, and it has a real impact on your taxes.
Tax Planning
We look at your full tax picture throughout the year, not just at filing time. Proactive planning is where the real savings happen for high earners approaching retirement.
Investment Management
Evidence-based portfolios built around your goals, timeline, and risk tolerance. Low costs. No market predictions. No products that benefit us more than they benefit you.
Social Security Optimization
For NPs with long, high-earning careers, Social Security timing is one of the most valuable financial decisions you’ll make. We run the numbers so you can choose with confidence.
Estate and Legacy Planning
We coordinate with your estate attorney to make sure your assets pass 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
Take a Time-Out
We’re looking for a long-term relationship, not a quick transaction. After your call, take the time you need to decide if working together makes sense. If we aren’t the right fit, we’ll do our best to point you toward someone who is.
3
Induction of Ongoing Advice
Once you decide to move forward, we get to work. We gather a full picture of your finances, build your personalized plan, and become your ongoing financial partner. You delegate the complexity. We handle it.
Why Oak Capital Advisors
A Financial Advisor Who Understands High-Earning Medical Professionals
Most financial advisors serve everyone. We’ve built our practice around the specific financial planning needs of nurses and advanced practice providers. That focus changes the quality of advice you receive.
Built for Medical Professionals
We work specifically with nurses and advanced practice providers. We understand 403(b) plans, hospital employer benefits, and the career arc that NPs navigate. You won’t have to explain your world to us.
Fee-Only and Fiduciary
We charge a transparent fee for our services. We don’t earn commissions. We don’t sell products. We have a legal and ethical obligation to put your interests first, always.
Investopedia Top 100 Financial Advisor
In 2022, Brett Fellows was named one of the top 100 financial advisors in the U.S. by Investopedia. That recognition reflects a track record of expertise and a commitment to client education.
Local to Charleston, SC
We’re based on Mt. Pleasant We know the local healthcare employers, the cost of living, and the retirement landscape here in the Lowcountry. That context matters when building your plan.
20+ Years of Experience
Brett Fellows has been in financial planning since 2005. That experience spans multiple market cycles, tax law changes, and the full range of financial 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 Nurse Practitioners in Charleston Ask Us Most
There’s no universal number. It depends on what you want retirement to look like, what other income sources you’ll have, and how you plan to manage taxes. What we do know is that a rough estimate isn’t good enough when it comes to a decision this important. We build retirement projections using your real numbers so you can see exactly where you stand and what it will take to get where you want to go.
It means every dollar you withdraw from that account gets taxed as ordinary income. For many NPs, that creates a significant tax problem in retirement, especially once Required Minimum Distributions kick in at age 73. Roth conversion planning in the years between retirement and Social Security is one of the most powerful ways to reduce that burden. We model this out specifically for each client we work with.
For NPs with long, high-earning careers, this is one of the most consequential financial decisions you’ll make. Claiming early locks in a permanently lower benefit. Waiting until 70 gives you the maximum monthly amount, which makes sense for many people in good health. The right answer depends on your health, your spouse’s situation, and what other income you’ll have. We run the numbers so you can decide with clarity.
IRMAA stands for Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount. It’s a Medicare surcharge that high earners pay on top of standard Part B and Part D premiums. The calculation is based on your income from two years prior, which means the income you earn in your final working years can increase your Medicare costs in your first years of retirement. With the right planning, this is a manageable problem. Without planning, it’s an expensive surprise.
Then you’ll need to cover your own health insurance until Medicare eligibility kicks in. Depending on your age and health, that could run $1,000 to $2,000 a month or more. It’s one of the most underestimated costs in early retirement. We factor it into your plan from the beginning so it doesn’t derail your timeline.
No. We work with nurse practitioners across the country via phone and Zoom. If you’re local to the Charleston area, we’re glad 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.
Oak Capital Advisors
126 Seven Farms Drive Suite 160,
Charleston, SC 29492 • (843) 284-0798
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