Modern glass office towers representing professional financial stewardship

Fee-Only Fiduciary Advisor · Seattle, WA

Wealth Built on Precision.
Protected by Principle.

Meridian Wealth Partners is a fee-only, SEC-registered investment advisor serving Seattle families and business owners. We are fiduciaries — legally required to act in your interest, not ours.

Schedule a ConsultationOur Philosophy
Fiduciary AdvisorCertified Financial PlannerEstate PlanningPortfolio Management

$850M+

Assets Under Management

Trusted by Seattle families and business owners since 2008

18

Years Experience

Fee-only fiduciary advising — founded in Seattle, still here today

350+

Client Families

Relationships built on transparency, not commissions

Fiduciary

Standard — Always

SEC-registered RIA · legally required to act in your best interest

SEC-Registered RIAFee-OnlyFiduciaryCERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™

What We Do

Financial planning done with you.

We don’t sell products. We provide advice — and our fee structure means our recommendations are never influenced by commissions or proprietary products.

Retired couple reviewing their financial plan

Retirement Planning

We work with you to develop a clear picture of what retirement looks like for your family — how much you need, when you can get there, and what decisions between now and then affect the outcome. No projections that promise a number; a process that builds clarity.

Investment portfolio performance charts on screen

Investment Management

We build and manage diversified portfolios aligned to your goals and risk tolerance, using low-cost index funds where appropriate. We make investment decisions based on your plan — not on market speculation or proprietary products.

Tax planning documents and calculator on desk

Tax Planning

Tax-efficient investing, Roth conversion analysis, charitable giving strategies, and coordination with your CPA. We don't prepare tax returns, but we work closely with your tax professional to minimize lifetime tax burden.

Estate planning documents being reviewed

Estate Planning

Beneficiary designations, trust coordination, gifting strategies, and working with your estate attorney to ensure your wealth transfers the way you intend. We review estate documents as part of our onboarding process for every client.

Why Fiduciary

The word that changes everything.

Most financial professionals are held to a "suitability" standard — meaning they can recommend products that are merely suitable, even if better options exist. Fiduciaries must recommend what’s best. The difference matters.

We are legally required to act in your interest

As a registered investment advisor, Meridian Wealth is bound by a fiduciary standard — we must always recommend what's best for you, not what generates the highest fee for us.

Fee-only means no commissions, ever

We charge a transparent advisory fee — either a percentage of assets under management or a flat retainer. We receive no commissions, no 12b-1 fees, no referral payments, and no payments from any financial product provider.

Our Form ADV is public

As an SEC-registered RIA, we file a Form ADV that discloses our fees, services, and any conflicts of interest. You can download it at any time from the SEC's IAPD database.

We work only with clients we can genuinely help

If your situation isn't a good fit for our firm, we'll tell you — and point you toward resources or advisors that are. We'd rather refer you well than onboard you poorly.

The Team

Credentials you can verify.

CFP® and CFA designations require rigorous exams, ongoing education, and adherence to a code of ethics. You can verify both at cfp.net and cfainstitute.org.

David Meridian CFP at Meridian Wealth Partners Seattle

David Meridian, CFP®

Founder & Lead Advisor

David founded Meridian Wealth after 12 years at a wirehouse where he grew frustrated with commission-based incentives. He holds the CFP® designation and specializes in retirement transition planning for Seattle professionals.

Lisa Chen CFA at Meridian Wealth Partners

Lisa Chen, CFA

Investment Analyst

Lisa manages portfolio construction and ongoing investment oversight. She holds the CFA designation and spent six years in institutional asset management before joining Meridian in 2021.

Client Perspectives

What our clients say.

Past experience is not indicative of future results. Investment outcomes vary based on individual circumstances, market conditions, and other factors.

★★★★★

“David walked us through our retirement timeline in a way no one had before. We came in with three different 401(k)s from past jobs and no clear plan. We left with a consolidated picture and a concrete set of decisions to make each year.”

RS

Robert & Karen S.

Seattle, WA · Retired educators

★★★★★

“What I appreciate most about Meridian is that David is direct about what we can control and honest about what we can't. He doesn't make promises about the market — he helps us plan around uncertainty. That's what I was looking for.”

PL

Priya L.

Seattle, WA · Business owner

★★★★★

“The first meeting was completely pressure-free. Lisa showed us exactly how our portfolio was constructed, what we were paying in fund fees, and how that compared to alternatives. Nobody had ever shown us the actual numbers before.”

TC

Tom & Wei C.

Seattle, WA · Pre-retirees

Where We Work

Serving Greater Seattle.

Our advisors meet clients in person at our downtown Seattle office or via video call anywhere in the Pacific Northwest.

SeattleBellevueKirklandRedmondRentonMercer IslandBothellShorelineKenmoreIssaquahSammamishNewcastle

FAQ

Common questions.

What does it mean to be a fiduciary?
A fiduciary is legally required to act in your best interest at all times. As an SEC-registered investment advisor, Meridian Wealth is held to the fiduciary standard — the highest duty of care in financial advising. This is different from the 'suitability' standard that governs broker-dealers, which only requires that a recommendation be 'suitable,' not necessarily best for the client. In practice, it means our recommendations are based on your goals and situation, not on which products pay us the highest compensation.
How do you charge for your services?
Meridian Wealth is fee-only. We charge an annual advisory fee — typically a percentage of assets under management (0.75–1.25% depending on account size and services) or a flat retainer for planning-only engagements. We receive no commissions, no referral fees, and no payments from any financial product or fund company. Our Form ADV Part 2 discloses our complete fee schedule, which we provide to every prospective client before engagement.
When should I start thinking about retirement planning?
The honest answer: earlier than you think, but it's never too late to start. The decisions you make in your 40s — tax diversification between pre-tax and Roth accounts, Social Security claiming strategy, Medicare enrollment timing — have compounding consequences that are much harder to fix in your 60s. That said, clients who come to us five years before retirement and make a structured set of decisions in that window often achieve meaningful improvements in their long-term financial picture. We meet clients where they are.
What happens in our first meeting?
The initial call is 30–45 minutes and completely free. We ask about your financial situation, your goals, what's working and what's causing stress, and whether you're a good fit for what we do. We describe how we work and our fees in detail. There's no obligation, and we'll tell you directly if we think another type of advisor would serve you better. If we move forward, the next step is a more detailed discovery meeting where we review your accounts, tax returns, and other financial documents.

Blog

From the Blog

Straightforward financial insights from a fee-only fiduciary advisor.

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Get Started

Start with a 30-minute conversation.

No sales pitch. We discuss your situation and tell you whether we’re the right fit — free of charge.

Schedule a Call →or call (206) 555-0183

Investment advisory services offered through Meridian Wealth Partners, an SEC-registered investment advisor. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Past performance does not guarantee future results.