Joe Schmitt, CRPC®

Active Boeing 787 Pilot at American Airlines · Founder of Incline Financial Planning

Fee-only financial planning and investment management for a small number of families.

A real person doing real work

I've been an American Airlines pilot for over a decade and currently fly the 787 as a First Officer. I built Incline Financial Planning to do the work I wished my own family had access to when I was earlier in my career — comprehensive, fee-only financial planning, structured around the household rather than around a product menu.

The practice is small by design. I take on a limited number of clients each year so that every household gets meaningful time and attention, not just access to a software platform. Most of my clients come through people who know me — family, friends, crew members, and community connections. I work best when the relationship is personal from the start.

I hold the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC®) credential and operate IFP as a fee-only fiduciary registered investment adviser. I don't sell products. I don't accept commissions. The advice I give is the advice I'd give a member of my own family in the same situation.

The work itself

Comprehensive financial planning covers the whole picture of a household's financial life. That includes:

  • Cash flow and savings strategy — building the habits that compound over decades
  • Investment management — disciplined portfolio construction at Charles Schwab, structured around your goals rather than around market predictions
  • Tax planning — Roth conversions, charitable strategies, tax-loss harvesting, tax-efficient asset location
  • Retirement planning — both the math of getting there and the harder questions of what comes after
  • Estate coordination — wills, trusts, beneficiary designations, and the planning work that protects what you've built
  • Insurance review — making sure you have what you need and aren't paying for what you don't
  • Education funding — 529 plans and the realistic math of college costs

The work is sequenced for your situation. New clients usually start with what's most urgent, and we build out from there. By the end of the first year, you have a complete plan and a clear path forward.

How I work

Fee-only and fiduciary. I'm compensated only by my clients, never by product manufacturers or third parties. Every recommendation has to pass the same test: is this what I'd advise if you were a member of my own family?

Customized engagements. I don't publish a standard rate sheet because I haven't seen one that fits every household honestly. Fees are structured based on the complexity of the work and what you're looking for. We agree on the structure together before any engagement begins.

Long-term relationships. I work with each client as an ongoing relationship, not a one-time engagement. The first year builds the foundation. The years after are when the framework actually compounds.

Direct access. When you're my client, you work directly with me. No associate advisors, no junior planners, no client service teams. Phone, email, scheduled meetings — whatever works for your schedule.

Getting in touch

If we've met and you'd like to talk further, the easiest path is a short call. There's no charge for the conversation and no pressure to engage. We'll talk about your situation, what you're trying to build, and whether IFP is the right fit. If it isn't, I'll do my best to point you toward someone better suited.

Joe Schmitt, CRPC®
Incline Financial Planning
joe@inclinefp.com
724-462-4191

Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Serving clients across the United States.