Cary Cates
MBA, CFP®, EA
Cates Financial Planning, LLC
Owner
Cary Cates
MBA, CFP®, EA
Cates Financial Planning, LLC
Owner
As a fee-only financial planner, my focus is to offer unbiased financial and tax advice to help you achieve your life goals. - Cary Cates, MBA, CFP®, EA
Fee-Only financial planner located in Denton, TX, serving clients locally and across the country

Cary Cates is a Denton, TX fee-only financial planner. Cates Financial Planning, LLC provides comprehensive and objective financial planning, investment management, and tax preparation and planning to help clients organize, grow and protect their assets through life’s transitions. As a fee-only, fiduciary, and independent financial advisor, Cary Cates is never paid a commission of any kind, and has a legal obligation to provide unbiased and trustworthy financial advice.
Cary Cates is a Financial Planner and the Managing Member of Cates Financial Planning, LLC.
A born and raised Texan, I’ve spent the majority of the last 15 years in Denton, TX.
- Graduated from the University of North Texas (UNT) with a BBA in Financial Services.
- Earned an MBA in Strategic Management from UNT.
- Adjunct professor for the FIREL (Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, & Law) department at UNT College of Business.
- Graduate of Leadership Denton.
- CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®)
- IRS Enrolled Agent
- Member of NAPFA
Cary Cates is a Member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors

The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) is a leading professional association of Fee-Only financial advisors - highly trained professionals who are committed to working in the best interests of those they serve.
NAPFA members live by three important values:
- To be the beacon for independent, objective financial advice for individuals and families.
- To be the champion of financial services delivered in the public interest.
- To be the standard bearer for the emerging profession of financial planning.
Cates Financial Planning, LLC, or “Cates FP” for short, is a fee-only Registered Investment Adviser. Cates FP was founded to provide the highest quality financial and tax advice to clients.
What makes the business different than many financial planning firms is the focus on integrating tax and financial advice into a one-stop shop. Cates FP combines financial planning, tax advice, tax preparation, and investment management services to provide high quality fiduciary advice that is more difficult to obtain when coordinating two separate relationships – the financial planner and tax professional.
The integrated financial advice is typically very appealing to high-earning households, business owners, and real estate professionals.
I am also an adjunct professor at the University of North Texas (UNT) in Denton, TX. I teach in the Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, and Law (FIREL) department in the College of Business. My time working at the university has allowed me to develop a strong knowledge of the unique issues and opportunities university professors and administrators face.
Fee-Only, Fiduciary, Independent: Three Important Criteria to Consider When Choosing a Financial Advisor.
Specialties
- Comprehensive Financial Planning
- Retirement Income Planning
- Investment Management
- College Education Planning
- Tax Planning
Ideal Clients
- Retirees and Near Retirees
- Growing Families
- Business Owners and Executives
- Sudden Money Situations
- Novice Investors
Working Together
- In-Office Meetings
- Virtual Meetings
- Clearly Defined Fees
- No Product Sales
- Complimentary Initial Consultation
Professional Designations & Affiliations
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Cary Cates is a NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisor
The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) is a leading professional association of Fee-Only financial advisors—highly trained professionals who are committed to working in the best interests of those they serve.
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Cary Cates is a Member of the XY Planning Network
The XY Planning Network is the leading organization of fee-only financial advisors who are focused on working with Generation X and Generation Y clients. Our mission is to connect consumers with best-in-class financial advisors who specialize in working with clients just like you.
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Cary Cates is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional - Click for Verification
CFP® professionals are held to strict ethical standards to ensure financial planning recommendations are in your best interest. What’s more, a CFP® professional must acquire several years of experience related to delivering financial planning services to clients and pass the comprehensive CFP® Certification Exam before they can use the CFP® designation.
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Cary Cates is an Enrolled Agent with the IRS (Learn More)
An enrolled agent is a federally authorized tax practitioner empowered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury to represent taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service. Enrolled agent status is the highest credential awarded by the IRS.
Contact Cary Cates
Office Locations:
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4120 Bonita Ave
Denton, TX 76210