David Wilder
CFP®, CTFA, MST, AIF®, CEPA
Total Wealth Planning
Principal & Chief Investment Officer
David Wilder
CFP®, CTFA, MST, AIF®, CEPA
Total Wealth Planning
Principal & Chief Investment Officer
We serve as a sounding board for your personal and business decision making. We bring a level of discipline that is guided by transparency, family-centric solutions, and getting things done for you. - David Wilder, CFP®, CTFA, MST, AIF®, CEPA
Cincinnati, OH based Fiduciary Financial Planner serving clients locally and nationwide using a deep-comprehensive and integrated wealth management approach.

Total Wealth Planning is a fee-only financial planning firm in Cincinnati, OH serving clients locally and across the country.
Total Wealth Planning provides a comprehensive view of your financial life and all the factors that go into life planning. What this means to you is help with personal decision making and putting a date on things. We help you with financial planning and investment management while taking into consideration tax planning, professional moves, children, retirement planning, healthcare and other important priorities.
It’s about life planning and gaining more comfort with your long-term financial security
5 reasons to “Choose Total Wealth Planning” when thinking about your finances, your wealth, and your future goals.
As Chief Investment Officer, Dave Wilder chairs Total Wealth Planning’s Investment Policy Committee and leads and manages the investment management team. He is primarily responsible for investment research, preparing and communicating Total Wealth Planning’s economic and investment outlook.
As a Principal, Dave is responsible for investment advice with extensive client contact, proactive listening, and education. Under his leadership, our investment managers serve as counselors and act as a sounding board for clients in their personal and business decision making. He brings a level of discipline that is guided by overall transparency, family-centric solutions, and getting things done for clients.
He has a Master’s in Tax Law (MST) from Villanova University and is a CFP®, a Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA), and a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA). Dave’s background and experience includes:
- 30+ years professional investment management and financial planning experience, including 11 years with The Vanguard Group as a senior investment advisor within the managed account service
- Professional Memberships in the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA), Financial Planning Association, Cincinnati Estate Planning Council, and the American Bankers Association
- Served on the Finance and Investment Committee for the Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired for 10 years
- Five-Star Advisor through Paladin Registry; 2008 Reuters Top Advisor; Bloomberg Business Week magazine, a 2011 Top 50 Most Experienced Advisors in the United States. Featured on Channel 12 news in Cincinnati for a Health and Wealth segment in 2020.
- Villanova University Bachelor of Science, Accounting
Dave enjoys time with his family of three children. During his free time he enjoys the outdoors by playing tennis, skiing, scuba diving, hiking and running. Dave also gets great satisfaction out of volunteering and has enjoyed mission trips with his family to Nicaragua and Haiti.
David Wilder 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.
5 Things to Know About Total Wealth Planning
1. We are your partner and guide using a comprehensive financial planning and wealth management team, not just investment managers.
2. We are independently owned and commission free (i.e. Fee-Only). We have no hidden agendas, product sales or high-pressure sales practices. We are fiduciaries who are always working in your best interest.
3. We help bridge the gap between investments and tax-efficiency, giving you more options.
4. You gain the ability to have a real conversation and be yourself while asking questions.
5. We’ve been listening for over 30 years. Our advisory team is multi-generational, so you can feel confident we will serve you and your family’s needs for years to come.
Working together, we provide you with a life roadmap and guidance with your personal and business decision making. We help you gain more comfort with your long-term financial security and help you protect what you value most.
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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David Wilder 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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David Wilder 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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David Wilder is a member of The Financial Planning Association® (FPA®)
FPA® is the largest membership organization for CFP® professionals in the U.S. and supports high standards of professional competence, ethical conduct, and clear, complete disclosure when serving clients.
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David Wilder is an Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF)
Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF®) training empowers investment professionals with the fiduciary knowledge and tools they need to serve their clients’ best interests. Advisors who have earned the Accredited Investment Fiduciary designation have gone through training, met the qualifications, and passed the exam allowing use of the AIF designation and they are immediately able to demonstrate the added value that they can bring to both existing and prospective clients.
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David Wilder is a Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA)
Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA) is a professional designation offered by the American Bankers Association (ABA). This mark provides training and knowledge in taxes, investments, financial planning, trusts, and estates. The CTFA credential is appropriate for professionals who have a career in banking, broking, financial planning, taxation, or trust administration.
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David Wilder is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor® (CEPA®)
The Certified Exit Planning Advisor® (CEPA®) designation is obtained by financial professionals upon completion of a five-day in-person credentialing program. Advisors who earn this credential are specially trained to help business owners create an exit plan for selling their company for maximum benefit. The CEPA Program integrates exit strategy into business, personal, and financial goals of the business owner. Using this holistic approach, Certified Exit Planning Advisors® guide business owners to decide when’s the best time to sell their business and how to minimize taxes from the sale.
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David Wilder is a Member of the Cincinnati Estate Planning Council
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David Wilder Answers Liz on Channel 12 News Health & Wealth Questions
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David Wilder is a Paladin Registry Five Star Financial Advisor
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David Wilder is Quoted on Yahoo Finance: "Total Wealth Planning Acquires Howell Advisors, Inc."
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Total Wealth Planning is an Accredited Business with the Better Business Bureau
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Total Wealth Planning Named Winner of the Financial Institution Category in the 2021 Family Choice Awards by Cincy Magazine
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Total Wealth Planning Named one of the Best Workplaces in 2021 by Ohio Business Magazine for the 5th Consecutive Year
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Total Wealth Planning Named Finalist for the “Best Places to Work Awards” Four Years in a Row by the Cincinnati Business Courier
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Total Wealth Planning Ranked 25th in Cincinnati Business Courier’s List of Largest Money Management Firms
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Total Wealth Planning Named to 3 Best Financial Services in Cincinnati, OH
Contact David Wilder
Office Locations:
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4665 Cornell Rd
Suite 160
Cincinnati, OH 45241