Taylor Schulte
CFP®
Define Financial
Founder & CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™
Taylor Schulte
CFP®
Define Financial
Founder & CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™
As a San Diego fee-only financial planner, we help people over age 50 reduce taxes, invest smarter, and create reliable income in retirement. - Taylor Schulte, CFP®
Fee-Only Financial Planner for San Diego Professionals Transitioning Into Retirement

Taylor Schulte is a fee-only San Diego financial advisor. His team specializes in retirement and tax planning for people over age 50.
New clients begin by going through The Define Retirement® PLAN process. This is a one-time process that results in a comprehensive retirement & tax plan ($7,900 one-time fee).
With the plan complete, you will have two options:
1.) Implement the plan on your own.
2.) Engage us for ongoing services and let us do the heavy lifting for you.
Our full-service model includes ongoing oversight of investments, plan updates, tax planning, and coordinates the components involved in delivering reliable retirement paychecks.
The Define Retirement® PLAN process was specifically designed for diligent savers over age 50 who have accumulated investment and retirement assets of $1 million or more (excluding real estate).
Click here to learn more about our one-time retirement plan.
Taylor Schulte, CFP® is the Founder and Financial Planner at Define Financial.
I’m a San Diego native nd I worked for large wealth management firms for half of my career.
They spent more time talking about how to make the firm more money than how to make clients more money. I set out to change that.
"The Investopedia 100 spotlights the top financial advisors in the country, and Taylor Schulte was awarded the #2 spot."
Define Financial is a team of award-winning CFP® Professionals helping our clients:
- Reduce Taxes
- Invest Smarter
- Create a Retirement Paycheck
Since founding Define Financial, I’ve been recognized as a multi-year award-winning Wealth Manager in San Diego Magazine and "The #2 Independent Financial Advisor” by Investopedia.
I'm also a regular contributor for Kiplinger and host a retirement podcast called Stay Wealthy.
When I’m not perfecting retirement plans, you can find me traveling with my wife and kids, searching for the next best carne asada burrito, or trying to master Adam Scott’s golf swing.
Taylor Schulte 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.
Reduce taxes. Invest smarter. Make work optional in retirement.
Define Financial is a fee-only financial planning firm headquartered in San Diego, CA. We specialize in financial planning and investment management services for professionals age 50 plus.
Do you think the next 30 years will look like the previous 30 years? We certainly don’t. Define was launched to provide a fresh, new perspective on the global financial markets and develop forward-looking solutions to ensure our clients can reach their goals.
Fee-Only, Fiduciary, Independent: Three Important Criteria to Consider When Choosing a Financial Advisor.
Specialties
- Comprehensive Financial Planning
- Retirement Income Planning
- Mitigating Taxes
- Maximizing Investment Returns
- Optimizing Insurance Policies
Ideal Clients
- Retirees and Near Retirees
- Inheritance or Sudden Wealth
- Business Owners and Executives
Working Together
- In-Office Meetings
- Virtual Meetings
- Transparent Fees
- No Sales
- Complimentary 15-min Phone Call
Professional Designations & Affiliations
-
Taylor Schulte 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.
-
Taylor Schulte 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.
-
Taylor Schulte 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.
-
Taylor Schulte 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.
-
Taylor Schulte Named the #2 Top Financial Advisor by Investopedia for 2022
-
Taylor Schulte is Quoted in ThinkAdvisor: "Is the Economy Going to Crash?"
-
Taylor Schulte is Quoted in Forbes: "5 Last Minute Financial Tips for the End of 2021"
-
Taylor Schulte is the Co-Founder of Advisors Growing as a Community, a safe, collaborative community for financial advisors to grow personally and professionally alongside their peers.
-
Taylor Schulte's Retirement Blog and Podcast: StayWealthy
-
Taylor Schulte is a Member of the San Diego Financial Advisors Network
-
Taylor Schulte and Define Financial - In the Press
-
Taylor Schulte is Quoted on Business Insider: "5 reasons to look for the words 'fee-only' when you're shopping for a financial adviser"
-
Taylor Schulte is Featured in San Diego Magazine: "Shaping Finance in San Diego 2019"
-
Taylor Schulte is Quoted on Haven Life: "How a health savings account can beat your retirement plan"
-
Taylor Schulte is Quoted in Forbes: "Should You Superfund Your Child's 529 Plan?"
-
Taylor Schulte is Quoted in the Times of San Diego: "5 Personal Finance Podcasts to Help You Achieve Your Goals"
-
Taylor Schulte is Featured on Kiplinger: "Top 5 Retirement Podcasts Everyone Should Listen To"
-
Taylor Schulte is Quoted in the Journal of Financial Planning: "Skip Navigation LinksExamining Total Portfolio Performance: U.S. Government Vs. Corporate Bonds"
-
Taylor Schulte is Featured in San Diego Voyager: "Meet Taylor Schulte of Define Financial"
-
Taylor Schulte is Quoted in US News and World Report: "4 Lessons from the Rise of Female 401(k) Millionaires"
-
Taylor Schulte is Quoted on Kiplinger: "The Easy-to-Miss Way to Have Enough Money for Retirement"
Contact Taylor Schulte
Office Locations:
-
12526 High Bluff Dr
Suite 238
San Diego, CA 92130