Compass Planning ASSOCIATES is a investment adviser based in Westwood, MA, that holds a 97.6/100 Fidelon TransparencyScore (98th percentile among SEC-registered advisers), with 3 registered advisors. Score based on public SEC and FINRA filings.
Compass Planning ASSOCIATES
Compass Planning ASSOCIATES, INC. · CRD #128014
A fee-only investment adviser with a clean regulatory record and fiduciary commitment.
Fidelon Fact Sheet
Compass Planning ASSOCIATES, INC. is an SEC-registered investment adviser in Westwood, MA. Its 3 registered advisors typically serve individuals and families and high-net-worth individuals. It manages $213.9 million across 333 client accounts. It charges fixed fees for its advice, and it does not report earning commissions. Its services include financial planning and portfolio management. Its record shows no customer complaints, regulatory actions or fines.
Peer Context
205th of 10,815
SEC-registered advisers
Top 2%
6th of 371
SEC-registered advisers in MA
Top 2%
1st of 3
SEC-registered advisers in Westwood, MA
#1 ranked
How This Firm Works
Registration & Standard of Care
Investment Adviser — this firm is a registered investment adviser, held to a fiduciary standard — legally required to act in clients' best interests.
How This Firm Gets Paid
- Charges fixed fees for specific services
- Does not earn commissions on product sales
Specializations
Extracted from Form ADV Part 2A brochure
Who They Typically Serve
Extracted from Form ADV Part 2A brochure
Key Findings
Strengths
- Fee-only compensation — no commission income reported
- Registered as investment adviser with fiduciary obligation
- No broker-dealer registration — advisory services only
- Clean regulatory record — no disclosures, arbitrations, or fines
- Transparent fee structure — charges advisory fees, no commissions
Things You Should Know
- Its brochure says it receives research or services from brokers, but it does not say the firm benefits by not paying for those things, list what the firm gets from brokers for free, or say whether every client benefits or only some. Ask what the firm would have to pay for those services if it bought them itself.Item 12.A.1
Conflict Audit
Zero material conflicts identified in regulatory filings.
Source: Form ADV Part 1, Items 6-8; Part 2A, Items 10-14
What this firm says about how it gets paid
“Because we charge a fee based on the total amount of assets we manage for you, we have an incentive to recommend that you invest more of your assets under our management which represents a conflict of interest.”
“We do receive third-party research, technology services, and other benefits at no charge to us from our qualified custodians.”
Source: the firm’s own Form CRS, filed 2026-02-18 — quoted directly
Regulatory Track Record
0
Disclosures
Clean record — no disclosures found
$0
Total Fines
Clean record — no fines found
Regulatory Events
TransparencyScore Dimensions
Disclosure Record
Customer complaints, arbitrations, and fines. Frequency and recency matter.
100/100
Strong
Avg for investment adviser firms: 82.6 | Top 10%: 99.5
Filing Quality
How clearly the firm describes services, fees, and investment approach in regulatory filings.
93/100
Strong
Avg for investment adviser firms: 84.1 | Top 10%: 100
Conflict Disclosure
How openly the firm explains who pays it and what it's paid to sell. The conflict isn't the problem — hiding it is.
41/100
Weak
Avg for investment adviser firms: 54 | Top 10%: 67
Enforcement History
Self-reported legal and disciplinary history from Form ADV Item 11.
100/100
Strong
Avg for investment adviser firms: 99.7 | Top 10%: 100
Their two-page relationship summary
The SEC requires every SEC-registered investment adviser to hand you this summary, called a Form CRS, and says what it must cover. We checked this firm's against that list. What is a Form CRS?
- Does it include everything the SEC requires?
- Required sections
- 94/100
- Does it explain how the firm's conflicts affect you?
- Conflicts of interest
- 91/100
- Can you tell what you would pay?
- What you pay
- 83/100
- Is it written in plain English?
- Plain language
- 94/100
This firm's Form CRS averages 90 out of 100 and adds 7.62 points to the score above.
What their brochure tells you
The firm must give you this brochure, Form ADV Part 2A, before you sign. We read it against the SEC's own instructions, item by item. Quotes are the firm's own words; page numbers refer to the filed brochure. What is in a brochure?
Can you tell what you'd pay and when?Brochure Fee Clarity100/100
The SEC asks every brochure to spell out the fee schedule, whether fees can be negotiated, how and when you are billed, the other costs you pay, and refunds.
The brochure answers every one of these.
- Can you tell what you'd pay?CoveredItem 5.A
Without a fee schedule you cannot compare this firm with any other.
Project fees are based on the following hourly rates: ● Principal - $420/hr ● Senior Adviser - $405/hr ● Adviser - $310/hr ● Planning Support - $260/hrp. 6
- Does it say whether the fee can be negotiated?CoveredItem 5.A
If fees are negotiable, other clients may be paying less than you for the same service.
Our fees are negotiable at our sole discretion and will be communicated in a written agreement prior to beginning work.p. 6
- Does it say whether the fee comes out of your account or gets billed?CoveredItem 5.B
A fee taken straight from your account is easy to stop noticing.
Payment of fees may be paid by the client directly, or clients working under the Planning by the Year relationship may authorize the custodian holding their accounts to deduct Compass Planning’s fee directly from their account quarterly on an arrears basis.p. 6
- Does it say how often you're charged?CoveredItem 5.B
Monthly, quarterly, in advance or in arrears changes what you owe when you leave.
This fee is charged quarterly in arrears with one half of the first quarterly payment due at the signing of the client agreement.p. 6
- Does it list the other costs you pay, like fund and custodian fees?CoveredItem 5.C
The advisory fee is rarely the whole bill; fund, trading and custody costs come on top.
Fees cover our services only and do not include any transaction fees or commissions which may be charged separately by the client’s broker/dealer custodial firm on the purchase or sale of mutual funds, exchange-traded funds or other securities.p. 6
- Does it say how you get money back if you leave mid-period?CoveredItem 5.D
If you pay in advance and leave early, the refund rule decides what you get back.
Unearned prepaid fees shall be refunded should the agreement be terminated prior to the completion of the project.p. 6
Does it explain each conflict of interest and what it could cost you?Brochure Conflict SpecificityNot applicable
Not applicable: the brochure names no material conflict of interest
Do they earn commissions on products, and do they say so?Brochure Sales CompensationNot applicable
Not applicable: the brochure describes no product-sales commissions
Do they get free research or services from brokers, and does it affect you?Brochure Soft Dollars41/100
When brokers give the firm research or services in return for your trades, the SEC asks the brochure to say what the firm gets and what it may cost you.
Each point is marked Covered or Not found. When a point is not found, we say what to ask.
- Does it list what the firm gets from brokers for free?Not found in the brochureItem 12.A.1.e
Research, software and data paid for by your trades are a cost you never see.
What to askAsk what research, tools or services the firm receives from brokers or custodians at no charge.
- Does it say the firm benefits by not paying for those things?Not found in the brochureItem 12.A.1.a
A perk the firm would otherwise buy is money in the firm's pocket, paid with your trades.
What to askAsk what the firm would have to pay for those services if it bought them itself.
- Does it say those perks can shape which broker it picks for you?CoveredItem 12.A.1.b
Your trades should go where you get the best deal, not where the firm gets the best perks.
creates a conflict of interest by providing an incentive to recommend Fidelity or Schwab based on benefits received by Compass Planning rather than solely on the best interests of clients.p. 11
- Does it say whether those perks stay within what the law allows?CoveredItem 12.A.1.e note
The law allows research paid for with client trades only within limits; outside them, it is your money.
Fidelity and Schwab also provide Compass Planning with certain brokerage and research products and services that qualify as “brokerage or research services” under Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.p. 11
- Does it say whether you pay more in trading costs because of those perks?Does not applyItem 12.A.1.c
Paying up for trades to earn the firm a perk comes straight out of your returns.
- Does it say whether every client benefits or only some?Not found in the brochureItem 12.A.1.d
Your trades may be paying for research that helps other clients' accounts, not yours.
What to askAsk whether the research your trades help pay for is used for your account.
A point not found is not a finding against the firm; many points apply only when the firm has that arrangement, and state-registered firms file the same brochure form.
Next Steps
Advisor Roster
3 advisors
| Advisor | CRD | Score | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Potter Lane | 2472087 | — | — |
| Sarah M Stamp | 5018295 | — | — |
| Joshua Edward Weiss | 6982347 | — | — |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does the TransparencyScore measure?
The TransparencyScore measures how clearly and completely an advisor or firm discloses important information in their regulatory filings — things like fees, conflicts of interest, disciplinary history, and business practices. A higher score means better disclosure quality, not better investment performance.
Where does this data come from?
All data comes from public regulatory filings: SEC Form ADV (Parts 1, 2, and 3), FINRA BrokerCheck, and the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure (IAPD) database. These are official filings that firms and advisors are legally required to submit.
Does a low score mean they're a bad advisor?
Not necessarily. A low score means the firm's public filings are less transparent — they may use vague language about fees, skip details about conflicts, or have a more complex regulatory history. Some excellent advisors work at firms with poor disclosure practices. The score measures the filing, not the person.
How often is this data updated?
Fidelon refreshes data from SEC and FINRA sources on a regular schedule. Form ADV filings are updated annually by firms (with amendments throughout the year), and BrokerCheck data is updated as events are reported. Scores are recalculated after each data refresh.
Can an advisor or firm improve their score?
Yes. Scores are based on what's in public filings. A firm that rewrites its ADV brochure in clearer language, discloses conflicts more specifically, or resolves outstanding regulatory issues will see its score improve at the next refresh. The incentive structure is intentional.
Data Sources
Scores are generated using Fidelon's published scoring methodology and reflect the quality of public disclosures, not the quality of investment advice. A firm that improves its disclosures will see its score improve. Fidelon does not provide investment advice.
Verify on SEC IAPD
Last scored: · Score version: 3.15 · CRD #128014