Independent Financial Advisors Serving Louisville, Lexington & Bowling Green
Oasis Wealth Planning Advisors is a fee-only, fiduciary RIA serving Kentucky near-retirees and retirees — with local advisor presence and the depth of a fully credentialed senior planning team.
Leading our Kentucky client relationships is Karissa McLaren, a Wealth Advisor with genuine ties to the region who serves as your consistent local point of contact. Karissa is supported directly by Steve Martin, CFP®, CPA, JD, Oasis's founder and senior Wealth Advisor, whose decades of tax, legal, and financial planning experience sit behind every recommendation.
We serve near-retirees and retirees with $1 million to $5 million in investable assets who want comprehensive, tax-integrated guidance from advisors legally required to act in their best interest — and who never earn a commission of any kind. Our CPA on staff ensures your investment strategy and your tax plan are always built together, not in silos.
Kentucky clients come to us asking:
- Am I saving enough, and am I on track for the retirement I want?
- How do I create a reliable income stream in retirement I won't outlive?
- Should I convert my IRA to a Roth — and when is the right time?
- How do I minimize taxes on my portfolio and Social Security in retirement?
- When should I claim Social Security, and how does it interact with my pension?
- What is the right mix of stocks, bonds, and cash for my situation?
- How do I coordinate Medicare decisions with my retirement date?
- How do I leave a meaningful legacy without unnecessary tax consequences?
Finding a truly independent, fee-only financial advisor in Louisville, Lexington, or Bowling Green is not easy. Oasis is proud to bring a genuinely fiduciary, CPA-integrated approach to Kentucky families — a welcome alternative to commission-driven advisors at banks and major brokerage firms.
The Fee-Only, Tax-First Difference
- 100% fee-only — no commissions, no hidden incentives, ever
- CPA on staff integrates tax planning with every investment decision
- Fiduciary at all times — legally required to put you first
- Local Kentucky advisor leads your relationship personally
- Senior CFP®, CPA, JD expertise behind every plan
- NAPFA & Garrett Planning Network — independently vetted
- Investment committee: CFP®, CFA, CPA, JD, MBA
- In person (Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green) or by video
Helping Kentucky families visualize, plan, and navigate retirement.
Member: NAPFA · Garrett Planning Network · SEC Registered RIA · CPA on Staff
Local Advisor. Senior Expertise. One Integrated Team.
Your relationship has a local face in Kentucky — backed by senior financial, tax, and legal expertise that takes decades to build.
Karissa is the primary point of contact for Oasis's Kentucky clients — the advisor you will speak with regularly, who knows your financial life, your family, and your goals. She brings genuine ties to the Kentucky region and a personal, attentive approach to every relationship.
Karissa studied Finance and Financial Planning and is currently progressing toward the CFP® designation. Her focus areas include retirement income planning, investment strategy, Social Security analysis, and comprehensive planning for near-retirees and retirees.
What clients value most about Karissa is her genuine care and accessibility — and the fact that she works closely alongside Steve Martin to bring the full depth of Oasis's senior expertise to every question.
Steve founded Oasis on the conviction that people approaching retirement deserve financial advice that is completely independent, deeply tax-aware, and entirely focused on their best interest — not the advisor's revenue.
With credentials spanning CFP®, CPA, and JD, Steve brings a rare combination of financial planning depth, tax expertise, and legal insight. At 55, he brings the perspective of decades of helping clients navigate the same crossroads his Kentucky clients face — the transition from accumulation to income, tax-efficient distributions, and what a well-funded retirement actually looks like.
Steve provides senior oversight for all Kentucky client relationships and directly engages on complex tax strategy, estate planning coordination, and investment committee decisions.
What You Get With Oasis That Most Kentucky Advisors Cannot Offer
Truly Fee-Only
Most advisors earn commissions, fund fees, or insurance referral payments. Oasis does not. Our only compensation is the fee you pay — every recommendation is motivated by one thing: your best interest.
CPA on Staff — Tax & Investments Together
Roth conversions, RMD planning, capital gains timing, and Social Security coordination are handled as an integrated whole — not piecemeal between two professionals who don't talk to each other.
Fiduciary, Always
As a Registered Investment Advisor, Oasis is legally required to act in your best interest at all times — a higher standard than the "suitability" standard that applies to many broker-dealers.
Local Relationship, Senior Backstop
Karissa is your local point of contact — accessible, personal, familiar with your situation. Steve Martin's CFP®, CPA, JD credentials and decades of experience provide the senior layer behind every recommendation.
A Fully Credentialed Team
Our investment committee holds CFP®, CFA, CPA, JD, and MBA credentials — 150+ years of collective experience. That depth is behind every decision, not just the advisor across the table.
Vetted by NAPFA & Garrett
Membership in NAPFA and the Garrett Planning Network requires strict commitment to fee-only, independent advice. Finding us through these networks means you found an advisor independently verified to meet the standard.
Resources for Louisville, Lexington & Bowling Green Families
Three articles worth reading before your first conversation with us.
For Kentucky near-retirees with $1M–$5M in savings, the final weeks of the year — Roth conversions, loss harvesting, charitable gifting — can mean tens of thousands of dollars in savings. Here is what our CPA reviews every fall.
Claiming at 62 versus 67 versus 70 is one of the most consequential decisions a Kentucky retiree will make. This article walks through the key variables: health, spousal benefits, other income, and your overall tax plan.
Understanding the difference between fee-only, fee-based, and commission-based advisors may be the most important thing a Kentucky family can do before choosing an advisor. A plain-English explanation.
Fee-only. Fiduciary. CPA on staff. Never a commission — ever.
Serving Louisville · Lexington · Bowling Green · and Kentucky clients statewide by video
We Meet You Where You Are — In Person or by Video
Professional meeting locations in all three cities, available by appointment. Or meet Karissa by video — most clients prefer it.
Louisville, KY Financial Advisor
Lexington, KY Financial Advisor
Bowling Green, KY Financial Advisor
Prefer to Meet by Video?
Most Kentucky clients meet Karissa by video — efficient, flexible, and easy for spouses or family members in different locations to join. We share screens and review your plan in real time.
Ready to start the conversation? No obligation. No pressure.
Serving Louisville · Lexington · Bowling Green · Kentucky statewide by video | 502-653-0123