At Incline Financial Planning, we believe financial success isn’t just about growing numbers — it’s about building freedom, protecting your family, and creating options long before mandatory retirement ever becomes a reality.

I’m Joe Schmitt — husband, father of five, American Airlines pilot, and financial planner. Like you, I understand the unique pressure of balancing a demanding flying career with the responsibility of building long-term financial security. When your income potential is high but unpredictable, your schedule is irregular, and your career depends on keeping both your flying license and medical certificate, generic financial advice simply isn’t enough.

Incline Financial Planning was built specifically for airline pilots who want clear answers, a disciplined strategy, and a plan that actually fits the realities of this career.

Why I Built Incline Financial Planning

My path into financial planning didn’t start in an office — it started in a cockpit.

Over the years, I’ve flown with hundreds of pilots, and while every career story is different, the pattern is always the same: instability is built into this profession. Furloughs. Lost medicals. Bankruptcies. Mergers. Companies disappearing overnight. Even when the industry looks strong, individual careers are constantly being disrupted.

And like most cockpit conversations eventually do, ours kept circling back to money.

What stood out wasn’t a lack of effort. Pilots were reading books, listening to podcasts, following social media “experts,” and meeting with advisors. The problem was the disconnect. What many pilots believed they should be doing financially was shaped by generic advice or well-meaning guidance that simply didn’t apply to a career built on seniority, volatile income, and forced career resets.

Again and again, I heard the same frustration: “I’m doing everything right — so why does this still feel fragile?” Many pilots were saving and investing consistently, yet still couldn’t shake the feeling that they never quite had enough. Enough cash. Enough margin. Enough security. And the deeper issue became clear: no one seemed to have a consistent financial strategy that actually worked for airline pilots — especially in a career where you can be furloughed, lose a medical, or be forced to start over with little warning.

I experienced that disconnect firsthand when my wife and I sat down with a large, well-respected financial firm in Pittsburgh. The recommendations were polished and professional — but they weren’t built for airline pilots. There was no framework for managing career interruptions, no margin for medical risk, and no strategy designed around seniority-driven income or forced resets. It was clear the plan wasn’t wrong — it just wasn’t made for this career.

That realization hit close to home.

I was hired for my first airline job with a class date scheduled to begin just five days after 9/11 — a start that never happened. I watched the industry stagger through the housing crisis, airline bankruptcies, contract delays tied to the age-65 change, and eventually the near-total shutdown during COVID. Each event reinforced the same lesson: airline careers rarely follow a smooth, predictable path.

During my time away from flying during COVID, I decided to formalize what had already become a passion — helping pilots make smarter financial decisions. I completed the education requirements for the Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) designation so I could better serve pilots navigating uncertainty while still building long-term wealth.

A few years later, that lesson became even more personal. I spent an extended period on Long-Term Disability just as a new contract was ratified. While the headlines celebrated major pay increases, I didn’t personally see those gains for nearly two years. During that time, I earned my Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor® (CRPC®) designation and doubled down on building a firm dedicated exclusively to pilots.

Because here’s what flying — and listening — has taught me:

Pilots are not being well served by one-size-fits-all financial advice. And when your income, medical, and career trajectory can change overnight, having your financial life in order isn’t optional — it’s essential.

That’s why I built a firm focused solely on pilots. Not just to manage money — but to improve the financial stability, confidence, and long-term well-being of the people who keep this industry moving.

Built by a Pilot. Designed for Pilots.

Those experiences are the foundation of Incline Financial Planning.

Too often, pilots are forced to educate their own advisors — or receive advice that ignores the realities of airline careers, including:

• Mandatory retirement and career compression

• The financial impact of losing a medical certificate

• Union-negotiated benefits and retirement plans

• Market-based cash balance plans

• Own-occupation disability insurance

• High-income tax strategies like Backdoor Roth IRAs

• Conflicts created by commission-based recommendations and asset-gathering models such as AUM, which can influence advice toward investing more rather than planning what’s best for you

Incline Financial Planning exists to close that gap.

We combine lived airline experience with fiduciary financial planning, delivering advice that is practical, technically sound, and grounded in real-world airline careers — not generic assumptions.

Straightforward, Conflict-Free Advice

We operate on a fee-only planning model and transparent pricing for investment management. That means no commissions, no hidden incentives, and no pressure to buy financial products.

Our job is simple:

Help you make better decisions with your money — not sell you something.

Our planning process focuses on:

• Building durable cash flow systems

• Creating disciplined investment strategies

• Managing tax exposure for high earners

• Protecting against career and life risks

• Designing retirement and “work-optional” timelines

• Coordinating benefits, insurance, and estate planning

Everything works together as one integrated system — not a collection of disconnected recommendations.

Why “Incline Financial Planning”?

The name Incline Financial Planning comes from Pittsburgh’s historic Inclines — steady, reliable systems that lift people from the riverfront to a clear view above.

That’s exactly how we approach financial planning.

Not hype.
Not shortcuts.
Just deliberate, disciplined progress — one step at a time — helping you move from uncertainty to clarity and control.

Based in Pittsburgh. Serving Pilots Nationwide.

Our firm is rooted in Pittsburgh, PA — a city built on hard work, resilience, and doing things the right way. While we serve pilots across the country, those values shape everything we do: honesty, transparency, and long-term thinking.

If you’re ready for financial planning that respects your career, your family, and your future — welcome to Incline Financial Planning.