Lance Hocutt Ph.D., CRPC­­®

Founder and President, Senior Financial Advisor

Meet Dr. Lance

Nearly Three Decades of Experience. A Lifetime of Learning.

Dr. Lance Hocutt is the founder of Lance Hocutt Financial Group, a financial planning and wealth management practice based in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Since beginning his career in financial services in 1997, Dr. Lance has devoted his professional life to helping individuals, families, business owners, and organizations navigate important financial decisions. His career has included working with major financial institutions, as well as building and developing his own independent financial planning practice.

Today, Lance Hocutt Financial Group focuses on comprehensive financial planning, retirement planning, investment management, wealth management, and helping clients make confident decisions about their financial future.

Education & Professional Development

Dr. Lance's approach to financial planning is grounded in both professional experience and academic study.

He earned his Bachelor's degree in Financial Planning from The University of Alabama, followed by a Master's degree in Financial Planning from Texas Tech University.

In 2023, he earned his Ph.D., completing doctoral research focused on the relationship between working with a financial advisor and financial success.

His doctoral dissertation, “The Impact of Using a Financial Advisor on Financial Success,” examined whether individuals who work with financial advisors experience different financial outcomes than those who do not.

That research reflects a central belief that has shaped his career: good financial advice should be grounded in both sound research and real-world experience.

Dr. Lance also holds the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor® (CRPC®) designation and has continued his professional education throughout his career.

A Career Built on Experience

Dr. Lance began his financial-services career in 1997.

Over the years, he has worked with and gained experience across several major financial organizations. In 2015, he founded Lance Hocutt Financial Group, creating a practice centered around providing personalized financial planning and wealth-management guidance.

That combination of experience — working within large financial organizations while ultimately building an independent practice — has given Dr. Lance a broad perspective on the financial-services industry and the different ways financial advice can be delivered.

Financial Education & Community Involvement

Dr. Lance has long believed that financial planning should extend beyond managing investments.

Throughout his career, he has been involved in financial education and community initiatives throughout West Alabama.

He has also shared financial-planning concepts through radio, media appearances, educational programs, community organizations, and other public forums.

His commitment to the community has included involvement with organizations and initiatives supporting education, youth development, charitable causes, and the Tuscaloosa community.

The Financial Edge with Dr. Lance

Dr. Lance has also used radio as a platform for financial education through The Financial Edge with Dr. Lance, where he discussed financial planning, retirement, investments, economics, and current issues affecting individuals and families.

His goal through financial education is simple:

Make complicated financial topics easier to understand and give people information they can actually use.

His Approach to Financial Planning

Dr. Lance believes financial planning should begin with the person — not the product.

Every client has different circumstances, goals, concerns, family dynamics, risk tolerances, and definitions of financial success.

His approach is therefore built around understanding the client's complete financial picture before recommending a strategy.

That means asking questions, listening carefully, identifying priorities, and then developing a financial strategy designed around the client's goals.

His philosophy can be summarized simply:

Listen. Understand. Plan. Educate. Execute. Adjust.

Financial planning is not a one-time event. It is an ongoing process that should evolve as life changes.

Beyond the Numbers

While financial planning is Dr. Lance's profession, he believes the most important part of the work isn't the numbers.

It's the people behind them.

Retirement isn't simply an account balance.

Investing isn't simply a rate of return.

Estate planning isn't simply a collection of documents.

And financial independence isn't simply a number.

Each represents something different to the person sitting across the table.

That perspective continues to shape the way Dr. Lance approaches his work with clients.

Dr. Lance Today

After nearly three decades in financial services, Dr. Lance continues to build Lance Hocutt Financial Group around a simple objective:

Help people make better financial decisions so they can live with greater confidence about their financial future.

Based in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Dr. Lance works with individuals, families, business owners, and organizations seeking thoughtful, comprehensive financial planning and wealth-management guidance.

Experience matters. Education matters. But ultimately, so does trust.

That is the foundation on which Lance Hocutt Financial Group was built.

Lance has four adult children: Maggie, Laney, Will, and Jamie.