I am fee-only, which means no commissions and nothing to sell you. It does not mean I have no conflicts, and I would rather show you mine than tell you they do not exist.
What hiring me does and does not do
It does not take the responsibility off you. You still supply the facts, approve the decisions, sign the return, and live with the outcome. I am not guaranteeing anything and I am not reimbursing your mistakes.
What changes is that somebody else is accountable. Accountable for whether the question was broad enough. Whether the relevant facts were in front of it. Whether the plan got revisited when conditions changed. Whether one recommendation conflicts with something else in your financial life.
Those things stay unowned unless you own them.
Project-Based Planning
If you are not sure whether you need an ongoing relationship, start here. A focused session or a one-time plan built around exactly what you need, with no ongoing commitment once it is delivered.
Focused Consultation
A focused session built around one question or decision. A first bonus, an equity event, a plan you have built and want a second pair of eyes on. Not a comprehensive engagement.
If you have put together your own plan and are not sure it is catching everything, this is a way to find out. I will tell you what I think is missing, and I will tell you if I think nothing is.
I will give you an estimate of hours before we start and will not bill beyond it without your approval.
$225 per hour. No minimum. No ongoing commitment.
Comprehensive Plan
A full plan, built and delivered. No ongoing engagement once it is complete.
$3,000 to $6,000, depending on complexity. Fifty percent at signing, fifty percent at delivery. Delivered within six months.
Financial Planning
Ongoing planning for people who want a structured, continuing relationship.
We cover cash flow, benefits, insurance, taxes, retirement, and education strategies. After the initial plan we meet two to four times per year to review progress and adjust as your life changes.
Fee schedule:
- One-time setup: $1,500 to $2,250
- Ongoing monthly: $400 to $650 per month
Investment Management
Ongoing portfolio management for clients who want someone to manage their investments alongside their financial plan.
We begin by understanding your goals, your tolerance for risk, and your long-term horizon. From there I design and manage a diversified portfolio that adjusts as your life changes.
Financial Planning is included at no additional cost.
| Assets Under Management | Annual Fee |
|---|---|
| $0 - $1,000,000 | 1.00% |
| $1,000,001 - $2,000,000 | 0.75% |
| Greater than $2,000,000 | 0.50% |
Investment Management requires $125,000 in assets. Planning and Project-Based Planning have no minimum. If most of what you have is in a 401(k) you cannot move, or you have a specific question rather than a portfolio to manage, that is not a reason to stay away. It is most of the reason the planning options exist.
How I get paid, and the conflict that creates
Billing on assets under management gives me a financial reason to be less than enthusiastic about advising you to pay down a mortgage, buy a property, make a large gift, or move money somewhere I do not manage.
That is built into the model. It is not a question of whether I am honest, and no amount of insisting that I am addresses it.
What I do about it is offer flat-fee planning and hourly work with no asset minimum, so you can buy the advice without me touching your assets at all. That changes the set of incentives. It does not eliminate them. No compensation structure does, and I would be suspicious of anyone who tells you theirs has.