Fees

Financial planning is hourly-only at $360 per hour. We are “advice-only” and do not sell financial products or charge ongoing fees. Tax-preparation fees vary based on the complexity of your situation.

Here are some way to conceptualize the process and get a feel for the range of services and costs for various needs:

1. Focused overview of high-yield items with practical, actionable advice for the short- and medium-term. We’ll ask you for relevant documents, such as past tax forms, paystubs, employer benefit and retirement accounts, insurances in place, investments statements, and debt information. We’ll review and analyze, and ask for additional information if needed. We will provide focused practical advice on a range of issues: budgeting, taxes, retirement accounts, pre-tax vs Roth investing, investment selection, insurance needs, debt management, etc. We’ll initially provide suggestions via email, focusing on issues which represent the greatest or most pressing concerns. Then we’ll have a call or video visit to go over our recommendations and allow for a back and forth and additional guidance, with some follow-up emails if the situation warrants. This is a usually a 4-8 hour process. Afterwards, any additional advice you might want, whenever you want it, continues to be billed at our standard hourly rate.

2. Comprehensive advice and planning. This is an 12 to 20 hour process, on average over the first year but concentrated in the first few weeks and months. We will address all of your short- and medium-term needs/goals and give you a solid foundation from which address most long term goals, e.g.: How much do we need to save for retirement; detailed tax analysis, investing extra cash vs. paydown of debt, choosing among employer health insurance options, in-depth advice about retirement accounts and planning, college saving/investing for children if applicable, buying vs renting, life insurance needs, etc. After the initial concerns are addressed many clients want scheduled periodic “check-ins”. Others simply get in touch with us with new questions or a change in their situation. Please see our FAQ to learn how we handle ongoing monitoring of your investments. The estimated time of 12 – 20 hours (i.e. $4000 to $7000 of billed time) is a wide range due to the large variation in clients situation and what they hope to accomplish. We estimate that 90% of clients get 90% of their needs addressed within that window, with an occasional outlier for complicated situations.

3. “Just Call Us and We’ll Chat”. Some clients have a very specific question, or are looking for a discussion or education on a few key points, and don’t yet need any detailed analysis or comprehensive planning. If so, just let us know and we’ll schedule a 60 minute call and get right to work on your questions “on the fly”, billed at our standard hourly rate.

4. Educational workshops, lectures, and seminars. In addition to individual financial planning, we provide educational seminars and workshops to employers, non-profits, civil or service groups, and community organizations. We provide in-person and remote lectures, small group seminars and extended workshops (e.g. in a retreat setting). Fees vary but typically start at $750 for a session between 45 and 90 minutes. We focus on financial education and literacy. We do not use these sessions to solicit clients or pitch our services. Here’s a list of his most recent educational seminars.