What Does an Hourly Financial Planner Cost?

I charge $395 per hour. An Initial Engagement runs 7 to 12 hours for individuals ($2,765 to $4,740) and 12 to 17 hours for couples ($4,740 to $6,715). Hourly rates vary widely by advisor, so compare what each engagement includes, not just the rate.

Those figures are my published fees as of October 30, 2026. My full fee details are on my hourly financial planning fees page, which stays the place to check the current numbers.

How hourly financial planning works

With hourly planning, you pay for the time I spend on your situation. I track time in 15-minute increments. There is no fee based on the size of your accounts, and there is no mandatory monthly or annual charge.

Every new client starts with an Initial Engagement, a comprehensive review of your retirement income, investments, income taxes, insurance, and (in a limited way) estate planning. You pay 25% of the maximum Initial Engagement fee after the initial information and data gathering. The balance is due when the engagement ends, and your total fee is capped at the maximum in our signed agreement.

After that, any further planning is optional. You hear from me when you reach out, and you are billed only for the work we do.

Hourly fees compared with percentage-of-assets fees

Many advisors charge a percentage of the assets they manage. Under that model, the fee generally rises and falls with your account balances and continues for as long as the advisor manages the money.

Hourly planning works differently. The fee follows the time spent on your questions, not the size of your portfolio, and it stops when the work stops. I am a fee-only advisor. I receive no commissions or other sales-related compensation, and my only compensation comes directly from clients.

Neither model is right for everyone. If you want someone to manage your investments day to day, an asset-based arrangement may fit you better. All of my new client relationships are advice-only: I make the recommendations, and you handle the implementation.

What drives the number of hours

The ranges above come down to a few things:

One person or two. Planning for a couple means more information to gather and more decisions to coordinate, which is why couples fall in the 12 to 17 hour range.
How you share your information. Linking your accounts in RightCapital is the most efficient way to work. If you send statements instead, manual data entry may add time, so please tell me early if that is your plan.
How organized your records are. I may ask for a list of documents as part of the data gathering. Having them ready generally helps keep the engagement moving.
The questions on your list. A comprehensive review covers all aspects of your financial life, and the number of open questions can affect where you land in the range.

Because the total is capped in the signed agreement, you know the most the Initial Engagement can cost before you begin. Your actual cost depends on the time the work takes, so it may land anywhere within the range.

What the Initial Engagement includes

For the fee, you typically receive:

2 to 3 meetings by video call and/or in person
RightCapital setup and access
A written Executive Summary, typically 5 to 10 pages, with bulleted, action-oriented recommendations
One additional month for follow-up questions as you put the recommendations into action

Most Initial Engagements last about 1.5 to 3 months from start to finish. For the full sequence, see how the Initial Engagement works.

What happens after the Initial Engagement

After the Initial Engagement, you move to On-Demand Financial Planning at the same $395 hourly rate. It is billed monthly in arrears (after the work is performed), in 15-minute increments. If no planning work is done, you pay nothing. Quick emails and brief phone calls are always free of charge.

I do not check in on a schedule. You reach out when life changes or a decision with financial implications comes up. I do recommend a checkup meeting at least once a year, ideally in the fall (September through November).

What hourly planning does not include

An hourly engagement has limits, and it helps to know them up front:

Investment management. I provide advice, and you implement it in your own accounts, wherever you choose to keep them.
Tax preparation. I do not prepare or file tax returns. My income tax planning looks forward at multi-year strategies, and I am glad to work with your CPA.
Insurance sales. I can review your coverage and make recommendations, but you cannot purchase insurance products through me.
Legal documents. My estate planning advice is limited, and a qualified estate attorney is essential for drafting documents.

Who this may and may not suit

You may be a good fit if you are roughly 55 to 75 years old and in or near retirement, you want a thought partner and professional guidance, and you are comfortable implementing recommendations on your own.

It is probably not a fit if you are looking for someone to manage your investments, or if you want a limited-scope engagement that would not let me look at your whole financial life.

Common questions about hourly planner costs

What is the hourly rate for a financial planner?

It varies widely by advisor. My rate is $395 per hour, for both the Initial Engagement and On-Demand planning.

What does an Initial Engagement cost?

For individuals, an Initial Engagement is 7 to 12 hours, a total of $2,765 to $4,740. For couples, it is 12 to 17 hours, a total of $4,740 to $6,715. Both are billed at $395 per hour.

Are there ongoing or asset-based fees?

No. There are no mandatory ongoing fees or asset-management charges. If we perform planning work together, you pay an hourly fee. If no work is performed, you pay nothing.

Is the introductory call free?

Yes. The introductory call is a free, 30-minute call, and there is no cost for anything before you sign an agreement.

Your next step

If the model sounds like a fit, start with my hourly financial planning fees page for the current numbers, and read the FAQs for answers on billing, meetings, and who implements the plan. When you are ready, schedule your free 30-minute introductory call.

This article is for general education and is not personalized advice. Fees and services may change, and what you pay depends on your individual circumstances.