Clear Money Guide
What this guide covers
A quick view of the questions and evidence developed below.
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Updated on May 21, 2026
Quick answer (2026): An hourly advisor for RSUs can make sense when you need a focused second opinion, withholding check, sell-at-vest plan, or concentrated-stock diversification plan without paying for a full ongoing AUM relationship. Common hourly planning ranges are 2–3 hours for a quick RSU check, 4–7 hours for a written RSU plan, 6–10 hours for RSUs plus ESPP or multi-state tax coordination, and 8–12+ hours when ISOs, NSOs, private-company equity, tender offers, or AMT exposure are involved.
The useful comparison is not the hourly rate alone. It is the hourly rate × expected hours, capped with a not-to-exceed limit, plus the written deliverables you receive. At $300/hour, a 3-hour second opinion costs about $900, a 6-hour RSU plan costs about $1,800, and a 10-hour equity-comp project costs about $3,000.
Related RSU guides: RSU sell-to-cover vs net shares · RSUs & stock options advisor guide · Hourly financial planner near me · Fee-for-service financial planner near me · Financial advisor hourly rate · Flat-fee financial advisor · Advisor Fee Calculator
Equity-comp location hubs: Bay Area · SF Peninsula · South Bay / Silicon Valley · Greater Seattle · Seattle · Austin · New York City
Hourly advisor for RSUs: when it fits
- You have a specific decision window: vesting date, blackout window, sell-to-cover choice, tax top-up, ESPP sale, or option exercise.
- You want a written plan but do not need ongoing portfolio management.
- You are comfortable placing trades yourself after receiving the plan.
- You want to compare a scoped hourly project against a flat annual quote or AUM proposal in dollars.
Hourly RSU advisor cost: scope and sanity checks
| RSU scope | Typical hours | Cost at $300/hour | Written deliverable to ask for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quick RSU second opinion | 2–3 hours | $600–$900 | One-page action list covering sell-to-cover, withholding, and next steps |
| RSU vesting + sell plan | 4–7 hours | $1,200–$2,100 | Vest calendar, tax estimate, sell policy, and cash-allocation plan |
| RSUs + ESPP or multi-state taxes | 6–10 hours | $1,800–$3,000 | Withholding review, estimated-tax notes, state-tax assumptions, and diversification plan |
| RSUs + ISOs/NSOs/private-company equity | 8–12+ hours | $2,400–$3,600+ | Exercise model, AMT check, liquidity-event plan, and tax-coordination memo |
Before you book, run the quote through the Advisor Fee Calculator. If the advisor quotes a flat annual fee instead, compare it with the same RSU scope, not just the lower-looking headline price.
What a good hourly RSU scope should include
- Grant inventory: RSUs, ESPP shares, ISOs, NSOs, private-company equity, tender-offer windows, and vesting dates.
- Withholding check: whether sell-to-cover, net shares, or cash pay is likely to leave a tax gap.
- Sell policy: what gets sold at vest, what can be held, and how much employer-stock concentration is acceptable.
- Tax coordination: estimated-tax reminders, AMT flags, state-tax assumptions, and CPA handoff notes.
- Portfolio plan: where proceeds go after sale: cash reserve, debt payoff, index funds, retirement accounts, home goals, or taxable brokerage.
What to bring to the first hourly RSU session
- Equity portal screenshots with grant type, vest dates, share counts, strike prices, and expiration dates.
- Recent pay stub showing RSU withholding and supplemental wage withholding.
- Most recent tax return and current-year salary, bonus, spouse income, and state of residence.
- Cash needs over the next 6–24 months: taxes, home purchase, tuition, debt payoff, or emergency fund.
- Your current employer-stock percentage of net worth, even if it is only an estimate.
Hourly vs flat fee vs AUM for RSUs
| Fee model | Best fit | Watch-out |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly | One decision window, vesting check, sell plan, option exercise review, or second opinion | Needs a not-to-exceed cap and written deliverable |
| Project fee | Defined equity-comp project with a fixed deliverable | Confirm what becomes hourly or out-of-scope |
| Flat annual | Recurring equity comp plus retirement, taxes, cash flow, and portfolio coordination | Compare the service calendar, not just the annual fee |
| AUM | Ongoing portfolio management bundled with planning | Convert the percentage fee into annual dollars before deciding |
Red flags before hiring an hourly RSU advisor
- No written not-to-exceed cap.
- No written deliverable after the call.
- No clear answer on who handles tax modeling and CPA coordination.
- Vague advice to “just hold” or “just sell everything” without tax and concentration analysis.
- Pressure to move assets into AUM before quoting the scoped hourly work.
Copy/paste: 5 questions for an hourly RSU advisor
Subject: Hourly RSU advice — scope + not-to-exceed cap
Hi — before our intro call, could you confirm:
1) Are you a fiduciary at all times? Please answer yes/no in writing.
2) What is your hourly rate by role, and what is the not-to-exceed cap for this RSU scope?
3) What is included: RSUs, ESPP, sell-to-cover, net shares, estimated taxes, state taxes, blackout windows, and concentrated-stock diversification?
4) Who does the tax modeling — lead planner, associate planner, CPA, outside specialist, or software estimate?
5) What written deliverables do I receive: vest calendar, sell policy, tax memo, action checklist, or portfolio plan?
Please pause and ask for written approval before exceeding the cap.
If you do not provide tax advice, please explain exactly how you coordinate with my CPA.
Thanks!Fast decision rule
- Use hourly: narrow RSU decision, second opinion, withholding gap, sell plan, or one option-exercise window.
- Use project pricing: defined equity-comp deliverable with a fixed written scope.
- Use flat annual: recurring equity comp plus retirement, tax windows, and cash-flow planning.
- Use AUM: only when ongoing portfolio management is part of the value and the annual dollar cost still makes sense.
What to do next
Run your own numbers.
RSU withholding gap calculator — see whether the 22% default leaves you short.
Hourly scope estimator — estimate the hours a real engagement takes.
Methodology
- Dollar-first comparison. This page converts hourly, project, flat annual, and AUM advisor quotes into dollars for similar RSU and equity-comp planning scope.
- Scope-first review. A quote is only useful when it specifies expected hours, not-to-exceed cap, deliverables, tax-coordination process, who does the work, and what is excluded.
- Tax-rule references. RSU, restricted stock, stock-option, and 83(b)-election concepts are checked against IRS Publication 525. Supplemental wage withholding concepts are checked against IRS Publication 15.
- Data freshness. This page was last reviewed on May 21, 2026. Employer-plan rules, payroll settings, tax thresholds, and state rules can change.
- Educational only. This is not tax, legal, or investment advice. Confirm your employer plan rules and talk to a qualified fiduciary advisor or tax professional before acting.
Editorial standards: Editorial Policy
What the filings actually say. We measured the fee schedules 176 SEC-registered advisers publish in their Form ADV Part 2A filings: at $250,000 only 28.4% disclose a fee you can price at all, and the weighted median annual cost among those that do is $2,000 to $2,500. The full benchmark, with method.