Clear Money Guide
What this guide covers
A quick view of the questions and evidence developed below.
Comparison tables scroll horizontally on smaller screens.
Updated July 7, 2026. Quick answer (2026): A flat-fee-only retirement planner near me should quote one clear dollar amount for the planning scope before you compare it with AUM, retainer, hourly, or project pricing. Confirm fiduciary status, written deliverables, investment implementation, tax coordination, and renewal terms.
Flat-fee-only retirement planning can be a fit when the main need is retirement income, Social Security timing, Roth conversions, Medicare/IRMAA, RMDs, taxable withdrawals, pensions, old employer plans, equity compensation, charitable giving, or a written plan with defined support.
Flat-fee-only retirement planner cost checks
| Quote type | Typical comparison | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Flat annual planning | $4,000-$15,000+/year | Meetings, written plan, investment implementation, tax coordination, and renewal terms. |
| Project retirement plan | $2,000-$7,500+ per project | Scope, deliverable, timeline, follow-up questions, and what becomes hourly. |
| Hourly retirement advice | $250-$500+/hour | Estimated hours, not-to-exceed cap, deliverable, and implementation help. |
| AUM comparison | 1.00% on $1,000,000 = $10,000/year | Whether the AUM proposal includes the same retirement planning scope. |
Flat-fee retirement planning exists. It is just harder to find than the percentage kind.
Most directories are populated by whoever pays to be listed, which skews toward the AUM model. Ask for the fee structure in writing in the first exchange. It is free to you, and it is not the only way to find an adviser.
Before you start, what actually happens. The form is run by Kapitalwise, our advisor-matching partner. Kapitalwise sends your details to advisers who pay for the introduction, so expect calls and texts. Clear Money Guide is paid when you submit the form, whether or not you ever hire anyone. This is free to you and there is no obligation to hire anyone.
The Kapitalwise form opens here — you stay on this page.
What happens when you press the button
It asks about nine questions — age, investable assets, location — then your name, email and phone number, and verifies the phone by text. Nothing loads and nothing reaches Kapitalwise until you press the button.
5 questions before a flat-fee retirement call
- What is the flat dollar fee, and what specific retirement-planning work does it include?
- Are investment implementation, tax coordination, Social Security, Roth conversions, RMDs, and Medicare/IRMAA included?
- What becomes out-of-scope, hourly, or a separate project?
- Are you acting as a fiduciary for every recommendation?
- How would the cost compare with AUM, retainer, hourly, or project pricing for the same scope?
Related routes: flat-fee financial advisor near me, flat-fee financial advisor, fee-for-service financial planner near me, and fiduciary financial advisor near me.
Methodology
- We compare flat-fee retirement planning against AUM, retainer, hourly, and project pricing in annual dollars.
- We do not rank local advisors, sell directory placement, publish fake reviews, or claim that one fee model is best for every household.
- This page was materially reviewed on July 7, 2026. It is educational, not personalized financial, tax, legal, or investment advice.
Editorial standards: Editorial Policy
Compare beyond one fee model: Use the retirement planner near-me guide to evaluate planning process, credentials, fiduciary scope, local versus virtual fit, every compensation method, conflicts, minimums, and total cost before narrowing to flat-fee proposals.
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.