Question 1

How  much does it cost to work with you?

Accepted Answer

Croft Financial Planning charges $450 per hour.  Before any work begins you will receive a firm quote for the proposed work.  You only pay for the time you use — there are no ongoing fees, no retainers, and no minimum account balances required. This makes professional financial advice accessible even if you don't have a large portfolio.

Question 2

Can I hire a financial planner just for a one-time question or project?

Accepted Answer

Yes — that's one of the key advantages of the hourly advice-only model. You can hire a planner for a single session to review a 401(k) allocation, evaluate a pension decision, or create a retirement income strategy. There's no obligation to continue, no contract, and no long-term commitment required.

Question 3

What happens after the initial financial plan is complete?

Accepted Answer

Once your plan is finished, you own it completely — there's no obligation to continue working together. Most clients implement the recommendations themselves using their existing brokerage accounts, 401(k) plans, or low-cost platforms like Fidelity, or Vanguard. You're left with a clear roadmap and the knowledge to execute it confidently on your own.

Question 4

What kind of investments do you recommend?

Accepted Answer

The recommendations are always tailored to your specific situation, goals, and timeline — but the guidance is generally grounded in low-cost, diversified index funds from providers like Vanguard, Fidelity, and Schwab. There's no incentive to recommend any particular product because there are no commissions or referral fees involved. The goal is always the simplest, most cost-effective strategy that fits your life, not the most complex or profitable one for the advisor.

Question 5

What kind of clients do you work with?

Accepted Answer

The ideal client is a confident, engaged DIY investor who wants expert guidance without handing over control of their money. This tends to attract engineers, scientists, physicians, business owners, and busy professionals — people who are analytical by nature, comfortable making their own decisions, and skeptical of advisors who profit from sales or managing their assets. What they have in common is that they're capable of executing a financial plan themselves; they just want a trusted, conflict-free expert in their corner to make sure they're thinking about everything correctly and not making costly mistakes.

Question 6

What topics can an advice-only financial planner help with?

Accepted Answer

We help with retirement planning, tax strategy, investment portfolio review, insurance analysis, college savings, estate planning, and major financial decisions like buying a home or preparing for and managing a liquidity event. They provide the same breadth of guidance as a traditional advisor — without taking over management of your money.

Question 7

What is an advice-only financial planner?

Accepted Answer

An advice-only financial planner provides guidance and recommendations without managing your money or selling any products. You retain full control of your investments and accounts — the planner simply helps you make better decisions. It's financial planning in its purest form: just advice, nothing else.

Question 8

Why would someone choose an advice-only planner over a traditional wealth manager?

Accepted Answer

Traditional wealth managers typically charge 1% of assets under management annually — on a $1,000,000 portfolio, that's $10,000 per year, every year, regardless of how much help you actually need. This is a conflict of interest and not tied to the amount of work the advisor is actually doing on your behalf. An advice-only planner charges only for the time and guidance you actually use, which is often far less expensive and better suited to confident, engaged investors who want to stay in control of their own money.

Question 9

What is a fiduciary financial planner?

Accepted Answer

A fiduciary is legally and ethically required to act in your best interest at all times — not their own. Not all financial advisors are fiduciaries; some are only required to recommend products that are "suitable," which is a much lower standard. Working with a fiduciary means the advice you receive is not influenced by what pays the advisor more.

Question 10

How is an advice-only planner different from a robo-advisor?

Accepted Answer

A robo-advisor automates investment management using algorithms, but it can't answer nuanced questions about your specific situation, taxes, or life goals. An advice-only planner is a real person who listens, asks questions, and gives you personalized guidance. They're complementary — many clients use a robo-advisor to manage their portfolio and an advice-only planner for strategic decisions.

Question 11

Can I work with an advice-only financial planner remotely or online?

Accepted Answer

Yes — all our work is done virtually, by video call, with clients anywhere. This means you can access a highly qualified, conflict-free planner regardless of where you live, rather than being limited to whoever is nearby. Virtual planning also tends to keep costs lower.

Question 12

Who manages my investments if I work with an advice-only planner?

Accepted Answer

You do — and that's intentional. An advice-only planner helps you build an investment strategy, select appropriate funds, and understand your asset allocation, but you remain in the driver's seat. Most clients find this straightforward once they have a clear plan, especially when investing in simple, low-cost index funds. If you ever feel uncertain, you can always come back for another session.

Question 13

What if I need ongoing help or my situation changes?

Accepted Answer

You can return as often or as infrequently as you like — there's no contract required and no penalty for taking a break. Many clients check in once a year for an annual review, or reach out when a major life event happens like a job change, inheritance, divorce, or approaching retirement. You get the continuity of a trusted advisor relationship without paying a recurring fee during the years when nothing much changes.

Question 14

Do you help with private investments like real estate, private equity, or startup investments?

Accepted Answer

Yes — private investments can be discussed as part of your overall financial picture. While we won't source deals,  manage, or recommend individual private holdings for you, we can provide education to help you assess whether private investments make sense given your goals, liquidity needs, tax situation, and overall portfolio. This is especially valuable for private investments, where the complexity is high and the stakes are significant, but traditional advisors often won't engage because there's no commission involved.

Hourly Financial Planning for DIY Investors

Fee-Only. Advice-Only. Fiduciary.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to work with you?

Can I hire a financial planner just for a one-time question or project?

What happens after the initial financial plan is complete?

What kind of investments do you recommend?

What kind of clients do you work with?

What topics can an advice-only financial planner help with?

What is an advice-only financial planner?

Why would someone choose an advice-only planner over a traditional wealth manager?

What is a fiduciary financial planner?

How is an advice-only planner different from a robo-advisor?

Can I work with an advice-only financial planner remotely or online?

Who manages my investments if I work with an advice-only planner?

What if I need ongoing help or my situation changes?

Do you help with private investments like real estate, private equity, or startup investments?

Hourly Financial Planning for DIY Investors

Fee-Only. Advice-Only. Fiduciary.​​

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to work with you?

Can I hire a financial planner just for a one-time question or project?

What happens after the initial financial plan is complete?

What kind of investments do you recommend?

What kind of clients do you work with?

What topics can an advice-only financial planner help with?

What is an advice-only financial planner?

Why would someone choose an advice-only planner over a traditional wealth manager?

What is a fiduciary financial planner?

How is an advice-only planner different from a robo-advisor?

Can I work with an advice-only financial planner remotely or online?

Who manages my investments if I work with an advice-only planner?

What if I need ongoing help or my situation changes?

Do you help with private investments like real estate, private equity, or startup investments?

Fee-Only. Advice-Only. Fiduciary.