More questions?

What are your fees?

My financial planning services are provided on a fixed price basis, at a rate of $400 for three months of unlimited financial planning guidance and $300 per subsequent three month period. I also offer the option of a single-session consultation for $200. I don’t charge by the hour and don’t have an AUM (asset under management) fee.

My Retirement-Readiness service has a fee of $600 and includes three months of financial planning guidance and follow-up.

My Investment Strategy and Financial Resiliency services each have a fee of $400 and includes three months of follow-up and assistance.

I offer reduced fees for students and clients experiencing financial distress. Contact me for any questions about my pricing options.

How are you different from other financial advisors?

My approach is different from traditional financial advisors in four ways:

1. My fees are significantly lower.

A traditional advisor typically charges 1% per year of your assets under management. It sounds like an inconsequential amount but turns out to be higher than my fixed fees by a factor of 10x or more.

2. I won’t take control of nor have discretionary authority over your investment assets.

I will provide expert guidance and direction for your investment strategy but you’ll retain control of your funds. I’ll guide you to optimize your asset allocation using low-cost target date and index funds, while minimizing fees and taxes. If you focus on that, you’ll earn market rates of return over the long run without the headwinds of costly fees.

If you’re looking for someone who can pick winning stocks or correctly time the ups and down of the stock and bond markets, I’m not that person. If instead, you want to have an appropriate asset allocation at minimal cost, I can guide and educate you in this process.

3. I focus on your other financial planning needs.

Because traditional financial advisors charge a fee for their investment strategy guidance, they don’t focus on other important needs such as budgeting, projecting how much to save, where best to save, college and retirement planning, life insurance, annuities, Social Security claiming, and the myriad of other financial planning issues that emerge through life.

I invert those priorities. I believe the investment strategy is straightforward and these other financial planning needs can be more complex and important.

4. I keep it simple.

Financial planning and investing are not quantum physics and shouldn’t be mysterious or incomprehensible to you.

What is your Retirement-Readiness service?

You can learn more about this service here.

The fee is $600 and includes 90 days of follow-up and financial planning.

What is your Investment Strategy service?

You can learn more about this service here.

The fee for this service is $400 and includes 90 days of follow-up and financial planning guidance.

What is your Financial Resiliency service?

You can learn more about this service here.

The fee for this service is $400 for 90 days of financial planning guidance.

Do you really provide a complete satisfaction guarantee?

Yes. If you are unsatisfied with the quality of any of my services, there will be no charge.

How can I contact you directly?

Please send me an email to:  jimmy [at] financiallyspeaking.org.

Do you offer financial literacy classes to groups?

Yes, I create and present customized workshops and classes on a range of personal finance topics to students, adult education learners, unions, and corporate employee groups. I have delivered workshops to diverse groups who range from Ivy League MBA students to inmates in correctional facilities and many other audiences.

To view upcoming classes, click here.

To learn details about all the classes I offer, click here.

Do you sell financial products or act as a registered investment advisor?

No. I am not licensed to sell securities nor registered to be an investment advisor.

I provide financial planning and coaching services, including retirement-readiness analyses and investment reviews. I do recommend various mutual funds and financial firms but I receive no direct nor indirect compensation from any organization.

What do you do with any documents and other personal information that is provided by clients?

Generally, I work with electronic documents. After any client engagement is completed, documents files are deleted. However, I retain any notes I took and a copy of any client deliverables in case of follow-up questions or requests.