The best surprise is no surprise.


You’re at the stage of life when you’re thinking of hiring someone, or someone new, to help you with your money.

Set your standards high. You want a no-nonsense person or group that has years of experience working for savvy people. You want sound judgements, sensitivity—and a track record of results.”

— Kiplinger

The “no surprise” aspiration applies to your financial wellness for decades to come, as well as the planning process you begin today. Price Planning likes to get everything on the table up front. That’s why we offer a complimentary introductory meeting—to make sure that Price Planning is a good fit for you.

Whether you need short-term help or long-term planning, we prepare estimates, agreements, and disclosures in advance of any fees being incurred.

Introductory Meeting

The first meeting you have with Debbie Price is complimentary.  Not only will you learn about Price Planning, Debbie will gain an understanding of your general financial needs and concerns, and help determine the kinds of financial planning and investment services you require.

There is no need to divulge any personal facts, provide financial documents, or fill out questionnaires at this time. This meeting is to ensure Price Planning is a good fit for you, and to give you an informal estimate on specific services.

We can schedule this initial meeting on weekdays, weeknights, or Saturday mornings—whatever’s most convenient for you—and we can meet at your home, your office, or a restaurant, coffee shop, or bookstore. (Just one of the perks of working with a small, flexible firm.)

Next Communication

Within a week, Price Planning will send you a combination of the following documents via email. (If preferred, we can send all communications via USPS.)

Note: Sample documents require Adobe Reader® to open. If you encounter problems, visit www.adobe.com to download the latest version of the free Adobe Reader.

Ongoing Communication & Meetings

Price Planning not only meets client expectations, but also strives to exceed them by carefully looking at the consequential details of all tasks.

  • Meetings are scheduled as needed to complete tasks at hand, with an eye for detail, compliance, and expediency.
  • Email is frequently used to follow-up on meetings or to answer questions.
  • Privacy Policy is re-sent to all clients each January with an offer to re-send Form ADV Part II.
  • A Service Agreement Addendum is sent annually, which allows you to think about services needed in subsequent years.

General Costs

Price Planning allows for great flexibility, as our clients’ needs are ever changing. Many clients will choose a retainer agreement in the first year for comprehensive work, and then move to an hourly agreement for the following years for check-ups and investment reviews.

Hourly Rate: $330 
As you can see from the Hourly Service Agreement sample, a minimum and maximum fee range will be quoted. If you are quoted a fee for 4-6 hours and it ultimately takes 10, you will only be billed for 6 hours.

Initial (First Year) Retainer: $2,000 – $15,000.
As you can see from the Retainer Fee Calculation sample, the fee depends upon the scope of engagement (i.e., menu selection) and your stage in the financial life cycle (e.g., early accumulation, rapid accumulation, financial independence, etc.).  This fee is fixed for the term of the contract whether your service requires four hours, 40 hours or 400 .

Retainer, renewal engagement: $1,500 – $13,500. 
As you can see from the Retainer Service Agreement sample, renewal engagement fees are estimated to be 75 – 90% of first year fees and are negotiated annually.


To see an example of how the following fee structures affect real people, refer to the Client Examples.