{"id":722293,"date":"2026-01-26T17:33:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-26T17:33:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/722293\/"},"modified":"2026-01-26T17:33:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T17:33:08","slug":"im-torn-i-want-to-retire-in-6-months-but-how-much-professional-help-do-i-really-need-and-whats-the-cost-to-make-it-happen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/722293\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018I\u2019m torn.\u2019 I want to retire in 6 months, but how much professional help do I really need \u2013 and what\u2019s the cost \u2013 to make it happen?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Question: <\/strong>\u201cI currently have investments with a large investment company and plan to retire in six months. My employer works with a financial services company that offers a lot of financial planning assistance and they want me to transfer all of my funds to them. But, their cost is so much higher than what I\u2019m currently paying. I\u2019m torn about what to do. Both companies are well known. Besides cost, what else should I consider before making a decision?\u201d<\/p>\n

Answer: <\/strong>Cost is certainly an important factor in picking a financial firm, but it shouldn\u2019t be the only one, especially as you approach retirement. Indeed, there\u2019s a lot to consider when looking for a financial adviser, including what exactly they will do to help you plan for retirement, their credentials and whether they are a fiduciary. You can use this free tool to get matched with fiduciary advisers, <\/a>from our ad partner SmartAsset, as well as sites like CFP Board and NAPFA. <\/p>\n

\u201cFinancial planning becomes a much bigger priority during this phase of life. Make sure the guidance you\u2019re getting is truly comprehensive, including areas like Social Security optimization, tax-efficient withdrawal strategies, portfolio risk alignment and more,\u201d says certified financial planner Ryan Haiss at Flynn Zito Capital Management.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also worth looking at your all-in cost, not just the advisory fee. \u201cIf the higher-cost firm provides ongoing, personalized financial planning and behavioral coaching to help you stay disciplined during volatile markets, that added value can be well worth it,\u201d says Haiss.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Additionally, you might consider speaking with other reputable CFPs to compare both fees and the scope of services. \u201cThat can help you better understand what you\u2019re truly getting for the price and whether it aligns with your specific retirement needs,\u201d says Haiss.<\/p>\n

How to compare costs between firms<\/p>\n

Comparing costs between firms means making sure you\u2019re comparing apples to apples. \u201cOne firm might be a fee-only adviser, meaning they charge a transparent, flat fee or percentage of assets under management, with no hidden incentives. The other might earn commission from the products they recommend, costs that are often buried in fund expenses or transaction fees and not immediately obvious,\u201d says Laura Mattia, certified financial planner at Wealth Enhancement. \u201cAt first glance, the fee-only adviser may seem more expensive, but once you account for hidden costs, potential conflicts of interest and product markups, the difference may not be as large or may even favor the more transparent option.\u201d <\/p>\n

Costs for fee-only advisers vary, but hourly charges tend to range between $200 and $500 per hour while project-based advisers cost anywhere from $1,500 to $7,500 on average, depending on the scope of work. Meanwhile, the average AUM fee is an industry standard of 1% AUM. Fee-based advisers, or those who earn commissions in addition to charging fees, are paid by a third party when they sell a specific financial product. This creates a conflict of interest because an adviser may be pushing something that isn\u2019t in their clients\u2019 best interest, but rather compensates them well.<\/p>\n

What to look for in an adviser<\/p>\n

While cost is certainly a factor, there are other important considerations when deciding whether to stay with your current investment firm or move to the one affiliated with your employer. \u201cFind out if the adviser is a fiduciary, preferably 100% of the time. Fiduciaries are legally obligated to act in your best interest, while non-fiduciaries may only need to recommend suitable products which could carry conflicts of interest. If the adviser has a broker\u2019s license, they have the ability to sell within the suitability standard and make recommendations that are not the best options for you,\u201d says Mattia.<\/p>\n

When conducting your due diligence, you\u2019ll want to compare the breadth and depth of services offered by each firm, including things like comprehensive retirement planning, tax strategies and insurance advice. \u201cAsk if they create a documented strategy. At minimum they will create an investment policy statement and a cash withdrawal strategy or income plan,\u201d says Mattia.\u00a0<\/p>\n

When evaluating advisers, it\u2019s imperative to consider their experience, certifications and areas of specialization. \u201cTwo of the most respected designations in the industry are the CFP and the CFA (chartered financial analyst). A CFP is trained to create comprehensive financial plans that cover all aspects of your financial life, including retirement, taxes, insurance, estate planning and budgeting. It\u2019s a broad, client-focused designation that ensures the adviser is equipped to help you align your financial decisions with your life goals,\u201d says Mattia.<\/p>\n

Conversely, CFAs dive deep into the science of investing. \u201cCFAs are experts in building efficient portfolios that aim to minimize risk for a given level of return. This designation emphasizes portfolio construction, risk management and financial analysis,\u201d says Mattia.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Try to suss out whether you\u2019ll have a dedicated adviser or a rotating team and make sure the firm you go with aligns with your risk tolerance, time horizon and investment preferences. \u201cAre they primarily active or passive managers? How do they make their investment decisions? Do they rely on proprietary products or do they offer an open-architecture platform that gives you access to a broader range of investments?\u201d says Mattia.<\/p>\n

One question certified financial planner Jim Hemphill at TGS Financial Advisors says you\u2019ll want to have your adviser answer is how they can successfully help you navigate the transition from working full time to being retired full time. \u201cThat\u2019s a challenging process with profound financial and emotional implications. You want to choose the long-term partner who has the right skills to help you approach the next phase of your life with a complete financial plan that gives you rational confidence in your future,\u201d says Hemphill. You can use this free tool to get matched with fiduciary advisers<\/a>, from our ad partner SmartAsset, as well as sites like CFP Board and NAPFA.<\/p>\n

Have an issue with your financial planner or looking for a new one? Email questions or concerns to picks@marketwatch.com.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Questions edited for brevity and clarity. By emailing your questions to The Advicer, you agree to have them published anonymously on MarketWatch; they may appear anonymously in other media and platforms.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Question: \u201cI currently have investments with a large investment company and plan to retire in six months. My…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":722294,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3093],"tags":[51,14362,202004,474,202001,7558,4179,166395,6615,202003,2499,5494,153446,3653,101563,28415,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-722293","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-personal-finance","8":"tag-business","9":"tag-corporate","10":"tag-corporate-industrial-news","11":"tag-finance","12":"tag-financial-investment-services","13":"tag-financial-services","14":"tag-general-news","15":"tag-industrial-news","16":"tag-investing","17":"tag-investing-securities","18":"tag-personal-finance","19":"tag-political","20":"tag-political-general-news","21":"tag-retirement-planning","22":"tag-securities","23":"tag-synd","24":"tag-uk","25":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115962603297544103","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/722293","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=722293"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/722293\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/722294"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=722293"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=722293"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=722293"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}