Is anyone really seeing the long-term benefits of working with these self funded retirement planners? Lately, I’ve noticed a huge push for “planner” services—where you pay a flat fee or subscription, supposedly avoiding high-commission pitfalls from traditional advisors. The big selling point seems to be that they’re “on your side,” but after some digging, I can’t help but wonder if this is just a new flavor of the same old business model.
Are these planners really providing more value than DIY (with some well-reviewed books and a few spreadsheets)? Or is this just a way to get people to pay handsomely for packaged common sense? Anyone got real experiences—good or bad? Feel free to get specific: What did you pay, what did you get, and do you feel it pushed the needle on your retirement goals?
