If you want one professional to look at your whole financial picture and tell you what to do next, you’re asking about comprehensive financial planning. This page is for the financial delegator: someone who has built real wealth and would rather hire an advisor to organize and coordinate it than spend evenings doing it alone. Here’s what a comprehensive plan costs at Catalano Financial, what you get for the fee, and how that compares to handling it yourself.

How much does a comprehensive financial plan cost with an advisor?

At Catalano Financial, comprehensive financial planning is a standard fee of $6,000 per household. That is a fixed fee for a defined engagement, not a percentage of your assets and not an open-ended retainer. You pay once for the plan, and the fee is earned as the work is performed across the engagement.

Fees across the industry vary by how the advisor charges. Published 2026 fee guides put a one-time comprehensive plan from a CFP professional at roughly $2,500 to $5,000, with experienced planners charging $350 to $500 an hour for hourly work (see this 2026 advisor cost guide from Harness). Annual retainer models have climbed sharply: the average retainer rose from $4,484 in 2023 to $6,815 in 2026 according to those same guides. I price a full plan as a flat $6,000 so you know the cost before we start, rather than watching it stack up by the hour.

Here is how the planning and ongoing options line up:

Service	Fee
Financial Roadmap	$500 per household
Comprehensive Financial Planning	$6,000 per household
Strategic Portfolio Management	1.25% on the first $1M, 0.80% on $1M–$5M, 0.50% above $5M
Strategic Wealth Partnership	Generally begins at $15,000

How does hiring an advisor compare to doing it yourself?

Doing it yourself costs less in dollars and more in time, coordination, and second-guessing. Planning software, account aggregation tools, and your own hours are the real price of the DIY route, and that route leaves you making the retirement income, tax, Social Security, and beneficiary decisions on your own.

Most people who come to me already tried the DIY version for years. They have a 401(k) from one employer, an IRA from another, a brokerage account, some cash, maybe an annuity and a couple of life insurance policies, each opened at a different stage of life. The pieces exist, but nothing ties them together. My job is to bring those pieces into one coherent strategy so you can see how they work as a whole, which is the part a spreadsheet does not do for you. If you want a fuller breakdown of the models and what drives the price, I lay that out in what financial planning costs.

What do you get for the $6,000 fee?

The $6,000 covers a complete written plan built across five phases: Discovery, Analysis, Financial Plan Development, Financial Plan Presentation, and Implementation Coordination. We review the planning areas that are relevant to your household, which can include cash flow, retirement, investments, tax considerations, insurance, estate coordination, education funding, charitable goals, debt, and major life decisions.

The fee also includes two scheduled planning meetings and access to the planning and account-aggregation technology for up to 12 months after we begin. I can coordinate implementation with your attorney, accountant, or insurance professional so the recommendations actually get carried out. A plan is generally completed within 30 days after I receive your signed agreement, the fee, and your complete information, though complexity and how quickly documents come in can extend that. What you can expect step by step is covered in your first planning meeting.

Is there a lower-cost way to start?

Yes. The Financial Roadmap is a $500 standalone engagement for people who want direction before committing to a full plan. It includes a discovery meeting, analysis of your information, a written roadmap of observations and prioritized next steps, and one meeting to review it together. Some clients take the roadmap and implement on their own; others use it as a starting point.

If you engage comprehensive planning within six months of your roadmap delivery, the full $500 is credited toward the $6,000 fee. That makes the Roadmap a low-risk way to see how I work before a larger commitment.

What if I want ongoing help instead of a one-time plan?

The $6,000 plan covers year one. Clients who want a continuing relationship, with regular strategy meetings and coordination across retirement, tax, estate, insurance, and business decisions, move into the Strategic Wealth Partnership, which generally begins at $15,000 a year based on scope and complexity. If you primarily want your investments managed, Strategic Portfolio Management runs on the tiered schedule in the table above, generally requiring $250,000 in managed assets. For example, a $1,000,000 household pays 1.25%, about $12,500 a year before market changes.

Why work with Catalano Financial?

I’m Peter Catalano, and I have worked in financial services since 1992. Catalano Financial is a registered investment adviser in Texas, and I hold the CLU and ChFC designations and insurance licenses in Texas, Colorado, California, and Missouri. When I provide investment advisory services, I act as a fiduciary.

I built this practice for people who value advice and partnership over the cheapest account or a do-it-yourself tool. Investment results are not something I can assure, and I will not pretend otherwise; what I offer is clear recommendations based on your circumstances, goals, and plan. If you want to weigh whether we’re a fit, see who I work best with.

What area do you serve?

Catalano Financial is based at 1095 Evergreen Circle, Suite 200, in The Woodlands, Texas. I primarily serve clients in The Woodlands, greater Houston, and across Texas, and I work with clients elsewhere where permitted.

How do I book?

Schedule a discovery call at savvycal.com/catalanofinancial/discovery-call or call 832-696-0990. I generally acknowledge inquiries within one business day, and the first conversation is a chance to talk through your situation and decide which engagement fits.

Frequently asked questions

Does the $6,000 comprehensive planning fee ever change?

The $6,000 per household fee is standard, and I may negotiate or waive it based on relationship size, complexity, scope, referral relationships, or legacy arrangements, so different clients may pay different fees for similar work. It is a fixed fee earned as services are performed. If an engagement ends before completion, I keep only the portion earned and promptly refund any unearned prepaid amount.

How is the planning fee different from an investment management fee?

The $6,000 is a flat fee for a defined planning project; it is not a percentage of your investments. Investment management is priced separately on the tiered schedule, generally 1.25% on the first $1 million, with lower rates at higher asset levels. For context, Cerulli Associates reported in April 2025 that the average advisory fee sits near 1.25% at the $100,000 level. You can engage planning without having me manage any assets.

Can I just get advice without committing to a full plan?

Yes. The $500 Financial Roadmap is the entry point for exactly that. You get a written roadmap and a review meeting, and you are free to implement the recommendations yourself. If you decide to move into comprehensive planning within six months, the $500 is credited toward the $6,000 fee.

Who is the ideal client for comprehensive planning here?

The financial delegator who has accumulated meaningful wealth, often $500,000 to $5 million or more, and wants one professional to coordinate retirement income, investments, taxes, insurance, and estate decisions. Many are age 45 to 70 and approaching retirement, selling or growing a business, receiving an inheritance, or changing careers. To understand the full scope of the role, see what a financial planner does for you.

How long does the whole process take?

A comprehensive plan is generally completed within 30 days after I receive your signed agreement, your fee, and your complete financial information. Timing can extend if documents are delayed or your situation is complex. The $500 Roadmap also targets delivery within 30 calendar days of the same three items being in place.