Questions, answered plainly
The most common questions about flat-fee planning, what Glow does, the fee, and how to get started. Grouped by topic.
Fees and pricing
What does a flat-fee financial advisor cost?
Glow's flat fee runs from $4,000 to $10,000 a year, starting at $4,000, billed quarterly. The exact number depends on how complex your situation is, not how much you have saved. You will know your fee before you commit to anything.
What is the difference between flat-fee and AUM pricing?
AUM pricing charges a percentage of the money an advisor manages, so the cost rises as your savings grow. A flat fee stays the same regardless of your account balance. With Glow, what you pay is tied to the work involved, not the size of your portfolio.
What does fee-only mean, and how is it different from fee-based?
Fee-only means Glow is paid only by its clients, never through commissions or product sales. Fee-based advisors can earn both client fees and commissions, which can create competing incentives.
What is included in the flat fee?
The whole plan. Retirement income, tax planning, Social Security timing, health care and Medicare, investment management, and estate coordination, all coordinated together.
What Glow does
Do I have to move my investments to work with Glow?
No. By default, Glow manages your investments, but accounts you keep managing yourself, or accounts that cannot move, like a current employer's 401(k), do not disqualify you or change your fee.
What if I have a 401(k) I cannot move?
Common, and not a problem. I advise on accounts that cannot move rather than managing them directly, and they still fit into the same coordinated plan.
Do you file my taxes?
No. I am not your CPA. I do year-round tax planning and coordinate with the person who files your return so the planning and the filing line up.
What if I already have a CPA and an attorney?
Good. I work with them. My role is to keep your tax, legal, and financial decisions pointed in the same direction rather than replace the professionals you already trust.
What happens if I want to leave?
You are never locked in. There is no minimum term, and you can end the engagement whenever you choose (see Glow’s Form ADV for the notice details). Your accounts stay in your name at Schwab, and you can remove my access at any time.
How is this different from what my current advisor does?
Two things. The fee is flat and based on your plan, not a percentage of your portfolio. And the focus is coordination across every part of your retirement, in a deliberate order, rather than managing investments with a plan attached.
Before you retire
What decisions do I need to make before I retire, and in what order?
The big ones cluster in your late 50s and 60s: when to claim Social Security, how to handle Roth conversions, how to bridge health insurance before Medicare, and how to turn savings into income. They affect one another, so the order matters.
Why does my income at age 63 affect my Medicare premium?
Medicare's income-based surcharge (IRMAA) uses your tax return from two years earlier, so the income you report at 63 helps determine what you pay starting at 65. That two-year lookback surprises a lot of people.
When does the Roth conversion window open and close?
The useful window usually opens when your income drops, often after you stop working, and starts closing once required minimum distributions begin. The exact timing depends on your situation.
What if my spouse and I do not agree about retirement?
That is common, and it is one of the things I am most useful for. I give you a structured, calm setting to work through it with real numbers instead of guesses.
What if I am planning for retirement on my own?
You are just as welcome. Single pre-retirees face all the same decisions and usually have no built-in second opinion.
I have handled my own finances for years. Do I really need help?
Maybe not, and I will tell you honestly if that is the case. Many of my clients are capable DIYers who simply reached a point where the decisions got more complex and the stakes got higher.
The readiness check
How do I know if I am on track to retire?
You are on track if your reliable income, plus what your savings can support, covers what you expect to spend in retirement, taxes and health care included. I organize your accounts, income sources, and goals into one picture, so you can see where you actually stand.
Do I have to become a client to do the readiness check?
No. The check is free and standalone.
Is my financial information safe?
Yes. Your information lives in the same secure planning software my clients use, protected by the safeguards described in the Privacy Policy. It is never sold, and it is shared only as the Privacy Policy describes.
How long does it take?
Three meetings, each lasting 60 to 90 minutes, over about four to six weeks. Gathering the financial documents I will need usually takes people a few hours in one evening.
What do I get at the end?
A clear read on where you stand today across your income, savings, investments, and expenses, and where your current path leads. It is an overview of where you are headed, not financial advice or a full plan, and it is enough to know whether you are on track.
About Jordan and Glow
What is a CFP® professional, and why does it matter?
A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER professional has met requirements in education, examination, experience, and ethics, and is held to a fiduciary standard when providing financial advice.
Is Jordan a fiduciary?
Yes. As a fee-only fiduciary, Jordan is required to act in your best interest and is paid only by clients, never through commissions or product sales.
Where is Glow located, and do you work with clients outside Florida?
Glow is based in Spring Hill, Florida, and works with clients remotely nationwide.
How is Glow paid?
Glow is fee-only. You pay a flat annual fee, and Glow receives no other compensation.
Why does Glow focus on people nearing retirement?
Glow's planning is built around the years just before and after retirement, usually within ten years of it. If you're earlier in your career and like the approach, you're welcome to reach out.