Many of the people we work with don’t consider themselves “behind” financially.
They earn strong incomes.
They save consistently.
They manage their own investments.
And yet, there’s often a quiet question in the background:
“I think I’m doing the right things… but am I missing something?”
That uncertainty, not a lack of discipline or intelligence, is often what brings confident DIY investors to hourly financial planning.
You Don’t Need Someone to Take Over — You Need a Second Set of Eyes
A large portion of Powwow’s clients are capable, hands-on investors. They’re comfortable making decisions and don’t want to hand over control of their accounts unnecessarily.
What they do want is:
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Confirmation that they’re on track
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Help identifying blind spots
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Clarity around tradeoffs and priorities
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A fiduciary perspective before making big decisions
Hourly financial planning provides exactly that, and can be offered as a one-time project or ongoing relationship.
Paying for Advice, Not Products or Asset Management
Powwow offers advice-only, fiduciary financial planning. Our planning services all boils down to an hourly engagement.
There are:
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No commissions
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No product sales
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No asset minimums required to get advice
Clients work with Powwow as much or as little as they want.
Some people prefer a one-time planning project (often 10–15 hours). Others opt for an annual membership that includes a predetermined number of planning hours (typically around 8 hours per year). In all cases, the pricing remains hourly, the structure simply helps set expectations and space out payments.
Why Hourly Planning Works So Well for Confident DIY Investors
Most people don’t come to us because something is “wrong.” They come because decisions are getting more complex.
We often help clients work through questions like:
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Am I realistically on track to retire?
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How should I balance retirement and non-retirement goals?
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Is my investment strategy aligned with my actual risk tolerance — or am I just winging it in an SP500 index?
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How do more comprehensive matters such as supporting family, taxes, insurance, and estate planning fit together?
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Am I unintentionally taking risks I don’t see?
Hourly planning allows us to focus directly on these questions without unnecessary scope or ongoing management requirements.
Guardrails Against Costly Habits
High-income DIY investors are often disciplined — but discipline doesn’t make anyone immune to behavioral risk.
We frequently see:
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Overconcentration driven by familiarity or comfort
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Tax decisions made in isolation from long-term planning
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Complexity that feels sophisticated but adds little value
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Gradual drift away from stated goals
An hourly engagement provides objective feedback before small habits turn into expensive mistakes.
Who Hourly Financial Planning Is a Good Fit For
Hourly planning tends to work best for people who:
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Earn strong incomes
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Are actively involved in their financial decisions
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Want clarity, not delegation
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Value efficiency and transparency
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Prefer paying for advice rather than asset management
It’s typically not a fit for those who want investment management only or all-inclusive pricing models.
When DIY No Longer Feels Like the Right Use of Time
Many clients begin working with Powwow as confident DIY investors — and stay that way for years.
But for some, there comes a point when managing everything themselves no longer feels like the best use of time or energy. That shift often has less to do with ability and more to do with life changing.
Common reasons include:
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Growing business or career demands
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Increasing complexity as wealth grows
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Age-related desire for simplicity
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Wanting to spend time elsewhere rather than monitoring investments
When that happens, passing the baton doesn’t mean abandoning good decision-making — it means choosing a different role in the process.
From Hourly Advice to Ongoing Investment Management (When and If You Want It)
While hourly financial planning is the right starting point for many clients, Powwow also offers investment management for households who decide they no longer want to DIY.
There is no requirement to make this transition, and many clients never do. But for those who choose it, the approach is a natural extension of the same fiduciary thinking applied in hourly planning.
Just as we review investment strategy, risk, and tradeoffs during hourly engagements, those same considerations continue under an AUM relationship — simply with implementation and ongoing oversight handled on your behalf.
Powwow’s investment management fee is 0.75% of assets under management for households with $250,000 or more to invest, with no commissions or product sales.
Learn more about our investment management services
Based in Massachusetts — Working Virtually Beyond It
Powwow works with many clients throughout Massachusetts and Greater Boston, and also provides virtual hourly financial planning to clients in other states where permitted.
The common thread isn’t geography — it’s mindset.
Learn More About Hourly Financial Planning at Powwow
If you’re confident in what you’re doing but want an experienced fiduciary to help confirm you’re on track, hourly financial planning may be the right approach.
