Hourly Financial Planning

Financial questions don’t always require an ongoing relationship or a full investment management plan. Sometimes, you just need a knowledgeable financial advisor to sit down with you, look at the big picture, and help you understand your options.

At Compass Financial Services, our West Des Moines-based financial advisors offer hourly financial planning for individuals and families who want practical guidance, thoughtful conversation, and clear next steps. Whether you’re making a big decision, trying to get organized, or simply wondering if you’re on the right track, we’re here to help you talk it through.

We believe financial planning works best when you feel heard, respected, and comfortable asking questions. Our goal is to explain things in plain language, help you understand the tradeoffs, and build a plan that fits your life—not someone else’s.

Ready to talk through your questions?

Connect with Our Team

What Is Hourly Financial Planning?

Hourly financial planning is a flexible way to receive professional financial guidance without committing to an ongoing advisory arrangement.

Instead of paying based on assets under management, you pay for the time you spend working with your advisor. This can be a good fit if you want help with a specific question, a second opinion, or a focused financial plan.

Hourly planning may help you answer questions like:

Am I saving enough for the future?
Should I pay down debt or invest more?
How should I organize old retirement accounts?
Can I afford to help my child with college?
What should I consider before changing jobs?
How do my insurance, investments, and retirement goals fit together?
Am I making the right decisions with the money I have?

A good financial plan does not have to be complicated. Sometimes, it starts with getting your questions out of your head and onto paper.

How Financial Planning Helps Bring the Pieces Together

Your income, spending, savings, debt, investments, insurance, and future goals don’t exist separately. A decision in one area can affect the rest of your financial life.

Hourly financial planning helps you step back and see how those pieces work together. Depending on what’s on your mind, we may review your cash flow, retirement accounts, education savings, insurance coverage, or plans for an upcoming life change. From there, we can help you understand the tradeoffs and decide what deserves your attention first.

We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all advice. We begin by learning what matters to you, then help you turn a collection of financial questions into practical next steps.

How Our Hourly Planning Process Works

We know talking about money can feel personal. That’s why our process is built around listening first.

Here’s what you can expect:

1. We start with your questions.

You don’t need to have everything organized before reaching out. We’ll begin with what’s on your mind and what you’re hoping to better understand.

2. We look at your financial picture.

Depending on your needs, we may review income, expenses, savings, investments, debt, insurance, retirement accounts, and other important details.

3. We talk through your options.

Our role is to help you understand the choices in front of you. We’ll explain the potential benefits, risks, and tradeoffs in plain language.

4. We help you identify next steps.

You’ll leave with practical direction, whether that means making a few adjustments, continuing the planning conversation, or exploring another service that better fits your needs.

Some people meet with us once or twice for a focused topic. Others come back as life changes. Hourly planning is designed to be flexible.

Common Reasons People Choose Hourly Financial Planning

People reach out to Compass for hourly financial planning at many different stages of life. You may benefit from a conversation if you’re thinking about:

Paying Off Debt and Managing Cash Flow

Saving for College

Beginning to Invest

Planning for Retirement Income

Reviewing Insurance and Risk

Navigating a Life Transition

Who Hourly Financial Planning May Be For

Hourly financial planning can be a good fit when you want professional financial guidance without committing to an ongoing advisory relationship. You may have a specific decision to make, want a second opinion on your current financial plan, or simply need help organizing the different pieces of your finances.

Some people use hourly financial planning to discuss budgeting, debt, retirement savings, old workplace accounts, college planning, insurance, or a major life transition. Others aren’t ready for ongoing investment management but still want advice from a financial professional who can explain their options clearly.

With hourly planning, you pay directly for the planning time you need. The process is designed to be educational and practical, giving you space to ask questions, understand the potential tradeoffs, and identify realistic next steps without pressure.

If you’re not sure whether hourly financial planning is the right service for you, that’s okay. We can start with what’s on your mind and help you determine which type of financial guidance best fits your needs.

What Makes Us Different

At Compass Financial Services, we believe education can lead to confidence. We don’t want you to leave a meeting feeling talked over or unsure of what just happened.

Our advisors take time to listen, explain, and help you understand how different pieces of your financial life work together. We want the planning process to feel collaborative, respectful, and grounded in your goals.

Every plan is different because every person’s life is different. The tools, reports, and recommendations we use are based on your exact situation.

Ready for a Conversation?

If you have financial questions, you don’t have to wait until everything feels perfectly organized. Hourly financial planning gives you a place to start.

Whether you need help with one decision or want to look at the bigger picture, our team is here to listen, answer your questions, and help you move forward with more clarity.

Schedule Your Hourly Financial Planning Meeting Today

Frequently Asked Hourly Financial Planning Questions

Hourly financial planning is a way to work with a financial advisor and pay for the time spent on your planning needs. It can be helpful for people who want advice, education, or a second opinion without committing to an ongoing advisory relationship.
Hourly financial planning focuses on advice and planning time. Investment management typically involves ongoing portfolio management and investment oversight. Some clients only need hourly planning, while others may eventually benefit from investment management as part of their overall plan.
You can ask about budgeting, debt, saving, investing, retirement, college planning, insurance, estate planning considerations, old retirement accounts, or major financial decisions. If it affects your financial life, it’s worth discussing.
No. Many people reach out because they need help getting organized. If there are documents that would be helpful to review, we can let you know what to bring.
No. Hourly planning can be helpful at many income and asset levels. It is often a good fit for people who want guidance on specific questions, whether they are just getting started or preparing for a major life transition.
Yes. This is a common planning question. We can help you compare priorities, interest rates, cash flow, emergency savings, and long-term goals so you can make a more informed decision.
Yes. Hourly planning can help you understand retirement savings, retirement income, Social Security timing, account withdrawals, and other retirement-related decisions. If you need a more detailed retirement plan, we can talk through what that may involve.
Yes. Reviewing old retirement accounts is a common part of financial planning. We can help you understand your options and how those accounts fit into your overall financial picture.
No. Hourly financial planning is designed to provide advice and education. If another service may be helpful, we can explain your options, but the goal is to help you make a decision that fits your needs.
Hourly planning may be right for you if you have financial questions, want professional guidance, or need help making sense of your options. If you’re unsure, reaching out for an initial conversation can help determine the best next step.

Additional Financial Planning Resources

We have included a few tools here that we feel are both informative as well as helpful to your financial planning journey:

Have a Question? Let's Chat!

Name

Email

Address

Phone

Question

Thank you!

Oops!