Just for fun (and the free dinner) I went to one of those dinner and a free retirement planning seminar. The dinner was at a nice place but the meal was on the cheap end of the menu. The after dinner presentation was pure financial planner advertizing. The tid bits provided in the presentation were all common knowledge items you could pick up anywhere. But, for a small fee you could get a full analysis and assistance with your retirement planning.
A lot of people signed up for the "personal" evaluation. It was touted as free but I talked with the presenter and found out quickly that the offer was for a "general" outlook on your financial status. The full blown plan would be a bit more than free. How much more? It depends was the answer. Depends on what? I asked. The answer was, "it depends on how long it takes to do it and what level you want to go and your assets."
So, the answer really was, the more assets you have the more $$$ it will cost for the analysis and of course you will need him to "help" make sure your assets will grow and be "directed" so you will have enough to retire when you are 65.
It was a total pitch for financial planner services. I can see why folks sign up for this...it is easier to hand it all over to some "expert" than try to learn how to do it for yourself. The problem is that you lose a lot to fees and "services" that are frequently hidden from view in the figures. They don't know they are getting robbed for very little real work. How hard is it to set up some high expense funds, bond ladders, CDs, money market funds, and some index funds while charging a very nice commission for the "work"?
Sorry about the rant but I just had this conversation with a family member recently who was clueless of the hidden costs of ignorance and trust.