Subject: OT: Financial Planner
I know this has been discussed here a lot, and I also know that I lean toward ... not using one.
So, largely wondering if maybe it could still be advisable in our situation. Any comments or experience much appreciated.

My in-laws have had this particular financial planner for 20 years, and she has become very appreciated by them.
Her broker-dealer is LPL, and advisory services provided by IFG Financial.
Through interactions we've had with her over the years, she seems professional and reputable.
She has a $500K minimum, charges 1% AUM, and does not do fee-based.

FIL passed away a few years ago, and MIL is having moderate health issues.
So the financial planner has been urging my wife and I to get an estate plan with details hammered out.
We have an adult special needs daughter, so we need special needs trust, and another kid. Both in their 20's.
I also find myself 1/3 owner and COO of a growing business with around $5M annual sales that takes more than all of my time.
We are nearing conventional retirement age, although with a business that does not seem anywhere on the horizon.
Anyway, a local estate planning attorney with experience in special needs trusts has drawn things up for us.

On the one hand, I recoil at paying someone 1% AUM for what is almost certainly mediocre performance at best.
Yet, there are a couple of things I worry about. For one, my own investing results have been nothing to crow about the past few years.
Two, and more importantly, I worry about the "you don't know what you don't know" thing.
Estate planning, special needs, business issues (including potentially passing on my share of the business if something bad happens), tax issues, etc.
There is a lot to know, and frankly I find all of that very boring and while I like to think I could manage it, that's probably wishful thinking.

I'm pretty good at procrastinating, and I know there are decisions to be made about a lot of areas.
Taxes, business succession, long term care insurance or not, passing on any wealth we end up with, etc.
Those are the areas where, perhaps, good advice can be worth it.


Mark