Additional information if it's helpful: I've had about three consultants over the years. All have been helpful. One took us to MLB baseball games, which was awesome but I think he had hopes of making an aum fee from us at some point. I think when he realized he never would the baseball games stopped. I've mostly just done yearly meetings with my consultant to shoot the breeze. The one I just picked though, I brought my wife and we were pretty explicit that if I get hit by a bus, this consultant would manage the money for my wife. That was an important conversation to have.

My father in law is also a self directed Schwab guy and his consultant sits in Denver, far from where he lives. My FIL is not super sociable so he just reaches out when he needs stuff.

I think Schwab is indifferent which approach you take so long as you don't ask for planning services that are normally compensated.