[mbesto]

I have a personal friend who is a wealth manager who basically gets his clients to put their money in index funds.

I wouldn't paint the whole industry this way. Some people are simply not good at handling money and paying someone to keep your hands off of it is wise.

For the record, my buddy works with sports/entertainment stars (and including tech founders who exit) that categorically have the worst discipline when it comes to money.

[masklinn]

This is a recommendation for early management of a large windfall (large inheritance, exit or lottery winnings).

If in the long run you believe/understand that a wealth manager could do a better job than the basics and you want less safety, you can always hire one: wealth managers will still be there next year or decade. However if you get a wealth manager right now your funds may not be.