How do fee-only advisors get paid?

Asked by: Niko Vandervort  |  Last update: March 23, 2025
Score: 4.5/5 (41 votes)

Fee-only advisors earn their income solely through client fees, aligning their success directly with the growth of your account. Their compensation structure eliminates conflicts of interest, helping to ensure their recommendations are always in your best financial interest.

How do fee-only financial advisors make money?

They collect fees from only you, generally as a percentage of your assets under management (AUM). Fee-only advisors don't receive any fees, commissions, referral fees, kickbacks or any other hidden forms of compensation.

How much should I pay a fee-only financial advisor?

Advisors who charge flat fees can cost between $2,000 and $7,500 a year. There are some financial advisors who charge hourly, or charge a one-time fee for a complete financial plan you can then follow on your own. Many financial advisors use a fee structure called an AUM fee, or a percentage of assets under management.

Is a 1% management fee high?

Bottom Line. A 1% annual fee on a multi-million-dollar investment portfolio is roughly typical of the fees charged by many financial advisors. But that's not inherently a good or bad thing, but rather should hold weight in your decision about whether to use an advisor's services.

How do free financial advisors get paid?

In the financial world, advisors and planners are compensated in one of two basic ways: by earning flat fees or by earning commissions. A fee-only financial advisor is paid a set rate for the services they provide rather than getting paid by commission on the products they sell or trade.

A Guide to Working with a Fee-Only Financial Advisor

18 related questions found

Is Edward Jones a fee-only advisor?

We are are a low-cost, fee-only Advisor. We are a fiduciary for you 100% of the time. Our fees are 0.6% on the first $1 million and they decline above $1 million. If you have over $300k in a portfolio (including 401k), schedule a meeting below.

Is 2% fee high for a financial advisor?

Industry standards show that financial advisor fees generally range between 0.5% and 1.5% of AUM annually. Placement of a 2% fee may appear steep compared to this average. However, this fee might encompass more comprehensive services or cater to more unique, high-maintenance portfolios.

Is it worth it to pay a financial advisor 1%?

Bottom Line. On average, financial advisors charge between 0.59% and 1.18% of assets under management for their asset management. At 1%, an advisor's fee is well within the industry average. Whether that fee is too much or just right depends entirely on what you think of the advisor's services and performance.

What return should I expect from a financial advisor?

A good financial advisor can increase net returns by up to, or even exceeding, 3% per year over the long term, according to Vanguard research. The most significant portion of that value comes from behavioral coaching, which means helping investors stay disciplined through the ups and downs of the market.

What financial advisor has the lowest fees?

Robo-advisors are typically the least expensive, followed by online financial planners. An in-person advisor will be the most expensive and may charge you more than 1 percent of your assets annually.

What does Charles Schwab charge for a financial advisor?

At Schwab, there's no cost to work with your Financial Consultant. ² There's no cost whether you're getting assistance in creating your personalized plan, or receiving tailored product recommendations and direct access to our specialists.

Is Edward Jones a fiduciary?

Edward Jones serves as an investment advice fiduciary at the plan level and provides educational services at both the plan and participant levels, if applicable.

Should you put all your money with one financial advisor?

By hiring a single investment advisor, you receive more streamlined advice as only one person manages all your money matters removing any chance of conflicting advice or any disagreement. This also allows the chosen individual to clear up your doubts and offer guidance to you on how to best attain your financial goals.

What is the downside of using a fiduciary?

While there are many advantages to working with a fiduciary, some potential drawbacks to consider include: Higher upfront costs: Some brokers don't charge clients fees directly, whereas a fiduciary advisor does.

Is a fee-only advisor a fiduciary?

Fee-only advisors typically act as fiduciaries for their clients, meaning they put their clients' interests before their own or their firms'.

Is Edelman fee-only?

Edelman is a fee-only firm, meaning its advisors do not receive commissions on trades or sales from affiliates or other entities. Fee-based firms, by comparison, have advisors who are licensed to sell insurance and investment products, and can earn sales commissions.

How much money do I need to invest to make $3,000 a month?

$3,000 X 12 months = $36,000 per year. $36,000 / 6% dividend yield = $600,000. On the other hand, if you're more risk-averse and prefer a portfolio yielding 2%, you'd need to invest $1.8 million to reach the $3,000 per month target: $3,000 X 12 months = $36,000 per year.

At what income level should you get a financial advisor?

Very generally, having between $50,000 and $500,000 of liquid assets to invest can be a good point to start looking at hiring a financial advisor. Some advisors have minimum asset thresholds. This could be a relatively low figure, like $25,000, but it could also be higher, such as $500,000, $1 million or even more.

Is a 7% return realistic?

A good return on investment is generally considered to be around 7% per year, based on the average historic return of the S&P 500 index, adjusted for inflation. The average return of the U.S. stock market is around 10% per year, adjusted for inflation, dating back to the late 1920s.

What is a reasonable fee for a financial advisor?

On average, you can expect to pay between 0.5% and 2% of your total assets under management annually, $150 to $400 per hour, or a flat fee ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 for a comprehensive financial plan.

How many millionaires use a financial advisor?

In addition, millionaires are much more likely to work with a financial advisor (69%), more than double the amount of the general population (33%).

How much money should you have when getting a financial advisor?

If your investable assets are under $250,000, it's likely best to seek help from a financial planner and invest on your own until you build up a larger nest egg. The simple reason is that you get more value from your advisory firm as your assets grow and your financial situation becomes more complex.

At what net worth should I get a financial advisor?

However, in general, it's wise to start working with a financial advisor or wealth management team once you've built a nest egg of $1M in investable assets.

Why do financial advisors push annuities?

An annuity is essentially an insurance product. Insurance agents, financial advisors, and brokers who work on commission often sell them as a retirement tool. Their claim to fame is the promise of stability – a stable income stream that is partially or wholly insulated from market movements.

Are financial advisor fees tax deductible?

While financial advisor fees are no longer deductible, there are things you can do to keep your tax bill as low as possible. For example, those strategies include: Utilizing tax-advantaged accounts, such as a 401(k) or IRA to invest.