A reasonable expense ratio for an actively managed portfolio is about 0.5% to 0.75%, while an expense ratio greater than 1.5% is typically considered high these days.
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.
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.
Sometimes it's worth paying this if they are a professional and have a track record of providing value. The 1% you are paying will be recouped on either better returns, reducing exposure and volatility in a downturn, tax maximization, financial planning, and meeting your financial goals.
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.
The standard commission for full-service brokers today is between 1% to 2% of a client's managed assets. For example, if a client has a $500,000 portfolio, they can expect to pay their broker $5,000 to $10,000 annually. A 12B-1 fee is a recurring fee that a broker receives for selling a mutual fund.
However, it's typically only worth paying for a financial advisor if you have at least $250,000 or more of investable assets and know that you're going to get excellent service from your 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.
Negotiate a Lower Fee
Another way to pay less is to negotiate a financial advisor's fee. Be prepared to explain why you feel it is too high and why it makes sense for the advisor to take you on as a client for less than what their firm normally charges.
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.
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.
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.
Management fees can also cover expenses involved with managing a portfolio, such as fund operations and administrative costs. The management fee varies but usually ranges anywhere from 0.20% to 2.00%, depending on factors such as management style and size of the investment.
Source: 2021 Fidelity Investor Insights Study. Furthermore, industry studies estimate that professional financial advice can add up to 5.1% to portfolio returns over the long term, depending on the time period and how returns are calculated.
Gross advisory fee applicable to accounts managed through Fidelity® Strategic Disciplines ranges from 0.20% to 0.49% and gross advisory fee applicable to accounts managed through Fidelity® Wealth Services ranges from 0.50%–1.04%, in each case based on a minimum investment of $2 million.
What to know about Charles Schwab's fees. Schwab has no account minimum and no commissions for stock, options, and ETF trades. While Schwab doesn't charge any per-trade commissions for options, it does charge $0.65 per contract.
While financial advisors and wealth managers overlap in some ways, these advisors place a different emphasis on some elements. Wealth managers focus on the various issues surrounding wealth, such as inheritance planning, while financial advisors have a well-rounded approach on financial topics.
Paying a 1% annual fee to a financial advisor for managing a $2 million investment portfolio is pretty typical, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's the right amount for every investor. Even small-sounding financial advisor fees can seriously erode long-term returns when compounded over years or decades.
While financial planning fees related to investment advice were deductible in the past, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 eliminated this deduction for most taxpayers, at least through 2025. Understanding these changes can help you avoid making mistakes when you file your taxes.
Moving money around and buying securities isn't free, and on average, a stockbroker or brokerage will charge a commission between 1% and 2%. Investing in the stock market is usually alluring for those trying to grow their money.
A 1% management fee is well within the average for most financial advisors, who tend to charge around 0.5% and 2% for their services. The bigger question, though, is whether you feel like you're getting what you pay for because, even at small percentages, those management fees aren't cheap.
Just as diversifying your investment portfolio across different asset classes mitigates risk, having accounts at multiple brokerage firms can provide a form of diversification. It ensures that your assets are not concentrated in one place, reducing the impact of potential issues with a single broker.