While 1.5% is on the higher end for financial advisor services, if that's what it takes to get the returns you want, then it's not overpaying, so to speak. Staying around 1% for your fee may be standard, but it certainly isn't the high end. You need to decide what you're willing to pay for what you're receiving.
Look for financial planners who are fiduciaries, which means they have a legal duty to look out for your best interests. "If a 'financial planner' offers the same advice or products without tailoring their recommendations to your individual goals, that's a red flag," says Lawrence.
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.
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.
Financial advisor fees may be negotiable. Whether you're able to get fees reduced can depend on which advisor or firm you're working with. If an advisor is willing to negotiate fees, they must specify that in their Form ADV.
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.
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.
They Put Their Interests Before Yours
Are they recommending products that pad their bottom line while possibly not being the best product for you? You need to ask questions, understand how your advisor is compensated, and be clear on whether this results in conflicts of interest.
In this model, you pay a percentage based on the amount of assets the CFP® professional manages for you. If the professional charges 1% of assets under management annually and she manages $250,000 of your assets, then you would pay a fee of $2,500 for the year.
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.
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.
While a 1% annual fee may seem like a small price to pay for professional investment guidance and financial planning, it can significantly erode portfolio returns over long time horizons. Even seemingly minor differences in fees add up in a big way when compounded year after year for decades.
In addition, millionaires are much more likely to work with a financial advisor (69%), more than double the amount of the general population (33%).
This is typically a percentage of the amount of assets you have under management. In most cases, this fee is somewhere around 1.5 percent or less of your total assets each year. So if you had $100,000 in assets with an advisor that charges 1 percent per year, your annual fee would be $1,000.
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.
Lastly, some advisors charge by the hour, similar to how a lawyer might bill you. This could be a good choice if you only need occasional advice or specific questions answered rather than ongoing management. Hourly rates for financial advisors typically range from $200 to $400 per hour.
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.
No. Any fees you pay to buy, sell, or hold an asset or to collect interest or dividends are not eligible for income tax deduction. This would include brokerage or transaction fees, management and advisor fees, custodial fees, accounting costs, and fund operating expenses.