What is a reasonable management fee for retirement account?

Asked by: Brown Kuhn  |  Last update: June 5, 2025
Score: 4.6/5 (30 votes)

401(k) fees can range between 0.5% and 2% or even higher, based on the size of an employer's 401(k) plan, how many people are participating in the plan, and which provider is offering the plan. The average annual fee charged by most funds is 1%, according to the Center for American Progress.

What is an acceptable management fee?

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.

What is the average account management fee?

Management fees, whether paid as a mutual fund expense ratio or a fee paid to a financial advisor, typically range from 0.01% to over 2%. Generally, the range in fee amount is due to management strategy.

What is a good IRA management fee?

It's essential to be well-informed about fees before making a decision. The 5.75% management fee you mentioned is quite high. Typically, you'd want to aim for lower fees, around 1% or less, as fees can significantly impact your long-term returns.

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.

What Is a Typical Management Fee For IRA?

39 related questions found

What is the average 401k management fee?

401(k) fees can range between 0.5% and 2% or even higher, based on the size of an employer's 401(k) plan, how many people are participating in the plan, and which provider is offering the plan. The average annual fee charged by most funds is 1%, according to the Center for American Progress.

What is a reasonable Management Fee for a retirement account?

Management fee: This fee is what you pay to the fund manager or the team of investing professionals who make sure the fund achieves its investing objective and performs well. Typically, this fee falls between 0.5% and 2% of the assets being managed.

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.

What is a reasonable financial Management Fee?

One common method is for advisors to charge a percentage of the assets they manage on your behalf. This rate often ranges from about 0.5% to 2% per year.

How much should I pay for a managed account?

The amount of pay varies considerably by a manager, but 1% and 2% of AUM are the most common. In addition, the account's asset size determines the amount of the discount that managers offer, meaning that the smaller the portfolio, the larger the percentage fee.

How much does a Fidelity financial advisor cost?

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.

Are management fees tax deductible?

Are investment management fees tax deductible? No, they aren't – at least not until 2025. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) enacted major changes to what investors can and cannot claim on their tax returns. Among the most notable omissions are financial advisor fees.

Is 1.5 too much for a financial advisor?

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.

Can I negotiate management fees?

In the pre-investment due diligence phase, management fees represent the largest estimable cost. [1] Therefore, they are an excellent candidate for negotiation.

What is the standard management fee percentage?

The percentage collected will vary but is traditionally between 8% and 12% of the gross monthly rent. 1 Managers will often charge a lower percentage, between 4% and 7%, for properties with ten units or more or commercial properties.

What is a fair management fee?

Key Takeaways

The management fees may or may not cover not only the cost of paying the managers but also the costs of investor relations and any administrative costs. Fee structures are usually based on a percentage of assets under management (AUM). Fees tend to range from 0.10% to more than 2% of AUM.

Is a financial advisor worth 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.

How much are traditional IRA management fees?

Management fees

Varies, but typically 0.25% of your account balance. Good to know: If you're opening an IRA account for the first time, the process typically takes just 15 minutes and requires basic information, such as your name and bank account number.

What is considered a high management fee?

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.

What are typical retirement advisor fees?

AUM fees can range from 0.25% to 2% per year. Retainers typically cost $2,000 to $7,500 annually. Hourly rates range from $200 to $400, and one-time plans often cost between $1,000 and $3,000.

How do I avoid 401k management fees?

The only other option to avoid 401(k) fees is to not invest in your company's provided 401(k) program. You could instead invest in other retirement accounts where you have more control over who you work with and can choose what fees you're willing to pay that way.

Is it worth paying someone to manage your 401k?

While many investors are able to choose their 401(k) investments on their own, having an independent financial advisor may be beneficial. The advisor can be a sounding board for your investment choices. And they lend a steady hand encouraging you to stay the course when emotions take over during a market downturn.

What are John Hancock 401k fees?

Small businesses (or their employees) using John Hancock will have to pay administrative or record-keeping fees ranging from 0.97% to 2.5%. John Hancock claims, however, that it's possible to pay less than 1.25% and still make use of their platform.

What is a reasonable management fee for an investment account?

‍Advisor (Management) Fees

The industry typically refers to this as an investment management fee and averages between 1-2% of assets (i.e. A $100,000 investment could cost you between $1,000 - $2,000 annually).