Fee-Only Financial Planner Cost Guide: Typical Fees, Minimums, and What You Get
Use this fee-only financial planner cost guide to benchmark AUM fees, hourly rates, flat-fee planning, subscriptions, minimums, and what each pricing model usu…
Fee-only financial planner pricing is easiest to compare when you convert percentages into annual dollars and separate ongoing management from one-time planning. This guide is designed as a repeatable benchmark: check the current fee ranges, compare what is included, and use the examples below to judge whether a quote looks fair for your situation.
What changed since the last update: We refreshed the benchmark table, added clearer dollar examples for common portfolio sizes, and tightened the distinction between fee-only and fee-based compensation so you can compare quotes more accurately.
Fee-only financial planner pricing at a glance
| Pricing model | Typical range reflected in the sources | What it usually covers | How to use the benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assets under management (AUM) | About 0.5% to 2% on average; 1% is a common reference point | Ongoing investment oversight and, sometimes, broader planning support | Best for clients who want continuing portfolio management |
| Hourly | Median around $300 per hour | Specific questions, consulting, or short-term advice | Useful when you want expertise without a long-term relationship |
| Flat project or per-plan | About $1,000 to $3,000 for a standalone comprehensive plan in the cited sources | A one-time plan or a defined project | Good for people who want a roadmap rather than ongoing management |
| Retainer or subscription | About $4,500 per year in one source; broader market examples cited elsewhere ran roughly $2,000 to $7,500 annually | Recurring access, meetings, and plan updates | Works well when you want ongoing access and planning collaboration |
| Commission-based | May show no direct client fee, but compensation can come from product sales | Varies by product sold | Compare separately from fee-only quotes because the economics differ |
One important nuance: “fee-only” does not mean there is only one pricing model. It means the advisor is paid by client fees rather than commissions. Those fees can still be based on assets, hours, flat projects, or subscriptions.
How fee-only advisors charge: the main pricing models
- AUM fees: The advisor charges a percentage of assets they manage. Many firms use tiered schedules, so the rate may fall as your balance rises. A common structure is a higher rate on the first portion of assets and lower rates on later tiers.
- Hourly fees: You pay for time spent on a review, question, or short consulting engagement. This can work well if you do not need ongoing portfolio management.
- Flat project fees: You pay a set amount for a defined deliverable, such as a financial plan, retirement analysis, or tax strategy review.
- Retainers or subscriptions: You pay monthly, quarterly, or annually for ongoing access, plan maintenance, and repeated meetings.
- Commission-based compensation for context: This is not fee-only. If an advisor receives product commissions, compare the proposal separately because the compensation structure and potential conflicts are different.
Typical annual costs by portfolio size
The cleanest way to benchmark AUM pricing is to translate the percentage into a dollar amount. A 1% fee is a common comparison point in the cited sources, and many advisors reduce the percentage as balances rise.
| Portfolio size | 1% AUM annual cost | Why the example matters |
|---|---|---|
| $100,000 | $1,000 | Often a baseline for a full-service AUM relationship |
| $250,000 | $2,500 | Still within the range where many firms quote a simple percentage |
| $500,000 | $5,000 | The bill rises even if the advisor’s workload does not double |
| $1,000,000 | $10,000 | Many firms begin to tier down from a flat 1% at this level |
| $2,000,000 | $20,000 | This is where tiering can change the final bill materially |
Tiered schedules matter because the headline percentage can be misleading. For example, an advisor might charge 1% on the first $1 million, 0.75% on the next million, and a lower rate above that. Under that kind of schedule, a $2 million account may cost less than a simple 1% calculation would suggest, even though the advisor still manages a much larger balance.
What a fee usually includes at each pricing level
- Ongoing portfolio oversight: Usually part of AUM relationships, but not always part of a project fee.
- Meetings and access: Retainer and subscription models often include recurring check-ins or email access.
- Plan updates: Some advisors refresh your plan as your life changes, while others only deliver a one-time plan.
- Advice breadth: Comprehensive planning may cover retirement, tax strategy, cash flow, college planning, and employee benefits; narrow projects may focus on a single issue.
- Investment management versus planning: A lower quote may cover only portfolio oversight, while a higher one may include broader coordination and more frequent reviews.
The same price can mean very different service scopes, so ask exactly what is included before you assume a quote is comparable.
Fee-only vs. fee-based: what matters for cost and conflicts
Fee-only means the advisor is paid by client fees only. Those fees may be AUM-based, hourly, project-based, or subscription-based, but the advisor does not receive commissions or other third-party compensation for recommendations.
Fee-based advisors may charge client fees and also receive commissions or product-related compensation. That does not automatically make the advice poor, but it does mean you should ask how the advisor is paid and whether any recommendation could create an incentive beyond your direct fee.
The practical difference for readers is simple: compensation structure affects both total cost and potential conflicts. Before hiring anyone, verify whether the advisor is fee-only, fee-based, or compensated in another way, and ask what standard of conduct applies to the relationship.
Minimums and who each pricing model tends to fit
- AUM advisors: Often have stated account minimums or implicit minimums based on business economics. If a firm manages portfolios for clients with relatively small balances, it may still set a minimum annual fee or require a larger starting account to make the relationship viable.
- Hourly advisors: Can fit people who want a retirement checkup, portfolio second opinion, or help with a single decision.
- Flat-fee planners: Often appeal to households with moderate assets but complex planning needs, especially when they want advice without handing over investment management.
- Subscriptions and retainers: Can suit high-income professionals who want ongoing guidance without necessarily meeting a large AUM threshold.
Because many firms do not publish a formal minimum, ask whether there is a stated account threshold, an implied minimum based on the fee schedule, or a minimum annual engagement fee.
Questions to ask before you hire a fee-only financial planner
- What is the full fee schedule, including tiered AUM pricing?
- Are there any additional fund, platform, custody, or account costs?
- Exactly what services are included in the fee?
- How often is the plan updated, and are review meetings included?
- Are you fee-only, fee-based, or compensated in any other way?
- What are your minimums, and do they change if my assets grow?
- What happens to billing if I cross into a higher asset tier?
- Is this relationship ongoing, or is it a one-time project?
How to compare advisor quotes over time
| What to compare | Why it matters | What to record |
|---|---|---|
| Annual dollar cost | Percentages can hide the true bill | Convert each quote into a yearly dollar amount |
| Service scope | A lower fee may include fewer deliverables | List meetings, plan updates, and support channels |
| Minimums | Some advisors are priced for larger accounts | Ask for stated or implied account thresholds |
| Pricing structure | Flat, hourly, tiered, and bundled pricing are not interchangeable | Note whether the fee is ongoing or project-based |
| Other compensation | Third-party pay can change the economics | Confirm whether commissions or product pay exist |
When one quote looks more expensive, check whether it includes broader planning support, more frequent meetings, or portfolio oversight that another proposal leaves out. A higher fee can still be the better value if the service scope is meaningfully wider.
If you are still comparing firms, you can also review Best Financial Advisor Firms to Compare in 2026: Fees, Fiduciary Status, and Specialties for a broader shortlist approach.
What to revisit when this guide is updated
- Current fee ranges for AUM, hourly, flat-fee, and subscription models.
- Updated annual dollar examples for common portfolio sizes.
- Any noticeable changes in minimum account thresholds.
- Shifts in how often advisors use tiered pricing.
- Changes in whether planning and investment management are bundled or sold separately.
The best way to use this guide is as a pricing benchmark: compare the annual dollar cost, the service scope, and the compensation model, then revisit the table whenever advisor pricing trends shift.
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