Is 1% wealth management fee worth it?
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.
| Fee type | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Assets under management (AUM) | 0.25% to 0.50% annually for a robo-advisor; 1% for a traditional in-person financial advisor. |
| Flat annual fee (retainer) | $2,000 to $7,500. |
| Hourly fee | $200 to $400. |
| Per-plan fee | $1,000 to $3,000. |
The percentage charged usually depends on the value of the assets the advisor is managing. This percentage generally falls between 0.5% and 2%, often decreasing as the size of the assets managed increases, and generally includes year-round portfolio management.
If you have a portfolio of $1 million dollars and you're paying 1% in AUM fees, you'd pay roughly $10,000 per year for an adviser's services. If that $1 million dollars grows to $1.5 million dollars, your fee would increase by roughly $5,000 per year to $15,000 per year.
While the typical annual financial advisor fee is thought to be 1%, according to a 2023 study by Advisory HQ, the average financial advisor fee is 0.59% to 1.18% per year. However, rates typically decrease the more money you invest with them.
Most of my research has shown people saying about 1% is normal. Answer: From a regulatory perspective, it's usually prohibited to ever charge more than 2%, so it's common to see fees range from as low as 0.25% all the way up to 2%, says certified financial planner Taylor Jessee at Impact Financial.
Do financial advisors have to negotiate fees? No, although it's not an entirely uncommon practice. For instance, some advisors may be willing to work with clients to reduce fees in order to retain them.
Key Takeaways
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.
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 $500,000, $1 million or even more.
You might not need a wealth manager if you have clear goals and are confident you can create and implement strategies to protect and grow your wealth. However, a wealth manager may be a good idea if you have substantial assets, would benefit from an expert, and have questions you need help answering.
What is a good return for a wealth manager?
Expectations for return from the stock market
Most investors would view an average annual rate of return of 10% or more as a good ROI for long-term investments in the stock market. However, keep in mind that this is an average. Some years will deliver lower returns -- perhaps even negative returns.
A high-net-worth individual (HWNI) is an individual who generally has liquid assets of at least $1 million after accounting for their liabilities. 1 The term HNWI is commonly used within the financial industry to identify individuals who need tailored financial and money management services.
The 2 and 20 fee structure helps hedge funds finance their operations. The 2% flat rate charged on total assets under management (AUM) is used to pay staff salaries, administrative and office expenses, and other operational expenses.
In the past, maybe Rs 10,000 crore was considered high, today, we have several funds managing in excess of Rs 50,000 crore in a single strategy. So from that context, the fund size has grown, but the overall market has also grown. AUM needs to be looked at from that context.”
If a fund is a large AUM, it might be challenging for it to generate high returns. This can happen because finding the right investment opportunities that help in earning more gains without hampering the market can be tough.
| Billable Assets | Fee Schedule |
|---|---|
| First $1 million | 0.80% |
| Next $1 million (more than $1M up to $2M) | 0.75% |
| Next $3 million (more than $2M up to $5M) | 0.70% |
| Assets over $5 million | 0.30% |
A financial advisor is worth paying for if they provide help you need, whether because you don't have the time or financial acumen or you simply don't want to deal with your finances. An advisor may be especially valuable if you have complicated finances that would benefit from professional help.
At Morgan Stanley, or any big firm, 1% is a fairly common fee---and a fair one, in many cases--provided it covers all transaction costs and is the Advisors' sole compensation on the account [meaning that the client's interest should be the Advisor's only interest.]
Commissions range from 0.70% – 15.00% of the principal value of the contracts, plus $3.00 – $9.00 per contract. You also pay an additional transaction fee ranging from $0.15 to up to $1,003 per transaction, determined based on the principal value and number of contracts purchased or sold.
In most cases, a fee-only advisor is going to be the best choice because they're incentivized to act as a fiduciary for their clients, and typically you won't have to worry about potential conflicts of interest when they're making recommendations.
What return should I expect from a financial advisor?
Source: 2021 Fidelity Investor Insights Study. Furthermore, industry studies estimate that professional financial advice can add between 1.5% and 4% to portfolio returns over the long term, depending on the time period and how returns are calculated.
Investments of $500,000 or more range from advisory fees of 0.5% to 1.5% per year. All accounts include access to a phone-based team of advisors, or a dedicated advisor for investments of $500,000 or more. Separately Managed Accounts – The minimum investment amount is $100,000. Advisory fees range from 0.2% to 1.5%.
These firms have minimum account requirements of between $2.5 million and $50 million. The top 5 are: 545 Group, Jones Zafari Group, The Polk Wealth Management Group, Hollenbaugh Rukeyser Safro Williams, The Erdmann Group.
Most property management companies charge a monthly fee of between 8% – 12% of the monthly rent collected. If the rent on your home is $1,200 per month the property management fee would be $120 based on an average fee of 10%.
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.
