Why are assets under management important? This is how most financial advisors are paid, and that's how it has been for decades. Most charge an “AUM based commission” of 1%, sometimes more, sometimes less, but always tied to the overall level of assets, managed by their advisor. This is what pays them for financial planning and investment advice, including gold IRA retirement planning, and conceptually, it makes sense: when their investments go well and their assets grow, so does the amount of money the advisor earns. On the other hand, if the advisor loses money to you, you pay less in commissions.
But the reality is that whether you win or lose, these commissions are consuming the returns of your portfolio, and the truth is that they are costing you a substantial amount of money. So what's the point of basis points, if they're so similar to percentages? Changes in the return on an investment can be quite small, so it's sometimes easier to understand them in tens or hundreds of basis points rather than tenths or hundreds of percent. A full-service financial advisor can charge at least 100 basis points (or 1%). Our full-service advisor charges 75 bps or 25% less than the average advisor out there.
This is what most people think when they think of a financial advisor for a local company, where you are going to meet with your advisor in person in your office. Because of this disconnect between the services provided and the fees paid, financial advisors often have a large number of clients who are not profitable. That can make it difficult to determine how much you're paying and if you're getting a fair deal when trying to find a financial advisor. A financial advisor should be one of the first people you contact if a spouse dies or becomes disabled, if you win an inheritance, if the IRS is auditing you, or if you are facing a divorce.
Due to the variety of fee structures and certifications used by financial advisors, the wide range of services offered by advisors, and geographical disparities in pricing, it can be difficult to know how much you should pay for financial advice. In general, online financial planning services cost less than a traditional in-person financial advisor. This information may be different from what you see when you visit a specific financial institution, service provider, or product site.
financial advice
is sold under a wrapper as if it were all the same, but what you get can be dramatically different.When it comes to the cost of the financial advisor, most companies charge commissions based on a percentage of assets under management (AUM) for ongoing portfolio management. Fixed rates and hourly rates generally apply to financial planning or consulting services, as well as special projects. Some are robo-advisors with an added human element, offering computer-managed portfolios and access to a team of financial advisors for planning guidance and advice. First, I recommend reading Jason Zweig's 19 Questions to Ask Your Financial Advisor and asking your current financial advisor the questions.
For decades, the status quo in the financial advisory world has been to charge clients about 1% of assets under management. These services work online like automatic advisors, but they work more like traditional financial advisors. Unlike a traditional financial advisor, that planning is done virtually, through telephone or video meetings. Regardless of the type of financial planning service you choose, make sure you understand exactly how much you will pay for the services and what the services entail.
.
