Updated July 22, 2026. Quick answer: A unified managed account (UMA) usually carries three stacked fees: a platform or program fee (commonly quoted around 0.10%–0.35%), model or manager fees for each sleeve (commonly 0.15%–0.70%), and the advisor’s own fee (commonly 0.50%–1.25%). All-in, most written UMA quotes land between 1.00% and 2.50% of assets. On $1,000,000 that is $10,000–$25,000/year before fund expenses and trading costs — so always ask for the total, in written annual dollars, before you sign.
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Compare a written UMA quote before an intro call
Ask for every layer in annual dollars: the program fee, each sleeve’s manager fee, the advisor fee, expected fund expenses inside the sleeves, and any one-time transition costs. A trustworthy quote shows the stack — not one blended percentage with the layers hidden.
Get a second UMA quote before you sign one.
On $1,000,000 the all in range above runs from $10,000 to $25,000 a year, and the advisor layer alone is $5,000 to $12,500 of it. The all-in range above is wide because platforms stack fees differently. The way to know your real number is to ask a firm what they would charge, in written annual dollars, for your account.
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UMA platform cost: the three fee layers
UMA pricing is a stack. Each layer is usually quoted as a percentage of assets, and the layers are added together before fund expense ratios and trading costs.
| Fee layer | Commonly quoted range | Example on $1,000,000 | What to verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platform / program fee | ~0.10%–0.35% | $1,000–$3,500/year | Is it billed separately or bundled into the advisor fee? |
| Model / manager fees (per sleeve) | ~0.15%–0.70% | $1,500–$7,000/year | Which sleeves are third-party models with their own fee, and which are index sleeves? |
| Advisor fee | ~0.50%–1.25% | $5,000–$12,500/year | Does the advisor fee drop at breakpoints as assets grow? |
| All-in (before fund expenses) | ~1.00%–2.50% | $10,000–$25,000/year | Get the total in writing, in dollars, with every layer itemized. |
These are educational ranges, not quotes. The exact figures for any program are in the advisory agreement and the sponsor’s Form ADV wrap-fee brochure — you can look both up free on the SEC’s Investment Adviser Public Disclosure site.
What a UMA is (and why the fees stack)
A unified managed account holds several strategies — sleeves for individual stocks, bond ladders, ETF models, or third-party manager models — inside one account. An overlay manager coordinates trades, cash, and tax-loss harvesting across the sleeves. That coordination is genuinely useful for larger, multi-strategy portfolios, but every convenience in the structure is paid for by one of the three layers above. Many UMAs are sold as wrap-fee programs, which is why the SEC’s investor education site encourages reading the wrap-fee program brochure before signing: it is the document where the layered pricing has to be spelled out.
UMA platform implementation cost: what firms and advisors pay
If you searched for implementation cost, you may be an advisor or firm evaluating UMA technology rather than an investor. Firm-side UMA platform pricing usually has two parts: an ongoing platform charge, most often quoted in basis points on assets administered on the platform (with per-account or per-user minimums), and one-time implementation work — account conversion and repapering, custodian and CRM integration, model onboarding, and staff training. Vendors quote these very differently, so the practical move is the same one this site recommends to consumers: ask each platform for the all-in cost at your current book size, in dollars, split into one-time and ongoing lines, and ask what happens to the rate as assets grow.
UMA fees vs a single AUM fee
A UMA is not automatically more expensive than a traditional single-manager AUM relationship — but the stack makes it easier for the total to creep above 1.50% without anyone saying so out loud. Compare any UMA quote against a plain 1.00% AUM quote and against a flat-fee planner using the Flat Fee vs AUM Break-Even Calculator, and sanity-check the dollar totals against average wealth management fees and the $2 million portfolio fee example. If a simpler structure delivers the same plan for thousands less per year, the burden of proof is on the UMA.
Five copy/paste questions to ask about UMA pricing
- What is my all-in cost in dollars for the first 12 months — platform fee, every sleeve’s manager fee, your advisor fee, and estimated fund expenses — itemized separately?
- Which sleeves use third-party managers with their own fees, and what would each cost as a plain index sleeve instead?
- Where are the breakpoints, and what exactly happens to each layer at $500,000, $1,000,000, and $2,000,000?
- What one-time costs, transfer-out fees, or tax consequences would I face moving in — and later moving out?
- Can you show me the same plan priced outside the UMA, as a single AUM fee or a flat annual fee?
Calculator line: Run any UMA quote through the Financial Advisor Fee Calculator, then compare the stack against a flat quote with the Flat Fee vs AUM Break-Even Calculator.
Methodology
This page was materially reviewed on July 22, 2026. Fee ranges are commonly quoted educational figures drawn from public wrap-fee disclosures and industry pricing conventions; they are not quotes, and program pricing varies. Nothing here is personalized financial, tax, legal, or investment advice. See our Editorial Policy, Corrections, Affiliate Disclosure, and Disclaimer.