Clear Money Guide
What this guide covers
A quick view of the questions and evidence developed below.
Guides › Switching Financial Advisors
Updated July 31, 2026. Quick answer: you do not have to call your old advisor at all. You choose the new firm first and sign one form there — a transfer instruction form. Under FINRA Rule 11870, the receiving firm submits that instruction into ACATS, the automated broker-to-broker transfer system, and the old firm has one business day to validate it and three business days after validation to deliver the assets. Your part is a signature and an account number. Everything that goes wrong in a switch goes wrong on the assets that cannot move as-is.
The order things actually happen in
1. Choose the new advisor. This is the only step that takes judgment; the rest is administration. Do the diligence before you sign anything — the vetting workflow and the questions to ask belong here, not after. 2. Open the account at the new firm. 3. Sign the transfer instruction form there and hand over a recent statement from the old account — the new firm needs the exact registration and account number, and a mismatch is the single most common cause of a rejected transfer. 4. Wait. The rule’s clock is one business day to validate plus three to deliver; in practice a clean, fully transferable account settles inside about a week. 5. Only then deal with the old relationship — and even that is a document, not a conversation: how to fire a financial advisor.
Compare your next step
Just comparing fees? Keep reading the fee guide.Optional next step
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Source: WiserAdvisor’s service descriptionWhat the rule actually says
FINRA Rule 11870 sets the timetable. The carrying (old) firm must, within one business day of the instruction being established in ACATS, either validate it or take exception to it. Then: “Within three business days following the validation of a transfer instruction, the carrying member must complete the transfer of the customer’s security account assets to the receiving member.” That is the whole timetable, and it is why “my advisor is dragging his feet” is usually a validation exception — a name or registration mismatch — rather than obstruction. Your new firm can tell you exactly which it is.
What leaving actually costs, in dollars
The page above tells you the old firm never gets a say in the transfer. It still gets to charge you for it. Every figure below was read out of the firm’s own published schedule of fees, and the charge lands on the account you are moving out of, usually as a deduction from the final balance rather than a bill. Across the 8 firms whose schedules publish a full-transfer-out figure, the range is $49.95 to $125 per account — so a household moving three accounts pays it three times.
| Firm you are leaving | Full transfer out | Partial transfer | IRA closure | Charged |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edward Jones | $95 | Not published | Same row as transfer | per account |
| Morgan Stanley | $125 | Not charged | $125 | per account |
| Ameriprise Financial | $125 | Not published | Same row as transfer | per account |
| Merrill (Merrill Advisory Center) | $75 | Not published | $75 | per account |
| Merrill Edge Self-Directed | $49.95 | Not published | $49.95 | per account |
| Northwestern Mutual (NMIS) | $125 | Not published | $125 | per account |
| Wells Fargo Advisors | $125 | Not published | $125 | per account |
| WellsTrade (Wells Fargo self-directed) | $49.95 | Not published | $49.95 | per account |
| Fisher Investments | No fee of its own | No fee of its own | No fee of its own | Does not custody assets – the custodian charges |
| Raymond James | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Schedule not retrievable at publication time |
| LPL Financial | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Schedule not retrievable at publication time |
Read “Not published” as exactly that. Where a schedule has no partial-transfer row we say so rather than printing $0, because the absence of a row is not a promise of no charge. Of the firms above, only Morgan Stanley publishes the absence outright — its schedule states that outgoing transfer charges are not assessed on a partial transfer. Raymond James and LPL Financial are marked not verified because their schedules would not load for us at publication time, and a figure we did not read in the firm’s own document is a figure we will not print.
One more cost people price backwards: the firm you are moving to has a transfer-out fee of its own, and it can be the larger one. Vanguard Brokerage charges $100 to leave — more than Edward Jones’ $95 or Merrill’s $75. Charles Schwab charges $50 on a full transfer out and $0 on a partial, while Robinhood and SoFi charge the full $100 on a partial transfer as well as a full one. The leaving cost is not a one-time toll you pay to escape retail — it is a property of wherever you land next.
The three things that break the timeline
Assets that are not readily transferable. The rule’s own words: “To the extent any account assets are not readily transferable, with or without penalties, such assets may not be transferred within the time frames required by this Rule.” Proprietary funds, many annuities and some fractional positions sit here, and the rule requires that you be contacted in writing about what to do with them — the full category list and the tax consequence of each.
Costs you did not price. A transfer-out or account-termination fee is charged by the firm you are leaving, and it is published in that firm’s own schedule of fees — what switching costs and how to look yours up in a minute. Tax you did not expect. Moving an account in kind is not a sale and triggers nothing; four specific situations do — the four cases.
If your switch is not voluntary
Three of the most common reasons people land on this page are not a decision at all. Your advisor is retiring and a successor has been named for you. Your advisor died and someone you have never met is now on the account. Your advisor moved to another firm and is asking you to follow. In all three, the account stays exactly where it is until you act — the timetable above is yours to start, not theirs. And if you are considering leaving for no advisor at all, the six jobs you would be taking over is the honest version of that fork.
The rest of the decision. Leaving is the mechanical half; choosing who is next is the half that matters. Check whoever you are considering with the twenty-minute vet, work out which service tier and price actually fit at your net worth, and settle whether you want an ongoing adviser at all with the break-even math.
The two brand-exit guides in this cluster: How to Leave Edward Jones: the $95 Transfer Fee and the Order to Do It In and How to Leave Fisher Investments (Export Your Cost Basis First). Both quote only each firm’s own published documents.
Is the fee the reason you are leaving? Check it against what firms actually disclose at your balance before you move: check your own fee against this data.
Before you leave over price, ask once, properly. The fee negotiation kit writes a letter that cites what SEC-registered firms actually disclose at your balance and asks for a specific number in writing.
The questions people actually ask
These come from what people actually search and ask in public threads on this topic. Each answer is a short summary of a page on this site that works the question through properly, with its sources; follow the link when the detail matters, which on most of these it does.
How do I actually fire my financial advisor?
It is paperwork, not a confrontation — the receiving firm initiates the transfer and pulls the assets across, so you generally never need to have the conversation you are dreading. Signing with the new adviser is what starts it; notifying the old one is courtesy rather than a required step. The sequence, in order.
What will switching cost me?
Transfer-out fees are published in the fee schedule rather than being negotiable surprises, so look yours up before you move rather than discovering it on a closing statement. They are usually modest against what a fee difference compounds to, but you should know the number going in. Where the published fee lives.
Will I owe tax on moving my accounts?
An in-kind transfer is not a sale, so moving positions across as they are generally triggers nothing at all. Tax arises only where something has to be liquidated in order to move, which is a narrower set of holdings than most people fear. When liquidation is forced.
Some of my investments will not transfer — why?
They are what FINRA calls “not readily transferable” — proprietary funds and certain products that the receiving firm cannot hold, which forces a sale and therefore a tax event. Which ones, and what to do.
My advisor is retiring and assigned me to someone else. Do I have to accept?
No. A succession assignment is the firm’s arrangement, not your obligation, and it is a natural moment to re-run the comparison. Your options at the handover.
My advisor died. What happens to my money?
The assets are not with the advisor — they sit at a custodian, and that does not change when an advisor dies. Your account is safe while you decide, which means you can take the time to choose a successor properly rather than accepting whoever the firm assigns. What to do, and in what order.
Before you start the paperwork, price the move: the switching advisors cost calculator takes the transfer fee, the refund you are owed, the tax on anything that cannot move in kind and the two fee rates, and returns the one-time cost, the annual saving and how many months the second takes to repay the first.
Four more rows in the table above now have a page of their own, each one working from the firm’s own document rather than the summary: Northwestern Mutual, where an unpaid annual fee is charged at closing on top of the transfer fee; Wells Fargo Advisors, where the transfer fee lands on the statement labelled as a termination; and the two self-directed accounts, WellsTrade and Merrill Edge, which carry no advisory agreement to unwind.
Seventeen more firms now have a published exit number on the record, each one worked from the firm’s own current fee schedule rather than a summary: UBS ($95), Stifel ($100), Baird ($150), RBC Wealth Management ($125), Janney Montgomery Scott ($125), Oppenheimer ($125), Truist ($125), PNC Investments ($125), U.S. Bank ($95), Citi ($95), J.P. Morgan ($95), Primerica ($50), Thrivent ($50), Equitable Advisors ($150), Osaic ($150), Commonwealth Financial Network ($75) and Betterment ($75).
Before you switch, price what you are currently paying: published fee breakdowns by firm are available for Northwestern Mutual, Fisher Investments, Morgan Stanley, LPL Financial, UBS, J.P. Morgan Advisors, Fidelity Wealth Management, Creative Planning, Edelman Financial Engines, Mercer Advisors, Thrivent, Primerica.
Before you switch, price what you are currently paying: published fee breakdowns by firm are available for Edward Jones, Merrill Lynch, Ameriprise, Raymond James, Wells Fargo Advisors, Charles Schwab, Baird.
Before you switch, price what you are currently paying: published fee breakdowns by firm are available for Betterment Premium, Buckingham Strategic Wealth, CAPTRUST, Cambridge Investment Research, Carson Wealth, Cetera, Commonwealth Financial Network, Empower Personal Wealth, Equitable Advisors, Kestra (Kestra Private Wealth Services / Kestra Advisory Services), Lincoln Financial Advisors, Mariner Wealth Advisors, MassMutual, Osaic, Savant Wealth Management, SoFi Invest, TIAA Wealth Management, Vanguard Personal Advisor, Voya Financial Advisors, Wealth Enhancement Group.
Weighing two firms against each other before you switch? Side-by-side dollar comparisons are available for Morgan Stanley vs Fidelity, Northwestern Mutual vs Fidelity, UBS vs Morgan Stanley, Creative Planning vs Fisher Investments, Mercer vs Creative Planning.
Weighing two firms against each other before you switch? Side-by-side dollar comparisons are available for Edward Jones vs Fidelity, Edward Jones vs Charles Schwab, Merrill Lynch vs Charles Schwab, Ameriprise vs Edward Jones, J.P. Morgan vs Merrill Lynch, LPL vs Raymond James.
Weighing two firms against each other before you switch? Side-by-side dollar comparisons are available for Fidelity vs Charles Schwab, Merrill Lynch vs Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo Advisors vs Edward Jones, Northwestern Mutual vs Thrivent.
Six more firms now have a published cost-to-leave number on the record: Mariner Wealth Advisors, MassMutual, SoFi Invest, TIAA Wealth Management, Voya Financial Advisors, and Wealth Enhancement Group.
Weighing two firms against each other before you switch? Side-by-side dollar comparisons are available for Osaic vs SoFi Invest, SoFi Invest vs UBS, Osaic vs Vanguard Personal Advisor, UBS vs Vanguard Personal Advisor, Cetera vs SoFi Invest, Cetera vs Vanguard Personal Advisor, Betterment Premium vs Osaic, Betterment Premium vs UBS, CAPTRUST vs Lincoln Financial Advisors, Fidelity Wealth Management vs Lincoln Financial Advisors, Fidelity Wealth Management vs Mercer Advisors, Betterment Premium vs Cetera, CAPTRUST vs LPL Financial, Charles Schwab vs Equitable Advisors, Charles Schwab vs Kestra (Kestra Private Wealth Services / Kestra Advisory Services), Charles Schwab vs Mariner Wealth Advisors, Fidelity Wealth Management vs LPL Financial, Edward Jones vs Lincoln Financial Advisors, Edward Jones vs Mercer Advisors, Empower Personal Wealth vs Equitable Advisors.
Weighing two firms against each other before you switch? Side-by-side dollar comparisons are available for Cambridge Investment Research vs SoFi Invest, Commonwealth Financial Network vs SoFi Invest, Cambridge Investment Research vs Vanguard Personal Advisor, Commonwealth Financial Network vs Vanguard Personal Advisor, MassMutual vs SoFi Invest, MassMutual vs Vanguard Personal Advisor, Empower Personal Wealth vs Kestra (Kestra Private Wealth Services / Kestra Advisory Services), Empower Personal Wealth vs Mariner Wealth Advisors, Empower Personal Wealth vs Osaic, Betterment Premium vs Cambridge Investment Research, Betterment Premium vs Commonwealth Financial Network, Mariner Wealth Advisors vs TIAA Wealth Management, Osaic vs TIAA Wealth Management, TIAA Wealth Management vs UBS, Cetera vs Charles Schwab, Edward Jones vs LPL Financial, Creative Planning vs Raymond James, Creative Planning vs Voya Financial Advisors, Buckingham Strategic Wealth vs Raymond James, Buckingham Strategic Wealth vs Voya Financial Advisors.
Weighing two firms against each other before you switch? Side-by-side dollar comparisons are available for Lincoln Financial Advisors vs SoFi Invest, Mercer Advisors vs SoFi Invest, LPL Financial vs SoFi Invest, Lincoln Financial Advisors vs Vanguard Personal Advisor, Mercer Advisors vs Vanguard Personal Advisor, LPL Financial vs Vanguard Personal Advisor, Mercer Advisors vs Thrivent, Thrivent vs Lincoln Financial Advisors, LPL Financial vs Thrivent, Betterment Premium vs Voya Financial Advisors, Raymond James vs Betterment Premium, Charles Schwab vs Voya Financial Advisors, Raymond James vs Charles Schwab, Empower Personal Wealth vs Voya Financial Advisors, Raymond James vs Empower Personal Wealth, Betterment Premium vs Carson Wealth, Charles Schwab vs Carson Wealth, Carson Wealth vs Empower Personal Wealth, Equitable Advisors vs TIAA Wealth Management, Kestra (Kestra Private Wealth Services / Kestra Advisory Services) vs TIAA Wealth Management.
Before you switch, price what you are currently paying: published fee breakdowns by firm are available for Acorns, Ameritas, Aspiriant, BMO Private Wealth, Beacon Pointe Advisors, Brighton Jones, Cerity Partners, Citi Personal Wealth Management, Citizens Private Wealth, D.A. Davidson & Co., E*TRADE Core Portfolios, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, Janney Montgomery Scott, Morgan Stanley Access Investing, Oppenheimer & Co., PNC Investments, RBC Wealth Management, Stifel Nicolaus, Truist Wealth, U.S. Bancorp Investments.
Weighing two firms against each other before you switch? Side-by-side dollar comparisons are available for Raymond James vs SoFi Invest, SoFi Invest vs Voya Financial Advisors, Raymond James vs Vanguard Personal Advisor, Vanguard Personal Advisor vs Voya Financial Advisors, Betterment Premium vs Lincoln Financial Advisors, Betterment Premium vs Mercer Advisors, Betterment Premium vs LPL Financial, Carson Wealth vs SoFi Invest, Charles Schwab vs Lincoln Financial Advisors, Charles Schwab vs Mercer Advisors, Carson Wealth vs Vanguard Personal Advisor, Charles Schwab vs LPL Financial, Empower Personal Wealth vs Lincoln Financial Advisors, Empower Personal Wealth vs Mercer Advisors, Empower Personal Wealth vs LPL Financial, Raymond James vs TIAA Wealth Management, TIAA Wealth Management vs Voya Financial Advisors, Carson Wealth vs TIAA Wealth Management, Creative Planning vs Equitable Advisors, Creative Planning vs Kestra (Kestra Private Wealth Services / Kestra Advisory Services).
Weighing two firms against each other before you switch? Side-by-side dollar comparisons are available for Equitable Advisors vs SoFi Invest, Kestra (Kestra Private Wealth Services / Kestra Advisory Services) vs SoFi Invest, Mariner Wealth Advisors vs SoFi Invest, Equitable Advisors vs Vanguard Personal Advisor, Kestra (Kestra Private Wealth Services / Kestra Advisory Services) vs Vanguard Personal Advisor, Mariner Wealth Advisors vs Vanguard Personal Advisor, Lincoln Financial Advisors vs TIAA Wealth Management, Mercer Advisors vs TIAA Wealth Management, LPL Financial vs TIAA Wealth Management, Betterment Premium vs Equitable Advisors, Betterment Premium vs Kestra (Kestra Private Wealth Services / Kestra Advisory Services), Betterment Premium vs Mariner Wealth Advisors, Creative Planning vs Lincoln Financial Advisors, Buckingham Strategic Wealth vs Lincoln Financial Advisors, Buckingham Strategic Wealth vs Mercer Advisors, CAPTRUST vs Mercer Advisors, Creative Planning vs LPL Financial, Buckingham Strategic Wealth vs LPL Financial, Charles Schwab vs Osaic, Charles Schwab vs UBS.
Weighing two firms against each other before you switch? Side-by-side dollar comparisons are available for Morgan Stanley vs SoFi Invest, Ameriprise vs SoFi Invest, Baird vs SoFi Invest, Morgan Stanley vs Vanguard Personal Advisor, Ameriprise vs Vanguard Personal Advisor, Baird vs Vanguard Personal Advisor, Empower Personal Wealth vs UBS, CAPTRUST vs Raymond James, CAPTRUST vs Voya Financial Advisors, Fidelity Wealth Management vs Raymond James, Fidelity Wealth Management vs Voya Financial Advisors, Fisher Investments vs Lincoln Financial Advisors, Fisher Investments vs Mercer Advisors, Lincoln Financial Advisors vs Savant Wealth Management, Lincoln Financial Advisors vs Wealth Enhancement Group, Mercer Advisors vs Savant Wealth Management, Mercer Advisors vs Wealth Enhancement Group, Cetera vs Empower Personal Wealth, Cetera vs TIAA Wealth Management, Cambridge Investment Research vs Charles Schwab.
Weighing two firms against each other before you switch? Side-by-side dollar comparisons are available for J.P. Morgan vs SoFi Invest, SoFi Invest vs Wells Fargo Advisors, J.P. Morgan vs Vanguard Personal Advisor, Vanguard Personal Advisor vs Wells Fargo Advisors, Merrill Lynch vs SoFi Invest, Charles Schwab vs Commonwealth Financial Network, Fisher Investments vs LPL Financial, LPL Financial vs Savant Wealth Management, LPL Financial vs Wealth Enhancement Group, Betterment Premium vs MassMutual, Merrill Lynch vs Vanguard Personal Advisor, Betterment Premium vs Morgan Stanley, Edward Jones vs Raymond James, Edward Jones vs Voya Financial Advisors, Cambridge Investment Research vs Empower Personal Wealth, Commonwealth Financial Network vs Empower Personal Wealth, Ameriprise vs Betterment Premium, Cambridge Investment Research vs TIAA Wealth Management, Commonwealth Financial Network vs TIAA Wealth Management, Edelman Financial Engines vs Lincoln Financial Advisors.
Weighing two firms against each other before you switch? Side-by-side dollar comparisons are available for Primerica vs SoFi Invest, Edelman Financial Engines vs SoFi Invest, Northwestern Mutual vs SoFi Invest, Primerica vs Vanguard Personal Advisor, Baird vs Betterment Premium, Betterment Premium vs J.P. Morgan, Betterment Premium vs Wells Fargo Advisors, Edelman Financial Engines vs Mercer Advisors, Lincoln Financial Advisors vs Northwestern Mutual, Mercer Advisors vs Northwestern Mutual, Carson Wealth vs Creative Planning, Creative Planning vs Mariner Wealth Advisors, Creative Planning vs Osaic, Edelman Financial Engines vs LPL Financial, Lincoln Financial Advisors vs Primerica, Charles Schwab vs MassMutual, Buckingham Strategic Wealth vs Carson Wealth, Buckingham Strategic Wealth vs Equitable Advisors, Buckingham Strategic Wealth vs Kestra (Kestra Private Wealth Services / Kestra Advisory Services), CAPTRUST vs Carson Wealth.
Weighing two firms against each other before you switch? Side-by-side dollar comparisons are available for Creative Planning vs UBS, Edelman Financial Engines vs Vanguard Personal Advisor, LPL Financial vs Northwestern Mutual, Northwestern Mutual vs Vanguard Personal Advisor, SoFi Invest vs Thrivent, Mercer Advisors vs Primerica, Buckingham Strategic Wealth vs Mariner Wealth Advisors, Buckingham Strategic Wealth vs Osaic, Buckingham Strategic Wealth vs UBS, CAPTRUST vs Equitable Advisors, CAPTRUST vs Kestra (Kestra Private Wealth Services / Kestra Advisory Services), CAPTRUST vs Mariner Wealth Advisors, Carson Wealth vs Fidelity Wealth Management, Equitable Advisors vs Fidelity Wealth Management, Fidelity Wealth Management vs Kestra (Kestra Private Wealth Services / Kestra Advisory Services), Fisher Investments vs Raymond James, Fisher Investments vs SoFi Invest, Fisher Investments vs Voya Financial Advisors, Lincoln Financial Advisors vs Merrill Lynch, Mercer Advisors vs Merrill Lynch.
Before you switch, also check whether your current firm actually owes you a fiduciary duty in the first place: Acorns, Ameritas, Aspiriant, BMO Private Wealth, Beacon Pointe Advisors, Brighton Jones, Cerity Partners, Citi Personal Wealth Management, Citizens Private Wealth, D.A. Davidson & Co., E*TRADE Core Portfolios, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, Janney Montgomery Scott, Morgan Stanley Access Investing, Oppenheimer & Co., PNC Investments, RBC Wealth Management, Stifel Nicolaus, Truist Wealth, and U.S. Bancorp Investments.
Nine more firms now have a published or reimbursed exit figure on the record, each sourced from the firm’s own current fee schedule or Form ADV rather than a summary: Acorns, Ameritas Investment Partners, Aspiriant, BMO Private Wealth, Beacon Pointe Advisors, Cerity Partners, Citizens Private Wealth, D.A. Davidson & Co., and E*TRADE Core Portfolios.
Before you switch, price what you are currently paying: published fee breakdowns by firm are available for Farther, Homrich Berg, M1 Finance, Northern Trust Wealth Management, Park Avenue Securities, Plancorp, Principal Securities, Robinhood Strategies, Rockefeller Capital Management.
Before you switch, price what you are currently paying: published fee breakdowns by firm are available for Fifth Third Wealth Advisors, Huntington Private Bank, KeyBank Private Wealth, TD Wealth, Transamerica Financial Advisors, Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network.
Nine more firms now have a published exit figure on the record, each sourced from the firm’s own current fee schedule or Form ADV rather than a summary: Raymond James, LPL Financial, Empower Personal Wealth, Northern Trust, Cetera, Farther, Fifth Third Wealth Advisors, HomrichBerg, and Huntington Private Bank.
Ten more firms now have a published exit figure on the record, each sourced from the firm’s own current fee schedule, custodian agreement, or Form ADV rather than a summary: KeyBank Private Wealth, M1 Finance, Park Avenue Securities, Plancorp, Principal Securities, Robinhood, Rockefeller Capital Management, Savant Wealth Management, TD Wealth, and Transamerica Financial Advisors.
Weighing two firms against each other before you switch? Side-by-side dollar comparisons are available for CAPTRUST vs Osaic, CAPTRUST vs UBS, Fidelity vs Mariner Wealth Advisors, Fidelity vs Osaic, Fidelity vs UBS, Raymond James vs Savant Wealth Management, Raymond James vs Wealth Enhancement Group, Savant Wealth Management vs SoFi Invest, Savant Wealth Management vs Voya Financial Advisors, SoFi Invest vs Wealth Enhancement Group, Voya Financial Advisors vs Wealth Enhancement Group, LPL vs Primerica, Charles Schwab vs Morgan Stanley, Ameriprise vs Charles Schwab, Baird vs Charles Schwab, LPL vs Merrill Lynch, Raymond James vs Thrivent, Thrivent vs Vanguard Personal Advisor, Thrivent vs Voya Financial Advisors, Empower Personal Wealth vs MassMutual.
Weighing two firms against each other before you switch? Side-by-side dollar comparisons are available for Charles Schwab vs J.P. Morgan, Charles Schwab vs Wells Fargo Advisors, Cetera vs Creative Planning, MassMutual vs TIAA Wealth Management, Fisher Investments vs Vanguard Personal Advisor, Savant Wealth Management vs Vanguard Personal Advisor, Vanguard Personal Advisor vs Wealth Enhancement Group, Empower Personal Wealth vs Morgan Stanley, Morgan Stanley vs TIAA Wealth Management, Buckingham Strategic Wealth vs Cetera, CAPTRUST vs Cetera, Carson Wealth vs Edward Jones, Edward Jones vs Equitable Advisors, Edward Jones vs Kestra (Kestra Private Wealth Services / Kestra Advisory Services), Ameriprise vs Empower Personal Wealth, Baird vs Empower Personal Wealth, Ameriprise vs TIAA Wealth Management, Betterment Premium vs Merrill Lynch, Edelman Financial Engines vs Raymond James, Edelman Financial Engines vs Voya Financial Advisors.
Weighing two firms against each other before you switch? Side-by-side dollar comparisons are available for Cetera vs Fidelity, Edward Jones vs Mariner Wealth Advisors, Edward Jones vs Osaic, Edward Jones vs SoFi Invest, Empower Personal Wealth vs J.P. Morgan, Empower Personal Wealth vs Wells Fargo Advisors, Baird vs TIAA Wealth Management, J.P. Morgan vs TIAA Wealth Management, Northwestern Mutual vs Raymond James, Northwestern Mutual vs Voya Financial Advisors, TIAA Wealth Management vs Wells Fargo Advisors, Betterment Premium vs Primerica, Cambridge Investment Research vs Creative Planning, Commonwealth Financial Network vs Creative Planning, Primerica vs Raymond James, Primerica vs Voya Financial Advisors, Ameriprise vs Lincoln Financial Advisors, Ameriprise vs Mercer Advisors, Baird vs Lincoln Financial Advisors, Baird vs Mercer Advisors.
Weighing two firms against each other before you switch? Side-by-side dollar comparisons are available for Edward Jones vs UBS, Edward Jones vs Vanguard Personal Advisor, Betterment Premium vs Edelman Financial Engines, Betterment Premium vs Northwestern Mutual, Buckingham Strategic Wealth vs Cambridge Investment Research, Buckingham Strategic Wealth vs Commonwealth Financial Network, Buckingham Strategic Wealth vs SoFi Invest, Cambridge Investment Research vs CAPTRUST, Cambridge Investment Research vs Fidelity, CAPTRUST vs Commonwealth Financial Network, CAPTRUST vs SoFi Invest, Carson Wealth vs Fisher Investments, Carson Wealth vs Savant Wealth Management, Carson Wealth vs Wealth Enhancement Group, Cetera vs Edward Jones, Commonwealth Financial Network vs Fidelity, Equitable Advisors vs Fisher Investments, Equitable Advisors vs Savant Wealth Management, Equitable Advisors vs Wealth Enhancement Group, Fidelity vs SoFi Invest.
Weighing two firms against each other before you switch? Side-by-side dollar comparisons are available for Fisher Investments vs Kestra (Kestra Private Wealth Services / Kestra Advisory Services), Fisher Investments vs Mariner Wealth Advisors, Fisher Investments vs Osaic, J.P. Morgan vs Lincoln Financial Advisors, J.P. Morgan vs Mercer, Kestra (Kestra Private Wealth Services / Kestra Advisory Services) vs Savant Wealth Management, Kestra (Kestra Private Wealth Services / Kestra Advisory Services) vs Wealth Enhancement Group, Lincoln Financial Advisors vs Wells Fargo Advisors, Mariner Wealth Advisors vs Savant Wealth Management, Mariner Wealth Advisors vs Wealth Enhancement Group, Mercer vs Wells Fargo Advisors, Merrill Lynch vs Raymond James, Merrill Lynch vs Voya Financial Advisors, Osaic vs Savant Wealth Management, Osaic vs Wealth Enhancement Group, Lincoln Financial Advisors vs Morgan Stanley, Mercer vs Morgan Stanley, Ameriprise vs LPL, Baird vs LPL, Carson Wealth vs Thrivent.
Before you switch, price what you are currently paying: published fee breakdowns by firm are available for Corient, Kayne Anderson Rudnick, Bahl & Gaynor, Silvercrest Asset Management Group, Tiedemann Advisors, Johnson Investment Counsel, Allworth Financial, Modera Wealth Management, Coldstream Wealth Management, Pure Financial Advisors, SignatureFD, Halbert Hargrove, Wescott Financial Advisory Group.
Before you switch, price what you are currently paying: published fee breakdowns by firm are available for Abacus Wealth Partners, Chevy Chase Trust Company, Waldron Private Wealth, BOK Financial Private Wealth, Synovus Securities, UMB Private Wealth Management, Frost Investment Services, Ally Invest Robo Portfolios, Interactive Advisors, Stash, Titan.
Ten more advisor-firm exits, each priced from the firm’s own disclosure or its named custodian’s own published fee schedule: Corient, Tiedemann Advisors, Johnson Investment Counsel, Allworth Financial, Modera Wealth Management, Coldstream Wealth Management, Pure Financial Advisors, SignatureFD, Halbert Hargrove, and Wescott Financial Advisory Group.
Eight more advisor-firm exits, each priced from the firm’s own disclosure or its named custodian’s own published fee schedule: Abacus Wealth Partners, Waldron Private Wealth, Synovus Securities, Frost Investment Services, Ally Invest Robo Portfolios, Interactive Advisors, Stash, and Titan.
Before you switch, price what you are currently paying: published fee breakdowns by firm are available for Brown Advisory, Cresset Asset Management, IEQ Capital, MAI Capital Management, Lido Advisors, Steward Partners Investment Advisory, Sanctuary Wealth, Plante Moran Financial Advisors, Signature Estate & Investment Advisors, Summit Trail Advisors, Choreo, Concurrent Investment Advisors, The Mather Group, Snowden Lane Partners, Balentine.
Before you switch, price what you are currently paying: published fee breakdowns by firm are available for GenTrust, Foster Group, Sand Hill Global Advisors, Colony Family Offices, Edgemoor Investment Advisors, SouthState Private Capital Management, Valley Wealth Managers, First Citizens Investor Services, Busey Capital Management, WesBanco Securities, Nationwide Investment Advisors, Hornor, Townsend & Kent, Mutual of Omaha Investor Services, Fidelity Go, SigFig Wealth Management, Rebalance.
Twelve more advisor-firm exits, each priced from the firm’s own disclosure or its named custodian’s own published fee schedule: Cresset Asset Management, IEQ Capital, MAI Capital Management, Lido Advisors, Steward Partners Investment Advisory, Sanctuary Wealth, Plante Moran Financial Advisors, Signature Estate & Investment Advisors, Summit Trail Advisors, Choreo, Concurrent Investment Advisors, and Snowden Lane Partners.
Thirteen more advisor-firm exits, each priced from the firm’s own disclosure or its named custodian’s own published fee schedule: GenTrust, Foster Group, Sand Hill Global Advisors, Edgemoor Investment Advisors, SouthState Private Capital Management, Valley Wealth Managers, First Citizens Investor Services, Busey Capital Management, WesBanco Securities, Hornor, Townsend & Kent, Mutual of Omaha Investor Services, SigFig Wealth Management, and Rebalance.
Before you switch, price what you are currently paying: published fee breakdowns by firm are available for Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Fiducient Advisors, Waverly Advisors, Ballentine Partners, CW Advisors, Merit Financial Advisors, HBKS Wealth Advisors, Aldrich Wealth, Grimes & Company, The Wealth Consulting Group, Ashton Thomas Private Wealth, Coastal Bridge Advisors, IFG Advisory, Kingswood Wealth Advisors, Bogart Wealth, Fragasso Financial Advisors, Rockwood Wealth Management, Vestor Capital.
For the figure each individual firm publishes, see our roster of exit fees at 115 named firms: 63 of them charge nothing of their own to leave, and the bill comes from whoever holds the account.
Before you switch, price what you are currently paying: published fee breakdowns by firm are available for Beese Fulmer, Tanager Wealth Management, Sensible Money, NovaPoint Capital, EverGreen Wealth Management, CIBC Private Wealth Management, Wintrust Wealth Management, Washington Trust Wealth Management, Bryn Mawr Trust Advisors, Univest Wealth Management (Girard), United Wealth Management, Old Second Wealth Management, Amerant Investments, ESI Financial Advisors, GuideStone Advisors, Allstate Financial Advisors, Horace Mann Investors, W&S Brokerage Services.
Seventeen more advisor-firm exits, each priced from the firm’s own disclosure or its named custodian’s own published fee schedule: Fiducient Advisors, Waverly Advisors, Ballentine Partners, CW Advisors, Merit Financial Advisors, HBKS Wealth Advisors, Aldrich Wealth, Grimes & Company, The Wealth Consulting Group, Ashton Thomas Private Wealth, Coastal Bridge Advisors, IFG Advisory, Kingswood Wealth Advisors, Bogart Wealth, Fragasso Financial Advisors, Rockwood Wealth Management, and Vestor Capital.
Fifteen more advisor-firm exits, each priced from the firm’s own disclosure or its named custodian’s own published fee schedule: Beese Fulmer, Sensible Money, NovaPoint Capital, EverGreen Wealth Management, CIBC Private Wealth Management, Wintrust Wealth Management, Washington Trust Wealth Management, Bryn Mawr Trust Advisors, Univest Wealth Management (Girard), United Wealth Management, Old Second Wealth Management, Amerant Investments, GuideStone Advisors, Horace Mann Investors, and W&S Brokerage Services.
Before you switch, price what you are currently paying: published fee breakdowns by firm are available for Prime Capital Financial, Clearstead Advisory Solutions, Summit Financial, Stratos Wealth Partners, OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, Ritholtz Wealth Management, Kingsview Partners, Carnegie Investment Counsel, Advisory Alpha, Carret Asset Management, Evensky & Katz / Foldes, Diversified, Fiduciary Financial Advisors.
Before you switch, price what you are currently paying: published fee breakdowns by firm are available for Chapin Davis, Wealth Advisors Network, Financial Guidance Group, Cornerstone Advisors, Sound Financial Group, Lincoln Investment, Geneos Wealth Management, Capital Analysts, Carbon Collective, Atomic Invest, Webull Advisors, Public Advisors.
Twenty-one more advisor-firm exits, each priced from the firm’s own disclosure or its named custodian’s own published fee schedule: Prime Capital Financial, Clearstead, Summit Financial, Stratos Wealth Partners, OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, Ritholtz Wealth Management, Kingsview Partners, Carnegie Investment Counsel, Advisory Alpha, Carret Asset Management, Evensky & Katz / Foldes, Diversified, Fiduciary Financial Advisors, Cornerstone Advisors, Sound Financial Group, Lincoln Investment, Geneos Wealth Management, Capital Analysts, Atomic Invest, Webull Advisors, and Public Advisors.
Before you switch, price what you are currently paying: published fee breakdowns by firm are available for Hennion & Walsh Asset Management, Dana Investment Advisors, Center for Financial Planning, Wealthcare Capital Management, Ferguson Wellman, Bedel Financial Consulting, Legacy Financial Advisors, First Foundation Advisors, SVB Wealth, RBC Rochdale, Flagstar Securities, Texas Capital Private Wealth Advisors, AmeriServ Wealth Advisors, Flynn Zito Capital Management, Capital Wealth Planning, Gilman Hill Asset Management.
Before you switch, price what you are currently paying: published fee breakdowns by firm are available for CliftonLarsonAllen Wealth Advisors, Threadline Wealth (formerly Moss Adams Wealth Advisors), Baker Tilly Wealth Management, Citrin Cooperman Wealth Management, Rehmann Wealth, Centaurus Financial, State Farm Investment Management, Prospera Financial Services, Arete Wealth Advisors, Valmark Advisers, Concorde Asset Management, Wahed Invest, Alight Financial Advisors.
Twenty-one more advisor-firm exits, each priced from the firm’s own disclosure or its named custodian’s own published fee schedule: Legacy Financial Advisors, Baker Tilly Wealth Management, Arete Wealth Advisors, First Foundation Advisors, Flynn Zito Capital Management, Citrin Cooperman Wealth Management, Valmark Advisers, Center for Financial Planning, SVB Wealth, Capital Wealth Planning, Concorde Asset Management, Wealthcare Capital Management, RBC Rochdale, Centaurus Financial, Ferguson Wellman, CliftonLarsonAllen Wealth Advisors, State Farm Investment Management, Bedel Financial, Texas Capital Private Wealth Advisors, Threadline Wealth (formerly Moss Adams Wealth Advisors), and Prospera Financial Services.
Want to run the numbers for your own balance? The Advisor Firm Fee Calculator 2026: What 39 Named Firms Charge tool prices a firm’s published schedule at your balance.
Before you switch, price what you are currently paying: published fee breakdowns by firm are available for First Command Advisory Services, Bernzott Capital Advisors, Tributary Capital Management, Vista Capital Partners, Peak Financial Advisors, Wealth Strategies Group, Legacy Wealth Partners, Aprio Wealth Management, Kaufman Rossin Wealth, UHY Wealth Management RIA, Sikich Financial.
Looking for a specific firm? How to leave your financial advisor links the exit guide for each of 189 firms.
Eight more advisor-firm exits, each priced from the firm’s own disclosure or its named custodian’s own published fee schedule: Procyon, Vista Capital Partners, Peak Financial Advisors, Wealth Strategies Group, Legacy Wealth Partners, Aprio Wealth Management, Kaufman Rossin Wealth, and Sikich Financial.
Before you switch, price what you are currently paying: published fee breakdowns by firm are available for Procyon.