Guides › Financial Advisor Fees
Updated September 18, 2026. Quick answer: Yes, on every account. Osaic’s advisory service is run by Osaic Advisory Services, LLC, which is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser and is not a broker-dealer, so the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 requires it to act as your fiduciary there. Separate firms in the same corporate family, including Osaic Wealth, Inc. (CRD 23131), are active FINRA member broker-dealers that the Advisers Act fiduciary standard does not cover. Its own Form CRS states: “When acting as your investment adviser, we have to act in your best interest and not put our interest ahead of yours. At the same time, the way we make money creates some conflicts with your interests.”
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How it’s registered
From Form CRS (Client Relationship Summary) (February 2024 (document footer code THS-24-0071 02/24; no separate headline date printed on the CRS itself)): “Osaic Advisory Services, LLC, also doing business as Osaic Advisors (“OAS”, “we”, “our”, or “us”), is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) as an investment adviser.”
The standard of conduct, in its own words
“When acting as your investment adviser, we have to act in your best interest and not put our interest ahead of yours. At the same time, the way we make money creates some conflicts with your interests.”
On commissions: “Our financial professionals can offer various types of advisory programs, platforms and services, and can earn more, or less, depending on the type of service, program or platform we recommend and that you select. Our financial professionals are also compensated in a variety of ways, and the compensation can be based on factors such as: the value of client assets they service; the time and complexity required to meet a client’s needs; or revenue OAS earns from the financial professional’s advisory services.”
Fiduciary status by capacity
| Capacity | Registration | Standard you’re owed | Can earn commissions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| As your investment adviser | SEC-registered investment adviser | Fiduciary duty (Investment Advisers Act of 1940) | No (asset-based advisory fee: $12,500 a year, 2.50% on a $500,000 account) | Form CRS (Client Relationship Summary), February 2024 (document footer code THS-24-0071 02/24; no separate headline date printed on the CRS itself) |
What this means for what you pay
Fiduciary status is one input, not the whole picture. Osaic discloses a published fee that runs $12,500 a year on a $500,000 account; see the full dollar breakdown from Osaic’s own fee disclosure before deciding whether the standard of conduct here changes your answer.
If the answer above changes your mind about staying, see what it costs to leave Osaic, or read the general mechanics of switching financial advisors.
Compare your next step
Just comparing fees? Keep reading the fee guide.Optional next step
Explore an adviser match
Compare the services and the full fee before deciding whether to hire anyone.
- No fee to request a match
- No obligation to hire
Expect questions about your situation, your name, email and phone, and phone verification by text. A match is not guaranteed.
The form is run by Kapitalwise, our advisor-matching partner. Kapitalwise sends your details to advisers who pay for the introduction, so expect calls and texts. Clear Money Guide is paid when you submit the form, whether or not you ever hire anyone. This is free to you and there is no obligation to hire anyone.
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How our partner relationships workCompare an adviser match before you decide
Ask about the full fee, what it covers and how the adviser is paid. A match is an introduction, not a recommendation from Clear Money Guide.
- Free matching service
- No obligation to hire
The matching service is run by WiserAdvisor, an independent advisor-matching company. It opens on their site, asks for your ZIP code and a few questions, and matches you with 2 to 3 vetted advisors. It is free to you. WiserAdvisor states the service is built for portfolios of $250,000 and above. By submitting, you consent to emails, phone calls and text messages from WiserAdvisor and up to three advisors, so expect to be contacted. Advisers pay for the introduction. Clear Money Guide is paid when you complete the form, whether or not you ever hire anyone. There is no obligation to hire anyone.
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Source: WiserAdvisor’s service descriptionSources
- Form CRS (Client Relationship Summary) (February 2024 (document footer code THS-24-0071 02/24; no separate headline date printed on the CRS itself)): https://reports.adviserinfo.sec.gov/crs/crs_171070.pdf
- SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure, Osaic Advisory Services, LLC d/b/a Osaic Advisors (CRD #171070): https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/171070
- Osaic Advisory Services, LLC d/b/a Osaic Advisors, SEC Form ADV filing: https://reports.adviserinfo.sec.gov/reports/ADV/171070/PDF/171070.pdf
Methodology. This page was built September 18, 2026, quoting directly from Osaic’s own current Form CRS, with the source linked above; any distinction we could not independently confirm this session is named as an honest gap rather than presented as verified. Nothing here is personalized financial, tax, legal, or investment advice, and it is not a substitute for reading the firm’s own Form CRS. See our Editorial Policy, Corrections, Affiliate Disclosure, and Disclaimer.
What does it actually take to open an account? See Osaic’s minimum investment, quoted verbatim from its own Form ADV Part 2A / wrap-fee brochure.
Weighing whether to move ahead? Read the full Osaic review, including its fiduciary status and what it costs to leave.
Comparing Osaic against other options? See Osaic alternatives, including a lower-fee full-service firm, a flat-fee route, and a robo/hybrid.