Guides › Financial Advisor Fees
Updated September 19, 2026. Quick answer: Creative Planning is less expensive at $500,000: $6,000 a year, versus $14,750 a year for LPL Financial, computed from each firm’s own SEC-filed fee disclosure. See the full side-by-side table below for $250,000, $1 million and $2 million.
What each firm charges, side by side
| Account balance | Creative Planning (annual fee) | LPL Financial (annual fee) |
|---|---|---|
| $250,000 | $3,000 | $7,375 |
| $500,000 | $6,000 | $14,750 |
| $1,000,000 | $11,000 | $29,500 |
| $2,000,000 | $21,000 | $59,000 |
Creative Planning discloses a tiered schedule starting at 1.20% (Creative Planning, LLC Form ADV Part 2A, March 31, 2026); LPL Financial discloses a maximum, individually negotiated rate of 2.95% (LPL Financial LLC Program Brochure, Form ADV Part 2A, Item 5 (“Fee Maximums”), July 1, 2026).
What the fee includes, in each firm’s own words
Creative Planning (Creative Planning, LLC Form ADV Part 2A, March 31, 2026): “Annual Fee Calculation: 1.20% on the first $500,000, then 1.00% on assets of $500,001-$2,000,000, then .85% on assets of $2,000,001-$5,000,000, then .80% on assets of $5,000,001-$10,000,000, then .70% on assets of $10,000,001-$25,000,000.”
Clients under $200,000 in assets generally are not eligible for standard individual service; the schedule shown is Creative Planning’s standard individual/HNW fee calculation.
LPL Financial (LPL Financial LLC Program Brochure, Form ADV Part 2A, Item 5 (“Fee Maximums”), July 1, 2026): “Fee Maximums. Fee maximums vary by Program, as indicated below. … MWP: Maximum Advisory Fee 2.35%, Maximum Manager Fee 0.60%, Total Maximum Account Fee 2.95%.” Model Wealth Portfolios (MWP): 2.35% maximum Advisory Fee plus a 0.60% maximum Manager Fee.
LPL sets per-program fee ceilings rather than a single published breakpoint table; the figures above use Model Wealth Portfolios, LPL’s flagship managed-account program, at its 2.95% combined maximum. Other LPL programs cap lower (as low as 1.35% for Guided Wealth Portfolios); your actual rate depends on the program and is individually negotiated below the ceiling.
How this compares
Our benchmark of published adviser fee schedules puts the weighted median annual cost near $2,000 to $2,500 on $250,000 (the benchmark). At $500,000, Creative Planning runs $6,000 a year and LPL Financial runs $14,750 a year: a difference of $8,750 a year at that balance.
Want the full breakdown for either firm on its own? Read the Creative Planning fee page or the LPL Financial fee page for the complete tier table and source citations.
Comparing these two against a full move? Read the general mechanics of switching financial advisors, or use a dated termination letter once you decide.
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- Creative Planning, LLC Form ADV Part 2A (March 31, 2026): https://creativeplanning.com/wp-content/uploads/Creative-Planning-Form-ADV-Part-2A.pdf
- SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure, Creative Planning, LLC (CRD #105348): https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/105348
- LPL Financial LLC Program Brochure, Form ADV Part 2A, Item 5 (“Fee Maximums”) (July 1, 2026): https://files.adviserinfo.sec.gov/IAPD/Content/Common/crd_iapd_Brochure.aspx?BRCHR_VRSN_ID=1050527
- SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure, LPL Financial LLC (CRD #6413): https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/6413
Methodology. This page was built September 19, 2026, re-pairing figures already archived and independently verified for Creative Planning and LPL Financial from each firm’s own SEC-filed disclosure; sources linked above. Nothing here is personalized financial, tax, legal, or investment advice. See our Editorial Policy, Corrections, Affiliate Disclosure, and Disclaimer.
Already with Creative Planning and weighing a move? How to leave Creative Planning covers what it costs to transfer out.