Guides › Financial Advisor Fees
Updated September 19, 2026. Quick answer: Merrill Lynch is less expensive at $500,000: $8,750 a year, versus $13,750 a year for Raymond James, 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.
More head-to-head fee comparisons: Creative Planning vs Raymond James Fees, Edelman Financial Engines vs Raymond James Fees and Edward Jones vs Raymond James Fees.
What each firm charges, side by side
| Account balance | Merrill Lynch (annual fee) | Raymond James (annual fee) |
|---|---|---|
| $250,000 | $4,375 | $6,875 |
| $500,000 | $8,750 | $13,750 |
| $1,000,000 | $17,500 | $27,500 |
| $2,000,000 | $35,000 | $50,000 |
Merrill Lynch discloses a maximum, individually negotiated rate of 1.75% (Merrill Lynch Investment Advisory Program Brochure (Form ADV Part 2A Wrap Fee Program Brochure), June 26, 2026 (IAPB-062026)); Raymond James discloses a tiered schedule starting at 2.75% (Raymond James & Associates, Inc. Wrap Fee Program Brochure, Form ADV Part 2A Appendix 1, “Maximum Fee Schedule for AMS Managed and IAR Managed Programs”, June 26, 2026).
What the fee includes, in each firm’s own words
Merrill Lynch (Merrill Lynch Investment Advisory Program Brochure (Form ADV Part 2A Wrap Fee Program Brochure), June 26, 2026 (IAPB-062026)): “We have set the maximum Merrill Lynch Fee Rate for the Program at 1.75%. The Merrill Lynch Fee Rate is negotiable, meaning you and your Advisor may agree to a Merrill Lynch Fee Rate for an Account that is lower than 1.75%.”
Merrill Lynch does not publish a dollar-tiered breakpoint table for its flagship Investment Advisory Program (IAP); it publishes only a maximum, individually negotiated rate of 1.75%. The figures above apply that ceiling as a flat rate; your actual negotiated rate may be lower. If you select a discretionary Style Manager or PAS Manager strategy inside the Program, an additional manager fee (roughly 0.00% to 0.65% or more, depending on strategy) can apply on top of the 1.75% Merrill Lynch Fee.
Raymond James (Raymond James & Associates, Inc. Wrap Fee Program Brochure, Form ADV Part 2A Appendix 1, “Maximum Fee Schedule for AMS Managed and IAR Managed Programs”, June 26, 2026): “We maintain a fee schedule (“maximum fee schedule”) that outlines the maximum fee rates that can be charged to clients at specific asset-level breakpoints. We calculate maximum Fees on a retroactive basis instead of on an incremental basis. As the aggregated Relationship Value reaches each higher asset tier, or “breakpoint,” the applicable Fee is reduced and assessed retroactively to the first dollar of your account assets. RJCS Equity/Balanced, Schedule A: Up to $1M, 2.75%; $1M-$2M, 2.50%; $2M-$5M, 2.25%; $5M-$10M, 2.00%; $10M+, 1.75%.”
Raymond James’s Consulting Services (RJCS) flagship program is a breakpoint schedule, not a marginal one: your entire account is billed at a single rate, based on which asset-level bracket the whole balance falls into, applied retroactively to the first dollar. The brochure publishes two rate columns for Equity/Balanced accounts, Schedule A and Schedule B, without specifying the eligibility difference between them in the sections reviewed this session; this page uses Schedule A, the higher, first-listed of the two, so the figures shown are a maximum, not a guaranteed rate. Applying each bracket boundary as inclusive of its own labeled ceiling (so a $1,000,000 account is billed at the “Up to $1M” rate and a $2,000,000 account at the “$1M-$2M” rate): $250,000 and $500,000 both fall in the “Up to $1M” bracket at 2.75%; $1,000,000 stays in that same bracket; $2,000,000 falls in the “$1M-$2M” bracket at 2.50%.
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, Merrill Lynch runs $8,750 a year and Raymond James runs $13,750 a year: a difference of $5,000 a year at that balance.
Want the full breakdown for either firm on its own? Read the Merrill Lynch fee page or the Raymond James fee page for the complete tier table and source citations.
Thinking about leaving one of these firms instead of pricing what you would pay to stay? See what it costs to leave Merrill Lynch, or read the general mechanics of switching financial advisors.
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- Merrill Lynch Investment Advisory Program Brochure (Form ADV Part 2A Wrap Fee Program Brochure) (June 26, 2026 (IAPB-062026)): https://www.ml.com/solutions/understanding-our-services-and-fees-when-you-work-with-an-advisor.html
- SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (CRD #7691): https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/7691
- Raymond James & Associates, Inc. Wrap Fee Program Brochure, Form ADV Part 2A Appendix 1, “Maximum Fee Schedule for AMS Managed and IAR Managed Programs” (June 26, 2026): https://www.raymondjames.com/legal-disclosures
- SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure, Raymond James & Associates, Inc. (CRD #705): https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/705
Methodology. This page was built September 19, 2026, re-pairing figures already archived and independently verified for Merrill Lynch and Raymond James 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 Raymond James and weighing a move? How to leave Raymond James covers what it costs to transfer out.