Guides › Financial Advisor Fees
Updated October 3, 2026. Quick answer: Buckingham Strategic Wealth has the lower published fee at $500,000: up to $6,250 a year (the published maximum, which the firm says is negotiable), versus up to $10,350 a year (the sum of the firm’s published maximum fee components) for MassMutual, computed from each firm’s own SEC-filed fee disclosure. Where a firm publishes only a maximum rate, the figure shown is that maximum, and what you pay may be lower. 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 | Buckingham Strategic Wealth (annual fee) | MassMutual (annual fee) |
|---|---|---|
| $250,000 | Up to $3,125 | Up to $5,175 |
| $500,000 | Up to $6,250 | Up to $10,350 |
| $1,000,000 | Up to $12,500 | Up to $20,700 |
| $2,000,000 | Up to $25,000 | Up to $41,400 |
Buckingham Strategic Wealth discloses a published maximum rate of 1.25%, which the firm says is negotiable (Focus Partners Wealth, LLC Form ADV Part 2A Brochure, April 29, 2026); MassMutual discloses published fee components that sum to a maximum of 2.07% (MML Investors Services, LLC, MMLIS Wealth Management Services Portfolio Solutions Programs Wrap Fee Brochure (Form ADV Part 2A Appendix 1), July 10, 2026).
What the fee includes, in each firm’s own words
Buckingham Strategic Wealth (Focus Partners Wealth, LLC Form ADV Part 2A Brochure, April 29, 2026): “Our fees are generally based on a percentage of the client’s assets under management with Focus Partners, generally as much as 1.25%; are negotiable; will vary from client to client, and are based on a number of factors, such as the client’s assets under Focus Partners’ management, scope of services to be provided, origins of the client relationship (including whether the client joined Focus Partners through a merger with another firm), and potential future revenues from the client relationship.”
Buckingham Strategic Wealth, LLC merged its advisory practice into Focus Partners Wealth, LLC on June 30, 2024; former Buckingham clients’ advisory agreements were assigned to Focus Partners, which is now the operating legal entity and CRD of record for what was Buckingham. Focus Partners’ current Form ADV discloses a single ceiling of ‘generally as much as 1.25%’ rather than a breakpoint table; rates are individually negotiated. The dollar figures apply the disclosed 1.25% ceiling as a flat rate to each balance.
MassMutual (MML Investors Services, LLC, MMLIS Wealth Management Services Portfolio Solutions Programs Wrap Fee Brochure (Form ADV Part 2A Appendix 1), July 10, 2026): “The Client Fee includes an Execution, Clearing and Custody Fee of 0.06%, a negotiable Advisory Fee up to a maximum of 1.54%, and any applicable fees to Strategists. … Strategist Fees range from 0.05% to 0.47%.”
MMLIS’s Client Fee for the Portfolio Solutions Programs is built from three disclosed components rather than one published schedule: a fixed 0.06% Execution/Clearing/Custody Fee, a negotiable Advisory Fee capped at 1.54% of AUM, and a Strategist Fee ranging 0.05%-0.47% depending on which asset-allocation model/strategist is selected (or 0% if none). The dollar figures on this page apply that 2.07% maximum to each balance, as the most a client could be charged. A client’s actual fee would typically be lower depending on the negotiated Advisory Fee and the Strategist Fee of the specific model chosen.
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, Buckingham Strategic Wealth runs up to $6,250 a year (the published maximum) and MassMutual runs up to $10,350 a year (the published maximum): a difference of $4,100 a year between those figures at that balance.
Want the full breakdown for either firm on its own? Read the Buckingham Strategic Wealth fee page or the MassMutual 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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Buckingham Strategic Wealth runs up to $6,250 a year (the published maximum) at $500,000. See what else is available.
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Answer againSources
- Focus Partners Wealth, LLC Form ADV Part 2A Brochure (April 29, 2026): https://focus-financial.files.svdcdn.com/production/documents/Focus-Partners-Wealth-ADV-Part-2A-04.29.26.pdf?dm=1777575178
- SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure, Focus Partners Wealth, LLC (successor by merger to Buckingham Strategic Wealth, LLC, effective June 30, 2024) (CRD #159289): https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/159289
- MML Investors Services, LLC, MMLIS Wealth Management Services Portfolio Solutions Programs Wrap Fee Brochure (Form ADV Part 2A Appendix 1) (July 10, 2026): https://files.adviserinfo.sec.gov/IAPD/Content/Common/crd_iapd_Brochure.aspx?BRCHR_VRSN_ID=1051357
- SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure, MML Investors Services, LLC (CRD #10409): https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/10409
Methodology. This page was built October 3, 2026, re-pairing figures already archived and independently verified for Buckingham Strategic Wealth and MassMutual 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.