Guides › Financial Advisor Fees
Updated October 3, 2026. Quick answer: Thrivent is less expensive at $500,000: $7,750 a year, versus $10,000 a year for Baird, 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 | Baird (annual fee) | Thrivent (annual fee) |
|---|---|---|
| $250,000 | $5,000 | $4,250 |
| $500,000 | $10,000 | $7,750 |
| $1,000,000 | $20,000 | $14,500 |
| $2,000,000 | $35,000 | $29,000 |
Baird discloses a tiered schedule starting at 2.00% (Baird Private Wealth Management Wrap Fee Program Brochure, Form ADV Part 2A Appendix 1, March 27, 2026); Thrivent discloses a tiered schedule starting at 2.00% (Thrivent Investment Management Inc. Managed Accounts Program Brochure, Form ADV Part 2A Appendix 1, July 2026).
What the fee includes, in each firm’s own words
Baird (Baird Private Wealth Management Wrap Fee Program Brochure, Form ADV Part 2A Appendix 1, March 27, 2026): “Baird generally offers two types of asset-based fee arrangements: a tiered fee schedule and a breakpoint fee schedule. Under a tiered fee schedule, the asset-based fee will vary for different segments of client assets, gradually decreasing as the Account balance increases. Tiered Advice Fee Schedule: First $1,000,000, 2.00%; Next $1,000,000, 1.50%; Next $3,000,000, 1.35%; Next $5,000,000, 1.25%; Above $10,000,000, 1.00%.”
This is Baird’s marginal (tiered) Advice Fee schedule, which applies across essentially all of Baird’s Private Wealth Management discretionary/advisory programs; each bracket’s rate applies only to the assets inside that bracket. Baird also publishes an alternative whole-balance Breakpoint Advice Fee Schedule (2.00% up to $1M, 1.75% from $1M to just under $2M, 1.50% at $2M and above) that a client and advisor may choose instead; this page uses the tiered version, the one named first in the brochure. For programs that layer on a separate Portfolio Fee (0.00% for several core programs, roughly 0.10% to 0.77% or more for SMA/UMA strategies), the total cost can run higher than the Advice Fee alone.
Thrivent (Thrivent Investment Management Inc. Managed Accounts Program Brochure, Form ADV Part 2A Appendix 1, July 2026): “You will be charged a Program Fee for each Account in the Program. The Program Fee will not exceed the applicable rate from the following fee schedule(s). Those maximums are the Advisor, Advisor Guided, SELECT, Income-Focused, Genesis, Shepherd, Impact and Shield schedule: Up to $99,999 2.00%, $100,000-$249,999 1.85%, $250,000-$499,999 1.70%, $500,000-$999,999 1.55%, $1,000,000-$2,999,999 1.45%, $3,000,000-$4,999,999 1.25%, $5,000,000-$9,999,999 1.00%, $10,000,000 and above 0.90%.”
Thrivent uses a breakpoint schedule: the single rate for your bracket applies to the whole balance, not just the amount above the breakpoint. These are the Maximum Program Fee rates on Thrivent’s Advisor, Advisor Guided, SELECT, Income-Focused, Genesis, Shepherd, Impact and Shield schedule, the one covering the programs open to new investors at the $25,000 minimum; the brochure states the Program Fee is negotiable, so an individual account can be lower. Thrivent’s separate SMA/UMA schedule runs higher, to a 2.50% maximum, and its Advantage schedule is closed to new investors. Optional Dedicated Planning Services is a separate fee component, but the brochure states the sum cannot exceed these same maximums. This is Thrivent Investment Management’s Managed Accounts Program (TIMI); the separate Thrivent Advisor Network channel discloses only a ceiling, not these breakpoints.
How this compares
The median ria charges roughly 1.0% of assets under management annually (the benchmark). At $500,000, Baird runs $10,000 a year and Thrivent runs $7,750 a year: a difference of $2,250 a year at that balance.
Want the full breakdown for either firm on its own? Read the Baird fee page or the Thrivent 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 Baird or what it costs to leave Thrivent, or read the general mechanics of switching financial advisors.
Find the right next step for your situation
About how much do you have invested? Pick the range that fits; your next step appears immediately below.
Thrivent runs $7,750 a year at $500,000. See what else is available.
If your portfolio is $250,000 or more, this connects you (free, with no obligation to hire anyone) with 2 to 3 vetted advisors.
Before you start, what actually happens. 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. Clear Money Guide is paid when you complete the form, whether or not you ever hire anyone.
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Compare Baird and Thrivent against a fee-based match.
Price the destination before you decide. The matching service below introduces you to advisers who pay to meet you.
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Answer againSources
- Baird Private Wealth Management Wrap Fee Program Brochure, Form ADV Part 2A Appendix 1 (March 27, 2026): https://www.bairdwealth.com/retailinvestor
- SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure, Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated (CRD #8158): https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/8158
- Thrivent Investment Management Inc. Managed Accounts Program Brochure, Form ADV Part 2A Appendix 1 (July 2026): https://www.thrivent.com/files/24839.pdf
- SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure, Thrivent Investment Management Inc. (CRD #18387): https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/18387
Methodology. This page was built October 3, 2026, re-pairing figures already archived and independently verified for Baird and Thrivent 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.