Guides › Financial Advisor Fees
Updated October 3, 2026. Quick answer: Creative Planning is less expensive at $500,000: $6,000 a year, versus $8,250 a year for Edelman Financial Engines, 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) | Edelman Financial Engines (annual fee) |
|---|---|---|
| $250,000 | $3,000 | $4,375 |
| $500,000 | $6,000 | $8,250 |
| $1,000,000 | $11,000 | $13,875 |
| $2,000,000 | $21,000 | $21,375 |
Creative Planning discloses a tiered schedule starting at 1.20% (Creative Planning, LLC Form ADV Part 2A, March 31, 2026); Edelman Financial Engines discloses a tiered schedule starting at 1.75% (Edelman Financial Engines Wrap Fee Brochure (Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C.), Form ADV Part 2A, March 31, 2026).
What the fee includes, in each firm’s own words
Creative Planning (Creative Planning, LLC Form ADV Part 2A, March 31, 2026): The brochure’s Annual Fee Calculation, in its standard fee schedule, is 1.20% on the first $500,000, then 1.00% on assets of $500,001 to $2,000,000, then .85% on assets of $2,000,001 to $5,000,000, then .80% on assets of $5,000,001 to $10,000,000, then .70% on assets of $10,000,001 to $25,000,000, then .40% on assets of $25,000,001 to $50,000,000, then .30% on assets of $50,000,001 to $100,000,000, then .25% on assets over $100,000,000.
Creative Planning generally requires a client to have a minimum of $200,000 in assets under management, which it may waive at its discretion. The schedule shown is its standard fee schedule, and the brochure says fees are negotiable. Clients with assets under management below $500,000 may be charged a minimum management fee, which the brochure says is communicated in the client agreement documents, so the $250,000 figure in the table shows the percentage schedule only and may be higher in practice.
Edelman Financial Engines (Edelman Financial Engines Wrap Fee Brochure (Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C.), Form ADV Part 2A, March 31, 2026): The brochure says wealth planning clients generally pay fees under its Client Fee Schedule. That schedule charges 1.75% on the first $400,000, 1.25% on the next $350,000 ($400,001 to $750,000), 1.00% on the next $250,000 ($750,001 to $1,000,000), 0.75% on the next $2,000,000 ($1,000,001 to $3,000,000), 0.60% on the next $7,000,000 ($3,000,001 to $10,000,000) and 0.50% on the next $15,000,000 ($10,000,001 to $25,000,000). The brochure adds: “Unless a separate agreement to the contrary is negotiated and outlined in a written agreement, no clients who receive discretionary investment management through the Firm will pay a fee more than the 1.75% annual fee outlined below.”
Fees above $25,000,000 are individually negotiable and not part of the published schedule.
How this compares
The median ria charges roughly 1.0% of assets under management annually (the benchmark). At $500,000, Creative Planning runs $6,000 a year and Edelman Financial Engines runs $8,250 a year: a difference of $2,250 a year at that balance. The gap narrows as balances grow ($375 at $2,000,000), and above about $2,375,000 the order reverses: Edelman’s published schedule (0.75% on assets from $1,000,001 to $3,000,000, then lower rates) comes to less than Creative Planning’s (.85% on assets from $2,000,001 to $5,000,000). For example, at $2,500,000 Creative Planning comes to $25,250 and Edelman Financial Engines to $25,125.
Want the full breakdown for either firm on its own? Read the Creative Planning fee page or the Edelman Financial Engines 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.
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.
Creative Planning runs $6,000 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 may earn a referral payment for a qualifying completed form, whether or not you ever hire anyone.
Opens on WiserAdvisor’s site in a new tab.
Compare Creative Planning and Edelman Financial Engines against a fee-based match.
Price the destination before you decide. The matching service below introduces you to advisers who pay to meet you.
Before you start, what actually happens. 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 may earn a referral payment through this service, whether or not you ever hire anyone. This is free to you and there is no obligation to hire anyone.
The Kapitalwise form opens here; you stay on this page.
What happens when you press the button
It asks about nine questions: age, investable assets, location; then your name, email and phone number, and verifies the phone by text. Nothing loads and nothing reaches Kapitalwise until you press the button.
Prefer flat-fee or hourly pricing instead? Compare ranges here.
Answer againSources
- 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
- Edelman Financial Engines Wrap Fee Brochure (Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C.), Form ADV Part 2A (March 31, 2026): https://www.edelmanfinancialengines.com/content/dam/efe/corporate-brand/Legal-Documents/Wrap_Fee_Brochure.pdf
- SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure, Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. (CRD #104510): https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/104510
Methodology. Figures on this page come from each firm’s own SEC-filed Form ADV Part 2A brochure, linked in Sources; see also the Creative Planning and Edelman Financial Engines fee pages. Nothing here is personalized financial, tax, legal, or investment advice. See our Editorial Policy, Corrections, Affiliate Disclosure, and Disclaimer.