Clear Money Guide
Explore this local library
Compare nearby markets, fees and ways to find help.
Comparison tables scroll horizontally on smaller screens.
Updated July 7, 2026. Quick answer (2026): Use this Massachusetts financial advisor fees hub to compare fee only financial advisor Boston searches, fee only financial planner Boston searches, Boston retirement planner routes, Massachusetts financial advisory fee structures, Boston Metro, Suffolk County, Norfolk County, Middlesex County, Wellesley, Concord, and western-suburb pages in annual dollars.
Start with Boston for fee-only advisor and retirement planner searches. Use Boston Metro and Boston-Cambridge when the search spans the urban core, Suffolk County for Boston county intent, Norfolk County for Wellesley and Needham, Middlesex County for Cambridge, Newton, Somerville, Concord, and Lexington, and Boston Western Suburbs when the quote depends on high-income household planning, equity compensation, pensions, real estate, and tax coordination.
Fast tools
- Financial Advisor Fee Calculator — compare AUM, flat annual, retainer, hourly, and project quotes in dollars.
- Find a Financial Advisor — compare matching paths, fee models, and intro-call questions before choosing a local advisor.
- Fee-Only Financial Advisor Near Me — review fee-only, flat-fee, and fiduciary search terms before outreach.
- Fiduciary Financial Advisor Near Me — check what fiduciary status should mean in writing.
- Flat Fee vs AUM Break-Even Calculator — see the portfolio balance where a flat fee starts to beat a percentage quote.
- Financial Advisor Fee Comparison Chart — compare fee models, scope, conflicts, and first-year cost.
- Retirement Tax Windows — pressure-test Roth conversions, RMDs, Medicare/IRMAA, and taxable withdrawals.
- AUM Fees by Balance — translate percentage-based advisor quotes into annual dollar costs.
Quick cost benchmarks
| Advisor quote | Example cost in dollars | What to confirm before an intro call |
|---|---|---|
| Flat annual planning | $6,000–$12,000/year | Meetings, written deliverables, renewal terms, implementation help, tax coordination, and what becomes hourly. |
| Monthly retainer | $500–$1,000/month, or $6,000–$12,000/year | Service calendar, response time, cancellation terms, and whether investment management is included. |
| Hourly or project planning | $300–$500/hour, or $2,000–$7,500+ per project | Not-to-exceed cap, written deliverable, timeline, and whether follow-up questions are included. |
| AUM comparison | 0.75% on $1,250,000 = $9,375/year; 1.00% = $12,500/year | Breakpoints, fund/platform costs, overlay fees, tax work, and whether planning scope is comparable. |
Choose your Massachusetts guide
Boston and metro routes
Use these pages when the search is centered on Boston, the urban core, or the broader metro.
- Boston fee-only financial planner
- Boston Metro advisor fees
- Boston-Cambridge advisor fees
- Suffolk County MA advisor fees
County routes
Use these pages when county context changes the comparison set or nearby local pages.
- Norfolk County MA retirement planner
- Middlesex County MA advisor fees
- Boston Western Suburbs advisor fees
- Financial advisor fee calculator
Suburb and planning routes
Use these guides when the quote depends on Wellesley, Concord, Needham, Newton, Cambridge, Brookline, or Somerville context.
- Wellesley retirement planner
- Concord MA retirement planner
- Needham retirement planner
- Newton MA retirement planner
What to compare before you book an intro call
- Total first-year cost: ask for planning, portfolio management, platform, fund, hourly, referral, and product costs in dollars.
- Scope: confirm whether retirement income, Social Security, Roth conversions, Medicare/IRMAA, RMDs, taxable withdrawals, pensions, employer equity, business-owner planning, real estate, charitable giving, estate basics, and CPA coordination are included.
- Fee model: ask whether the quote is flat annual, monthly retainer, hourly/project, AUM, commission, fee-only, fee-based, fiduciary at all times, or blended.
- Deliverables: compare written plan, action list, investment policy, tax-aware withdrawal map, equity-comp checklist, pension decision tree, real-estate scenario, charitable-giving checklist, or only verbal guidance.
Massachusetts planning prompts
- For fee only financial advisor Boston searches, compare flat annual, hourly/project, retainer, and AUM quotes by total first-year dollars and written scope.
- For Massachusetts financial advisory fee structures, separate planning, portfolio management, fund, platform, product, referral, and hourly costs before an intro call.
- Ask whether Massachusetts planning scope includes FERS or public benefits, employer equity, pensions, taxable-account sales, Roth conversions, Medicare/IRMAA, RMDs, home equity, estate basics, and CPA coordination.
How to choose in 60 seconds
- Start with the closest state, metro, subcluster, or city guide.
- Convert every advisor quote into annual dollars.
- Compare written scope before comparing price.
- Ask for fiduciary status and compensation in writing.
- Run the quote through the Financial Advisor Fee Calculator before a second call.
Retiring in Massachusetts, or moving there? Our 2026 guide to how Massachusetts taxes Social Security, pensions and 401(k)/IRA withdrawals is statute-cited and covers probate costs too.
Methodology
- We group these Massachusetts, Boston, Boston Metro, Suffolk, Norfolk, Middlesex, and western-suburb location guides by practical planning context, including metro area, nearby suburbs, equity compensation, business-owner income, real estate, taxes, and retirement-income questions.
- We convert flat annual, monthly retainer, hourly/project, and AUM quotes into annual dollars for side-by-side comparison.
- This hub was materially reviewed on July 7, 2026. It is educational and does not rank, review, endorse, or list advisors.
Editorial standards: Editorial Policy