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Updated September 18, 2026. Quick answer: It depends which strategy you pick: Private Wealth Management (Tiered Advice Fee Schedule programs) runs from $5,000 to $1,000,000, depending on the specific strategy or model portfolio. At the $5,000 low end, Baird’s own fee schedule works out to $100 a year; strategies at the high end require substantially more.
The minimum, in the firm’s own words
“The minimum asset value to open an Account in a Program is set forth in the table below. … ALIGN Elements Portfolios $5,000 … BairdNext Portfolios $5,000 … Baird Advisory Choice $10,000 … Baird Equity Asset Management SAM Portfolios $250,000(2) … Baird Equity Asset Management’s SAM Strategic Portfolios have a minimum account requirement of $250,000 and its SAM Custom Portfolios have a minimum account requirement of $1,000,000.”
On waivability: “The Program Fee and minimum account value are negotiable in certain instances and may vary based upon a number of factors, including but not limited to the size and nature of the assets in the client’s Account, the client’s particular investment strategy or objective, and any particular services requested by the client.”
Minimum investment and what it would cost
| Program | Minimum investment | Annual fee at that minimum | Waivable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private Wealth Management (Tiered Advice Fee Schedule programs) (lowest-minimum strategy) | $5,000 | $100 | Partially, at the firm’s discretion |
| Private Wealth Management (Tiered Advice Fee Schedule programs) (highest-minimum strategy) | $1,000,000 | Varies by strategy | Partially, at the firm’s discretion |
| Source: Baird Private Wealth Management Wrap Fee Program Brochure, Form ADV Part 2A Appendix 1, March 27, 2026 | |||
The $5,000 low end (ALIGN Elements / BairdNext) at the Tiered Advice Fee Schedule’s first marginal band, which Baird’s own brochure says applies across essentially all of its Private Wealth Management programs (First $1,000,000 at 2.00%): $5,000 x 2.00% = $100.
Baird’s own fee schedule at other balances
| Account balance | Annual fee |
|---|---|
| $250,000 | $5,000 |
| $500,000 | $10,000 |
| $1,000,000 | $20,000 |
| $2,000,000 | $35,000 |
What a larger account would cost
The minimum is only the entry point. On a $500,000 account, Baird’s own published fee schedule runs $10,000 a year; see the full dollar breakdown from Baird’s own fee disclosure across several account sizes.
Already a client and thinking about the minimum a different way, like whether you could get a better deal elsewhere? See what it costs to leave Baird, or read the general mechanics of switching financial advisors.
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- 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
- Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated, SEC Form ADV filing: https://reports.adviserinfo.sec.gov/reports/ADV/8158/PDF/8158.pdf
Methodology. This page was built September 18, 2026, quoting directly from Baird’s own current Form ADV Part 2A / wrap-fee brochure, with the source linked above. The annual-fee-at-the-minimum figure applies that same brochure’s own published fee schedule to the disclosed minimum dollar amount; any distinction we could not independently confirm this session is named as an honest gap rather than presented as verified. Nothing here is personalized financial, tax, legal, or investment advice, and it is not a substitute for reading the firm’s own Form ADV Part 2A. See our Editorial Policy, Corrections, Affiliate Disclosure, and Disclaimer.
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