Clear Money Guide library
Evidence-first explainers, comparisons and tools for financial advice, retirement, taxes, estate planning and small business.
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Short answer: Flat-fee wealth management gives you ongoing planning and portfolio oversight for a clear annual price—no percentage of assets. To compare it fairly to AUM, verify scope, SLAs, and all-in cost (advisory + any platform fees + fund ERs) in writing. Terms in plain English What’s included (and what to confirm) A flat fee […]
Updated July 1, 2026. Quick answer: A flat-fee fiduciary advisor charges a clear dollar price for planning and agrees to act in your best interest at all times. Verify the fiduciary promise in writing, read Form ADV for fees, platforms, and conflicts, and compare the all-in cost against AUM, hourly, project, and retainer quotes before […]
Updated on January 26, 2026 Short answer: “1% AUM” is often a headline rate. Your effective rate can be lower (tiers by slice) or higher (“all-in” once platform fees + fund ERs are added). See the real math at $250k, $500k, and $1M, then compare against a flat or hourly plan. Quick math (headline 1%): […]
Updated June 28, 2026. Quick answer: Use these financial advisor email templates to request an hourly quote with the scope, target hours, written deliverables, fiduciary status, Form ADV items, and a not-to-exceed cap in one message. Ask for the hourly rate, availability, and service standards before you book the intro call. What to include in […]
Updated on August 19, 2026 New for 2026: we published a measured advisor fee benchmark chart built from the SEC Form ADV fee disclosures of 176 registered firms — median measured cost $2,000–$2,500/year at $250,000 and $8,750–$10,000/year at $1,000,000. Use it to judge any quote in this comparison. Quick answer (2026): To compare financial advisor […]
Updated on July 3, 2026 Quick answer (2026): Fixed fee vs flat fee vs retainer comparisons are mostly scope questions. A flat fee often means one project price for a defined deliverable, a fixed annual fee often means one yearly price for ongoing planning, and a retainer usually means monthly or quarterly billing for ongoing […]
Updated on July 3, 2026 Quick answer (2026): AUM fee examples, AUM fee tier tables, and tiered AUM fee schedule comparisons should show the annual dollar cost, the tiered fee schedule effective rate, and the effective AUM fee rate after by-slice math. A straight 1.00% AUM fee costs $5,000/year on $500,000, $10,000/year on $1,000,000, $20,000/year […]
More on equity compensation tax New guides covering the mechanics around a vest, each citing the code section it relies on: Work out your RSU withholding gap — the flat 22% versus your actual marginal rate The cost-basis trap that double-taxes you — when a 1099-B reports $0 basis Estimated taxes and the safe harbor […]
Updated July 1, 2026. Short answer (2026): A fiduciary advisor must put your interests first and is accountable for advice quality and conflicts. Under the suitability standard, a recommendation just has to be reasonable for you, even if a cheaper or better option exists. Use the 60-second fiduciary vs suitability check, then verify conflicts in […]
Updated on June 29, 2026 Quick answer (2026): Flat fee vs AUM advisor pricing depends on portfolio size, fee schedule, and scope. Using a sample by-slice AUM schedule of 1.00% on the first $250,000, 0.75% on the next $250,000, and 0.50% above $500,000, a $3,000/year flat fee is usually more expensive than AUM at $250,000, […]
Updated July 1, 2026. Short answer (2026): A focused, 2-hour second-opinion financial advisor review gives you clarity on a specific decision without committing to ongoing AUM. A typical scope is 60 minutes live + 30 minutes prep + 30 minutes written memo. Start by estimating hours with the hourly scope estimator, then compare the quote […]
Updated on July 1, 2026 Short answer: A good planning-centric firm caps a lead advisor’s book around 60–100 households depending on service level. Promise heavy service with a book over ~120? That’s a red flag unless there’s real team capacity and clear SLAs. Use the math and checklist below to sanity-check any claim before you […]
