Guides › Financial Advisor Fees
Updated September 19, 2026. Quick answer: CAPTRUST is less expensive at $500,000: $6,250 a year, versus $15,000 a year for Mercer Advisors, computed from each firm’s own SEC-filed fee disclosure. At $2,000,000 it is the other way round, $22,500 versus $21,000. 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 | CAPTRUST (annual fee) | Mercer Advisors (annual fee) |
|---|---|---|
| $250,000 | $3,125 | $15,000 |
| $500,000 | $6,250 | $15,000 |
| $1,000,000 | $12,500 | $15,000 |
| $2,000,000 | $22,500 | $21,000 |
CAPTRUST discloses a tiered schedule starting at 1.25% (CAPTRUST Financial Advisors Form ADV Part 2A – Wealth Client Brochure, March 27, 2026); Mercer Advisors discloses a tiered schedule starting at 1.10% (Mercer Global Advisors Inc. Form ADV Part 2A Client Brochure (Custom Wealth / Wealth Management schedule), March 30, 2026).
What the fee includes, in each firm’s own words
CAPTRUST (CAPTRUST Financial Advisors Form ADV Part 2A – Wealth Client Brochure, March 27, 2026): “Advisory fees, minimum account sizes, and services are negotiable and detailed in the advisory agreement. Advisory fees generally will be calculated as a percentage of total assets under management. Adviser’s standard fee schedule, effective January 1, 2026, is as follows: Annual Advisory Fees Assets Under $10 Million at Initial Funding First $1M at 1.25% Next $1M at 1.00% Next $3M at 0.85% Assets over $5M at .70%”
CAPTRUST’s standard fee schedule (effective January 1, 2026) is marginal/tiered like a tax bracket. At $250,000 and $500,000 the entire balance falls in the first $1M tier, so the fee is balance x 1.25% ($3,125 and $6,250). At $1,000,000 the fee is $1,000,000 x 1.25% = $12,500. At $2,000,000 the fee is ($1,000,000 x 1.25%) + ($1,000,000 x 1.00%) = $12,500 + $10,000 = $22,500.
Mercer Advisors (Mercer Global Advisors Inc. Form ADV Part 2A Client Brochure (Custom Wealth / Wealth Management schedule), March 30, 2026): “WEALTH MANAGEMENT TIERED ADVISORY FEES, PERCENTAGE OF ASSETS MANAGED: First $1,000,000, 1.10%; Next $1,000,000, 1.00%; Next $3,000,000, 0.90%; Next $5,000,000, 0.75%; Over $10,000,000, 0.50%. Minimum Fee, $15,000.”
Mercer’s Custom Wealth tier carries a $15,000 annual minimum fee. The raw percentage math at $250,000, $500,000 and $1,000,000 (roughly $2,750 to $11,000) is overridden by that floor, so the actual billed fee at each of those balances is the flat $15,000 minimum; the percentage schedule only governs once assets are large enough to exceed it, which happens above roughly $1,360,000.
How this compares
Our benchmark of published adviser fee schedules puts the weighted median annual cost near $2,000 to $2,500 on $250,000 (the benchmark). At $500,000, CAPTRUST runs $6,250 a year and Mercer Advisors runs $15,000 a year: a difference of $8,750 a year at that balance.
Want the full breakdown for either firm on its own? Read the CAPTRUST fee page or the Mercer Advisors 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.
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Source: WiserAdvisor’s service descriptionSources
- CAPTRUST Financial Advisors Form ADV Part 2A – Wealth Client Brochure (March 27, 2026): https://www.captrust.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-CAPTRUST-Form-2A-Wealth-Client-Brochure-FINAL.pdf
- SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure, CAPTRUST Financial Advisors (CRD #175112): https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/175112
- Mercer Global Advisors Inc. Form ADV Part 2A Client Brochure (Custom Wealth / Wealth Management schedule) (March 30, 2026): https://www.merceradvisors.com/disclosures/
- SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure, Mercer Global Advisors Inc. (CRD #147363): https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/147363
Methodology. This page was built September 19, 2026, re-pairing figures already archived and independently verified for CAPTRUST and Mercer Advisors 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.
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