Guides › Financial Advisor Fees
Updated October 3, 2026. Quick answer: Carson Wealth has the lower published fee at $500,000: up to $12,500 a year (the published maximum), versus up to $14,750 a year (the sum of the firm’s published maximum fee components) for LPL, computed from each firm’s own SEC-filed fee disclosure. Where a firm publishes only a maximum rate, the figure shown is that maximum, and what you pay may be lower. 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 | Carson Wealth (annual fee) | LPL (annual fee) |
|---|---|---|
| $250,000 | Up to $6,250 | Up to $7,375 |
| $500,000 | Up to $12,500 | Up to $14,750 |
| $1,000,000 | Up to $25,000 | Up to $29,500 |
| $2,000,000 | Up to $50,000 | Up to $59,000 |
Carson Wealth discloses a published maximum rate of 2.5% (CWM, LLC Form ADV Part 2A Brochure, December 2025); LPL discloses published fee components that sum to a maximum of 2.95% (LPL Financial LLC Program Brochure, Form ADV Part 2A, Item 5 (“Fee Maximums”), July 1, 2026).
What the fee includes, in each firm’s own words
Carson Wealth (CWM, LLC Form ADV Part 2A Brochure, December 2025): “The annual investment advisory fee charged range up to a maximum of 2.50% of the assets held in the account.”
CWM, LLC (the SEC-registered adviser behind the Carson Wealth brand) discloses a single ceiling rate of 2.50% per year rather than a dollar-breakpoint table. Fees are individually negotiated based on advisor, account size, complexity, and other factors, and are typically lower than the ceiling for larger accounts. The dollar figures apply the disclosed 2.50% maximum as a flat rate to each balance, which represents a worst-case/ceiling estimate, not a guaranteed quote.
LPL Financial (LPL Financial LLC Program Brochure, Form ADV Part 2A, Item 5 (“Fee Maximums”), July 1, 2026): “Fee Maximums. Fee maximums vary by Program, as indicated below. … MWP: Maximum Advisory Fee 2.35%, Maximum Manager Fee 0.60%, Total Maximum Account Fee 2.95%.” Model Wealth Portfolios (MWP): 2.35% maximum Advisory Fee plus a 0.60% maximum Manager Fee.
LPL sets per-program fee ceilings rather than a single published breakpoint table; the figures above use Model Wealth Portfolios, LPL’s flagship managed-account program, at its 2.95% combined maximum. Other LPL programs cap lower (as low as 1.35% for Guided Wealth Portfolios); your actual rate depends on the program and is individually negotiated below the ceiling.
How this compares
The median ria charges roughly 1.0% of assets under management annually (the benchmark). At $500,000, Carson Wealth runs up to $12,500 a year (the published maximum) and LPL runs up to $14,750 a year (the published maximum): a difference of $2,250 a year between those figures at that balance.
Want the full breakdown for either firm on its own? Read the Carson Wealth fee page or the LPL 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.
Carson Wealth runs up to $12,500 a year (the published maximum) 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 is paid when you complete the form, whether or not you ever hire anyone.
Opens on WiserAdvisor’s site in a new tab.
Compare Carson Wealth and LPL 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 is paid when you submit the form, 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
- CWM, LLC Form ADV Part 2A Brochure (December 2025): https://carsonhub.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/CWM-LLC-ADV-Part-2A-December-2025.pdf
- SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure, CWM, LLC (CRD #155344): https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/155344
- LPL Financial LLC Program Brochure, Form ADV Part 2A, Item 5 (“Fee Maximums”) (July 1, 2026): https://files.adviserinfo.sec.gov/IAPD/Content/Common/crd_iapd_Brochure.aspx?BRCHR_VRSN_ID=1050527
- SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure, LPL Financial LLC (CRD #6413): https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/6413
Methodology. This page was built October 3, 2026, re-pairing figures already archived and independently verified for Carson Wealth and LPL 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.