Guides › Financial Advisor Fees
Updated October 3, 2026. Quick answer: Wells Fargo Advisors has the lower published fee at $500,000: up to $10,000 a year (the published maximum, which the firm says is negotiable), versus up to $12,500 a year (the published maximum) for Carson Wealth, 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) | Wells Fargo Advisors (annual fee) |
|---|---|---|
| $250,000 | Up to $6,250 | Up to $5,000 |
| $500,000 | Up to $12,500 | Up to $10,000 |
| $1,000,000 | Up to $25,000 | Up to $20,000 |
| $2,000,000 | Up to $50,000 | Up to $40,000 |
Carson Wealth discloses a published maximum rate of 2.5% (CWM, LLC Form ADV Part 2A Brochure, December 2025); Wells Fargo Advisors discloses a published maximum rate of 2.0%, which the firm says is negotiable (Wells Fargo Advisors Wrap Fee Brochure (Personalized Unified Managed Account Program), Form ADV Part 2A Appendix 1, September 2025 (Rev 76-09/25)).
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.
Wells Fargo Advisors (Wells Fargo Advisors Wrap Fee Brochure (Personalized Unified Managed Account Program), Form ADV Part 2A Appendix 1, September 2025 (Rev 76-09/25)): “The Advisory Fee for the Personalized UMA Program, which is negotiable, is shown below. Advisory Fee (annualized, calculated on your Account Value): 2.00%.”
Wells Fargo Advisors does not publish a dollar-tiered breakpoint table for the Personalized UMA Program (or for its three sibling programs in the same brochure, FundSource, Private Advisor Network, and Customized Portfolios, which each disclose the identical flat 2.00% standard rate); it publishes a single standard, negotiable rate. The figures above apply that 2.00% as a flat rate; your negotiated rate may be lower. A separate third-party Manager Fee (roughly 0.00% to 0.50%, manager-specific) can apply on top if you select a discretionary manager strategy.
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 Wells Fargo Advisors runs up to $10,000 a year (the published maximum): a difference of $2,500 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 Wells Fargo Advisors fee page for the complete tier table and source citations.
Thinking about leaving one of these firms instead of pricing what you would pay to stay? See what it costs to leave Wells Fargo Advisors, or read the general mechanics of switching financial advisors.
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.
Wells Fargo Advisors runs up to $10,000 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.
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Compare Carson Wealth and Wells Fargo Advisors 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.
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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
- Wells Fargo Advisors Wrap Fee Brochure (Personalized Unified Managed Account Program), Form ADV Part 2A Appendix 1 (September 2025 (Rev 76-09/25)): https://www.wellsfargoadvisors.com/disclosures/legal-disclosures.htm
- SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure, Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC (CRD #19616): https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/19616
Methodology. This page was built October 3, 2026, re-pairing figures already archived and independently verified for Carson Wealth and Wells Fargo 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.