Guides › Financial Advisor Fees
Updated October 3, 2026. Quick answer: Edelman Financial Engines has the lower published fee at $500,000: $8,250 a year, versus up to $12,500 a year (the published maximum, which the firm says is negotiable) for Kestra (Kestra Private Wealth Services / Kestra Advisory Services), 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 | Edelman Financial Engines (annual fee) | Kestra (Kestra Private Wealth Services / Kestra Advisory Services) (annual fee) |
|---|---|---|
| $250,000 | $4,375 | Up to $6,250 |
| $500,000 | $8,250 | Up to $12,500 |
| $1,000,000 | $13,875 | Up to $25,000 |
| $2,000,000 | $21,375 | Up to $50,000 |
Edelman Financial Engines discloses a tiered schedule starting at 1.75% (Edelman Financial Engines Wrap Fee Brochure (Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C.), Form ADV Part 2A, March 31, 2026); Kestra (Kestra Private Wealth Services / Kestra Advisory Services) discloses a published maximum rate of 2.5%, which the firm says is negotiable (Kestra Advisory Services, LLC Wrap Fee Program Brochure (Form ADV Part 2A, Appendix 1), August 20, 2026).
What the fee includes, in each firm’s own words
Edelman Financial Engines (Edelman Financial Engines Wrap Fee Brochure (Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C.), Form ADV Part 2A, March 31, 2026): “Client Fee Schedule: $0-400,000, 1.75% on the first $400,000; $400,001-750,000, 1.25% on the next $350,000; $750,001-1,000,000, 1.00% on the next $250,000; $1,000,001-3,000,000, 0.75% on the next $2,000,000; no clients who receive discretionary investment management through the Firm will pay a fee more than the 1.75% annual fee outlined below.”
Fees above $25,000,000 are individually negotiable and not part of the published schedule.
Kestra (Kestra Private Wealth Services / Kestra Advisory Services) (Kestra Advisory Services, LLC Wrap Fee Program Brochure (Form ADV Part 2A, Appendix 1), August 20, 2026): “All fees are negotiable, subject to the maximum amount set forth below. FSP Fee Schedule Fee Type Assets Minimum Maximum Manager Fee $5,000+ 0.02% 0.45% Advisor Fee $5,000+ 0.00% 2.48% Client Fee $5,000+ 0.02% 2.50% … Client Fee is the sum of the Advisor Fee plus the Manager Fee. In instances where the maximum Advisor Fee plus the Manager Fee would exceed 2.5 percent, the Advisor fee is reduced so the Client Fee does not exceed 2.5 percent.” Fund Strategist Portfolios (FSP) Program, Client Fee (Advisor Fee + Manager Fee), $5,000+ accounts: 0.02% min, 2.50% max; Separately Managed Accounts (SMA) Program, Client Fee, $100,000+ accounts: 0.02% min, 2.50% max; Unified Managed Account (UMA) Program, Client Fee, $5,000+ accounts: 0.02% min, 2.50% max; APM-Wrap / most other AdvisorEnterprise programs, Maximum Client Fee: 2.50%; One passive/index-model program, Maximum Client Fee (lower cap): 1.50%.
Kestra’s advisory fee is entirely advisor-negotiated within a published floor/ceiling band; across its AdvisorEnterprise programs (FSP, SMA, UMA, APM-Wrap, etc.) the Client Fee ranges from about 0.02% up to a firm-wide Maximum Client Fee of 2.5% (one narrower passive-model program caps at 1.5%). The dollar figures on this page apply that 2.5% maximum to each balance, as the most a client could be charged. Kestra Advisory Services was used as the primary citation as the larger/parent RIA (formerly NFP Advisor Services).
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, Edelman Financial Engines runs $8,250 a year and Kestra (Kestra Private Wealth Services / Kestra Advisory Services) runs up to $12,500 a year (the published maximum): a difference of $4,250 a year between those figures at that balance.
Want the full breakdown for either firm on its own? Read the Edelman Financial Engines fee page or the Kestra (Kestra Private Wealth Services / Kestra Advisory Services) 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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Edelman Financial Engines runs $8,250 a year at $500,000. See what else is available.
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Answer againSources
- Edelman Financial Engines Wrap Fee Brochure (Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C.), Form ADV Part 2A (March 31, 2026): https://www.edelmanfinancialengines.com/content/dam/efe/corporate-brand/Legal-Documents/Wrap_Fee_Brochure.pdf
- SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure, Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. (CRD #104510): https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/104510
- Kestra Advisory Services, LLC Wrap Fee Program Brochure (Form ADV Part 2A, Appendix 1) (August 20, 2026): https://files.adviserinfo.sec.gov/IAPD/Content/Common/crd_iapd_Brochure.aspx?BRCHR_VRSN_ID=1055475
- SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure, Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (“Kestra AS”) (CRD #283330): https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/283330
Methodology. This page was built October 3, 2026, re-pairing figures already archived and independently verified for Edelman Financial Engines and Kestra (Kestra Private Wealth Services / Kestra Advisory Services) 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.