Guides › Financial Advisor Fees
Updated October 9, 2026. Quick answer: Mariner Wealth Advisors has the lower published fee at $500,000: $7,500 a year (its standard schedule’s minimum fee of $1,875 a quarter), versus $8,250 a year for Edelman Financial Engines, computed from each firm’s own SEC-filed fee disclosure. At $250,000 it is the other way round, $7,500 versus $4,375. At $2,000,000 it is the other way round, $22,500 versus $21,375. 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) | Mariner Wealth Advisors (annual fee) |
|---|---|---|
| $250,000 | $4,375 | $7,500 |
| $500,000 | $8,250 | $7,500 |
| $1,000,000 | $13,875 | $12,500 |
| $2,000,000 | $21,375 | $22,500 |
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); Mariner Wealth Advisors discloses a tiered schedule starting at 1.25% with a minimum fee of $1,875 a quarter (Mariner, LLC Form ADV Part 2A Brochure, July 17, 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): For wealth planning clients, who the brochure says generally pay under its Client Fee Schedule, Edelman charges 1.75% on the first $400,000, 1.25% on the next $350,000 ($400,001 to $750,000), 1.00% on the next $250,000 ($750,001 to $1,000,000), 0.75% on the next $2,000,000 ($1,000,001 to $3,000,000), 0.60% on the next $7,000,000 ($3,000,001 to $10,000,000) and 0.50% on the next $15,000,000 ($10,000,001 to $25,000,000). The brochure adds: “Unless a separate agreement to the contrary is negotiated and outlined in a written agreement, 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.
Mariner Wealth Advisors (Mariner, LLC Form ADV Part 2A Brochure, July 17, 2026): “The structure and level of our advisory fee will vary by client based upon the services provided and other considerations deemed relevant by us but typically takes the form of a percentage of assets under management and/or advisement, ranging up to 2.50% per annum. Our current standard fee schedule is as follows: Standard Fee Schedule (blended tiered schedule)* $0-$1,000,000 1.25% $1,000,000-$5,000,000 1.00% $5,000,000-$10,000,000 0.80% Above $10,000,000 0.60% *Quarterly minimum fee of $1,875 … All fee arrangements are subject to negotiation. We reserve the right to waive the minimum fee at our discretion.”
Mariner’s standard schedule is blended: each slice of the balance is charged at its own rate (1.25% on the first $1,000,000, 1.00% from $1,000,000 to $5,000,000, 0.80% from $5,000,000 to $10,000,000, 0.60% above that), subject to a minimum fee of $1,875 a quarter, which is $7,500 a year. At $250,000 and $500,000 the minimum, not a rate, sets the fee: $7,500 a year. At $1,000,000 the fee is 1.25% of the balance, $12,500. At $2,000,000 it is $12,500 on the first $1,000,000 plus 1.00% of the next $1,000,000, $22,500. The brochure says fees can range up to 2.50% depending on the services provided, that the firm may waive the minimum, and that every fee arrangement is negotiable, so an actual fee can differ from these figures.
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 Mariner Wealth Advisors runs $7,500 a year: a difference of $750 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 Mariner Wealth 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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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
- Mariner, LLC Form ADV Part 2A Brochure (July 17, 2026): https://files.adviserinfo.sec.gov/IAPD/Content/Common/crd_iapd_Brochure.aspx?BRCHR_VRSN_ID=1052128
- SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure, Mariner, LLC d/b/a Mariner Wealth Advisors (CRD #140195): https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/140195
Methodology. This page was built October 3, 2026, re-pairing figures already archived and independently verified for Edelman Financial Engines and Mariner Wealth 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.