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Updated September 28, 2026. Quick answer: $50,000 for programs offered on the ESI Illuminations platform. ESI Financial Advisors’ own Form ADV Part 2A brochure states this figure directly, though the firm can waive or reduce it at its own discretion. At that minimum, ESI Financial Advisors’ own published fee schedule works out to $1,000 a year.
For a closer look at this firm: ESI Financial Advisors Fees, ESI Financial Advisors Review and Is ESI Financial Advisors a Fiduciary?
The minimum, in the firm’s own words
“The minimum account size to participate in programs offered on the Illuminations platform is generally $50,000.”
On waivability: “The minimum account size is subject to review, at EFA’s discretion, based upon the circumstances of each client.”
Minimum investment and what it would cost
| Program | Minimum investment | Annual fee at that minimum | Waivable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| programs offered on the ESI Illuminations platform | $50,000 | $1,000 | Yes, at the firm’s discretion |
| Source: Form ADV Part 2A, Appendix 1, July 1, 2026 | |||
ESI Financial Advisors’ own fee schedule at other balances
| Account balance | Annual fee |
|---|---|
| $250,000 | $5,000 |
| $500,000 | $10,000 |
| $1,000,000 | $20,000 |
| $2,000,000 | $40,000 |
What else to know
Certain sub-programs on the Illuminations platform carry their own, separately set minimums: each third-party strategist establishes its own minimum investment requirement (though it may permit lower initial investments at its discretion), and ESI Financial Advisors reserves the right to waive minimum investment requirements for accounts in its advisor-as-portfolio-manager programs. Strategist-managed unified managed accounts are designed for high-net-worth clients and generally maintain higher minimum initial investments than the general $50,000 platform minimum. Accounts on the platform are also subject to a minimum annual platform fee of $15 to $50 depending on the program, separate from the account-size minimum.
What a larger account would cost
The minimum is only the entry point. On a $500,000 account, ESI Financial Advisors’ own Form ADV Part 2A, Appendix 1 (July 1, 2026) works out to $10,000 a year under its published fee schedule.
Other firms’ minimum investments
Read this one, this one too, and one more.
Already a client and thinking about the minimum a different way, like whether you could get a better deal elsewhere? Read the general mechanics of switching financial advisors, or use a dated termination letter once you decide.
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- Form ADV Part 2A, Appendix 1 (July 1, 2026): https://files.adviserinfo.sec.gov/IAPD/Content/Common/crd_iapd_Brochure.aspx?BRCHR_VRSN_ID=1050359
- SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure, Equity Services, Inc. (CRD #265): https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/265
- Equity Services, Inc., SEC Form ADV filing: https://reports.adviserinfo.sec.gov/reports/ADV/265/PDF/265.pdf
Methodology. This page was built September 28, 2026, quoting directly from ESI Financial Advisors’ own current Form ADV Part 2A / wrap-fee brochure, with the source linked above. The annual-fee-at-the-minimum figure applies that same brochure’s own published fee schedule to the disclosed minimum dollar amount; any distinction we could not independently confirm this session is named as an honest gap rather than presented as verified. Nothing here is personalized financial, tax, legal, or investment advice, and it is not a substitute for reading the firm’s own Form ADV Part 2A. See our Editorial Policy, Corrections, Affiliate Disclosure, and Disclaimer.