Guides › Financial Advisor Fees
Updated September 18, 2026. Quick answer: Yes, on every account. Betterment Premium is registered with the SEC only as an investment adviser (it is not a broker-dealer), so the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 requires it to act as your fiduciary. Its own Form CRS states: “When we act as your investment adviser, we have to act in your best interest and not put our interest ahead of yours. At the same time, the way we make money creates some conflicts with your interests.”
How it’s registered
From Form CRS (Client Relationship Summary) (July 31, 2026): “Betterment LLC is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) as an investment adviser.”
The standard of conduct, in its own words
“When we act as your investment adviser, we have to act in your best interest and not put our interest ahead of yours. At the same time, the way we make money creates some conflicts with your interests.”
On commissions: “All employees are paid a base salary and certain employees are eligible for a discretionary bonus. Employees also receive compensation in the form of equity option grants in Betterment’s parent company. No compensation is based on the performance or selection of specific securities.”
Fiduciary status by capacity
| Capacity | Registration | Standard you’re owed | Can earn commissions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| As your investment adviser | SEC-registered investment adviser | Fiduciary duty (Investment Advisers Act of 1940) | No (asset-based advisory fee: $3,250 a year, 0.65% on a $500,000 account) | Form CRS (Client Relationship Summary), July 31, 2026 |
What this means for what you pay
Fiduciary status is one input, not the whole picture. Betterment Premium discloses a published fee that runs $3,250 a year on a $500,000 account; see the full dollar breakdown from Betterment Premium’s own fee disclosure before deciding whether the standard of conduct here changes your answer.
If the answer above changes your mind about staying, see what it costs to leave Betterment Premium, or read the general mechanics of switching financial advisors.
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Source: WiserAdvisor’s service descriptionSources
- Form CRS (Client Relationship Summary) (July 31, 2026): https://reports.adviserinfo.sec.gov/crs/crs_149117.pdf
- SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure, Betterment LLC (CRD #149117): https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/149117
- Betterment LLC, SEC Form ADV filing: https://reports.adviserinfo.sec.gov/reports/ADV/149117/PDF/149117.pdf
Methodology. This page was built September 18, 2026, quoting directly from Betterment Premium’s own current Form CRS, with the source linked above; 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 CRS. See our Editorial Policy, Corrections, Affiliate Disclosure, and Disclaimer.
What does it actually take to open an account? See Betterment Premium’s minimum investment, quoted verbatim from its own Form ADV Part 2A / wrap-fee brochure.
Comparing Betterment Premium against other options? See Betterment Premium alternatives, including a lower-fee full-service firm, a flat-fee route, and a robo/hybrid.
How does this compare? See how 127 advisory firms are registered, from each firm’s own SEC record.