Guides › Financial Advisor Fees
Updated September 28, 2026. Quick answer: Yes, on every account. Waverly Advisors 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.”
How it’s registered
From Form CRS, Customer Relationship Summary, Waverly Advisors (August 3, 2026): “Waverly Advisors, LLC (“we,” “our,” “us”) is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission 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.”
On commissions: “Some of our financial professionals are salaried and their compensation is a fixed dollar amount. Some financial professionals may receive bonuses for services provided which may also be based on our annual revenues.”
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: up to $7,500 a year, 1.50% on a $500,000 account, the published maximum) | Form CRS, Customer Relationship Summary, Waverly Advisors, August 3, 2026 |
What this means for what you pay
Fiduciary status is one input, not the whole picture. Waverly Advisors discloses a published fee that runs up to $7,500 a year on a $500,000 account (the published maximum); see the full dollar breakdown from Waverly Advisors’ own fee disclosure before deciding whether the standard of conduct here changes your answer.
If the answer above changes your mind about staying, read the general mechanics of switching financial advisors, or use a dated termination letter once you decide.
Compare your next step
Just comparing fees? Keep reading the fee guide.Optional next step
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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. Advisers pay for the introduction. Clear Money Guide is paid when you complete the form, whether or not you ever hire anyone. There is no obligation to hire anyone.
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Source: WiserAdvisor’s service descriptionSources
- Form CRS, Customer Relationship Summary, Waverly Advisors (August 3, 2026): https://reports.adviserinfo.sec.gov/crs/crs_115332.pdf
- SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure, Waverly Advisors (CRD #115332): https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/115332
- Waverly Advisors, SEC Form ADV filing: https://reports.adviserinfo.sec.gov/reports/ADV/115332/PDF/115332.pdf
Methodology. This page was built September 28, 2026, quoting directly from Waverly Advisors’ 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.