Guides › Financial Advisor Fees
Updated October 3, 2026. Quick answer: Merrill Lynch has the lower published fee at $500,000: up to $8,750 a year (the published maximum, which the firm says is negotiable), 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 | Kestra (Kestra Private Wealth Services / Kestra Advisory Services) (annual fee) | Merrill Lynch (annual fee) |
|---|---|---|
| $250,000 | Up to $6,250 | Up to $4,375 |
| $500,000 | Up to $12,500 | Up to $8,750 |
| $1,000,000 | Up to $25,000 | Up to $17,500 |
| $2,000,000 | Up to $50,000 | Up to $35,000 |
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); Merrill Lynch discloses a published maximum rate of 1.75%, which the firm says is negotiable (Merrill Lynch Investment Advisory Program Brochure (Form ADV Part 2A Wrap Fee Program Brochure), June 26, 2026 (IAPB-062026)).
What the fee includes, in each firm’s own words
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).
Merrill Lynch (Merrill Lynch Investment Advisory Program Brochure (Form ADV Part 2A Wrap Fee Program Brochure), June 26, 2026 (IAPB-062026)): “We have set the maximum Merrill Lynch Fee Rate for the Program at 1.75%. The Merrill Lynch Fee Rate is negotiable, meaning you and your Advisor may agree to a Merrill Lynch Fee Rate for an Account that is lower than 1.75%.”
Merrill Lynch does not publish a dollar-tiered breakpoint table for its flagship Investment Advisory Program (IAP); it publishes only a maximum, individually negotiated rate of 1.75%. The figures above apply that ceiling as a flat rate; your actual negotiated rate may be lower. If you select a discretionary Style Manager or PAS Manager strategy inside the Program, an additional manager fee (roughly 0.00% to 0.65% or more, depending on strategy) can apply on top of the 1.75% Merrill Lynch Fee.
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, Kestra (Kestra Private Wealth Services / Kestra Advisory Services) runs up to $12,500 a year (the published maximum) and Merrill Lynch runs up to $8,750 a year (the published maximum): a difference of $3,750 a year between those figures at that balance.
Want the full breakdown for either firm on its own? Read the Kestra (Kestra Private Wealth Services / Kestra Advisory Services) fee page or the Merrill Lynch fee page for the complete tier table and source citations.
Thinking about leaving one of these firms instead of pricing what you would pay to stay? See what it costs to leave Merrill Lynch, or read the general mechanics of switching financial advisors.
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Answer againSources
- 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
- Merrill Lynch Investment Advisory Program Brochure (Form ADV Part 2A Wrap Fee Program Brochure) (June 26, 2026 (IAPB-062026)): https://www.ml.com/solutions/understanding-our-services-and-fees-when-you-work-with-an-advisor.html
- SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (CRD #7691): https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/7691
Methodology. This page was built October 3, 2026, re-pairing figures already archived and independently verified for Kestra (Kestra Private Wealth Services / Kestra Advisory Services) and Merrill Lynch 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.