Guides › Financial Advisor Fees
Updated October 3, 2026. Quick answer: Morgan Stanley has the lower published fee at $500,000: up to $10,175 a year (the sum of the firm’s published maximum fee components), 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) | Morgan Stanley (annual fee) |
|---|---|---|
| $250,000 | Up to $6,250 | Up to $5,088 |
| $500,000 | Up to $12,500 | Up to $10,175 |
| $1,000,000 | Up to $25,000 | Up to $20,350 |
| $2,000,000 | Up to $50,000 | Up to $40,700 |
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); Morgan Stanley discloses published fee components that sum to a maximum of 2.035% (Morgan Stanley Consulting Group Advisor (CGA) Program Wrap Fee Brochure, Form ADV Part 2A Appendix 1, March 30, 2026).
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).
Morgan Stanley (Morgan Stanley Consulting Group Advisor (CGA) Program Wrap Fee Brochure, Form ADV Part 2A Appendix 1, March 30, 2026): “The maximum annual MSWM Fee for CGA accounts is 2.00% of the market value of the eligible assets in the account. … The Platform Fee is a 0.035% annual asset-based fee. The Platform Fee is in addition to the MSWM Fee, is non-negotiable and is generally applicable to all CGA accounts.” 2.00% maximum MSWM Fee plus a non-negotiable 0.035% Platform Fee.
Morgan Stanley discloses only a maximum negotiated rate for its flagship Consulting Group Advisor program, not a public breakpoint table; the figures above are the disclosed ceiling (2.035% combined) applied flat. Fees are stated as negotiable and often lower.
How this compares
The median ria charges roughly 1.0% of assets under management annually (the benchmark). At $500,000, Kestra (Kestra Private Wealth Services / Kestra Advisory Services) runs up to $12,500 a year (the published maximum) and Morgan Stanley runs up to $10,175 a year (the published maximum): a difference of $2,325 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 Morgan Stanley 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 Morgan Stanley, or read the general mechanics of switching financial advisors.
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Morgan Stanley runs up to $10,175 a year (the published maximum) at $500,000. See what else is available.
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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
- Morgan Stanley Consulting Group Advisor (CGA) Program Wrap Fee Brochure, Form ADV Part 2A Appendix 1 (March 30, 2026): https://files.adviserinfo.sec.gov/IAPD/Content/Common/crd_iapd_Brochure.aspx?BRCHR_VRSN_ID=1033575
- SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (CRD #149777): https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/149777
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 Morgan Stanley 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.