Clear Money Guide
Explore this local library
Compare nearby markets, fees and ways to find help.
Boston fee-only financial plannerOpen this related section of the library.→Boston-Cambridge advisor feesOpen this related section of the library.→Suffolk County MA advisor feesOpen this related section of the library.→Massachusetts financial advisor feesOpen this related section of the library.→Norfolk County MA retirement plannerOpen this related section of the library.→Middlesex County MA advisor feesOpen this related section of the library.→
Comparison tables scroll horizontally on smaller screens.
Updated July 7, 2026. Quick answer (2026): Use this Boston Metro advisor fees hub to compare fee only financial advisor Boston searches, fee only financial planner Boston searches, Boston retirement planner routes, Boston-Cambridge, Suffolk County, Norfolk County, Middlesex County, Wellesley, Newton, Cambridge, Brookline, and Somerville pages in annual dollars.
Start with Boston for city-level fee-only and retirement planner searches, Boston-Cambridge for urban-core comparisons, Suffolk County for county context, Norfolk County for Wellesley and Needham, Middlesex County for Cambridge and Concord, and Boston Western Suburbs for Wellesley, Needham, Newton, Weston, Lexington, and Concord comparisons.
Fast tools
- Financial Advisor Fee Calculator — compare AUM, flat annual, retainer, hourly, and project quotes in dollars.
- Find a Financial Advisor — compare matching paths, fee models, and intro-call questions before choosing a local advisor.
- Fee-Only Financial Advisor Near Me — review fee-only, flat-fee, and fiduciary search terms before outreach.
- Fiduciary Financial Advisor Near Me — check what fiduciary status should mean in writing.
- Flat Fee vs AUM Break-Even Calculator — see the portfolio balance where a flat fee starts to beat a percentage quote.
- Financial Advisor Fee Comparison Chart — compare fee models, scope, conflicts, and first-year cost.
- Retirement Tax Windows — pressure-test Roth conversions, RMDs, Medicare/IRMAA, and taxable withdrawals.
- AUM Fees by Balance — translate percentage-based advisor quotes into annual dollar costs.
Quick cost benchmarks
| Advisor quote | Example cost in dollars | What to confirm before an intro call |
|---|---|---|
| Flat annual planning | $6,000–$12,000/year | Meetings, written deliverables, renewal terms, implementation help, tax coordination, and what becomes hourly. |
| Monthly retainer | $500–$1,000/month, or $6,000–$12,000/year | Service calendar, response time, cancellation terms, and whether investment management is included. |
| Hourly or project planning | $300–$500/hour, or $2,000–$7,500+ per project | Not-to-exceed cap, written deliverable, timeline, and whether follow-up questions are included. |
| AUM comparison | 0.75% on $1,250,000 = $9,375/year; 1.00% = $12,500/year | Breakpoints, fund/platform costs, overlay fees, tax work, and whether planning scope is comparable. |
Choose your Boston Metro guide
Core Boston routes
Use these pages for Boston city, metro, and urban-core advisor-fee searches.
- Boston fee-only financial planner
- Boston-Cambridge advisor fees
- Suffolk County MA advisor fees
- Massachusetts financial advisor fees
County and suburb routes
Use these pages when the quote depends on county, suburb, or nearby high-income household context.
- Norfolk County MA retirement planner
- Middlesex County MA advisor fees
- Boston Western Suburbs advisor fees
- Wellesley retirement planner
Urban-core leaves
Use these guides when the household compares Boston with nearby Cambridge, Brookline, Newton, or Somerville planning markets.
- Cambridge MA retirement planner
- Brookline MA retirement planner
- Newton MA retirement planner
- Somerville MA retirement planner
What to compare before you book an intro call
- Total first-year cost: ask for planning, portfolio management, platform, fund, hourly, referral, and product costs in dollars.
- Scope: confirm whether retirement income, Social Security, Roth conversions, Medicare/IRMAA, RMDs, taxable withdrawals, pensions, employer equity, business-owner planning, real estate, charitable giving, estate basics, and CPA coordination are included.
- Fee model: ask whether the quote is flat annual, monthly retainer, hourly/project, AUM, commission, fee-only, fee-based, fiduciary at all times, or blended.
- Deliverables: compare written plan, action list, investment policy, tax-aware withdrawal map, equity-comp checklist, pension decision tree, real-estate scenario, charitable-giving checklist, or only verbal guidance.
Boston Metro planning prompts
- For Boston retirement planner searches, compare first-year dollars, written planning scope, fiduciary status, and implementation support.
- Ask whether FERS retirement planner Boston context, pensions, employer equity, concentrated stock, business-owner income, taxable-account sales, and CPA coordination are included.
- Use Massachusetts, Boston-Cambridge, Suffolk, Norfolk, Middlesex, Wellesley, and Concord routes when the household compares multiple metro-area options.
How to choose in 60 seconds
- Start with the closest state, metro, subcluster, or city guide.
- Convert every advisor quote into annual dollars.
- Compare written scope before comparing price.
- Ask for fiduciary status and compensation in writing.
- Run the quote through the Financial Advisor Fee Calculator before a second call.
Methodology
- We group these Boston Metro, Boston-Cambridge, Suffolk, Norfolk, Middlesex, and western-suburb location guides by practical planning context, including metro area, nearby suburbs, equity compensation, business-owner income, real estate, taxes, and retirement-income questions.
- We convert flat annual, monthly retainer, hourly/project, and AUM quotes into annual dollars for side-by-side comparison.
- This hub was materially reviewed on July 7, 2026. It is educational and does not rank, review, endorse, or list advisors.
Editorial standards: Editorial Policy