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South East Bay Financial Advisor Fees 2026: Planner Cost

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Compare nearby markets, fees and ways to find help.

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Updated July 9, 2026. Quick answer (2026): Use this South East Bay advisor fees hub to compare Fremont, Hayward, San Leandro, Union City, Newark, Castro Valley, Alameda County, and East Bay planner costs in annual dollars.

Start with San Leandro, Hayward, Union City, Newark, Fremont, or Castro Valley for a city-level quote. Use Alameda County, East Bay, Bay Area, and California when the planning scope crosses nearby cities, employer equity, real estate, business income, retirement income, or tax coordination.

Fast tools

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 $1,000,000 = $7,500/year; 1.00% = $10,000/year Breakpoints, fund/platform costs, overlay fees, tax work, and whether planning scope is comparable.

Choose your South East Bay guide

South East Bay city routes

Choose the city that best matches the household, employer, commute, real-estate, and retirement-planning context.

Alameda County and East Bay routes

Use the broader hubs when comparing several nearby markets or a planning relationship that can be served across the region.

Fee comparison tools

Convert each proposal into annual dollars before comparing provider names or meeting cadence.

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.

South East Bay planning prompts

  • Compare flat annual, monthly retainer, hourly/project, and AUM quotes for the same written scope.
  • List employer equity, pensions, old employer plans, real estate, business income, and taxable investments that must be included.
  • Ask how California taxes, Roth conversion windows, Medicare/IRMAA, RMDs, and taxable withdrawals are coordinated.
  • Confirm who performs the planning work, meeting cadence, response standards, and out-of-scope charges.
  • Request fiduciary status, compensation, total first-year dollars, and termination terms in writing.

How to choose in 60 seconds

  1. Start with the closest state, metro, subcluster, or city guide.
  2. Convert every advisor quote into annual dollars.
  3. Compare written scope before comparing price.
  4. Ask for fiduciary status and compensation in writing.
  5. Run the quote through the Financial Advisor Fee Calculator before a second call.

Methodology

  • We group these South East Bay city and Alameda County advisor-fee 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 9, 2026. It is educational and does not rank, review, endorse, or list advisors.

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