Guides › Financial Advisor Fees
Updated October 3, 2026. Quick answer: Osaic has the lower published fee at $500,000: up to $12,500 a year (the published maximum, which the firm says is negotiable), versus $15,000 a year for Mercer, computed from each firm’s own SEC-filed fee disclosure. At $1,000,000 it is the other way round, $25,000 versus $15,000. At $2,000,000 it is the other way round, $50,000 versus $21,000. 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 | Mercer (annual fee) | Osaic (annual fee) |
|---|---|---|
| $250,000 | $15,000 | Up to $6,250 |
| $500,000 | $15,000 | Up to $12,500 |
| $1,000,000 | $15,000 | Up to $25,000 |
| $2,000,000 | $21,000 | Up to $50,000 |
Mercer discloses a tiered schedule starting at 1.10% (Mercer Global Advisors Inc. Form ADV Part 2A Client Brochure (Custom Wealth / Wealth Management schedule), March 30, 2026); Osaic discloses a published maximum rate of 2.5%, which the firm says is negotiable (Osaic Advisory Services, LLC (d/b/a Osaic Advisors) Form ADV Part 2A Brochure, Current as of August 31, 2026).
What the fee includes, in each firm’s own words
Mercer Advisors (Mercer Global Advisors Inc. Form ADV Part 2A Client Brochure (Custom Wealth / Wealth Management schedule), March 30, 2026): “WEALTH MANAGEMENT TIERED ADVISORY FEES, PERCENTAGE OF ASSETS MANAGED: First $1,000,000, 1.10%; Next $1,000,000, 1.00%; Next $3,000,000, 0.90%; Next $5,000,000, 0.75%; Over $10,000,000, 0.50%. Minimum Fee, $15,000.”
Mercer’s Custom Wealth tier carries a $15,000 annual minimum fee. The raw percentage math at $250,000, $500,000 and $1,000,000 (roughly $2,750 to $11,000) is overridden by that floor, so the actual billed fee at each of those balances is the flat $15,000 minimum; the percentage schedule only governs once assets are large enough to exceed it, which happens above roughly $1,360,000.
Osaic (Osaic Advisory Services, LLC (d/b/a Osaic Advisors) Form ADV Part 2A Brochure, Current as of August 31, 2026): “The Ally Account has no minimum account size and advisory fees are negotiable. Advisory fees are billed monthly or quarterly and you have the option of choosing the billing methodology (flat, linear, or tiered); these elections are made on your advisory agreement. Advisory fees are negotiable, but the maximum annual fee allowed, regardless of account size, is 2.50%.”
Checked both Osaic Wealth, Inc. (CRD 23131, the broker-dealer-affiliated entity) and Osaic Advisory Services, LLC (CRD 171070, the corporate RIA sub-brand ‘Osaic Advisors’). Osaic Wealth’s Part 2A repeatedly states each Advisory Representative negotiates his/her own client fee schedule with no firm-wide cap disclosed for its general asset-management programs (only narrow caps for a retirement-plan consulting product and an annuity sub-fee, neither a general AUM schedule). The dollar figures on this page apply that 2.5% maximum to each balance, as the most a client could be charged. This is honestly a ceiling, not a graduated schedule.
How this compares
The median ria charges roughly 1.0% of assets under management annually (the benchmark). At $500,000, Mercer runs $15,000 a year and Osaic runs up to $12,500 a year (the published maximum): a difference of $2,500 a year between those figures at that balance.
Want the full breakdown for either firm on its own? Read the Mercer fee page or the Osaic 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 Osaic, or read the general mechanics of switching financial advisors.
Find the right next step for your situation
About how much do you have invested? Pick the range that fits; your next step appears immediately below.
Osaic runs up to $12,500 a year (the published maximum) at $500,000. See what else is available.
If your portfolio is $250,000 or more, this connects you (free, with no obligation to hire anyone) with 2 to 3 vetted advisors.
Before you start, what actually happens. 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. Clear Money Guide is paid when you complete the form, whether or not you ever hire anyone.
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Answer againSources
- Mercer Global Advisors Inc. Form ADV Part 2A Client Brochure (Custom Wealth / Wealth Management schedule) (March 30, 2026): https://files.adviserinfo.sec.gov/IAPD/Content/Common/crd_iapd_Brochure.aspx?BRCHR_VRSN_ID=1034469
- SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure, Mercer Global Advisors Inc. (CRD #147363): https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/147363
- Osaic Advisory Services, LLC (d/b/a Osaic Advisors) Form ADV Part 2A Brochure (Current as of August 31, 2026): https://files.adviserinfo.sec.gov/IAPD/Content/Common/crd_iapd_Brochure.aspx?BRCHR_VRSN_ID=1056417
- SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure, Osaic Advisory Services, LLC d/b/a Osaic Advisors (CRD #171070): https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/171070
Methodology. This page was built October 3, 2026, re-pairing figures already archived and independently verified for Mercer and Osaic 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.