Financial Advisors · Practical tool
Advisor cost-and-service comparison
Compare three proposals on the same balance, with unknown costs and one-time charges kept visible.
Enter a constant comparison balance and the costs for each proposal. The asset-based rate must be a flat annual rate applied to the full balance. For a tiered schedule, obtain the firm's annual dollar quote and divide it by the balance to enter the effective rate. Do not enter the lowest tier as though it applies to all assets.
A flat fee field means an additional annual service fee. Enter zero when it is included in the asset-based fee. Fund expenses are separate from the advisory fee unless a written quote explicitly includes them; confirm the arrangement before counting an expense twice.
Blank dollar or percentage fields remain unknown. The tool shows a known-cost subtotal and labels it incomplete whenever a recurring field is blank or you report unpriced compensation. A known zero is different from an unknown cost. One-time project/setup fees appear separately and are not repeated automatically.
Method and limits
Estimated annual recurring cost = balance × (asset-based rate + fund expense ratio) ÷ 100 + additional flat annual fee + other annual charges. Fund expenses reduce investment values and may not appear as a separate bill. Actual billing can use changing balances, minimums or different dates.
Compare services beside the numbers. The lowest subtotal is not a quality score or a prediction of returns. This tool does not price unknown commissions, taxes, surrender charges or changing portfolio values. See the fee guide for a worked example.
Inputs remain in this tool in your browser. A reload resets the examples; browser form-restoration behavior may vary. This calculator code does not transmit or track entries; general website analytics are separate. Exported files contain what you enter; use proposal labels rather than personal account information.
