No hidden commissions. No trailing fees. Just clear, comprehensive wealth management that scales down automatically as your family's portfolio grows.
Choosing how your retirement nest egg is managed is one of the most critical financial decisions you will make. Here is how my independent, fee-only fiduciary model compares to traditional commission-based models.
| Structural Feature | Prudent Harbor Advisors | Typical Commission-Based Models |
|---|---|---|
| Fiduciary Standard | 100% Fee-Only Fiduciary: Compensated exclusively by you, our client. | Reg BI / Dual-Hat Standard: Brokers may act as fiduciaries in certain accounts, but can still sell commission products in others. |
| Upfront Commissions | $0.00: We never accept commissions. 100% of your money goes to work on Day One. | Up to 5.75% front-end load deducted immediately from your principal. |
| Hidden Trailing Fees | None: We never accept sales trailing fees or third-party kickbacks. | 0.25% to 1.00%+ annual 12b-1 fees and internal fund marketing charges. |
| Investment Vehicles | Low-cost, institutional-grade ETFs (underlying costs frequently ~0.08%). | Proprietary or retail mutual funds (internal costs frequently 0.75% to 1.00%+). |
For clients maintaining $250,000 or more in managed assets, our complete comprehensive wealth management solution is charged as a tiered percentage of assets under management. This single fee covers both ongoing strategic active portfolio management and continuous, comprehensive financial planning.
| Assets Under Management Tier | Annual Advisory Fee Rate | Billing Mechanics |
|---|---|---|
| First $1,000,000 | 1.00% (Blended) | Billed monthly or quarterly in arrears based on ending period valuations. The advisory fee is blended and scales down automatically. Household accounts may be aggregated. |
| $1,000,001 to $3,000,000 | 0.75% | |
| Over $3,000,000 | 0.50% |
Example: For a $1,200,000 portfolio, you pay 1.00% on the first $1M and 0.75% on the remaining $200k ($11,500 annualized / $958.33 monthly).
To fully support clients in the accumulation phase, I provide comprehensive wealth management (strategic active management + core financial planning) for a fixed flat fee of $2,500 per year ($208.33/month via AdvicePay). Once your managed portfolio reaches $250,000, your account is eligible to transition to our standard tiered Core AUM schedule.
For clients who engage Prudent Harbor solely for continuous core financial planning guidance without investment management (AUM) services, we charge a flat fixed fee of $2,500 annually. Fees may be paid monthly ($208.33) or quarterly ($625.00) in arrears.
For specialized, complex planning engagements that fall outside the scope of core financial planning (such as intricate trust structures, multi-generational wealth transfer modeling, or advanced asset titling audits). Fixed fee rates range between $500 to $3,500, or $250 per hour depending on the scope of the project.
At traditional brokerages, once a trade is executed, high ongoing internal fees simply pay for product marketing—not personalized advice. In fact, for less than the cost of many retail mutual funds, you can get my comprehensive fiduciary service. At Prudent Harbor, true wealth management integrates all aspects of personal planning under one transparent fee.
| Comprehensive Planning Pillar | Prudent Harbor Advisors | Typical Investment-Only Management |
|---|---|---|
| Estate & Legacy Preservation Auditing wills, POAs, beneficiaries, and Trust structures. |
Included in Core Fee | Often outsourced and billed hourly by an external estate attorney. |
| Retirement Planning Long-term cash flow modeling and sustainable distribution testing. |
Included in Core Fee | Sometimes limited to basic projections or one-time reviews. |
| Social Security & Income Maximizer Spousal timeline coordination to minimize taxation on benefits. |
Included in Core Fee | Frequently not integrated into ongoing, proactive tax-optimized cash flows. |
| Healthcare & Medicare Navigation Guidance through enrollment windows and Medigap vs Advantage. |
Included in Core Fee | Generally falls outside the scope of standard investment management. |
| Tax Strategy & Distribution Planning Mitigating RMDs through proactive Roth conversions and sequencing. |
Included in Core Fee | Usually deferred entirely to an external CPA without proactive advisor input. |
| Charitable Giving Strategies Optimizing impact via DAFs, QCDs, and appreciated asset gifting. |
Included in Core Fee | Often incurs additional consulting or specialized administrative fees. |
Plug in your portfolio size to see how avoiding potential high-fee drag and layered investment costs can significantly impact your retirement wealth over time.
• Institutional Asset Safety: Prudent Harbor will never take direct custody of your cash or securities. Your funds and assets are held safely in your name at our institutional custodian, Charles Schwab & Co.
• Contract Flexibility: The Advisory Contract may be terminated with written notice 30 calendar days in advance. (Additionally, unless you received our Form ADV Part 2A at least 48 hours prior, you may terminate within five business days of signing without penalty or fee).
• No Prepayment Penalties: Prudent Harbor never requires prepayment of $500 or more six months or more in advance of rendering services. Fees are billed in arrears.
• Pricing Transparency: No increase to your agreed-upon advisory fee shall ever occur without your prior written consent.