Some financial advisors make only commissions, other financial advisors charge by the hour for their advice, while other financial advisors charge a flat fee. Many financial advisors charge based on the amount of money that they oversee through their investment management services, otherwise known as assets under management (AUM). A fee for investment management can range anywhere from 0.25% to 2% per year depending on the services that are included in the fee. It is important to understand what all is included in the fees you pay, and remember, you usually get what you pay for. Some employer retirement plans have an in-house “retirement planner” that will help you choose investments based on your age and asset level, but that is usually where the level of service stops. The financial advisors at Vector Wealth Strategies incorporate more than just investment management taking all of your financial well-being into account with your plan. About a third of what our clients pay goes into the investment due diligence and selection, about a third goes towards engineering a truly efficient tax strategy, and the last third goes into everything else, whether that is understanding when to turn on social security or whether to refinance your home.