How much do top financial advisors make?
Financial Advisors made a median salary of $95,390 in 2022. The best-paid 25% made $165,590 that year, while the lowest-paid 25% made $61,960.
| Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | |
|---|---|---|
| Top Earners | $135,205 | $65 |
| 75th Percentile | $129,300 | $62 |
| Average | $91,983 | $44 |
| 25th Percentile | $74,000 | $36 |
Financial advisors who sail past low six figures and enter high six figures (and sometimes seven figures) have mastered two things: leverage and scale. Leverage is all about having things work separately from your time.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for personal financial advisors was $94,170 in May 2021. It means half of the financial advisors earned more than that, and half earned less. One in ten earned less than $47,570, while one in ten made more than $208,000.
Many financial advisers charge based on how much money they manage on your behalf, and 1% of your total assets under management is a pretty standard fee.
This fee can range from 0.5% to 2%. Usually, advisors that charge a percentage will want to work with clients that have a minimum portfolio of about $100,000. This makes it worth their time and will allow them to make about $1,000 to 2,000 a year.
The wealthy also trust and work with financial advisors at a far greater rate. The study found that 70% of millionaires versus 37% of the general population work with a financial advisor.
Around 60%, or the majority, of financial advisors with more than five years of experience will earn over $100,000 annually and up to $300,000. At the higher end, $300,000, puts the advisor in the top 10% of household income in the United States, which is not bad at all.
Because a billionaire's situation is more complex than the average investor's, a wealth advisor serves as the billionaire's advocate and vets the most appropriate vendors for each situation, he adds.
Low math. If math scares you, don't worry! Financial planning doesn't involve lots of number crunching. Most of the calculations are handled by software that takes the financial goals you put in and suggests options for achieving them. Financial planning is a relationship-driven service.
Are financial advisors really worth it?
A financial advisor is worth paying for if they provide help you need, whether because you don't have the time or financial acumen or you simply don't want to deal with your finances. An advisor may be especially valuable if you have complicated finances that would benefit from professional help.
How are financial planners compensated? Two of the compensation methods for financial planners are salaries and payouts. Some companies compensate their financial planners as salaried employees. Other companies compensate their financial planners based on a percentage of the revenue they generate.
Being a financial advisor is hard work, you have to keep up with the markets, industry trends, and be able to make quality decisions for your clients' portfolios. It's not done without having a strong mind and an even stronger stomach at times.
Schwab Wealth Advisory™
Fees start at 0.80% and the fee rate decreases at higher asset levels.
It takes considerable time and effort to build a client base, and steady attention to meet the regulatory requirements of the field. And it's a high-stress job in the best of times.
The number of clients a financial advisor has depends largely on the advisor. Again, a typical client count is anywhere from 50 to 150 but there are several variables that can influence the actual number. They include the advisor's niche and the type of clients they serve, as well as how they work.
Any minimums in terms of investable assets, net worth or other metrics will be set by individual wealth managers and their firms. That said, a minimum of $2 million to $5 million in assets is the range where it makes sense to consider the services of a wealth management firm.
The top 5 are: 545 Group, Jones Zafari Group, The Polk Wealth Management Group, Hollenbaugh Rukeyser Safro Williams, The Erdmann Group.
As a general rule, you should aim to sock away 15% to 20% of your annual income for retirement each year. This holds true whether your salary is $25,000, $50,000, $100,000, or more.
The richest people don't only invest for growth, but they also invest to generate more income. They diversify their investments and find new streams of income. They know how to turn their assets into income-generating machines, therefore achieving wealth, even if the economy takes a dip.
Where do billionaires keep their money?
Common types of securities include bonds, stocks and funds (mutual and exchange-traded). Funds and stocks are the bread-and-butter of investment portfolios. Billionaires use these investments to ensure their money grows steadily.
Cash equivalents are financial instruments that are almost as liquid as cash and are popular investments for millionaires. Examples of cash equivalents are money market mutual funds, certificates of deposit, commercial paper and Treasury bills. Some millionaires keep their cash in Treasury bills.
- Ameriprise. $135,248/yr.
- Regions Financial. $121,001/yr.
- U.S. Bank. $118,210/yr.
- BMO Financial Group. $113,737/yr. 387 open jobs.
- Goldman Sachs. $110,902/yr. 238 open jobs.
Commissions. In this type of fee arrangement, a financial advisor makes their money from commissions. Advisors earn these fees when they recommend and sell specific financial products, such as mutual funds or annuities, to a client. These are often payable in addition to the above client fees.
Some traditional financial advisors have minimum investment amounts they require to work with clients. These can range from $20,000 to $500,000 or even more. Why? Because their fees need to cover their time and expertise, and managing smaller portfolios may not be cost-effective for them.
