SEO Title: How The KeepMore Company Uses Inside-Industry Experience to Negotiate Financial Advisor Fees
Meta Description: Many investors misunderstand advisor fees, fund expenses, and layered investment costs. The KeepMore Company helps examine, benchmark, and negotiate advisory fees without replacing your advisor.
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Many investors know they pay their financial advisor.
Fewer understand what that fee doesn't include.
A State Street Global Advisors survey found that nearly half of investors believed the management costs of mutual funds and ETFs were already included in the fee they paid their advisor or investment platform. The survey reported that 47% of investors overall—and 60% of investors currently working with a financial advisor—held that belief.
They were wrong.
That misunderstanding matters because an advisory fee is often only one layer of investment cost. A client may also pay mutual fund expenses, ETF expense ratios, platform charges, custodial fees, transaction costs, planning fees, and other investment-related expenses.
The problem is not always that these costs are hidden in the sense of being undisclosed.
More often, they are scattered across multiple documents, embedded inside investment products, or difficult to compare together.
That is where The KeepMore Company fits.
The KeepMore Company does not manage investments, recommend financial products, or replace a client's financial advisor. Its role is narrower: fee examination, benchmarking, and negotiation support. The goal is to help investors understand what they are paying, compare those costs against relevant market benchmarks, and determine whether the price of the advisory relationship can be improved.
Your advisor may be worth the fee.
The relationship may be worth preserving.
But the price should be examined—not assumed.
Start With a Confidential Fee Review
Every client relationship begins with a Confidential Fee Review.
The process starts with a no-cost examination designed to determine whether meaningful fee savings may exist before a client commits to a deeper engagement.
If the current fee structure already appears competitive, the investor gains valuable confirmation.
If opportunities are identified, the client can decide whether to move forward with deeper benchmarking and negotiation support.
Why Advisor Fees Are Easy to Misunderstand
Financial advisor fees often appear simple.
Most investors see an Assets Under Management (AUM) fee expressed as a percentage of the assets being managed.
For example, a 1% advisory fee on a $2.5 million portfolio equals $25,000 annually before considering fund expenses, platform charges, custodial costs, transaction fees, or other investment-related expenses.
That number is only the beginning.
The SEC's Investor.gov explains that fees and expenses may appear small but can significantly affect long-term investment returns because they reduce the amount of money remaining in the portfolio to earn future gains. The agency also encourages investors to review disclosure documents carefully, examine account statements, and ask advisors to explain every fee they pay.
That is the part many investors overlook.
The advisory fee is often not the full cost of the relationship.
Mutual funds and ETFs typically carry their own operating expenses as well. Investor.gov notes that these costs are paid from fund assets and reduce investment returns. Higher-cost funds must therefore outperform lower-cost alternatives simply to generate the same net return for investors.
For larger portfolios, the difference between what an investor believes they're paying and what they're actually paying can become substantial.
How Much Do Financial Advisors Typically Charge?
Financial advisors use several different compensation models.
Some charge:
- Assets Under Management (AUM) fees
- Flat annual fees
- Hourly planning fees
- Monthly subscription fees
- Annual retainers
- Project-based planning fees
- Commissions
- Or combinations of these approaches
According to the 2026 Envestnet | MoneyGuide State of Financial Planning Fees Study, advisors reported an average:
- 0.96% AUM fee
- $2,926 flat planning fee
- $307 hourly rate
- $6,815 annual retainer
- $595 per month subscription fee
AUM pricing continues to dominate the profession.
Kitces Research reported that 92% of advisors incorporate AUM fees into their compensation model, while 86% rely on AUM pricing as their primary compensation method.
These numbers provide useful context.
They do not determine whether a specific investor is paying too much.
Benchmarks are not verdicts.
A fee can exceed the average and still represent good value because of the complexity of services provided.
Likewise, a below-average fee isn't automatically a bargain if the advisory relationship delivers limited value.
The more important question is whether the pricing appropriately reflects the client's portfolio size, service needs, investment complexity, and available alternatives.
How Can I Tell If My Investment Fees Are Too High?
Determining whether investment costs are excessive requires looking beyond the headline AUM percentage.
Potential warning signs include:
- Advisory fees that have remained unchanged even as portfolio assets have grown significantly.
- Limited explanation of exactly what the advisory fee covers.
- Mutual fund expenses, ETF costs, platform charges, or other investment expenses that have never been reviewed together.
- Multiple accounts or investment managers without a clear understanding of the total all-in cost.
- Advisory fees that appear high relative to the services being provided.
- Entering a new advisory relationship following an inheritance, liquidity event, or business sale without first reviewing proposed fees.
- Difficulty obtaining clear answers regarding advisor compensation.
The issue is not simply whether a fee appears high.
The issue is whether it remains justified.
Experienced advisors can provide significant value through comprehensive planning, investment discipline, tax-aware coordination, estate planning collaboration, behavioral coaching, and guidance through major financial decisions.
Those services may absolutely justify professional fees.
Value and price, however, are separate questions.
The KeepMore Company examines the price.
Why Clients Often Negotiate From a Disadvantage
Investors certainly can negotiate advisory fees themselves.
The challenge is experience.
Advisory firms discuss pricing every day.
They understand fee schedules, pricing breakpoints, service tiers, account minimums, internal exceptions, and when pricing flexibility may exist.
Most investors negotiate advisory fees only once every several years—if ever.
That naturally creates an uneven conversation.
The KeepMore Company was founded to help close that gap.
Founder Nate Sillyman built the firm after years working with affluent investor relationships inside major financial institutions, including Charles Schwab and Fidelity Investments.
That experience matters because conversations about advisory fees are rarely just mathematical.
They're personal.
Many investors value their advisor, trust the institution, and have no desire to begin a new relationship elsewhere.
They simply want confidence that the price remains appropriate.
The KeepMore Company brings advisory pricing experience to the investor's side of the table.
Its purpose is not to criticize advisors.
Its purpose is to help clients better understand the economics of relationships they already value.
Inside-Industry Experience, Not Inside Information
The KeepMore Company's advantage is not confidential information.
It is practical inside-industry experience.
The firm does not rely on non-public information, confidential pricing databases, or proprietary investment recommendations.
Instead, it understands how advisory firms typically structure pricing, where investment costs commonly appear, how firms think about account size, when pricing flexibility may exist, and what questions investors should ask before accepting a fee schedule as permanent.
That distinction matters.
The phrase "insider knowledge" can imply access to confidential information.
The KeepMore Company's advantage comes from years of professional experience working within the advisory industry—not from secret information.
Clients don't necessarily need another person trying to manage their money.
They often need someone willing to examine what their current advisory relationship is actually costing them.
How The KeepMore Company Reviews Advisor Fees
The firm's review process centers on three core stages.
1. Examination
Every engagement begins with a comprehensive review of the advisory relationship and its associated costs.
The examination may include:
- Advisory agreements
- Account statements
- Fee schedules
- Mutual fund expense ratios
- ETF expenses
- Custodial charges
- Platform fees
- Transaction costs
- Planning fees
- Layered investment product expenses
The objective is to identify what the client is truly paying—not simply the advisory fee listed on an account statement.
2. Benchmarking
Once investment costs have been identified, The KeepMore Company compares them against relevant market benchmarks.
Benchmarking helps answer questions such as:
- Are these fees consistent with similar advisory relationships?
- Has pricing evolved as the portfolio has grown?
- Are multiple layers of investment costs affecting total expenses?
- Does the fee reflect the services being delivered?
- Would similar investors likely receive different pricing today?
Benchmarking does not automatically determine that a fee is too high.
It creates objective evidence that supports a more informed discussion about advisory pricing.
3. Fee Negotiation Support
If opportunities are identified and the client chooses to proceed, The KeepMore Company may help negotiate with the advisor, advisory firm, or financial institution on the client's behalf with appropriate authorization.
Because the company does not compete to manage assets, its objective is often to preserve the existing advisory relationship while helping clients pursue more competitive pricing.
How The KeepMore Company Is Different From a Financial Advisor
Although both serve investors, The KeepMore Company and traditional financial advisors perform very different roles.
A financial advisor is responsible for portfolio construction, investment selection, financial planning, and ongoing wealth management. Compensation is commonly tied to assets under management, though firms may also charge retainers, subscription fees, hourly rates, or project fees.
The KeepMore Company is not another investment manager.
Instead, it serves as an independent fee advocate focused on examining the cost of an existing advisory relationship.
Rather than asking clients to replace an advisor they trust, the firm helps answer questions such as:
- What am I actually paying?
- Where do those fees appear?
- How do my costs compare with similar investors?
- Has my pricing changed as my portfolio has grown?
- Is my advisory relationship still priced fairly?
That independent perspective allows clients to evaluate the economics of their advisory relationship without introducing another investment manager into the equation.
What Does a Fee Negotiation Service Cost?
The KeepMore Company's engagements are structured as project-based services.
Pricing depends on factors such as portfolio size, account complexity, and the scope of the engagement.
The firm's objective is straightforward:
If fee reductions are available, the long-term savings should meaningfully exceed the cost of the engagement.
To reduce uncertainty for prospective clients, every relationship begins with a Confidential Fee Review.
The initial examination is provided at no cost and is designed to determine whether meaningful opportunities for improvement may exist before a client decides whether to move forward.
If the review indicates that the current advisory relationship already appears competitively priced, the investor gains valuable confirmation.
If opportunities are identified, the client can decide whether to proceed with benchmarking and negotiation support.
For paid engagements, The KeepMore Company also provides a written money-back guarantee, with eligibility requirements and terms explained before work begins.
Who Should Use an Independent Fee Advocate?
Not every investor requires professional fee advocacy.
Someone investing through a simple low-cost index fund portfolio or standardized robo-advisor may have limited opportunity for meaningful fee savings.
An independent review can become more valuable as portfolios become larger, more complex, or involve multiple advisory relationships.
The KeepMore Company's services may be especially helpful for:
- High-net-worth investors with professionally managed portfolios.
- Business owners preparing for the sale of a company or other liquidity event.
- Individuals receiving an inheritance or financial windfall.
- Investors with multiple advisors, custodians, or investment accounts.
- Long-term advisory clients who value their existing advisor but want independent confirmation that fees remain competitive.
- Investors who have not reviewed advisory fees in several years.
- Families preparing to establish a new advisory relationship after a major financial event.
The next step is not necessarily changing advisors.
The next step is understanding whether the current pricing deserves a closer look.
Solutions Designed for Different Investor Situations
Recognizing that investors encounter fee questions at different stages of their financial journey, The KeepMore Company offers specialized engagement options.
The Head Start
Designed for investors establishing a new advisory relationship.
Before signing long-term advisory agreements, clients can better understand proposed fee structures, compare pricing, and begin the relationship with greater confidence.
The Suture
Created for investors with an existing advisor.
The Suture examines current advisory relationships, benchmarks fees against relevant market standards, and identifies opportunities for potential negotiation while preserving the relationship whenever appropriate.
The Cash Out
Designed for entrepreneurs and business owners preparing for or completing a liquidity event.
Following the sale of a business, many owners quickly find themselves evaluating new wealth management relationships involving substantial investment assets.
The Cash Out helps clients examine proposed advisory fees before significant assets are placed under management.
What The KeepMore Company Does Not Do
The firm's role is intentionally focused.
The KeepMore Company does not:
- Manage investment portfolios.
- Recommend securities or investment products.
- Provide investment advice.
- Offer tax advice.
- Provide legal advice.
- Custody client assets.
- Sell financial products.
Instead, the company concentrates exclusively on fee examination, benchmarking, and negotiation support.
That independence allows the firm to advocate solely for the investor's understanding of investment costs without introducing competing financial products or ongoing asset management services.
The Bottom Line
Investment costs deserve the same level of attention investors give to investment performance.
For many affluent households, the advisory relationship is one of the most important professional relationships they maintain.
A trusted advisor may absolutely justify professional fees.
The question is whether those fees continue to reflect the size, complexity, and value of the relationship.
The KeepMore Company helps investors answer that question through independent fee examination, objective benchmarking, and professional negotiation support.
Its role is not to replace financial advisors.
Its role is to help investors understand what they are paying, determine whether those costs remain competitive, and preserve more of the wealth they have already earned.
Your advisor may be worth the fee.
The relationship may be worth preserving.
But the price should be examined—not assumed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do financial advisors typically charge?
Many financial advisors charge an Assets Under Management (AUM) fee based on the value of the portfolio they manage. Other compensation models include flat planning fees, retainers, subscription pricing, hourly fees, or combinations of these approaches. The appropriate fee depends on the size and complexity of the advisory relationship.
What is a Confidential Fee Review?
A Confidential Fee Review is The KeepMore Company's starting point for prospective clients. It begins with a no-cost examination designed to determine whether meaningful opportunities for fee improvement may exist before the client commits to a deeper engagement.
Can I negotiate my advisor's fee myself?
Yes. Investors can negotiate advisory fees directly. However, many people negotiate these conversations infrequently, while advisory firms discuss pricing every day. Independent benchmarking can provide useful information before those conversations begin.
Does The KeepMore Company replace my financial advisor?
No. The KeepMore Company does not manage investments or replace financial advisors. Its role is to examine advisory costs, compare them with relevant benchmarks, and help clients determine whether their current pricing remains competitive.
What investment costs are commonly overlooked?
Many investors focus only on the advisory fee while overlooking mutual fund expense ratios, ETF expenses, platform charges, custodial fees, transaction costs, planning fees, and layered investment product expenses.
Does The KeepMore Company provide investment advice?
No. The KeepMore Company does not provide investment advice, tax advice, legal advice, portfolio management, or investment recommendations. Its work focuses exclusively on fee examination, benchmarking, and negotiation support.
Why does independent fee benchmarking matter?
Fee benchmarking provides objective context by comparing advisory fees with similar portfolios and service arrangements. Rather than relying on assumptions, investors can evaluate whether their current pricing appears competitive based on relevant market standards.
