Pricing & Fee Structure

I don’t bury my fees in your fund menu or pad them into a bundled product. I charge based on what you need—nothing more, nothing less. If your fees start to get out of line with the scope of service I’ll tell you that and we can renegotiate a structure that works.

Fiduciary Advisory Fees (Billed Quarterly)

Most of my clients (under 100 participants) pay between $875 and $3,750 per quarter.

Pricing depends on:

• Plan size (assets, participants)
• Complexity
• Whether I’m acting as a 3(21) (“help me do it”) or 3(38) (“do it for me”) fiduciary

3(21) is where I usually operate. It’s collaborative, transparent, and efficient. You stay involved, I keep you out of trouble.

3(38) is about double the cost and honestly not much different. It’s the same fund lineup—I just don’t need permission to make changes. Frankly, most plans don’t need to pay extra for it, but it is understandable when they want it.

My minimum fee is $875/quarter. Below that, the work isn’t sustainable—and you probably don’t need me yet.

How I Structure Fees

• Flat quarterly fees (most common)
• Per-participant fees (e.g. $25/quarter per eligible employee)
• Asset-based pricing (when it fits)
• Project or hourly rates (for plan cleanups, takeovers, or special cases)

Who Pays the Fee?

• TPA fees are usually paid by the company, but may be paid by the plan
• Advisory fees can be paid by the company or from plan assets

In smaller plans where the owner holds most of the assets, paying from the company is usually more tax-efficient. I’ll help you weigh the pros and cons.

TPA Services

TPA work generally starts at $625/quarter, depending on:

• Participant count
• Plan design complexity
• Compliance needs (testing, 5500s, plan document updates)

TPA work usually comes with an up-front expense due to plan document or takeover services, which can vary.  Advisory services and TPA services are separate engagements, with separate pricing and scopes.  I may also enlist the help of an outside TPA if the compliance work is better suited to a firm with more scale.  I may also suggest bundling TPA services with the record keeper if it makes sense.

What I Don’t Do

• No investment product sales
• No commissions
• No revenue sharing
• No wealth management
• No cross-selling IRAs to your employees

I work exclusively on corporate retirement plans. That’s it. I serve your plan with transparency, full disclosure, and no conflicts of interest.

If you’re used to bundled pricing or vague compensation models, this might feel different. It should.

Why Independence Matters

I get it—some people find comfort in big names like Merrill Lynch, Edward Jones or Morgan Stanley. “Solid companies,” they’ll say. And sure, they are. But here’s the thing:

Your retirement plan doesn’t need a fancy logo. It needs someone whose only job is to serve your best interest and the best interest of the plan.

When you work with a broker-dealer (BD) rep, they may:

• Earn commissions or revenue sharing from the products they recommend
• Push proprietary funds or platforms
• Be limited by firm-approved investments
• Blend fiduciary advice with sales goals
• Treat retirement plans as ancillary business, not their core focus

Even if they mean well, the system they work within often puts your plan second.

When you work with me:

• Every dollar you pay supports my business—not a skyscraper
• I’m independent, transparent, and not tied to any fund company or platform
• I usually cost less than the big firms and come with more direct experience
• I work with any provider that fits your goals

You get real guidance—not a sales pitch in disguise. And if you’ve never had someone explain exactly how your advisor gets paid, well… maybe it’s time.

If you’re ready to trade vague trust for real transparency, we should talk.

Check out this DOL guide for more information on 401k fees:

Department of Labor guide to 401k Plan Fees

I’m not here to sell you anything.
But if what I say makes sense and we’re a good fit for each other, you might want to hire me.