Modern Wealth Management Review 2026
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Our Take
4.7
Reviewed in: Dec. 2025
Period considered: Oct. - Dec. 2025
Modern Wealth Management can manage assets in a range of account types including workplace plans. The firm’s highest AUM fee is 1.5% on the first $499,999 of assets under management, and it drops as asset levels increase.
Modern Wealth Management
Fees
0.55% - 1.5%
per year
Account minimum
$250,000
but may be waived or negotiated at the firm's discretion.
Fees
0.55% - 1.5%
per year
Account minimum
$250,000
but may be waived or negotiated at the firm's discretion.
Promotion
None
no promotion available at this time
Show details
Pros & Cons
Unlimited access to a dedicated advisor who coordinates with specialists in investment management, tax planning, estate planning and insurance.
Offers pre-built portfolio options or customized investments to meet financial goals.
May be able to manage employer-sponsored accounts like a 401(k).
Offices in 16 states.
Expense ratios on investments used in portfolios can be high.
AUM fee can be high at lower asset balances.
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Full Review
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In our review of Modern Wealth Management
- Where Modern Wealth Management shines
- Where Modern Wealth Management falls short
- Who should choose Modern Wealth Management?
- Modern Wealth Management at a glance
- What to know about Modern Wealth Management’s fees
- Modern Wealth Management’s advisor access
- Modern Wealth Management’s financial planning services
- Other key Modern Wealth Management features
- Good to know about Modern Wealth Management
- Is Modern Wealth Management right for you?
Where Modern Wealth Management shines
Team approach: Clients work with a dedicated team that includes an advisor who coordinates with specialists in tax planning, estate planning, investment management and other areas. A holistic approach to financial planning ensures everything works together to accomplish your goals, and clients are able to tap into advanced expertise as needed.
Where Modern Wealth Management falls short
Costs and minimums: Clients at lower asset tiers (under $500,000) will pay a 1.5% AUM fee. That's not the highest rate among advisors we review, but it's on the high end of the scale.
Modern's minimum is $250,000, though the firm notes it is sometimes negotiated or even waived. That minimum is more standard across the industry, though lower (or no) minimums are available at some firms.
Alternatives to consider:
For a lower management fee at smaller AUM balances: Wealth Enhancement Group, Ellevest Wealth Management.
Who should choose Modern Wealth Management?
High-net-worth investors: Modern Wealth Management’s annual rates start to decrease once the client’s assets under management top $500,000. Clients pay 1.5% on the first $499,999. On the next $499,999, the fee drops to 1.25%. It hits 1% — which is considered a typical AUM fee for financial advisors — on the next $2 million. The fee continues to fall as a client's AUM grows, getting as low as 0.55% on assets over $10 million. We detail the entire fee structure below.
People who want to meet an advisor in-person: Modern Wealth Management has nearly two dozen office locations across 16 states, making it possible to build a relationship with your advisor in-person if you live near one of the offices. But if that’s not a priority for you, you could find lower rates with a firm that primarily serves clients virtually.
Modern Wealth Management at a glance
Reviewed in: Dec. 2025
Period considered: Oct. - Dec. 2025
Costs and minimums | To compare fees across pricing models, this category rates all providers based on what a client actually pays at two portfolio benchmarks: $250,000 and $1 million in assets under management. Flat fees are converted into an effective AUM percentage using the fee for their entry-level tier. For firms that charge AUM-based fees on a tiered schedule, we calculate a blended rate across the tiers that apply at each benchmark. Modern's client minimum is $250,000, though that may be waived or negotiated at the firm's discretion. Fees are based on assets under management and the client's needs. For each tier, the specified fee rate is applied only to the portion of the client’s assets that falls within that tier: 1.5% on the first $499,999. 1.25% on assets of $500,000 to $999,999. 1% on assets of $1,000,000 to $2,999,999. 0.75% on assets of $3,000,000 to $4,999,999. 0.65% on assets of $5,000,000 to $9,999,999. 0.55% on assets over $10 million. |
Advisor expertise | Modern Wealth clients work with a dedicated team including advisors, relationship managers, and service specialists holding a wide array of designations, including CFPs, CPAs, CFAs, CPAs, ChFCs and Series 65 and Series 66 credentials. Clients can connect with advisors through their preferred method: phone, email, in-person or virtual meetings. Some advisors on staff have specialized credentials, including Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) or Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF). |
Scope of advice offered | Offers comprehensive financial planning services covering tax, estate, investment management and insurance planning catered to the unique needs of the client. Additional services like college planning, retirement income planning, and more are available and customized to your goals. Tax planning services are available through Modern Wealth Tax Services, including custom tax analysis and the development of a multi-year tax plan. Some services that go beyond the standard investment management offering can incur a separate fee, including tax return preparation. The company can also review existing estate planning documents and make recommendations, but executing more complex strategies or drafting new documents is not covered as part of the standard fee. In these cases, clients may be referred to a third-party estate planning service or law firm. |
Advisor accessibility | Clients work with a dedicated team of advisors, relationship managers and specialists, with no cap on access or the number of meetings available. Advisors are available through phone, email, in-person or virtual video meetings. |
Transparency | This category rates whether the firm's fee structure reflects a commitment to avoiding conflicts of interest and acting in the client's best interest, as well as how accessible the advisor's fees are, with the highest rating awarded to advisors who clearly list their full fee structure on their website in addition to their ADV filing. Modern is a fiduciary fee-only financial advisor, and does not earn commissions. All fees are paid directly by the client. However, we could find Modern's fees only in its ADV, which reduced its score in this category. |
Portfolio construction | Modern bases client portfolios on pre-built models, then customizes based on client goals and other factors. Individual stocks, socially responsible investments and other investment options may be included. Client assets are held at either Schwab or Fidelity, and Modern can manage a variety of account types, including workplace retirement plans like 401(k)s. |
What to know about Modern Wealth Management’s fees
Modern Wealth Management charges a percentage of a client’s assets under management using a tiered fee structure. The rate depends on the size of the account and the client's needs, which is common in the wealth management industry.
For each tier, the specified fee rate is applied only to the portion of the client’s assets that falls within that tier:
1.5% on the first $499,999.
1.25% on assets of $500,000 to $999,999.
1% on assets of $1,000,000 to $2,999,999.
0.75% on assets of $3,000,000 to $4,999,999.
0.65% on assets of $5,000,000 to $9,999,999.
0.55% on assets over $10 million.
Under this tiered system, your effective annual rate gets lower as your total assets under management increases. For example, if you had $1 million in investable assets, you’d pay about $7,500 annually in AUM fees on the first $499,999, and then about $6,250 on the next $500,000. In total, you’d pay about $13,750 in annual management fees — an effective rate of about 1.38%.
Modern Wealth Management may charge standalone fees for some services. Clients who want a financial plan but not investment management will pay between $2,500 and $10,000 for the plan instead of paying an annual AUM fee.
Modern Wealth Management’s advisor access
Modern Wealth Management clients receive comprehensive support with unlimited access to a dedicated team, including advisors, relationship managers and service specialists. Clients can connect with advisors through whatever method they prefer, including phone, email, in-person or virtual meetings.
The firm’s advisors hold a wide range of credentials and designations, including:
Certified financial planners, or CFPs: This certification indicates the advisor has significant knowledge and experience with a broad range of financial planning topics.
Chartered financial analysts, or CFAs: This certification indicates the advisor has expertise in investment analysis and portfolio management.
Chartered financial consultants, or ChFCs: Another financial planning designation that indicates the advisor has completed advanced financial planning coursework and abides by certain ethical standards.
Accredited investment fiduciaries, or AIFs: This accreditation means the advisor has specialized training in managing or advising on investment assets and is committed to acting in their clients’ best interest as a fiduciary. (Note that all registered investment advisors have a fiduciary duty.)
Chartered retirement planning counselor, or CRPCs: This designation indicates the advisor specializes in retirement planning.
Series 65 and series 66 licenses: These licenses allow an advisor to provide investment advice and handle investment transactions. Earning them requires passing exams administered by the Federal Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).
Certified public accountants, or CPAs: This license indicates the person is a licensed tax professional.
Modern Wealth Management’s financial planning services
Modern Wealth Management provides comprehensive financial planning services and investment management. Advisors coordinate with specialists who have expertise in tax, estate planning, insurance and investments. They can also cover college planning, retirement-income planning and more, depending on the client’s goals. We like that clients at Modern have access to so many advisors with specialized expertise and credentials — that's not always the case, especially at smaller firms.
For estate planning, under the annual AUM fee, Modern Wealth Management subject-matter experts will review a client’s existing documents and make recommendations. Implementing more complex estate planning strategies or drafting and executing new documents is not included in the annual fee. Similar to other financial advisory firms, Modern Wealth may refer clients to a third-party provider or law firm for that level of service.
Other key Modern Wealth Management features
Portfolio construction
Modern Wealth Management uses a centralized portfolio management model, with its internal investment committee guiding decisions on its investment platform. So, there are some standardized investment strategies across client portfolios. Portfolios are pre-built with several options available.
But clients can customize their investments by choosing from a broad list of options, including:
Stocks.
Bonds.
Exchange traded funds (ETFs).
U.S. Government Treasuries.
Real estate investment trusts (REITs).
Mutual funds.
Money market funds.
Alternative investments, including private equity funds, real estate funds and others.
Socially responsible investments.
Accounts supported
Modern Wealth Management can manage a variety of accounts, including IRAs, trusts, workplace plans and others. The firm requires clients to use either Schwab or Fidelity as a custodian or broker.
Tax strategy
Modern Wealth Management uses several methods to optimize clients’ tax strategy, including asset location, tax loss harvesting and direct indexing. Like other financial advisors, Modern Wealth Management doesn’t provide tax preparation and filing. Instead, clients are referred out and can work directly with a tax preparer for an additional fee.
Good to know about Modern Wealth Management
Account minimums may be flexible
To work with Modern Wealth Management, you’ll need an account balance of at least $250,000 in investable assets. But the firm notes that that account minimum is flexible — it could be waived or negotiated.
Is Modern Wealth Management right for you?
Modern Wealth Management may be right for you if you’ve already accumulated significant wealth that you want someone to manage, you’re prepared to take full advantage of the planning specialists available and you value the option to meet in-person and you’re located near one of the firm’s offices.
Because it uses a tiered fee structure — which is common in the wealth management industry — clients who have the smallest balance pay the highest rates. Modern Wealth Management’s AUM fees start at 1.5%. That makes it a potentially pricey option for someone with less than $1 million in assets. Having a higher account balance to start would help you lower the effective annual rate, helping investors get more value out of the firm’s comprehensive planning services.
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