Pure Financial Advisors Review 2026
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Updated: Sep 1, 2026
June Sham
Lead Writer & Content Strategist
June Sham is a lead writer on NerdWallet’s investing and taxes team covering retirement and personal finance. She is a licensed insurance producer, and previously was an insurance writer for Bankrate specializing in home, auto and life insurance. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in creative writing at the University of California, Riverside.
Arielle O'Shea
Head of Content, Investing & Taxes
Arielle O’Shea leads the investing, advisory and taxes content teams at NerdWallet. She has covered personal finance and investing for 20 years, and was a senior writer and spokesperson at NerdWallet before becoming an editor. Previously, she was a researcher and reporter for leading personal finance journalist and author Jean Chatzky, a role that included developing financial education programs, interviewing subject matter experts and helping to produce television and radio segments. Arielle has appeared on the "Today" show, NBC News and ABC's "World News Tonight," and has been quoted in national publications including The New York Times, MarketWatch and Bloomberg News. She is based in Charlottesville, Virginia.
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Our Take
Reviewed in: Aug. 2026
Period considered: June - Aug. 2026
The bottom line:
Pure Financial Advisors has no asset minimum, making it accessible to clients who want full financial planning and portfolio management. The firm charges a separate, initial planning fee in addition to an AUM fee. AUM fees start at 1.60% on the first $350,000 of assets under management, and decrease as asset levels increase.
Pure Financial Advisors
of assets under management; $1,000 to $5,000 for initial planning.
of assets under management; $1,000 to $5,000 for initial planning.
no promotion available at this time
Pros & Cons
Pros
Fee-only fiduciary, meaning Pure receives compensation from clients only, not commissions or referral fees.
No asset minimum to work with a Pure advisor.
Dedicated advisor with unlimited access, and an in-house tax and estate planning team.
Cons
Tax and estate specialists are for advice only; tax preparation is not available and extent of estate planning services is unclear — Pure did not respond to our more detailed questions about these services.
AUM fees are high for lower asset tiers.
Upfront planning fee of $1,000 to $5,000 is a prerequisite to portfolio management.
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Full Review
Why trust NerdWallet's reviews: Read our methodology
Over 60 investment account providers reviewed and rated by our expert Nerds.
More than 50 years of combined experience writing about finance and investing.
Hands-on testing of the account funding process, provider websites and trading platforms.
Dozens of objective ratings rubrics and strict guidelines to maintain editorial integrity.
How do we review financial advisors?
All NerdWallet reviews and lists of the best investing products are created by our editorial team of full-time writers and editors, independent of any business relationships. In this case, our investing team's comprehensive review process evaluates and ranks financial advisors and companies that provide financial planning services online. Our aim is to provide an independent, balanced assessment of providers to help arm you with information to make sound, informed judgments on which ones will best meet your needs. We adhere to strict guidelines for editorial integrity.
We collect data directly from providers through detailed questionnaires, conduct interviews and review federal filings. This research fuels our proprietary assessment process that scores each provider’s performance across 16 factors. The final output produces star ratings from poor (one star) to excellent (five stars).
For more details about the categories considered when rating brokers and our process, read our full methodology.
In our review of Pure Financial Advisors
Editor's note: Our review process includes collecting information through a detailed questionnaire sent to the firm, ADV filings and the firm website. In this case, Pure returned the questionnaire we sent, which allowed us to assign a star rating, but the firm did not respond to multiple emails we sent asking follow-up questions. This means we were not able to collect as much information as we typically do or get clarity on all features. We've noted below where we don't have complete information.
- Where Pure Financial Advisors shines
- Where Pure Financial Advisors falls short
- Who should choose Pure Financial Advisors?
- Pure Financial Advisors at a glance
- What to know about Pure Financial Advisors’ fees
- Pure advisor access
- Pure financial planning services
- Other key Pure features
- Good to know about Pure Financial Advisors
- Is Pure Financial Advisors right for you?
Where Pure Financial Advisors shines
Option for only financial planning or to include ongoing portfolio management. Pure offers flat-fee one-time engagements with a financial advisor to review portfolios or work through particular issues in a client’s finances. Clients can stop there or pay an assets under management fee for ongoing portfolio management.
Fee-only advisors. Pure advisors are paid by their clients through these planning and AUM fees. They don’t earn money through commissions by selling financial products, which could create a potential conflict of interest.
No asset minimum. Many financial advisors require you to have investable assets of $250,000 or more, but there is no minimum to work with a Pure advisor.
Where Pure Financial Advisors falls short
High cost for portfolio management. Although there is no asset minimum, at a 1.6% AUM fee for balances under $350,000, Pure is one of the more costly providers we’ve reviewed for clients at lower asset tiers.
Upfront planning fee. Among advisors we’ve reviewed, it is rare to charge this kind of flat upfront planning fee as a requirement before portfolio management. That fee substantially increases the first-year cost for those who want a financial plan and ongoing portfolio management.
Alternatives to consider:
Lower AUM fee at smaller asset balances with in-person service: Wealth Enhancement ($25,000 minimum required).
For a lower, all-in cost: Vanguard Personal Advisor, Facet.
Who should choose Pure Financial Advisors?
Those who only want a financial plan. Pure offers its Foundation Financial Plan as a separate, standalone engagement for a flat fee. Individuals who are comfortable managing their own accounts, but want an outside expert perspective on their full financial picture, may find this helpful.
Individuals at higher asset tiers, where the AUM blended rate begins to drop. With $250,000 in assets, you'd pay 1.60%, well above the 1% industry average and among the highest in our analysis. At $1 million the blended rate drops to 1.22%, and it keeps falling from there. Those who want a smaller investment amount managed may prefer a flat fee or lower-cost advisor.
Pure Financial Advisors at a glance
Reviewed in: Aug. 2026
Period considered: June - Aug. 2026
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. Pure Financial Advisors does not have a client minimum. However, they do charge an initial planning fee that could range between $1,000 and $5,000. This is mandatory for clients that also want portfolio management from Pure, which increases the first year’s cost substantially. In some instances, it may be waived for some clients. Portfolio management fees are separate and based on assets under management. For each tier, the specified fee rate is applied only to the portion of the client’s assets that falls within that tier:
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Advisor expertise | Pure has 79 advisors across 13 offices in seven states, almost all of them holding a certified financial planner (CFP), chartered financial consultant (ChFC) or CPA/PFS credential. All advisors are employees of the firm and act as fiduciaries. The team also includes CPAs, chartered financial analysts (CFAs), JDs, enrolled agents (EAs) and certified exit planning advisors (CEPAs). Pure maintains an in-house tax planning department led by a director who is both a CPA and an attorney, and an estate planning department. |
Scope of advice offered | Advisors are available via email, phone, video and in-person meetings, though not text. Pure schedules three meetings a year by default, and clients can request additional meetings at any time. The firm says its typical response time is within 24 hours. |
Advisor accessibility | The firm offers comprehensive financial planning, which can include retirement planning, investment management, tax strategy, insurance and risk management, cash flow analysis and guidance through life events such as divorce or selling a business, as part of the financial advisory fee. Pure does not prepare tax returns or draft estate documents, and refers clients to outside professionals for both. Pure’s ADV says it provides estate planning services, but we were not able to clarify the extent of those services, which resulted in an adjusted score. |
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. Pure is a fee-only firm with no commission or insurance revenue and doesn’t receive referral compensation. When clients first join the firm, Pure charges $275 per hour to put together a written financial plan. There is also a portfolio management fee that’s charged separately. |
Portfolio construction | Pure builds portfolios primarily from ETFs and no-load index funds diversified across asset classes, and says it avoids funds carrying sales charges. It uses model portfolios that can be adjusted for environmental, social or ethical preferences, and adds direct indexing, investment committee-approved alternatives and strategies for managing concentrated stock positions. The firm says it rebalances based on client circumstances, market conditions and cash flows. |
What to know about Pure Financial Advisors’ fees
Pure has no account minimum, and offers a free initial consultation. From there, if clients choose to move forward, there are two fees: a one-time financial planning fee and an ongoing asset management fee.
Financial planning fee
This fee covers what Pure calls a Foundation Financial Plan, which is a one-time written plan that acts as a financial planning roadmap. This service ranges from $1,000 to $5,000, but can be higher or lower based on the scope and complexity of the client’s situation.
Clients aren’t obligated to work with Pure to carry out their plan, but it is a prerequisite for those that also want Pure to handle their portfolio management. Pure does state in its ADV that it may waive this requirement on a case-by-case basis at their discretion, such as related household relationships, but did not provide additional clarification.
Asset management fee
Pure charges a percentage of assets under management on a tiered schedule. Each rate applies only to the portion of assets that fall within that tier, so clients pay a blended rate.
Below is the full tier schedule of Pure’s management fee.
1.60% on the first $350,000
1.25% on assets of $350,001 to $500,000
1% on assets of $500,001 to $750,000
0.90% on assets of $750,001 to $1,000,000
0.85% on assets of $1,000,001 to $2,000,000
0.80% on assets of $2,000,001 to $3,000,000
0.75% on assets of $3,000,001 to $4,000,000
0.70% on assets of $4,000,001 to $5,000,000
0.50% on assets of $5,000,001 to $10,000,000
Negotiable on assets over $10 million
Of note, Pure’s website states that their AUM fee ranges from 0.40% to 1.60%, though their published ADV states that the lowest rate is 0.50% on balances above $5 million and below $10 million. We requested clarification on this, but did not receive a response.
Pure advisor access
The company’s suggested cadence for meeting with advisors is three times a year, but clients can meet with their Pure advisor as often as they want. Clients can reach their advisor through video and phone call, as well as email, and even in person.
While Pure also has in-house tax and estate specialists, it was unclear if clients can request to meet or communicate with them directly.
Pure financial planning services
Pure offers financial planning services, both as a limited engagement for a single issue or a fuller, more comprehensive evaluation of a client’s current situation and future goals. Financial planning with Pure can touch on areas such as personal finance, cash flow, tax planning, investments and risk management.
Notably, while Pure shared with us that they have an in-house estate planning department, they said they do not provide common estate planning services, including integrating estate planning strategies and recommendations into financial plans, estate attorney coordination, beneficiary reviews and trust and legacy planning.
However, their ADV states that they “assist the client in assessing and developing long-term strategies, which may include living trusts, wills, estate tax strategies, powers of attorney, asset protection plans, long-term care, and Medicaid planning, as appropriate.” We were not able to clarify if their estate planning services are limited to advice or also include coordination and legal work, and it does not appear there is a separate estate planning department in their employee directory.
Other key Pure features
Portfolio construction
Pure builds portfolios from ETFs, no-load index funds, mutual funds, individual stocks and bonds, and alternative investments, and says it will not use funds that impose a sales charge. Portfolios are globally diversified across domestic and international equities, domestic and international fixed income and several alternative asset classes. Pure manages these accounts on a discretionary basis, meaning it can trade without checking with clients first, guided by their cash flow needs, risk tolerance, objectives and tax situation. Clients can choose to limit this by providing written instructions to the firm.
The starting point is a model, which Pure can modify for environmental, social or ethical preferences. They confirmed that as a firm, they do not exclude investments based on beliefs, but can structure portfolios to accommodate their client’s preferences. They may also include alternative investments in a client’s portfolio that have been approved by their Investment Committee if they believe doing so will improve returns, reduce risk or increase diversification. However, we were not able to clarify more specifics on the types of alternative investments the firm uses.
For clients that come with existing holdings or concentrated stock positions, Pure advisors may tailor their portfolio to avoid overlap and use tools such as direct indexing and costless collars.
Worth noting: Pure uses outside managers for bond management and direct indexing, and their fees are charged on top of Pure's own. It doesn't publish what they cost or name the firms. Pure's disclosures also make no mention of cryptocurrency or other digital assets.
Accounts supported
Pure supports brokerage accounts, IRAs, trust accounts, 529 plans, health savings accounts, business accounts, workplace retirement plans, charitable giving accounts and custodial accounts. Pure works with Charles Schwab, Fidelity, Axos, TradePMR and TIAA Advisors as custodians.
For accounts that can’t be managed, such as employer-sponsored retirement accounts, Pure offers two options: management through Pontera, a third-party platform that allows them to actively manage accounts, or a complimentary annual review once a year. There is a fee associated with Pontera, which Pure discloses in its ADV as a potential conflict of interest. Fees for using Pontera are paid by the client.
Tax strategy
Pure offers multi-year tax planning built into the financial plan, Roth conversion and required minimum distribution modeling, tax-loss harvesting and direct indexing. It also uses asset location, which means holding investments in whichever account is most tax-efficient to improve after-tax returns.
The firm runs a six-person in-house tax planning team, led by a director who is both a CPA and an attorney. Pure does not prepare or file tax returns.
Good to know about Pure Financial Advisors
Ownership
Pure is indirectly owned by its own personnel and by investment funds managed by Lee Equity Partners, a New York private equity firm. The firm has grown quickly, from about $6 billion in client assets in January 2024 to roughly $11 billion, partly by acquiring two advisory firms at the end of 2023. Private equity backing isn't unusual in this industry, but it can foreshadow changes in pricing or service, so it's worth asking about.
Is Pure Financial Advisors right for you?
Pure makes the most sense for those that want a written financial plan and portfolio management, along with tax and estate planning, all under one roof. Clients work with a dedicated and credentialed financial planner backed by in-house tax and estate planning departments. Pure advisors meet with clients three times a year at least, though clients can reach out for additional meetings at no extra charge.
There is also no asset minimum to work with Pure, but the catch is the cost. At $250,000, clients pay 1.60%, well above the roughly 1% industry average and among the highest in our analysis. At $1 million the blended rate drops to 1.22%, and it keeps falling from there. If you're bringing a smaller portfolio and mainly want investments managed, a robo-advisor or other lower-cost advisor may serve you better.
Pure is also a poor fit if you want your taxes filed or your estate documents drafted under one roof. It does the planning for both, but then refers clients out for the execution.
» Want to compare more options? View our picks for the best financial advisors