Fees / How We're Paid
We believe fee transparency matters.
Before you decide to work with us, we want you to understand how we are compensated, what services our fees cover, and what additional costs or compensation arrangements may apply. The specific services, fees, billing schedule, payment terms, and any applicable refund provisions will be disclosed in writing before services begin.
Financial Planning and Advisory Fees
Prosperity Planning & Advisory provides financial planning, consulting, portfolio review, model portfolio guidance, and non-discretionary investment recommendations on an hourly or fixed-fee basis.
The Firm does not charge asset-based advisory fees and does not calculate its advisory fees based on the value of a client’s investment accounts.
Fees may be negotiable:
- Fees may be negotiable at the Firm’s discretion. As a result, clients receiving similar services may pay different fees.
Financial Planning and Consulting Fees
Our standard hourly fee is $150 per hour unless another amount is agreed to in writing. Before work begins, we will provide an estimate of the anticipated time, fee, or scope of the engagement. We will not exceed an agreed estimate or materially expand the scope of services without your prior approval.
Some financial planning, consulting, portfolio review, model portfolio design, asset-allocation guidance, or project-based services may be provided for a negotiated fixed fee.
The fixed fee will be based on the nature, scope, and complexity of the engagement and will be agreed to in writing before services begin.
The client agreement will describe the specific services, fee, billing schedule, payment terms, whether any amount is paid in advance, and any applicable refund or proration provisions.
Non-Discretionary Investment Guidance
Prosperity Planning provides investment recommendations and model portfolio guidance on a non-discretionary basis. This means you retain control over your accounts and make the final decision about whether to accept, reject, or implement any recommendation.
You are under no obligation to act on any recommendation. If you choose to implement a recommendation, you are not required to complete a transaction through Prosperity Planning, Marcus Mann, or any particular custodian, broker-dealer, insurance provider, investment provider, or other third party.
Prosperity Planning does not place trades, rebalance accounts, select trade timing, direct cash movements, maintain standing trading authority, or otherwise act in client accounts. Clients are responsible for implementing recommendations directly through their custodian, broker-dealer, retirement plan provider, bank, or other account provider.
What Our Fees May Cover
Depending on the services included in your written agreement, our fees may cover:
- Comprehensive or limited-scope financial planning
- Retirement planning
- Cash-flow and budgeting guidance
- Asset-allocation and diversification guidance
- Model portfolio recommendations
- Rebalancing recommendations
- Tax-aware financial planning considerations
- Insurance-needs analysis
- Estate and legacy planning education
- Coordination with tax, legal, insurance, or other professionals when appropriate
- Periodic reviews or ongoing planning when specifically included in the engagement
Prosperity Planning may consider general tax factors as part of the financial planning process but does not provide tax preparation, accounting, or individualized tax advice. Clients should consult a qualified tax professional regarding their personal tax circumstances.
The specific services and frequency of any reviews will be described in the client agreement.
Ongoing monitoring or review services are not included unless they are expressly stated in the client agreement. One-time or project-based engagements generally conclude when the agreed services, plan, consultation, or recommendations have been delivered.
Billing and Payment
Advisory and financial planning fees are generally billed directly to the client by invoice.
Depending on the engagement, invoices may be issued:
- Upon completion of services
- Monthly for longer engagements
- Quarterly in arrears for ongoing services
- According to another schedule stated in the client agreement
Fees may be paid by check, electronic payment, or another payment method accepted by the Firm.
Under our current service model, Prosperity Planning does not deduct advisory fees from client brokerage, retirement, custodial, bank, or other financial accounts.
If fees are paid in advance and the engagement is terminated before completion, any unearned portion will be handled in accordance with the applicable client agreement. The Firm does not require or solicit payment of more than $500 per client six months or more in advance.
Other Costs You May Pay
Our fees do not include every cost associated with your accounts or investments.
Depending on the investments, accounts, and providers you use, you may also pay:
- Custodian, brokerage, or platform fees
- Mutual fund or ETF expense ratios
- Transaction charges
- Bid-ask spreads or other trading-related costs
- Wire-transfer fees
- Retirement-account fees
- Account transfer, closing, or termination fees
- Other account-related or investment-related charges imposed by third parties
Actual third-party fees depend on the provider, account type, services used, and investments selected. Clients should review and confirm applicable fees directly with the relevant custodian, broker-dealer, retirement plan provider, investment provider, or other third party.
These costs are separate from the fees charged by Prosperity Planning.
Prosperity Planning does not receive any portion of mutual fund or ETF expense ratios, custodian fees, brokerage fees, platform fees, or transaction charges unless specifically disclosed in the Firm’s current Form ADV brochure. Similar financial planning or advisory services may be available from other investment advisers at lower fees.
No Direct Account Fee Deduction
Prosperity Planning generally bills clients directly by invoice. Under the Firm’s current service model, we do not deduct advisory fees from client brokerage, retirement, custodial, bank, or other financial accounts. Prosperity Planning does not take possession of client funds or securities and does not have authority to withdraw, transfer, or move client assets.
How the Firm and Its Representatives Are Compensated
Prosperity Planning & Advisory, LLC is compensated through the hourly, fixed, and flat fees described on this page.
The Firm does not receive commissions, sales loads, 12b-1 fees, transaction-based compensation, or revenue-sharing payments from investment product sponsors, broker-dealers, custodians, or investment platforms in connection with its investment recommendations.
Firm representatives who are separately licensed as insurance producers may offer life insurance or fixed annuity products through a separate, non-advisory business. If a client chooses to purchase an insurance product through a properly licensed representative in that separate capacity, the representative may receive a commission from the issuing insurance company.
This creates a conflict of interest because the representative has a financial incentive to recommend insurance products. Prosperity Planning does not receive or share in those insurance commissions, and clients are not required to purchase insurance through any Firm representative.
Estate Planning Facilitation Through ENCORE
Prosperity Planning offers estate planning facilitation services in coordination with EncorEstate Plans, or “ENCORE,” an independent third-party interactive estate planning software provider.
The fee for this service is a flat fee ranging from $400 to $1,500, depending on the scope of services. The total fee will be disclosed and agreed to in a separate Estate Planning Client Agreement before services begin. A portion of the fee is retained by Prosperity Planning for estate planning education, general guidance, information-gathering assistance, coordination, and software navigation. A portion is paid by Prosperity Planning to ENCORE for its document preparation, deed preparation and recording, and related review services.
The client receives and agrees to the total flat fee in advance. The internal allocation of that fee between Prosperity Planning and ENCORE is not separately itemized to the client. This arrangement creates a conflict of interest because Prosperity Planning receives compensation when a client chooses to use the ENCORE service.
Clients are under no obligation to use ENCORE and may obtain estate planning services from any attorney, estate planner, online service, or other provider of their choice.
Prosperity Planning is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice, legal representation, or attorney review. Prosperity Planning does not independently draft legal documents. Clients are encouraged to have their estate planning documents reviewed by an independent licensed attorney before signing or executing them.
The compensation retained by Prosperity Planning reflects services provided by the Firm and is not described as a referral fee or insurance commission.
Important Disclosure
All investments and financial strategies involve risk, including the possible loss of principal. No investment result, financial outcome, tax result, estate planning result, insurance outcome, or planning objective is guaranteed. Registration as an investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training.
Questions About Fees?
We welcome questions about how we are compensated, what services are included, and what costs may apply to your situation. We believe those conversations should be clear, direct, and easy to understand.
